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radiation Dictionary Terms

thermomagnetic imaging
The production of an image on a magnetic film that is exposed to infrared radiation and heated to a point above Curie temperature in regions of the image. The image is contacted with paramagnetic particles and then heat-transferred to a sheet.
ultraviolet reflectance
Ultraviolet reflectance refers to the ability of a material or surface to reflect UV light. Ultraviolet light is...
xerography
A printing process of electrostatic electrophotography that uses a photoconductive insulating medium, in conjunction with...
spectroscope
In a general sense, any one of a class of instruments used to disperse radiation, visible or invisible, into its component...
translucent
Pertaining to materials having the property of reflecting a part and transmitting a part of the incident radiation.
reflection
Return of radiation by a surface, without change in wavelength. The reflection may be specular, from a smooth surface;...
hot mirror
A mirror with a coating that reflects infrared radiation and transmits visible light.
dark current
The current that flows in a photodetector when there is no optical radiation incident on the detector and operating voltages...
photoradiation therapy
active region
The layer of material in a laser diode from which the optical radiation is emitted; light producing region
photographic thermometry
The photographic recording of the heat radiation emitted from various points on the object as corresponding density...
threshold test
In laser damage testing, the exposure of many sites of a sample to different intensities of laser irradiation to discover...
infrared light-emitting diode
An infrared light-emitting diode (IR LED) is a semiconductor device that emits infrared light when an electric current...
dual-wavelength spectrophotometry
Spectrophotometry in which radiation of two separate wavelengths, usually one in an absorption band and the other not, pass...
spectral signature
A spectral signature, in the context of remote sensing and spectroscopy, refers to the unique pattern or characteristic...
fluorescence spectroscopy
The spectroscopic study of radiation emitted by the process of fluorescence.
polarimetric analysis
The determination of a substance's identity or quantity through the analysis of its optical rotation. For example, the...
fluorescent screen
A fluorescent screen refers to a phosphorescent or fluorescent-coated surface that emits visible light when exposed to other...
germicidal UV
Germicidal ultraviolet (GUV) refers to a specific range of UV radiation that has disinfectant properties capable of killing...
phototherapy
Phototherapy is a medical treatment that involves the use of light to treat various conditions, particularly those related...
infrared vidicon
A vidicon that has a photoconductive surface that can be excited by infrared radiation.
linar
Celestial point sources that emit specific wavelengths of radiation that appear on spectral charts as narrow lines. The term...
Q-switched pulse
A laser output that occurs when the cavity resonator Q is first kept very low, using rotating mirrors or saturable...
antiguide
A waveguide that has a core with a lower refractive index than the refractive index of the cladding. This structure can...
equalized-response densitometer
A densitometer having a receiver that indicates when a desired radiation level has been attained.
image converter
An electron tube that employs electromagnetic radiation to produce a visual replica of an image produced on its cathode....
deflection
Any bending of a wave of radiation away from its expected path, as, for example, by diffraction or by a magnetic field.
actinochemistry
The study of chemical changes produced by radiation.
refracted wave
A wave of radiation that has undergone refraction.
point light source
1. With respect to angular subtense, a source of light, such as a star, that is very small. In a lab, a point source may be...
photodiode
A two-electrode, radiation-sensitive junction formed in a semiconductor material in which the reverse current varies with...
grating monochromator
An optical instrument used to isolate a narrow bandwidth of optical radiation using a diffraction grating as the dispersive...
pumping band
A group of energy levels to which ions in the ground state are initially excited when pumping radiation is applied to a...
free-electron laser
A free-electron laser (FEL) is a type of laser that generates coherent, high-intensity electromagnetic radiation by using a...
laser damage
A natural or mechanical system adversely affected by the influence of laser radiation. During laser damage the common effect...
flux concentration
The intensity of radiation transmitted to a receiver.
Cerenkov counter
An instrument that detects high-energy charged particles by analysis of the Cerenkov radiation that they emit.
solar absorber
A substance capable of converting solar radiation into thermal energy.
short-wave radiation
Characterizes the significant solar radiation at the surface of the earth, so named because its spectral range extends only...
x-ray image spectrography
Irradiation of a cylindrical crystal with an x-ray beam resulting in Bragg diffraction that produces a slightly enlarged...
spectrum light source
A lamp that yields a nonluminous flame; used in the spectroscopic analysis of radiation emitted by a substance placed in the...
thermography
Thermography is a technique that involves the use of an infrared imaging device, called a thermal camera or infrared camera,...
scintillation crystal
A scintillation crystal, also known simply as a scintillator, is a material that emits light when it interacts with ionizing...
spectroradiometer
A spectroradiometer is a device used to measure the intensity of light at different wavelengths across the electromagnetic...
cadmium lines
The three lines in the spectrum of cadmium that have the purest radiations and that were first used by Michelson to...
laser detector
Device that operates by interaction of incident radiation with semiconductor based material in order to produce an...
phosphorescence spectroscopy
The spectroscopic study of the radiation emitted by the lifetime of phosphorescence.
amplified spontaneous emission
Broadband radiation emitted by a laser that does not transmit through the optical element. It can be removed by filtering.
vacuum ultraviolet source
Any source that emits radiation of wavelengths between 100 and 300 nm. Instruments used to study these sources must be...
coherent radiation
Radiation in which the phase relationship between any two points in the radiation field has a constant difference, or is...
photosynthetically active radiation
Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is the 400- to 700-nm region (visible light) of the electromagnetic spectrum that...
