Long cavity spectral disperser at sub-picometer resolution. Design and analysis

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel long cavity spectral disperser designed for spectrometers, capable of achieving spectral resolutions of ten million or more, with detailed analysis and preliminary optimization.

Contribution

It presents a new long cavity spectral disperser design with potential for ultra-high spectral resolution, including theoretical relations and initial optimization.

Findings

Potential to reach spectral resolution of ten million or more

Established basic relations for dispersion, free spectral range, and resolving power

Preliminary optimized design demonstrating high spectral resolving power

Abstract

In many applications of spectrometry, a very high spectral resolution is of paramount importance for technologies such as wavelength division multiplexing, femtosecond laser pulse shaping, chemical analysis of gases, or astrophysics observations. A few techniques achieving such goal already exist as listed in the introducing paragraphs. In this article is described a long cavity spectral disperser that is likely to be integrated into a spectrometer and having the potential to attaining unsurpassed spectral resolving power equal to ten millions or more. The basic relations of its angular dispersion, free spectral range, resolving power, transmission and contrast are established and a preliminary optimized design is presented