Novel protocol of hyperspectral data acquisition by means of an acousto-optical tunable filter with synthesized transmission function.

A new protocol of hyperspectral data acquisition with an acousto-optical tunable filter is proposed and tested experimentally. Correction for the illumination source spectrum and regular spectral sensitivity factors is embedded in the data acquisition routine. The protocol is based on the adaptive electronic setting of the filter transmission passband inversely proportional to the power spectrum of the light source. Spectral equalization of the light source spectrum in a hyperspectral imaging spectrometer is demonstrated with 3% standard deviation over the bandwidth 465-820 nm. The broadening of the point-spread function does not exceed 20% at fourfold bandwidth extension owing to a confocal configuration of the spectrometer.