Wien's displacement law
The formula that gives the wavelength of maximum spectral radiant emittance of a perfect blackbody: λmax =...
photoswitch
A solid-state device that acts as a high-speed power switch, and that is activated by incident radiation.
fluorite
The optical form of the crystal fluorspar, calcium fluoride, that is utilized for its low optical dispersion, its low...
thermophotovoltaic
Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) refers to a technology that converts heat energy into electricity using the principles of...
stimulated emission
Radiation similar in origin to spontaneous emission but determined by the presence of other radiation having the same...
collateral radiation
Category inclusive of all radiation that is incited electronically, except laser radiation, as a function of the application...
infrared spectroscopy
The measurement of the ability of matter to absorb, transmit or reflect infrared radiation and the relating of the resultant...
emitter
A source of radiation.
microbubble resonator
A microbubble resonator is a device used in photonics and optical physics for the precise manipulation of light waves. It...
synchrotron
A synchrotron is a type of particle accelerator that uses magnetic fields to steer charged particles, typically electrons or...
radiation pyrometer
Also known as radiation thermometer. A pyrometer in which the radiant intensity from the source to be measured is used to...
atmospheric optics
The analysis of the properties of radiation, such as light, when acted upon by variations in the atmosphere. Blue and red...
bremsstrahlung
Electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by an electron as it is accelerated or decelerated while moving through the...
spectroscopy
Spectroscopy is a technique used in the study of interactions between matter and electromagnetic radiation. It involves...
laser dazzle system
Visible laser radiation, often optically expanded and collimated, used to induced temporary blindness from within a walking...
fluence
Fluence is a term used in various scientific and technical disciplines to describe the amount of something per unit area....
Bohr's frequency relation
The law given by the formula: that is, the frequency of radiation emitted or absorbed by a system when E2 and E1...
InGaAs photodiode
An InGaAs photodiode refers to a photodetector device that is constructed using a semiconductor material composed of a...
photochromism
The reversible change in the absorption spectrum of certain compounds upon irradiation with a given wavelength of light.
optoelectronic
Pertaining to a device that responds to optical power, emits or modifies optical radiation, or utilizes optical radiation...
radiation pattern
Relative power distribution as a function of position or angle.
Fresnel diffraction
1. Also known as near-field diffraction. The field of radiation sent through an aperture in an absorbing screen at large...
infrared optic
Infrared optics refer to optical components and systems designed to manipulate and control infrared (IR) light, which lies...
black light
Radiation from the invisible (usually ultraviolet) region of the spectrum.
infrared absorption
Infrared radiation absorbed by crystals as a result of the excitation of lattice vibrations in which ions having opposite...
infrared jamming
A countermeasure used against heat seeking missiles to reduce their effectiveness. Normally it involves the emittance of...
nonlinear optical crystal
An optical crystal that possesses a strong nonlinear dielectric response function to optical radiation. A material with a...
relative equilibrium
The steady state of temperature exhibited by a material that has absorbed and emitted radiation equally.
spectrobolometer
A combination spectrometer and bolometer that is designed to measure a narrow band of radiation from a star.
spatial filter
1. Generally, an emulsion mask having a clean annular region in an otherwise opaque region. It is designed to eliminate...
infrared
Infrared (IR) refers to the region of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths longer than those of visible light, but...
remote sensing
Remote sensing is a method of data collection and observation where information about objects, areas, or phenomena on...
scattering
Change of the spatial distribution of a beam of radiation when it interacts with a surface or a heterogeneous medium, in...
scintillation counter
An instrument designed to measure radiation indirectly through the use of several phosphors and a photomultiplier tube. The...
negative absorption
Amplification; the result of the excess of stimulated radiation over absorbed radiation.
spectral pyrheliometer
Any pyrheliometer that has a filter placed over its sensor to limit the range of solar radiation it will detect; used to...
principal E-plane
The plane in which the axis of maximum radiation and the electric vector are contained.
immersed detector
A radiation detector with its active medium mounted within a lens that focuses the radiation signal. The improvement in...
cadmium lamp
A mercury vapor discharge lamp that has cadmium added to emit radiation in the red region as a complement to the mercury...
far-ultraviolet radiation
That radiation characterized by wavelengths ranging from 0.2 to 0.3 µm in the electromagnetic spectrum.
solar constant of radiation
Solar radiation intensity existing in free space at the mean solar distance of the Earth. Commonly expressed in g cal...
incandescence
The emission of light by thermal radiation of a temperature high enough to render the source of radiation visible.
infrared reflector
An optical component coated to reflect infrared radiation. Gold, silver and aluminum are typical coating materials.
cold mirror
A mirror whose coating serves to reflect visible radiation while transmitting the infrared.
high-voltage electron microscope
An imaging device whose technology contributes three specific advantages: ability to study large solid specimens that...
fluorescence
Fluorescence is a type of luminescence, which is the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light or other...
infrared photomicrography
Photographic recording that uses infrared radiation as the light source to form an image of a microscopic object and a...
