An aspheric lens is a type of lens whose surface profiles deviate from the traditional spherical shape. Unlike spherical lenses, which have a constant curvature across their surfaces, aspheric lenses feature varying curvatures, allowing for improved...

Retroreflection is a phenomenon in optics where light is reflected back toward its source, typically in a direction nearly...

An endoscopic surgical instrument that includes a channel for the introduction of supplementary instruments.

A dichroic mirror, also known as a dichroic beamsplitter or interference filter beamsplitter, is an optical device that...

Instruments used for measuring angles and occasionally lengths on the ground. The principal surveying instruments are the...

Instruments used by ophthalmologists and optometrists to study the eye. There are, for instance, the ophthalmoscope to...

An image intensifier, also known as an image intensification tube or image intensification device, is a specialized...

A detector-Dewar assembly typically refers to a combination of a detector and a Dewar flask used in scientific instruments,...

Any of a number of instruments that uses a flame to vaporize a solution of the chemical being analyzed so that light may be...

A reflection grating is an optical component that consists of a series of closely spaced, parallel reflecting surfaces or...

A holographic grating is a type of diffraction grating that is produced using holographic recording techniques. It consists...

A term pertaining to devices (generally optical) designed for use with both eyes viewing through a single exit pupil. The...

An aspheric mirror is an optical mirror surface that deviates from the shape of a perfect sphere, having a non-spherical...

A resonator is a device or system that exhibits resonance, which is a phenomenon that occurs when an external force or...

Spectral repeatability refers to the consistency and reproducibility of spectral measurements across multiple trials or...

An atomic force microscope (AFM) is a high-resolution imaging and measurement instrument used in nanotechnology, materials...

A material often used in the construction of optical instruments because of its low coefficient of thermal expansion (0.9 x...

1. The term used to describe any of the many instruments used to remotely record physical dimensions, such as strain,...

An etalon is an optical device that consists of two parallel reflecting surfaces separated by a precise and known distance....

Fine lines, wires or threads used in the focal plane of many optical instruments to point out and locate particular objects...

A method of measuring distance by recording a single scene from two points of perspective. Surveying instruments can be...

Any source that emits radiation of wavelengths between 100 and 300 nm. Instruments used to study these sources must be...

A sudden, brief increase in current or voltage in a circuit that can damage sensitive components and instruments. Preventive...

The term "embedded laser" typically refers to a laser device that is integrated or embedded into a larger system or...

A spectral signature, in the context of remote sensing and spectroscopy, refers to the unique pattern or characteristic...

Optical cements and adhesives are specialized materials used in the assembly and bonding of optical components in optical...

The technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant energy whose quantum unit is the photon. The...

An assembly of prototype instruments, equipment and/or software designed to perform all the functions of a concept or idea...

In a general sense, any one of a class of instruments used to disperse radiation, visible or invisible, into its component...

A prism is a geometric optical element with flat, polished surfaces that refract light. It is typically a solid, transparent...

Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter...

An infrared lens is an optical component specifically designed and optimized for transmitting, focusing, or manipulating...

Photometry is the branch of science that deals with the measurement of light, particularly in terms of its intensity and the...

A dome-shaped structure used for some optical instruments in place of a flat window. The transparent material should be of...

An optical testing instrument is a device or system used to evaluate and measure the performance, quality, and...

Resonance can be defined in various contexts, including physics, chemistry, and music. Here are definitions for resonance in...

Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by the presence of suspended particles. These...

A synchrotron is a type of particle accelerator that uses magnetic fields to steer charged particles, typically electrons or...

Small tungsten lamp used in surgical instruments such as cystoscopes, and for other purposes where space is limited.

A laser warning and countermeasure system containing a sensor that indicates the direction of a laser beam, and analytical...

Also known as ocular. The lens system used between the final real image in a visual optical system and eye. It acts as an...

Optical manufacturing tools and machinery encompass a wide range of equipment, instruments, and systems used in the...

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive analytical technique that uses the near-infrared region of the...

A time-to-amplitude converter (TAC) is an electronic circuit that converts a time interval between two events into an...

An autocollimator is an optical instrument used for measuring small angular deviations with high precision. It operates on...

A charge-coupled device (CCD) is a type of electronic image sensor used in various imaging devices, including digital...

Polarization refers to the orientation of oscillations in a transverse wave, such as light waves, radio waves, or other...

A photomultiplier tube (PMT) is a highly sensitive vacuum tube that detects and amplifies low levels of light. It is widely...

A family of specialized instruments used by ophthalmologists and optometrists to study a patient's eyes and prescribe...

Convex is an adjective used to describe a surface or shape that curves outward, bulges, or has a rounded and outwardly...

The field of view (FOV) refers to the extent of the observable world or the visible area that can be seen at any given...

