A tunable snapshot imaging spectrometer

A tunable snapshot imaging spectrometer has been demonstrated. A liquid crystal spatial light modulator (LC SLM) has been integrated into a computed tomographic imaging spectrometer (CTIS) to achieve tunability. The LC SLM allows for rapid, programmable, and non-mechanical alteration of its phase profile by the application of appropriate voltages to its transparent electrodes.; The goal of this dissertation is twofold: (1) to integrate a liquid crystal spatial light modulator into a CTIS instrument and characterize its performance as a tunable CTIS disperser, and (2) to implement tunability by analyzing different CTIS configurations.; The theoretical model of CTIS operation, calibration, reconstruction, and disperser design are covered in detail. The cross talk of the LC SLM forces the use of a feedback design algorithm rather than designing the desired phase profile a priori in the computer. The modifications to the current polychromatic linear inversion technique for use with the LC SLM in feedback are presented. The result of the modifications is the successful integration of a reprogrammable (i.e. tunable) disperser for the CTIS instrument.; The implementation of tunability is explored by analyzing the spectral resolution of a reconstructed point source for different disperser configurations. A method for experimentally determining the CTIS spectral resolution is presented.