Description
Spectral reconstruction is a computational technique used to recover spectral information from a limited number of spectrally selective optical measurements. It is particularly useful for compact spectroscopic systems, where the measured response may be limited by filter bandwidth, tuning step size, signal-to-noise ratio, or available instrumentation. By combining calibrated filter responses with suitable reconstruction algorithms, target spectra can be estimated with improved effective spectral resolution without relying on bulky or highly specialised spectroscopic equipment. In this work, we use microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based Fabry–Pérot filters (FPFs) to validate resolution-enhanced spectral reconstruction over the 1.3–1.6 μm wavelength range. The MEMS-FPFs were designed and fabricated at the University of Western Australia in a standard microelectronics cleanroom environment. Their spectral responses were characterised using a monochromator setup at UWA and used as the calibration basis for reconstruction performed at the University of Melbourne.
The preliminary results demonstrated the feasibility of this approach. The reconstructed narrowband spectrum agrees well with the monochromator reference, while showing a much sharper response than the direct MEMS-filter measurement. This indicates that computational reconstruction can recover spectral features broadened by the filter response and improve the effective resolving capability of the MEMS-FPF measurement system. We anticipate extending the study using the latest MEMS-FPF device batch with improved optical performance and implementing a more robust automated measurement system capable of repetitive measurements with finer voltage sampling steps to obtain a larger and more accurate calibration dataset. We also plan to demonstrate the method by reconstructing the transmission spectra of fixed bandpass filters and broadband polymer samples, providing a more systematic evaluation of the reconstruction accuracy, robustness, and practical limitations of the proposed MEMS-FPF-based spectroscopic platform.
| I am the presenting author | Yes |
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