Mossbauer effect spectroscopy
Spectroscopy characterized by the Mossbauer effect - recoilless emission and absorption of nuclear gamma radiation- which...
deuterium discharge lamp
A discharge lamp filled with deuterium to produce high-intensity ultraviolet radiation for use in spectroscopic analysis.
wood effect
The phenomenon in which alkali metals are transparent to ultraviolet radiation.
transmission limit
A restricting wavelength above or below which a specified form of radiation is totally almost absorbed by a specified medium.
modulation frequency
Rate at which optical radiation or a signal is varied through the use of a mechanical or electronic chopper. Also called...
nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
That branch of spectroscopy that applies to the study of interactions between energy and atomic nuclei. The simultaneous...
black surface enclosure
An enclosure whose walls are coated to absorb completely all radiation striking them.
synchrotron radiation
Radiation emitted by electrons when they travel in circular orbits at speeds close to that of light. Synchrotron radiation...
color conversion filter
A filter that serves to alter the color temperature and the mired value of the radiation emitted by a source.
continuous spectrum
The radiation spectrum of matter found in condensed states, liquid or solid, that is continuous and not a line spectrum. The...
photochromic
Photochromic refers to a property exhibited by certain materials, typically organic compounds or dyes, which undergo...
astronomy
The scientific observation of celestial radiation that has reached the vicinity of Earth, and the interpretation of these...
homogeneous multilayer coating
A thin film of absorbing or nonabsorbing layers in which the absorption of radiation at any point is directly proportional...
integration time
Integration time, in the context of optics, imaging systems, and sensor technology, refers to the duration over which a...
saturation
1. The decrease of the absorption (or gain) coefficient of a medium near some transition frequency when the power of the...
radiation dosimetry
The detection and measurement of nuclear and x-ray radiation.
arc light source
In present usage, especially for spectroscopic identification, an arc between electrodes that serves as a radiation source....
emission line
The line or lines emitted by an element when its radiation particles travel from one energy level to another.
infrared instrument
Any of the photoelectric and thermal detectors, spectrographs and monochromators, thermographs, scanners, amplifier tubes,...
centerburst
In an interferogram, an intense portion of the recording that corresponds in size to the amount of infrared radiation...
Planck's (radiation) law
The formula describing the spectral radiant emittance of a perfect blackbody as a function of its temperature and the...
single-defect model
A model that predicts laser-induced damage to thin films caused by irradiation of identical, randomly distributed film...
scintillation
1. The variation in intensity of a light beam as it travels through the atmosphere. 2. In radiation physics, a light flash...
mercury vapor light source
A lamp that has mercury in a tube or bulb that has first been evacuated. The electricity travels through the vapor between...
sensor
1. A generic term for detector. 2. A complete optical/mechanical/electronic system that contains some form of radiation...
extended source
A radiation source that, unlike the point source, can be resolved by the naked eye into a geometrical image.
spectral luminous efficiency
Ratio of the radiant flux at a particular wavelength lm to that at any other wavelength l, such that both radiations produce...
photoionization
The ionization that occurs in gas affected by the action of radiation quanta.
Fresnel zone plate
A zone plate in which the zones are alternately transparent and opaque to specific radiation, and coarse enough so that no...
rem
The unit of the dose of any radiation that produces the same biological effect as one roentgen of x-ray.
direct illumination
Light produced by visible radiation that moves from the light source to the object without reflection. With respect to...
cobalt glass
Glass that transmits near-ultraviolet radiation but is opaque in the visible region. Also known as woods glass.
infrared alarm system
A system that uses infrared detectors and related instrumentation to determine when abnormal amounts of infrared radiation,...
source
A physical source of radiation, as contrasted to illuminant. See illuminant.
gamma radiography
Radiography using the emission of gamma rays to form an image of the structure penetrated by the radiation.
scintillation detector
A scintillation detector is a radiation detection device that utilizes scintillation crystals to detect and measure ionizing...
radiation pressure
The force exerted on a surface by radiation.
slit
An aperture, usually rectangular in shape, with a large length-to-width ratio, and a fixed or adjustable shape through which...
reflectivity
The ratio of the intensity of the total radiation reflected from a surface to the total incident on that surface.
photoconductive effect
The alteration of electric conductivity produced by the absorption of varying amounts of radiation composed of photons.
resonance fluorescence
In atomic fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence emitted by an atom at a spectral line of a wavelength identical to that of...
short wavelength infrared
Short wavelength infrared (SWIR) refers to the portion of the infrared spectrum that encompasses wavelengths roughly between...
emission spectroscopy
A study of the energies and wavelengths of radiation emitted by atoms and molecules when particular physical conditions are...
detector-Dewar assembly
A detector-Dewar assembly typically refers to a combination of a detector and a Dewar flask used in scientific instruments,...
hyperspectral resolution
Hyperspectral resolution refers to the level of detail or granularity in the spectral information captured by a...
reflective
The term reflective is an adjective that describes the ability of a surface or material to reflect light or other forms of...
radiation detector
Any of the many devices used to detect the presence of radiation from a specific region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
power flow equation
Optical fiber channel characterization scheme based on three assumptions; the discrete mode spectrum can be replaced by a...
