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DataRay Inc. - ISO 11146-Compliant Laser Beam Profilers
electromagnetic Dictionary Terms

near-infrared camera
A near-infrared (NIR) camera is an imaging device designed to capture images in the near-infrared region of the...
actinic focus
That point in the electromagnetic spectrum at which an optical system focuses the most chemically effective rays.
fluorescent screen
A fluorescent screen refers to a phosphorescent or fluorescent-coated surface that emits visible light when exposed to other...
electromagnetic image tube
An image intensifier tube that uses a magnetic field for focusing. It yields high-quality images, but its use is limited by...
dispersion formula
All formulas that present the index of refraction as a function of a wavelength of electromagnetic radiation. Also called...
metasurfaces
Metasurfaces are two-dimensional arrays of subwavelength-scale artificial structures, often referred to as meta-atoms or...
fiber optic sensor
A fiber optic sensor is a device that uses optical fibers to detect and measure physical, chemical, biological, or...
electromagnetic radiation
Radiation emitted from vibrating charged particles. A combination of oscillating electrical and magnetic fields that...
infrared
Infrared (IR) refers to the region of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths longer than those of visible light, but...
image converter
An electron tube that employs electromagnetic radiation to produce a visual replica of an image produced on its cathode....
electromagnetic wave
Wave of radiation identified by individual fluctuations of electric and magnetic fields.
ultraviolet fiber optics
Ultraviolet (UV) fiber optics refers to optical fibers that are designed and optimized for the transmission of ultraviolet...
synchrotron
A synchrotron is a type of particle accelerator that uses magnetic fields to steer charged particles, typically electrons or...
digital signal processing
Digital signal processing (DSP) refers to the manipulation and analysis of signals, which are representations of physical...
Mie scattering
Mie scattering, named after the German physicist Gustav Mie, refers to the scattering of electromagnetic radiation (such as...
Planck's law
A fundamental law of quantum theory which states that the discrete quanta of energy transfers associated with...
Debye effect
The selective absorption of electromagnetic waves by a liquid made up of molecules with permanent dipole movement.
luminous
Pertaining to electromagnetic radiation as perceived by the eye; that is, with the contributions as wavelengths in the...
negative-refraction metamaterial
An artificial material, engineered to have a negative refractive index value, such that light or any other form of...
swept-source laser
A swept-source laser, also known as a wavelength-swept laser, is a type of laser that rapidly and continuously changes its...
transverse mode
In the context of optics and lasers, a transverse mode refers to a specific spatial pattern of the electric field within the...
attosecond photonics sources
Attosecond photonics sources refer to devices or systems that generate extremely short pulses of light on the order of...
medium
Any substance or space through which electromagnetic radiation can travel.
far-ultraviolet radiation
That radiation characterized by wavelengths ranging from 0.2 to 0.3 µm in the electromagnetic spectrum.
corner cube
A corner cube, also known as a corner reflector or retroreflector prism, is a type of optical device used to reflect light...
window
1. A piece of glass with plane parallel surfaces used to admit light into an optical system and to exclude dirt and...
azimuthal polarization
Azimuthal polarization refers to a specific polarization state of light where the electric field vector of the...
mode beating
In optics, "mode beating" refers to an interference phenomenon that can occur in laser systems with multiple longitudinal...
surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is an analytical technique that combines the principles of Raman spectroscopy...
infrared camera
An infrared camera, also known as a thermal imaging camera or IR camera, is a device that captures and visualizes the...
GaN distributed feedback lasers
GaN (gallium nitride) distributed feedback (DFB) lasers refer to a specific type of semiconductor laser based on Gallium...
spectroradiometer
A spectroradiometer is a device used to measure the intensity of light at different wavelengths across the electromagnetic...
electromagnetic spectrum
The total range of wavelengths, extending from the shortest to the longest wavelength or conversely, that can be generated...