Cathode radiant sensitivity refers to the ability of a photocathode to convert incident radiant energy, typically in the...

A transducer is a device or component that converts one form of energy into another. It is commonly used in various fields,...

A metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodiode is a type of photodetector that consists of metal electrodes on a semiconductor...

A silicon photodiode is a semiconductor device that converts light into an electrical current. It is a type of photodetector...

The arrangement of two Porro prisms so that the inverted image formed by certain types of optical instruments is the same as...

A spectrum that displays the distribution in mass or in mass-to-charge ratio of ionized atoms, molecules or molecular parts....

A diffraction grating is an optical component consisting of a surface with a periodic structure of equally spaced, parallel...

MTF analysis/measurement equipment refers to instruments and tools used to measure and analyze the modulation transfer...

An achromat, in the context of optics, refers to a type of lens or lens system designed to reduce chromatic aberration....

Photoelastic equipment and supplies refer to instruments and materials used in photoelasticity, a technique used to analyze...

An optical filter is a device that selectively transmits or blocks specific wavelengths, or colors, of light. Optical...

A photodetector, also known as a photosensor or photodiode, is a device that detects and converts light into an electrical...

Diamond turning refers to a precision machining process used to produce complex optical components, particularly lenses and...

A magnetometer is a scientific instrument used to measure the strength and/or direction of a magnetic field. It can detect...

Etaloning is an optical phenomenon that occurs in imaging systems, particularly in devices such as spectrometers,...

Microscopy is a scientific technique that involves the use of microscopes to observe and study objects that are too small to...

The entrance slit, also known simply as the slit, is an essential component in optical instruments such as spectrometers and...

A PIN photodiode is a type of photodetector or semiconductor device used to convert light signals into electrical signals....

Broadband dielectric mirrors, also known as broadband mirrors, are optical coatings designed to efficiently reflect or...

The prism used in a rangefinder to bend the lines of sight through the instruments into the eyepieces.

An InGaAs photodiode refers to a photodetector device that is constructed using a semiconductor material composed of a...

An instrument for detecting and analyzing repetitive signals. Using a fixed time delay or "gate," the input signal...

Beam profiling is a technique used to characterize and analyze the spatial intensity distribution of a laser beam. It...

Digital signal processing (DSP) refers to the manipulation and analysis of signals, which are representations of physical...

Sapphire crystal refers to a transparent, single-crystal form of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) known as corundum. It is one of the...

A vacuum chamber is a sealed enclosure from which air and other gases are removed to create a low-pressure environment,...

A reflecting prism that is rhomboidal in shape. It has two parallel transmitting faces, and two parallel reflecting faces;...

Reflectance spectroscopy is a technique used to analyze the reflective properties of materials across various wavelengths of...

A small low-power microscope or magnifier with a scale that is used to measure the exit pupil diameter and eye relief on...

A scintillation crystal, also known simply as a scintillator, is a material that emits light when it interacts with ionizing...

Concave and convex spherical mirrors are types of curved mirrors that have surfaces shaped like segments of spheres. These...

Metrology is the science and practice of measurement. It encompasses the theoretical and practical aspects of measurement,...

A fiber-coupled LED (light-emitting diode) refers to an LED device that is optically coupled to an optical fiber for the...

A platform mount used to hold sensitive optical instruments immobile.

Unlike the thermocouple or bolometer, the pyroelectric infrared detector is a current source with an output proportional to...

An instrument designed to measure the refractive power and range of accommodation of the eye. See ophthalmic instruments.

Lens testing equipment refers to a range of specialized tools and instruments used to evaluate the optical performance,...

Instantaneous field of view (iFOV) is a term commonly used in the context of remote sensing, imaging systems, and optical...

Calorimetry is a branch of science that involves the measurement of heat flow in physical or chemical processes. It...

Spectra can be conveniently recorded on photographic film or plates. The portions that are occupied by regions of the...

The effect discovered by Faraday in 1845 whereby nonoptically active materials or substances become capable of rotating the...

Spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) is a technique that extends traditional Raman spectroscopy by incorporating...

An astronomical telescope is a type of optical instrument designed to gather and magnify light from distant celestial...

A monochromator is an optical instrument used to isolate and select a narrow range of wavelengths from a broader spectrum of...

See eye test apparatus; ophthalmic instruments.

Dispersion refers to the phenomenon where different wavelengths (colors) of light travel at different speeds when passing...

An aplanatic surface is an optical surface that is specifically designed or shaped to minimize spherical aberration and...

A mirror blank refers to the initial piece of material from which a mirror is made. It is typically a flat or slightly...

1. A prism used in some instruments to bend light 90° before it enters the objective. 2. A dispersing prism located in...

A spheric lens, also known as a spherical lens, is a type of optical lens with at least one surface that is part of a...