direct-line fluorescence
With respect to atomic fluorescence spectroscopy, the fluorescence that is emitted by an atom at a spectral line of a...
curing
The use of chemicals or radiation to induce a desired change in a substance; e.g., some optical adhesives are set by...
radiation
The emission and/or propagation of energy through space or through a medium in the form of either waves or corpuscular...
glass dosimeter
A device that detects and measures the quantity of exposure to nuclear radiation. It uses a special glass rod that...
optical clock
An optical clock is a highly precise and advanced timekeeping device that relies on the oscillations of electromagnetic...
spectrofluorometer
An automatic scanning instrument that is used to study a substance's fluorescence over a wide range of wavelengths. It...
radiac
An acronym for radioactive detection, identification and computation. The term refers to the detection and measurement of...
laser ceilometer
A device used for measuring the height of clouds from a position on the ground. Measurement technique uses a vertically...
fluorescence photography
The photographic recording of a subject that exhibits luminescence only for an extremely short time (10-8 s) after the...
medium
Any substance or space through which electromagnetic radiation can travel.
spontaneous emission
Radiation emitted when a quantum mechanical system drops spontaneously from an excited level to a lower level. This...
incomplete radiator
A thermal source that emits less radiation than a blackbody under identical temperature conditions.
mode
1. The characteristic of how light propagates through a waveguide that can be designated by a radiation pattern in a plane...
light negative
That property of a substance that determines that there will be a decrease in conductivity when exposed to light radiation.
Gudden-Pohl effect
The light flash that occurs when an electrical field is applied to a phosphor already excited by ultraviolet radiation.
mid-wave infrared
MWIR stands for mid-wave infrared, referring to a specific range of wavelengths within the infrared spectrum. Infrared...
fluorescent microscope
A type of optical microscope that allows the specimen being viewed to be irradiated by ultraviolet, violet and occasionally...
covered groove
A technique used in integrated optics where a groove is cut on a substrate surface and covered by a thin film to facilitate...
harmonic wave analyzer
An instrument designed to calculate the amplitude and phase of the different harmonic elements of a radiation wave utilizing...
free-carrier absorption
The phenomenon whereby an electron within a band absorbs radiation by transferring from a low-energy level to an empty...
radiation length
The average length in a specific material in which a relativistic charged particle will lose 67 percent of its energy by...
chemical actinometer
A light-sensitive detector having a chemical compound that reacts when exposed to light. It is used in photochemistry and...
Doppler principle
The theory established by Christian J. Doppler in 1842 that states that the rate of change in distance between a perceiver...
maximum permissable exposure
The maximum level of laser radiation that a person may be exposed to without adverse biological effects.
spin-flip Raman laser
A semiconductor laser that operates in the infrared and that is pumped with strong pulses of radiation from a second laser....
near-infrared camera
A near-infrared (NIR) camera is an imaging device designed to capture images in the near-infrared region of the...
electron spectroscopy
The theory and interpretation of spectra produced by the electron emissions of substances after their irradiation by x-rays.
photochromatic compound
A chemical compound that exhibits a reversible change in its absorption spectrum upon irradiation with given wavelengths of...
balloon-borne astronomical system
Any instrument or system carried by a balloon to the upper atmosphere to measure and record atmospheric information, such as...
ionization gauge
A type of radiation detector that depends on the ionization produced in a gas by the passage of a charged particle through...
cross-linked plastic
Plastic in which the polymer chains become irreversibly joined during molding. The cross-linking can be achieved by heating,...
photosensitizer
A substance that increases a material's sensitivity to electromagnetic irradiation. In photodynamic therapy, a drug used to...
flame spectrum
The emission spectrum formed by the radiation from a sample that has been evaporated by a nonluminous flame.
electromagnetic wave
Wave of radiation identified by individual fluctuations of electric and magnetic fields.
invisible light filter
A filter that transmits infrared and ultraviolet but is opaque to visible radiation.
step response
The observed time dependence of the transmittance of a step of radiation through a given medium.
fluorography
The photographic recording of a visible image formed by the impact of invisible radiation on a fluorescent screen.
distance-luminosity relationship
In astronomy, the relation that states that the intensity of a star's visible radiation is inversely proportional to the...
multichannel spectral analyzer
A spectrometric instrument that detects radiation simultaneously in multiple channels, sorts it spectrally from the deep...
grating
A framework or latticework having an even arrangement of rods, or any other long narrow objects with interstices between...
radiant energy
The energy passed on as electromagnetic radiation; e.g., radio, heat or light waves.
vacuum ultraviolet detector
A device that serves to detect the presence of vacuum ultraviolet radiation. It may be photographic film, a thermopile, ion...
rad
A unit of energy absorbed from ionizing radiation, equal to 100 ergs per gram of irradiated material.
electrodynamics
The study of the generation of electromagnetic power by radiation from high-energy beams.
ionizing radiation
Generally, any radiation that can form ions, either directly or indirectly, while traveling through a substance.
ultraviolet fiber optics
Ultraviolet (UV) fiber optics refers to optical fibers that are designed and optimized for the transmission of ultraviolet...