Hertzian waves
The radio waves of the electromagnetic spectrum that have frequencies of up to 10,000 megacycles per second.
ultraviolet A
The region of the electromagnetic spectrum from 320 to 400 nm.
radio telescope
An instrument designed to collect naturally formed extraterrestrial electromagnetic radiation within the radio frequency...
broadband dielectric mirrors
Broadband dielectric mirrors, also known as broadband mirrors, are optical coatings designed to efficiently reflect or...
optical fiber
Optical fiber is a thin, flexible, transparent strand or filament made of glass or plastic used for transmitting light...
transverse electromagnetic mode
 absorption
The transfer of energy from an incident electromagnetic energy field with wavelength or frequency to an atomic or molecular...
ultraviolet spectrometer
A spectrophotometer designed for use in the 200- to 380-nm range of the electromagnetic spectrum and equipped with a...
electric vector
The electric field associated with an electromagnetic wave and thus with a lightwave. The electric vector specifies the...
Brillouin scattering
Brillouin scattering is a phenomenon in physics where an incident electromagnetic wave (usually light) interacts with...
reflective spectroscopy
Reflectance spectroscopy is a technique used to analyze the reflective properties of materials across various wavelengths of...
electromagnetic theory
The theory of propagation of energy by combined electric and magnetic fields included in Maxwell's equations.
spectral repeatability
Spectral repeatability refers to the consistency and reproducibility of spectral measurements across multiple trials or...
calutron
An electromagnetic device used to separate isotopes of elements based on their respective masses.
fluorescence
Fluorescence is a type of luminescence, which is the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light or other...
retroreflector
A retroreflector is an optical device or structure that reflects incident light or electromagnetic waves back to their...
optical clock
An optical clock is a highly precise and advanced timekeeping device that relies on the oscillations of electromagnetic...
end-fire coupling
End-fire coupling refers to a method of coupling energy into or out of a waveguide, transmission line, or antenna, where the...
diffractometer
A measurement device used to study the structure of matter using the diffraction of electromagnetic radiation.
visible spectrum
That region of the electromagnetic spectrum to which the retina is sensitive and by which the eye sees. It extends from...
photosynthetically active radiation
Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is the 400- to 700-nm region (visible light) of the electromagnetic spectrum that...
actinic radiation
Electromagnetic energy that is capable of producing photochemical activity.
remote inspection
Remote inspection refers to the process of inspecting, evaluating, or monitoring assets, equipment, infrastructure, or...
mid-infrared camera
A mid-infrared camera is a type of imaging device designed to capture images in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectral range,...
absorption band
A group of frequencies or wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum which exhibits resonance or energy contributions near...
remote sensing
Remote sensing is a method of data collection and observation where information about objects, areas, or phenomena on...
terahertz spectrometer
A terahertz spectrometer is a scientific instrument used to measure and analyze the properties of materials in the terahertz...
near-infrared spectrometer
A near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer is an analytical instrument used to measure the absorption, transmission, or reflection...
surface wave
A wave that is guided by the interface between two different media or by a refractive index gradient in the medium. The...
Casimir force
The Casimir force is a quantum phenomenon that results in an attractive force between two closely spaced uncharged...
density matrix formulation
The exact mathematical description of the interactions of matter and intense electromagnetic fields, such as those that...
metamaterial
Metamaterials are artificial materials engineered to have properties not found in naturally occurring substances. These...
light
Electromagnetic radiation detectable by the eye, ranging in wavelength from about 400 to 750 nm. In photonic applications...
backward-wave oscillator
An amplifying device with a wide tuning range in which an electron gun sends a beam of electrons into a slow-wave structure....
photoconductive antenna
Photoconductive antenna (PCA) is a semiconductor element that generates or detects high-frequency electromagnetic signals....
metallic coating
A thin layer of metal deposited on the surface of a substrate. The film may serve as a reflector, beamsplitter, neutral...
radiant energy
The energy passed on as electromagnetic radiation; e.g., radio, heat or light waves.
bremsstrahlung
Electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by an electron as it is accelerated or decelerated while moving through the...
electron-beam lithography system
An electron-beam lithography (EBL) system is a sophisticated nanofabrication tool used in the semiconductor industry and...
Er:YAG laser
An Er:YAG laser is a type of solid-state laser that uses a crystal made of erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet...
diurnal phase shift
Phase shift in electromagnetic signals caused by daily variations in the ionosphere, often during sunrise or sunset.
