Comparison of low-cost hyperspectral sensors

Recent advances in large format detector arrays and holographic diffraction gratings have made possible the development of imaging spectrographs with high sensitivity and resolution, at relatively low component cost (<$100K.) Several airborne instruments have been built for the visible and near infrared spectral band with 10-nm resolution, and SNR of 200:1. Three instruments are compared, an all-reflective spectrograph using a convex grating in an Offner configuration, and two off-the-shelf transmission grating spectrographs using volume holograms. The camera is a 1024 x 1024 frame transfer, back-thinned CCD, with four taps for obtaining high frame rates. Performance and scan data is presented and compared to the design for image quality, distortion, and throughput.