dosimeter
A device used to detect and measure the quantity of exposure to nuclear or x-ray radiation, and dependent on the fact that...
x-ray detector
One of various types of fluorescent screens used to detect x-ray radiation. Photographic film is mildly sensitive to x-rays,...
photovoltaic effect
The generation of a difference in electric potential between two electrodes when radiation is incident on one of them.
actinic radiation
Electromagnetic energy that is capable of producing photochemical activity.
roentgen
An obsolete term once used to describe a unit of radiation dosage.
cold cathode
A cathode that emits electrons, not with the influence of heat radiation, but by means of a high-voltage gradient at its...
circular scanning
Scanning characterized by the generation of a plane or right circular cone with a vertex angle of about 180° by the...
surface wave
A wave that is guided by the interface between two different media or by a refractive index gradient in the medium. The...
spectral luminous efficacy
Ratio of the luminous flux in a beam of radiation to the spectral radiant flux in the same beam at a given wavelength.
Mills cross (telescope)
The Mills Cross telescope is a two dimensional radio telescope in which the two antenna arrays are positioned perpendicular...
filter grating
A grating used as a reflectance filter, particularly in the far-infrared. Small plane gratings, blazed for the wavelength of...
undulator magnet
A device used in a free-electron laser to convert the electron-beam's energy into microwave laser radiation by creating a...
adiabatic laser colorimetry
Method for studying absorption coefficients of low-loss materials, in which a sample is allowed to come to thermal...
Thomson scattering
The scattering of electromagnetic waves by free electrons, whereby the incident radiation and the scattered radiation are of...
diffuse reflector
A reflecting surface that scatters radiation that is incident on it, thus producing diffuse reflection.
bend loss
The loss of optical power in an optical fiber because radiation escapes through its bends. The radiation loss caused by...
nonselective sensor
A radiometric device or system having uniform responsivity relative to all of the radiation parameters, or relative to one...
heterochromatic light
Radiation consisting of more than a single wavelength in the visible region of the spectrum.
blackbody source
A blackbody source, often simply referred to as a blackbody, is a theoretical or practical physical object that absorbs all...
haze filter
A filter, used in photography, that absorbs the ultraviolet and extreme blue violet radiation scattered by atmospheric haze.
filter
1. With respect to radiation, a device used to attenuate particular wavelengths or frequencies while passing others with...
quenching
The inhibition or elimination of one process by another process. The stimulated emission of a laser oscillator can be...
three-level laser
A laser having a material, such as ruby, that has an energy state structure of three levels: the ground state (1) wherein...
Lyman-alpha radiation
The hydrogen-derived, ultraviolet radiation running from 1216 to 512 A, discovered by Theodore Lyman in 1914.
spatially coherent radiation
The correlation of radiation between the phases of monochromatic radiation emanating from two separate points.
electro-optic detector
A device that detects radiation by utilizing the influence of light in forming an electrical signal. It may be a phototube;...
noncoherent radiation
Radiation having waves that are out of phase in space and/or time.
solar battery
A series of solar cells arranged to collect solar radiation and to generate a given amount of electrical energy.
light
Electromagnetic radiation detectable by the eye, ranging in wavelength from about 400 to 750 nm. In photonic applications...
laser eyewear
Usually consists of a set of filters that attenuate specific wavelengths but transmit as much visible radiation as possible.
photoelectric emission
The electron emission from a substance or instrument whose surface has been bombarded by a suitable amount of radiation.
echelette grating
A diffraction grating with lines and grooves formed so as to concentrate the radiation of a particular wavelength into one...
astronomical photography
The use of photographs to record astronomical objects and phenomena for purposes of physical observation and measurement of...
ground state
Also known as ground level. The lowest energy level of an atom or atomic system. A material in the ground state is not...
Faraday configuration
Describes incident radiation propagating parallel to an externally applied magnetic field in magneto-optical experimentation.
lithography
Lithography is a key process used in microfabrication and semiconductor manufacturing to create intricate patterns on the...
saturable absorber
A laser dye whose absorption coefficient drops at high levels of incident radiation. The phenomenon is often called...
far-infrared maser
A gas maser that is capable of producing radiation in the far-infrared region of the spectrum.
aperture
An opening or hole through which radiation or matter may pass.
Herschel effect
The decrease in effect in developable density on a photographic plate formed by a second exposure to radiation having a...
major lobe
With respect to a beam, the radiation lobe having the direction of maximum radiation.
quartz light source
A lamp with a quartz envelope that transmits radiation generally rich in the ultraviolet.
recombination radiation
The radiation emitted in semiconductors when electrons in the conduction band recombine with holes in the valence band. If...
laser absorption spectroscopy
An experimental research technique by which absorbed or unabsorbed radiation is analyzed in order to characterize and...
radiant
Pertaining to electromagnetic radiation, with the contributions at all wavelengths of interest weighted equally.
marcuse loss theory
A theoretical analysis of radiation loss from planar optical waveguides due to scattering by surface irregularities/surface...
monoergic
Pertaining to radiation or particle emission, whereby the emission is produced with minimal energy spread.
blackbody simulator
A source that attempts to create the characteristics of an ideal blackbody. It consists of a cavity, generally spherical,...
