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06

2026

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07

Miniature Snapshot Spectrometer for the Long-Wave Infrared Band

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A team led by Professor Feng Tianhua of Jinan University and Professor Li Chaohui of Sun Yat-sen University has proposed and demonstrated a miniature, snapshot‑type long‑wave infrared computational spectrometer. The instrument comprises a plasmonic metasurface array and a consumer‑grade uncooled thermal imaging module, enabling spectral analysis in the 7–14 µm long‑wave infrared band. Long‑wave infrared spectroscopy resides in the so‑called “molecular fingerprint region” and holds significant potential for applications in chemical analysis, environmental monitoring, gas sensing, and thermal imaging. To address the limitations of conventional infrared spectrometers—namely their large size, high cost, and difficulty of integration—the researchers designed a plasmonic metasurface array consisting of only nine coding elements. By tuning the geometric parameters of gold nanorod structures, they achieved distinct transmission spectra, which, combined with compressed sensing algorithms and dictionary learning techniques, enabled spectral reconstruction and analysis. Experimental results show that for narrowband single‑peak spectra, the relative error in reconstructing the central wavelength is below 1%, with a spectral resolution of approximately 100 nm. For broadband spectra, the device can perform spectral analysis and material identification across a range of substances, including blackbody radiation sources, ethanol, and polymer films such as PTFE, PE, and PVC. This work offers a novel approach to developing integrated, low‑cost, and portable infrared spectral analysis systems.

The research findings were published in Laser & Photonics Reviews in June 2026 under the title “A Miniaturized Snapshot Spectrometer at Long-Wave Infrared Wavelengths.”

Figure 1: Structure and Operating Principle of the Miniature Spectrometer

Figure 2: Design and Characterization of Metasurface Arrays

Figure 3: Experimental System and Data Processing Techniques

Figure 4: Narrowband Spectral Analysis

Figure 5: Broadband Spectral Analysis and Material Identification

Figure 6: Performance Comparison of Miniature Spectrometers

Source: optics, World of Optics

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