Lorentz oscillator model
The Lorentz oscillator model is a theoretical model used in physics to describe the response of a charged particle (such as...
microwave
An electromagnetic wave lying within the region of the frequency spectrum that is between about 1000 MHz (1 GHz) and 100,000...
radiant
Pertaining to electromagnetic radiation, with the contributions at all wavelengths of interest weighted equally.
sapphire optical fiber
Sapphire optical fiber is a type of optical fiber made from single-crystal sapphire, which is a form of aluminum oxide...
phase-shift keying
A method of coding information in a communications system where the shift in the phase of an electromagnetic wave represents...
hyperspectral imaging
Hyperspectral imaging is an advanced imaging technique that captures and processes information from across the...
wavefront
In considering a field of electromagnetic energy emanating from a source, the wavefront is a surface connecting all field...
phase
In optics and photonics, "phase" refers to a property of electromagnetic waves, such as light, that describes the position...
wavelength
Electromagnetic energy is transmitted in the form of a sinusoidal wave. The wavelength is the physical distance covered by...
near-infrared spectroscopy
Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive analytical technique that uses the near-infrared region of the...
attenuation
Attenuation refers to the gradual loss or reduction of intensity, force, or magnitude of a particular property as it...
BCS theory
Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory of superconductivity, based on the notion that electrons with opposite momentum and spin...
free-electron laser
A free-electron laser (FEL) is a type of laser that generates coherent, high-intensity electromagnetic radiation by using a...
propagation constant
For an electromagnetic field mode varying sinusoidally with time at a given frequency, the logarithmic rate of change, with...
ultraviolet B
The region of the electromagnetic spectrum from 280 to 320 nm.
scanning electron microscopy
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is an advanced imaging technique used in microscopy to obtain high-resolution,...
emission spectrum
An emission spectrum is a graphical representation or a characteristic pattern of the wavelengths or frequencies of light...
hyperspectral imaging camera
A hyperspectral imaging camera is a sophisticated imaging device capable of capturing and processing data across a wide...
multispectral imaging
Multispectral imaging is a technique that involves capturing and analyzing images at multiple discrete spectral bands within...
absorption peak
An absorption peak refers to a sharp increase or spike in the absorption of electromagnetic radiation at a particular...
electromagnetic lens
An electron lens consisting of a homogeneous axial electric field and a magnetic field used in high-quality image tubes for...
indium phosphide
Indium phosphide (InP) is a compound semiconductor material composed of indium (In) and phosphorus (P). It belongs to the...
polarization
Polarization refers to the orientation of oscillations in a transverse wave, such as light waves, radio waves, or other...
ducting
Propagation of electromagnetic waves through the Earth's atmosphere in a path that conforms to the curvature of the Earth...
accessible radiation
Electromagnetic radiation present upon the open aperture of the source within an operating environment.
waveguide
A waveguide is a physical structure or device that is designed to confine and guide electromagnetic waves, such as radio...
piezoelectric crystal
A crystal consisting of a substance that has the ability to become electrically polarized and has strong piezoelectric...
camera
A light-tight box that receives light from an object or scene and focuses it to form an image on a light-sensitive material...
sapphire window
A sapphire window refers to a transparent optical component made from sapphire crystal. Sapphire is a single-crystal form of...
frequency
With reference to electromagnetic radiation, the number of crests of waves that pass a fixed point in a given unit of time,...
gallium arsenide phosphide
Gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP) is a semiconductor alloy composed of gallium (Ga), arsenic (As), and phosphorus (P). It...
high harmonic generation
High harmonic generation (HHG) refers to a nonlinear optical process in which intense laser light interacts with a gaseous...
magneto-optics
Magneto-optics refers to the study and manipulation of the interaction between magnetic fields and light (electromagnetic...
electromagnetic environment
The distribution of electromagnetic fields in a given area. The units are volts per meter, watts per meter squared and...
diffuse reflectance spectroscopy
Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is a nondestructive analytical technique used to investigate the optical properties...
optical glass
Optical glass refers to a type of glass specifically engineered and manufactured for use in optical components and systems,...
backscatter
Backscatter refers to the phenomenon in which radiation or waves are scattered backward, opposite to the direction of the...
hydroxyl ion absorption
An optical fiber's absorption of electromagnetic waves due to hydroxyl ions remaining after contact with water.