Biberman factor
Mathematical compensation for the nonhydrogenic behavior of recombination radiation levels of gases, based on the quantum...
shutter
A mechanical or electronic device used to control the amount of time that a light-sensitive material is exposed to radiation.
night-vision device
A device that uses low-level visible radiation or infrared radiation to produce a visual image of a night scene. These...
beta radiation
The high-speed electrons and positrons emitted by radioactive materials.
electromagnetic radiation
Radiation emitted from vibrating charged particles. A combination of oscillating electrical and magnetic fields that...
bulk nonreciprocal device
A device that functions throughout the continuous radiation of a linearly polarized plane wave, and whose nonreciprocity...
cadmium red line
The narrowest line of the cadmium spectrum; the red line has the purest radiation.
radiation angle
Half the vertex angle of the cone of light emitted by a fiber.
pyrheliometer
An instrument for measuring the intensity of solar radiation.
ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy
A technique for measuring the energy spectrum of electrons emitted during the absorption of ultraviolet radiation. This...
partial coherence theory
Totally coherent radiation is produced by a purely monochromatic point source. In the real world the energy will have a...
global radiation
The total radiation, both solar and diffuse sky, that is incident to a unit's horizontal surface.
Cerenkov radiation
The radiation produced when a charged particle traverses a medium that has a refractive index considerably greater than...
Stokes line
A line of the Raman spectrum that fulfills Stokes' law because it possesses a wavelength that is greater than the radiation...
resonance spectrum
The fluorescent emission spectrum emitted by certain substances following the irradiation of one of these substances with...
frequency
With reference to electromagnetic radiation, the number of crests of waves that pass a fixed point in a given unit of time,...
Touschek effect
Effect whereby two electrons lose synchronism with the accelerating field and are lost during synchronous radiation. The...
spectrogrammetric reading equipment
Spectra can be conveniently recorded on photographic film or plates. The portions that are occupied by regions of the...
narcissus
A defect in infrared systems that appears as a dark circular area on a displayed image, caused by radiation reflecting into...
Kubelka-Munk theory
A two-flux theory in which the radiation is assumed to be composed of two oppositely directed radiation fluxes through a...
angstrom
An angstrom, symbolized by the Ångström or Å, is a unit of length used to express atomic and molecular...
photographic dosimetry
The use of photographic emulsions to detect and determine the amounts of ionizing radiation, such as x-rays and gamma rays,...
photochemical
The term photochemical pertains to chemical processes or reactions that are initiated or influenced by the absorption of...
FTIR spectrometer
FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectrometer is a powerful analytical instrument used to obtain an infrared spectrum of...
laser dye
Class of organic dyes that emit coherent radiation over a wide spectral range.
thermogram
Also known as analog thermogram. The resultant photograph, illustrating, in tones ranging from black to white, the spatial...
long-pass filter
A long-pass filter is an optical filter that allows longer wavelengths of light to pass through while blocking or...
vibrational transition
A vibrational transition refers to a change in the vibrational energy of a molecule. Molecules consist of atoms that are...
spectrophotoelectric
Characteristic of the relationship between photoelectric activity and the wavelength of incident radiation.
Rayleigh line
That element of a spectrum line in scattered radiation having a frequency equal to that of the corresponding incident...
thermograph
The instrument used to collect thermal radiation information on an object by scanning. It consists basically of a detector,...
Kirchhoff's law
For any point on a thermal radiator, at thermal equilibrium and for each wavelength, the emissivity in any direction is...
pulsar
An astronomical body that emits radiation concentrated by a strong magnetic field into two beams that rotate, giving a...
spectrometer
A kind of spectrograph in which some form of detector, other than a photographic film, is used to measure the distribution...
plasmonics
Plasmonics is a field of science and technology that focuses on the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and free...
surface electromagnetic waves
Waves that propagate along the interface between two different media without radiation with exponentially decaying...
Nichols radiometer
An instrument devised by Nichols and Hull for use in the measurement of radiation pressure. The device has two small...
Hypalon
E.I. duPont's trade name for a material used in the jacket of fiber optic cables. It is flame-retardant, thermally stable...
Fourier images
The series of images formed when periodic objects are exposed to collimated monochromatic radiation and that result from...
reflected ultraviolet photography
A photographic method used to obtain an image of a subject by means of its reflectance of incident ultraviolet radiation. An...
Brillouin scattering
Brillouin scattering is a phenomenon in physics where an incident electromagnetic wave (usually light) interacts with...
ion laser
A laser in which the transition involved in stimulated emission of radiation takes place between two levels of an ionized...
indirect illumination
The light formed by visible radiation that, in traveling from light source to object, undergoes one or more reflections. In...
solar simulation
The simulation of solar radiation in the infrared and ultraviolet spectrum for the analysis of extraterrestrial sunlight and...
laser plasma
A plasma produced by the interaction of an intense laser pulse with a material surface. Production of ionized particle with...
quantum mechanics
The science of all complex elements of atomic and molecular spectra, and the interaction of radiation and matter.
attosecond-pump attosecond-probe spectroscopy
Attosecond-pump attosecond-probe spectroscopy (APAP) is an advanced technique in ultrafast spectroscopy that allows...
threshold wavelength
The greatest wavelength of radiation for a specified surface for the emission of electrons.
maser
An acronym for microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Predecessor to the laser, the maser or...
luminous exitance
The total luminous flux given out per unit area; i.e., the sum of the luminous emittance and any radiation that is reflected...
collimated radiation
Radiation in which every ray from any given object point can be considered to be parallel to every other. This is never...
cathodoluminescence
Light produced when a metal is bombarded with high-velocity electrons causing small amounts of the metal to vaporize and...
