Photonics Dictionary: P

The wavelength at which the radiant intensity of a source is maximum.

Phase matching is a crucial concept in the field of optics, particularly in nonlinear optics and the generation of coherent light. It refers to the condition where the phases of two or more waves,...

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

A camera system used for microphotography in which the document to be recorded is on a flat bed, perpendicular to the lens axis. The camera head is located above the copyboard on a column and may be...

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 straight line connecting the curvature centers of the refracting lens surfaces. In a mechanical sense, a line joining the centers of a lens as it is placed in a mount. The principal axis is the...

The intersection of the principal plane and the optical axis of a lens.

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...