Photonics Dictionary: P

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.

A contour mapping technique that involves projection of a grating onto an object to produce a shadow grating that is observed through another grating. Therefore, the size of the object to be measured...

A device used to project a small area of light on a screen for indication.

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.

A method of producing magnified images by x-rays. The specimen is placed close to a point source of x-rays; the magnification achieved is the ratio of source-image to source-object distance....

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 high-speed, narrow-field lens consisting of two achromats spaced about the aperture stop. Its uses include portrait photography and motion picture projection.

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...

In a lens or lens system, that surface at which the projections of an entering and exiting ray intersect. Also known as the equivalent refracting surface, the principal plane is most often not...