Diaphragm device

Abstract

A diaphragm device with which individual wavelengths or ranges of wavelengths in the path of a beam of spectrally dispersed light can be suppressed. Such a diaphragm device comprises at least one array of diaphragms, wherein the individual diaphragms of the array are arranged in a definite relation to each other and may be coupled in the path of the beam and each diaphragm of the array in the coupled state is arranged in a given relation to an individual wavelength or a range of wavelengths.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained further in the following on the basis of a few exemplary embodiments. Shown in the corresponding drawings are:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a detector array with two insertable diaphragm arrays,

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the detector with diaphragm arrays arranged before the detector,

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the use of rollable foils as diaphragm arrays,

FIG. 4 a is a schematic top view of a detector with two diaphragm arrays, in which the diaphragms are rotatably supported and are singly couplable in the beam path,

FIG. 4 b is a schematic side view of a detector with two diaphragm arrays, in which the diaphragms are rotatably supported and are singly couplable in the beam path, and

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a stabilized diaphragm in the operating or the resting position.

Claims

1. A diaphragm device with which individual wavelengths or ranges of wavelengths in the path of a beam of spectrally dispersed light can be suppressed, the diaphragm device comprising:at least one array of at least two diaphragms,wherein the individual diaphragms of an array are arranged in a mutually defined relation with respect to each other so that they may be coupled in the path of the beam; andmeans for arranging each diaphragm of an array, when a diaphragm is in the coupled state, in a given relation to an individual wavelength or a range of wavelengths.

2. The diaphragm device according to claim 1, wherein the individual diaphragms of the array are arranged along a given direction in a definite relation with respect to each other.

3. The diaphragm device according to claim 2, wherein the given direction lies essentially perpendicular to an optical axis and parallel to a direction, in which the light is spectrally dispersed.

4. The diaphragm device according to claim 1, wherein the diaphragms are arranged in a fixed manner in the array and the array may be coupled in the path of the beam.

5. The diaphragm device according to claim 4, wherein the array of diaphragms is provided with a structured plate.

6. The diaphragm device according to claim 5, wherein the structured plate comprises a sheet metal plate with etched-in diaphragm openings.

7. The diaphragm device according to claim 4, wherein the array of the diaphragms comprises a structured foil with in-built openings for holding the diaphragms.

8. The diaphragm device according to claim 7, wherein the foil contains several arrays of diaphragms.

9. The diaphragm device according to claim 5, wherein the diaphragm array is coupled with a mechanical or an electromagnetic drive for introduction into the path of the beam.

10. The diaphragm device according to claim 4, several arrays of diaphragms are provided, which can be introduced into the path of the beam one after another.

11. The diaphragm device according to claim 1, wherein the array of diaphragms is positioned in a fixed manner in the given direction and the diaphragms of the arrays are coupled in the path of the beam.

12. The diaphragm device according to claim 11, wherein the diaphragms are displaceable in the path of the beam.

13. The diaphragm device according to claim 12, further comprising: a second array of diaphragms that are arranged in such a manner that in the state pushed into the path of the beam, each one of the diaphragms of the second array covers a marginal area of a diaphragm screen of at least one of the diaphragms of the first array.

14. The diaphragm device according to claim 11, wherein the array of the diaphragms are arranged in the path of the beam and as the diaphragms are made of steered optical shutters.

15. The diaphragm device according to claim 14, wherein the optical shutter comprises Liquid Crystal Displays or Digital Micro-Devices.

16. The diaphragm device according to claim 11, wherein the diaphragms of the arrays are arranged along an axis in an at least partially rotatable manner about that axis.

17. The diaphragm device according to claim 16, wherein the axis lies parallel to the given axis.

18. The diaphragm device according to claim 16, wherein the diaphragms of the array are arranged on a common frame.

19. The diaphragm device according to claim 18, further comprising means for supporting the frame on one side rotatably about the axis.

20. The diaphragm device according to claim, 16, wherein, for each individual diaphragm, a resting position (R) is provided, in which the diaphragm does not lie in the path of the beam, and an operating position (A), in which the diaphragm is in the path of the beam, and means are provided for fixing the diaphragm both in the resting as well as in the operating position (R) or (A).

21. The diaphragm device according to claim 20, wherein, for fixing each of the diaphragms in the resting position (R) an electromagnetic holder is provided.

22. The diaphragm device according to claim 20, wherein, for fixing of each diaphragm in the operating position (A), a spring element is provided, whose state of elastic tension in the resting position (R) is greater than in the operating position (A).

23. The diaphragm device according to claim 20, further comprising a spring element for stabilizing of each diaphragm, the spring element having a state of elastic tension during the movement from the resting position (R) into the operating position (A) and back that is greater than in the two positions (R, A).

24. The diaphragm device according to claim 23, wherein the spring element comprises a leaf spring pressing against a rest.

25. The diaphragm device according to claim 20, further comprising a second array of diaphragms, whose diaphragms are so arranged that in the operating position (A), each diaphragm of the second array covers the marginal area of a diaphragm screen of at least one diaphragm of the first array.

26. The diaphragm device according to claim 1, wherein the surface areas of the diaphragm screens in the path of the beam pointing to the direction of the incidence of light are light absorbing.

27. The diaphragm device according to claim 1, wherein the surface areas of the diaphragm screens in the path of the beam pointing to the direction of the incidence of light are light reflecting.

28. The diaphragm device according to claim 27, further comprising a beam trap for capturing the light reflected from the diaphragm screen.