phonon
A phonon is a quantum of vibrational energy associated with the periodic motion of atoms or molecules in a crystalline...
mass spectroscope
An instrument that uses electromagnetic fields to sort out the relative masses of atoms and molecules.The same way an...
nanophotonics
Nanophotonics is a branch of science and technology that explores the behavior of light on the nanometer scale, typically at...
continuous wave
Continuous wave (CW) refers to a type of signal or transmission where the signal is constant and does not vary with time. In...
nonlinear optical materials
Nonlinear optical materials are substances that exhibit optical properties that are not linearly proportional to the...
short wavelength infrared
Short wavelength infrared (SWIR) refers to the portion of the infrared spectrum that encompasses wavelengths roughly between...
spectroscopy
Spectroscopy is a technique used in the study of interactions between matter and electromagnetic radiation. It involves...
infrared optic
Infrared optics refer to optical components and systems designed to manipulate and control infrared (IR) light, which lies...
Nd:YAG laser
Nd:YAG laser refers to a solid-state laser that utilizes neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:Y3Al5O12) as the gain...
terahertz
Terahertz (THz) refers to a unit of frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum, denoting waves with frequencies between 0.1...
metal vapor laser
Devices in which the lasing medium is a vapor of metal atoms or ions, sometimes mixed with another gas. Metal vapor lasers...
accessible emission
The present radiation level within a laser or electromagnetic radiation operating area.
wavelength meter
A device that measures the wavelength of an electromagnetic wave.
vibrational transition
A vibrational transition refers to a change in the vibrational energy of a molecule. Molecules consist of atoms that are...
silicon photodiode
A silicon photodiode is a semiconductor device that converts light into an electrical current. It is a type of photodetector...
Ultraviolet-C
Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) refers to a specific range of ultraviolet radiation with shorter wavelengths than those of visible...
radiation detector
Any of the many devices used to detect the presence of radiation from a specific region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
electromagnetic focusing
electrodynamics
The study of the generation of electromagnetic power by radiation from high-energy beams.
extreme ultraviolet
Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) refers to a specific range of electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum....
surface-enhanced Raman scattering
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a powerful analytical technique that enhances the Raman scattering signal of...
fiber optic cable assembly
A fiber optic cable assembly refers to a complete unit consisting of optical fibers, connectors, protective jackets, and...
radio astronomy
The detection and analysis of naturally formed extraterrestrial electromagnetic radiation within the radio frequency range...
beam
1. A bundle of light rays that may be parallel, converging or diverging. 2. A concentrated, unidirectional stream of...
electron-gun system
An electron-gun system is an assembly used to generate and control a focused beam of electrons. Electron guns find...
galvanometric scanner
A galvanometric scanner, also known as a galvanometer scanner or galvo scanner, is a type of optical scanning device used to...
broadband filter
A broadband filter is an electronic or electromagnetic device designed to pass a range of frequencies or signals within a...
optical cements and adhesive
Optical cements and adhesives are specialized materials used in the assembly and bonding of optical components in optical...
spectrophotometer
A spectrophotometer is a scientific instrument used to measure the intensity of light at various wavelengths in the...
plasmonics
Plasmonics is a field of science and technology that focuses on the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and free...
wave
1. An undulation or vibration; a form of movement by which all radiant energy of the electromagnetic spectrum is estimated...
quartz spectrograph
A spectrograph used to detect radiation in the range of the ultraviolet in the electromagnetic spectrum. It is made up of...
GaAlAs laser
A GaAlAs laser is a type of semiconductor laser diode that emits light in the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic...
light fidelity
LiFi, short for light fidelity, is a wireless communication technology that utilizes visible light or infrared light to...
organic dye
Any organic substance, that when dissolved in appropriate liquid based solvents will absorb and emit electromagnetic...
ultraviolet reflectance
Ultraviolet reflectance refers to the ability of a material or surface to reflect UV light. Ultraviolet light is...
supercontinuum
Supercontinuum refers to a broad spectrum of light that spans a wide range of wavelengths, typically from the visible to the...
scalar diffraction theory
Scalar diffraction theory is a simplified approach used to describe the propagation of electromagnetic waves, particularly...
