A solid-state detector for use in an atomic spectrometer comprises a plurality of arrays of sensing elements, or pixels, each of the arrays being positioned along and on the locations of spectral signals on a focal plane of an echelle grating spectrometer. The sensing elements are positioned along the many diffraction orders presented on a two-dimensional echelle grating focal plane so that at least one element is located at each and every resolution element regardless of global x-y coordinate positioning of the elements or with reference to each other. The result is a series of skewed lines of sensing elements, those lines being in the same shape as the series of diffraction order lines which comprise an echelle spectrum. The solid-state detector is particularly useful in an atomic spectrometer wherein an echelle grating is used to diffract incident radiation such that the various components of the radiation may be observed.