A system and method for obtaining hyperspectral visible absorption images.
The system includes a light source which illuminates a sample containing
light absorbing material, a platform, an optical lens, a detector. The
platform has a section for placement of the sample and a section devoid
of sample. The transmitted photons produced by the sample and collected
by the optical lens are separated into a plurality of wavelength bands
using a filter or a fiber array spectral translator coupled to a
spectrometer. The system includes a programmable code for operating in a
sample mode or background mode and calculating an absorption image. In
the background mode, the platform motion is controlled so the optical
lens collects transmitted photons from the, portion of the platform
devoid of sample to generate a background transmission image. In the
sample mode, the platform motion is controlled so the optical lens
collects transmitted photons from the sample to generate a sample
transmission image. The sample transmission image and the background
transmission image are used to generate a photon absorption image of the
sample.