Design of a micro-opto-electro-mechanical-system-based near-infrared hyperspectral imager.

We present the development of an imaging spectrometer for the near infrared (NIR) using a micro-opto-electromechanical system. A diffraction grating has been etched into the surface of a micromechanical scanning mirror made of silicon and is used to scan the object space and to disperse the NIR radiation simultaneously. Beginning with the specific requirements of NIR hyperspectral imaging, a detailed analysis of the system approach resulting in an all-reflective optical design for the hyperspectral imager is presented. The investigation includes a thorough consideration of spectral and spatial distortion occurring by scanning the scene with a grating. Minimization of these aberrations leads to an improved spectrometer design.