Planck's law
A fundamental law of quantum theory which states that the discrete quanta of energy transfers associated with...
phosphorography
A process used in pyrometry and photothermometry to create a photographic record of a surface's temperature gradients....
photoelectric control
The control of an instrument or electrical circuit by the current produced by varying radiation incident to a photoelectric...
spectral response
Measure of a detector's signal during exposure to radiation of a constant power level and varying wavelength.
Josephson effect
Characteristic of radiation detectors that produce energy that is similar to the energy of superconductive gaps when...
vacuum ultraviolet radiation
Radiation whose spectrum runs between 100 and 300 nm. Any work with these wavelengths requires evacuated equipment.
calorific rays
Name originally given to the sun's infrared radiation by Sir William Herschel in his Philosophical Transactions of 1800.
term coherence
A synonym for spatial coherence. See spatially coherent radiation.
erythema
Localized redness of skin due to congestion of capillaries; a common result of overexposure to laser radiation.
intrinsic photoconductivity
The absorption of a photon raising an electron across the forbidden gap from valence to conduction band of the semiconductor...
optics
Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter...
radiation thermocouple
A thermocouple that is used in infrared spectroscopy to detect a sample's infrared emittance. See thermocouple.
actinometer
A device that measures the intensity of photochemically active radiation, particularly from the sun. One form of this...
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...
Einstein coefficients
Three proportional coefficients labeled Am, Bmn, and Bnm, that respectively characterize the rate of spontaneous emission,...
graser
An acronym of gamma ray amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. It is a gamma ray laser that operates between...
channel electron multiplier
A photoelectric detector consisting of a glass tube internally coated with a low conductance material. Voltage applied along...
uviol glass
A type of glass contrived by Schott that is highly transparent to ultraviolet radiation.
double-beam spectrophotometer
A spectrophotometer in which the beam emitted by the radiation source is split into beams that travel through the sample and...
terahertz radiation
Electromagnetic radiation with frequencies between 300 GHz and 10 THz, and existing between regions of the electromagnetic...
radiation counter
An instrument used to recognize and identify incident radiation by the ionizing or stimulating properties of the radiation.
nonradiative transition
A nonradiative transition refers to a process in which an electron or an atom undergoes a change in its energy state without...
terahertz
Terahertz (THz) refers to a unit of frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum, denoting waves with frequencies between 0.1...
antibleaching
Characteristic of an absorber in the IR region, whereby absorption increases as a direct function of the intensity of the...
infrared microscope
A type of microscope that uses radiation in the infrared region to illuminate objects that are opaque to visible radiation....
metamerism
In colorimetry, the phenomenon in which spectrally different radiations produce the same color sensation for a given...
snooperscope
An instrument used for viewing in low levels of illumination by means of infrared radiation. A high-aperture lens forms an...
radiant heat
Infrared radiation emitted from a source that is not heated sufficiently to give off visible radiation.
enclosed laser device
A laser or laser system positioned within an enclosure to prevent dangerous optical radiation from leaving the enclosure.
beam converter
A device used to alter the shape of or energy distribution within a beam of radiation.
biophotonics
The technology that deals with the interaction of organic materials with light and other forms of radiant energy whose...
directed energy
Directed energy refers to a type of energy that is emitted and transferred in a controlled direction. The term is often...
near-ultraviolet light source
A light source, such as the sun or an incandescent lamp, that freely penetrates ordinary glass bulbs and emits in the...
heat lamp
A lamp designed to emit a large amount of infrared radiation; used in applications requiring heat.
ultrasonic detector
A mechanical, electrical, thermal or optical detector designed to identify and measure ultrasonic radiation.
solarization
1. The reduction in the developable density of a photographic emulsion that has been extremely overexposed. 2. In a laser...
light source
The generic term applied to all sources of visible radiation from burning matter to ionized vapors and lasers, regardless of...
radiation-monitoring film
The film used in photographic dosimetry to record the types and amounts of ionizing radiation, such as x-rays and gamma...
full width half maximum
Full width half maximum (FWHM) is a measure of the extent of a function. Given by the difference between the two extreme...
solar heat storage
The process of transferring collected energy from solar radiation into a heat-absorbing medium (e.g., an insulated tank of...
