SLM spectrometer

A SLM spectrometer is provided that employs an entrance slit (40) or a collimator (42) to provide parallel rays of radiation to a prism (44) which disperses the incident radiation into an associated wavelength spectrum. The resulting spectrum from the prism (44) is incident upon a spatial light modulator (SLM) (46), such as a deformable mirror device (DMD). By selectively activating (or deactivating) a small portion of the surface of the SLM, i.e. a cell on the SLM, it is possible to selectively reflect or transmit a portion of the spectrum incident upon the SLM onto a focusing device, such as a parabolic focusing mirror (48). The focusing device in turn focuses the portion of the spectrum reflected by the selected cells on the SLM to a sensor (50). The wavelength selected is a function of which row of cells are activated (or deactivated) in the SLM. The SLM spectrometer of the present invention may be used to analyze visible light and light that is near visible, such as the near infrared or ultraviolet regions. The output of the sensor or detector may be appropriately amplified and after appropriate calibration employed to determine the amount of energy in a particular wavelength or band of wavelengths.