Photonics Dictionary: P

Single-mode fiber that preserves the plane of polarization of the light launched into it as the beam propagates through its length. Also called polarization-maintaining fiber. The polarization is...

An optical device capable of transforming unpolarized or natural light into polarized light, usually by selective transmission of polarized rays.

The process of aligning the crystallites in a piezoelectric material by placing a large DC field across the element at an elevated temperature. The alignment of crystallites results in an increased...

The process of forming a polisher by pressing it with an optical surface.

The optical process, following grinding, that puts a highly finished, smooth and apparently amorphous surface on a lens or a mirror.

A flat cylindrical device generally used to polish terminated ends in fiber optic connections.

Light that is a mixture of wavelengths.

A substance that transmits the infrared, but which is too delicate or fragile to be used in the form of a single crystal. Instead, the pure material is finely ground, pressed to the required shape,...

A material used to jacket fiber optic cables. It is chemical- and moisture-resistant, but not fire-resistant.

A polygonal mirror, also known as a multifaceted mirror or facet mirror, is a type of optical component used in various laser systems, optical scanners, and imaging devices. It consists of a flat or...

Polymers are large molecules composed of repeating structural units called monomers. These monomers are chemically bonded together to form long chains or networks, creating a macromolecular...

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a widely used molecular biology technique used to amplify a specific segment of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) through a series of temperature-controlled cycles....

The condition in which there are more atomic systems in the upper of two energy levels than in the lower, so stimulated emission will predominate over stimulated absorption. This condition may be...

A 45-90-45° reflecting prism whose surfaces form the 90° angle reflecting the light beam through a total angle of 180°. The corners of the prism are rounded to minimize breakage and simplify...

Positioning generally refers to the determination or identification of the location or placement of an object, person, or entity in a specific space or relative to a reference point. The term is used...

Basically, a hydrogen atom with two alterations, positronium is the lightest atom in the universe and has an extremely light positron in its nucleus that replaces hydrogen's proton so that its atomic...

A crystalline material with a high electro-optic coefficient, capable of operating at short wavelengths, with applications in laser, optical disc, printing and microwave systems.

A technique used in radiography to determine a crystal's structure by obtaining radiographs of it in powder form, normally by the use of a powder camera that forms an image of the crystal's x-ray...

With respect to a lens, the reciprocal of its focal length. The term power, as applied to a telescope or microscope, often is used as an abbreviation for magnifying power.

In laser welding or heat treating, the instantaneous laser beam power per unit area. This parameter is key in determining the fusion zone profile (area of base metal melted) on a workpiece.

The ratio of emitted power to input power.

Power modulation refers to the intentional variation of power levels in a signal, often in the context of electronic communication systems. This modulation technique is used to encode information...

Laws that predict the maximum power output as a function of tube diameter for a hydrogen cyanide laser of a given discharge length and cavity losses, all other parameters being optimized.

A transition boundary between two regions having different properties in a P-type semiconducting material.

A method of determining prism power at any point on a lens. Prism power equals the product of the dioptric power and the distance, in centimeters, from the optical center.

A blank having basic surface curves attained by forming heat-softened glass that is pressed in a mold.

A set of three colored lights which, when mixed, give the sensation of white light. The set used in color television, for example, is red, green, blue (RGB).

A pair of telescopes with prismatically erected images, mounted side by side with the eyepieces at the interocular distance of the observer. This separation is adjustable with a convenient millimeter...

The chromatic resolving power of a prism is invariably stated for the case in which parallel rays of light are incident on the prism, in which the prism is oriented at the angle of minimum deviation...

An instrument that measures the angle at which a prism can couple laser light into an optical waveguide; used to determine the thickness and refractive index of thin films in integrated optical...

A prism is a geometric optical element with flat, polished surfaces that refract light. It is typically a solid, transparent object with at least two flat surfaces that are inclined relative to each...

A probe card is a testing device used in the semiconductor manufacturing industry to evaluate and test the electrical characteristics of integrated circuits (ICs) on a wafer. Its primary function is...

A superposition of many zone plates, each reconstructing a real and virtual point image at the appropriate locations upon illumination by a reference beam.

In computerized industrial process control, the element that determines the choice and sequence of operations dependent on varying conditions.

A device that couples a light source to an optical fiber by projecting an image of the source and the fiber core onto a screen where they can be superimposed by micropositioners.

The measurement of surface temperature by a thermograph that forms a pattern of the heat radiated by the surface on a luminescent screen.

A microscope that uses an extremely fine x-ray focal point to produce an enlarged photographic image of a sample. Also known as an x-ray shadow microscope.

The minimum amount of strength characteristic of an optical fiber, as determined by proof stressing; expressed in thousands of pounds of pressure per square inch.

An assembly of prototype instruments, equipment and/or software designed to perform all the functions of a concept or idea which, when operated as a system, produce evidence, results or data...

For an electromagnetic field mode varying sinusoidally with time at a given frequency, the logarithmic rate of change, with respect to distance in a given direction, of the complex amplitude of any...

A film applied to a coated or uncoated optical surface primarily for protecting this surface from mechanical abrasion, from chemical corrosion, or from both. For example, a thin layer of silicon...

Technique using a fiber optic assembly to illuminate an opaque object and transmit an image back from it without a lens system on the distal end.