surface electromagnetic waves
Waves that propagate along the interface between two different media without radiation with exponentially decaying...
electromagnetic compatibility
The ability of a device to operate without electromagnetically interfering with the operation of nearby equipment and...
directed energy
Directed energy refers to a type of energy that is emitted and transferred in a controlled direction. The term is often...
resonator
A resonator is a device or system that exhibits resonance, which is a phenomenon that occurs when an external force or...
quantum cascade laser
A quantum cascade laser (QCL) is a type of semiconductor laser that operates based on the principles of quantum mechanics....
waveguide dispersion
For each mode in an optical waveguide, the term used to describe the process by which an electromagnetic signal is distorted...
hyperspectral resolution
Hyperspectral resolution refers to the level of detail or granularity in the spectral information captured by a...
optics
Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter...
blackbody source
A blackbody source, often simply referred to as a blackbody, is a theoretical or practical physical object that absorbs all...
optical spectrum
1.) Generally, the electromagnetic spectrum within the wavelength region extending from the vacuum ultraviolet at 40 nm to...
pulse analyzer
The instrument used to analyze a pulsed electromagnetic wave to determine its time, amplitude, duration and shape, and to...
detector array
A detector array refers to a collection of individual detector elements arranged in a two-dimensional grid or matrix format....
blue diode laser
A blue diode laser is a type of semiconductor laser that emits light in the blue wavelength range of the electromagnetic...
integration time
Integration time, in the context of optics, imaging systems, and sensor technology, refers to the duration over which a...
holographic grating
A holographic grating is a type of diffraction grating that is produced using holographic recording techniques. It consists...
photonic cavity
A photonic cavity, also known as an optical cavity, is a structure that confines electromagnetic radiation within a certain...
magnetic vector
A term denoting the magnitude and direction of the magnetic field associated with an electromagnetic wave when describing...
infrared lens
An infrared lens is an optical component specifically designed and optimized for transmitting, focusing, or manipulating...
spectral signature
A spectral signature, in the context of remote sensing and spectroscopy, refers to the unique pattern or characteristic...
optical chopper
A mechanical or electrical-electromagnetic device for periodically interrupting or blocking abeam of light for a brief known...
solenoid
In micropositioning, a remote positioning device in which an electric current drives a movable armature mounted on an...
magnitude
In astronomy, the relative brightness of a celestial body. Originally a scale from 1 to 6, where 1 represented the brightest...
maser
An acronym for microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Predecessor to the laser, the maser or...
electromagnetic interaction
The interaction of charged particles and electromagnetic fields.
gamma ray
The spontaneous emittance of electromagnetic radiation by the nucleus of certain radioactive elements during their quantum...
nonradiative transition
A nonradiative transition refers to a process in which an electron or an atom undergoes a change in its energy state without...
atomic clock
An atomic clock is a highly precise timekeeping device that uses the vibrations or oscillations of atoms as a reference for...
germicidal UV
Germicidal ultraviolet (GUV) refers to a specific range of UV radiation that has disinfectant properties capable of killing...
atomic absorption spectrometer
An atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) is an analytical instrument used to determine the concentration of specific chemical...
photoelectromagnetic effect
Interaction of a magnetic field with a photoconductive substance exposed to light to create a potential difference.
flowmeter
A flowmeter is a device used to measure the flow rate or quantity of a fluid passing through a particular point in a system....
photon
A quantum of electromagnetic energy of a single mode; i.e., a single wavelength, direction and polarization. As a unit of...
photosensitizer
A substance that increases a material's sensitivity to electromagnetic irradiation. In photodynamic therapy, a drug used to...
mass spectrograph
A device that uses electromagnetic fields to separate electrically charged particles according to their masses. As a beam of...
angstrom
An angstrom, symbolized by the Ångström or Å, is a unit of length used to express atomic and molecular...
terahertz radiation
Electromagnetic radiation with frequencies between 300 GHz and 10 THz, and existing between regions of the electromagnetic...
Thomson scattering
The scattering of electromagnetic waves by free electrons, whereby the incident radiation and the scattered radiation are of...
hybrid electromagnetic wave
A wave in the electromagnetic spectrum that has both electrical and magnetic field vectors in the direction of propagation.

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