Photonics Dictionary: P

Black and white film that has a wavelength sensitivity similar to that of the eye.

A film of material that exhibits varying conductivity based upon its absorption of varying amounts of photon radiation.

A camera designed to form a continuous record of an expansive section of the horizon. The typical panoramic camera is mounted to rotate about a vertical axis. A slit opening in the film plane and the...

A lens system that is capable of producing a 360° image, or one that is very close to that. In recording, the image may be formed on a curved strip of film surrounding the lens, resulting in a...

A thin film or coating that forms on various finished surfaces. On optical surfaces it usually denotes aging.

A light-sensitive resistor in which resistance decreases with increase in light intensity when illuminated. The device consists of a thin single-crystal or polycrystalline film of compound...

The special cameras, film and other means for forming maps by aerial photography.

The maximum angle of view that can be recorded by a camera. Field is a function of lens focal length and film format.

A measure of the ability of a photographic system to record fine detail. Usually stated in terms of cycles per millimeter on the processed film.

A system in which the electrical signal embedded within an audio input signal is converted to a modulated light pattern and recorded on film.

The photographic recording of the heat radiation emitted from various points on the object as corresponding density variations on fast infrared film.

A camera equipped with angular scales in altitude and azimuth. The scale readings are imprinted on the film when an exposure is made. The exact point indicated by the scale readings is shown by...

A photovoltaic cell usually sensitive to infrared radiation. It may have a copper base and a film of cuprous oxide. When it is irradiated, voltage is produced.

A structure consisting of a thin film of liquid crystal sandwiched between light-polarizing filters that have received a surface lubricant. Depending on motion, the transducer acts as a highly...

A lensless photographic camera that uses a small sharp-edged hole as its aperture. The light passed by this aperture onto the camera's film plane produces a soft-edged image that has a wide field of...

A device used in the sputtering of thin films, in which a magnet system on the back of the cathode deflects the electrons, lengthening the ionization path. The accelerated ions transfer their...

Plasmon ion-assisted deposition (PIAD) is a technique used in thin-film deposition processes, particularly in the production of optical coatings. This method combines two key processes: plasmon...

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...

A camera system that uses a fine powder to diffract x-rays from the specimen. A beam of monochromatic x-rays passes through a collimator onto the specimen. Diffracted x-rays are recorded on the film...

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 photographic camera designed to produce reproduction film of visual information (pictures, line drawings, graphs) for printing purposes.

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...