Acousto-Optic Tunable Filter Spectrometers

Spectrometers are used for applications such as chemical analysis, remote sensing, environmental measuring, and optical measurements. Most spectrometers utilize prisms and gratings, where the dispersion of light depends upon the angle and rotation of the grating. But gratings and other moving parts are undesirable in spectrometers because they cause unwanted vibrations, they can go out of alignment, and they are difficult to maintain. In addition, the spectral range and resolution of traditional spectrometers are limited.