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,...
photoconductive detector
A device for detecting visual and infrared radiation using a photoconductor as the principle sensing element.
medical lasers
Medical lasers are devices that produce intense beams of light with specific characteristics and properties, which are used...
photomultiplier tube
A photomultiplier tube (PMT) is a highly sensitive vacuum tube that detects and amplifies low levels of light. It is widely...
image intensifier
An image intensifier, also known as an image intensification tube or image intensification device, is a specialized...
nonionizing radiation
Radiation that does not produce free electrons and ions, or electrically charged particles.
monochromatic
Composed of one color; having only one wavelength of radiation.
ultraviolet photomicrography
The photographic recording that uses ultraviolet radiation to irradiate the microscope sample being examined and to form an...
solar radiation
Radiation from the sun that is made up of a very wide range of wavelengths, from the long infrared to the short ultraviolet...
solid-state lamp
An electroluminescent semiconductor that emits low intensity radiation in the green or red regions. Used as an indicator...
annihilation radiation
Gamma ray radiation released when matter and antimatter, such as electron and positron, unite and eliminate each other,...
coherent light source
A light source that is capable of producing radiation with waves vibrating in phase. The laser is an example of a coherent...
Golay cell
A thermal radiation detector consisting of a small cell with a blackened plastic front face that bulges slightly when heat...
ideal polarization rotator
A theoretical instrument conceived of as a box that receives a beam of radiation of any arbitrary polarization angle and...
guided mode
In an optical waveguide, a mode whose field decays monotonically in the transverse direction everywhere external to the core...
ultraviolet lens
A microscope used either to detect selective absorption of various wavelengths by the specimen or to achieve increased...
Lorentz oscillator model
The Lorentz oscillator model is a theoretical model used in physics to describe the response of a charged particle (such as...
phosphor
A chemical substance that exhibits fluorescence when excited by ultraviolet radiation, x-rays or an electron beam. The...
ultraviolet lamp
A type of lamp that emits a high quantity of ultraviolet radiation. This may be an arc lamp encased in a bulb of a glass...
long-wave infrared
Long-wave infrared (LWIR) refers to a specific range of the infrared spectrum. Infrared radiation is divided into three main...
absorption peak
An absorption peak refers to a sharp increase or spike in the absorption of electromagnetic radiation at a particular...
radiography
A photographic process using x-ray radiation or the g-rays of radioactive materials.
infrared thermal detector
Used to detect radiation from the infrared region. The functional process includes absorption of infrared radiation, which...
Debot effect
The conversion of an internal latent image into a surface latent image through exposure to infrared radiation. The converse...
Auger effect
The radiation-free transition that takes place within an ion, in which inner-shell vacancies in neutral atoms are filled by...
epitaxial equipment
Epitaxial equipment refers to a set of specialized tools and systems used in the process of epitaxy, which is the growth of...
superradiance
Directional and coherent radiation pulses that result from an ensemble of coherently prepared states in an optical medium.
scatterplate
A flat plate having its surface formed into a random pattern by abrasives. Radiation wavelengths that are longer than the...
Bragg method of crystal analysis
A technique in which a beam of x-rays is directed against a crystal, the atoms of which, because of their lattice...
emission of sky
Thermal emission caused by the unity in absorption bands that must be discriminated when calculating radiation intensity of...
irradiation
Application of radiation to an object.
electron cyclotron maser
A maser that relies on the fact that electrons in orbital motion in high-magnetic fields will emit energy at the cyclotron...
engram
A hologram produced by a pair of radiation beams, each carrying information.
pumping radiation
Radiation used to excite an optical or laser material to a higher energy level. See optical pumping.
heat-transmitting filter
A filter that allows heat radiation from an incident beam to pass without absorption or reflection.
calorescence
The production of visible light by infrared radiation whereby the light is produced by heat and not by any direct change in...
Angstrom compensation pyrheliometer
A system used for measuring direct solar radiation.
x-radiography
Radiography using the emission of x-rays to form an image of the structure penetrated by the radiation.
luminous
Pertaining to electromagnetic radiation as perceived by the eye; that is, with the contributions as wavelengths in the...
reflecting microscope
A microscope that uses a reflecting objective; often used with ultraviolet or infrared radiation.
ultraviolet lens
A lens intended for use with wavelengths shorter than about 380 nm. It must be made of quartz, calcium fluoride, lithium...
broadband incident radiation
sensitivity
In a radiation detector, the ratio of the output to the input signal.
illuminant
Source of radiation defined or specified by its spectral power distribution.
linewidth
1. The range of frequencies or wavelengths over which radiations are absorbed or emitted in a transition between a specific...
radio telescope
An instrument designed to collect naturally formed extraterrestrial electromagnetic radiation within the radio frequency...
radio astronomy
The detection and analysis of naturally formed extraterrestrial electromagnetic radiation within the radio frequency range...
Clayden effect
The desensitization of the first photographic exposure after it has been subjected to high-intensity radiation.
bolometer
A thermometric instrument used for the detection and measurement of radiant energy. Its essential component is a short...
enclosed arc lamp
An arc lamp whose carbon electrodes are enclosed in a transparent chamber, resulting in an arc that is steadier, lasts...
line spectrum
A spectrum formed by radiation whose energy values of the property being measured cluster about at least one discrete value,...
depletion region
The region at the PN junction in a semiconductor radiation detector where the potential energies of the two materials create...
Marx effect
The decrease in the energy of a photoelectric emission as a result of the simultaneous incidence of radiation having lower...
silver-disc pyrheliometer
An instrument that uses a blackened silver-disc reflector with a shutter to create temperature fluctuations that are...
semitransparent photocathode
A photocathode that receives radiation from one side and emits a photoelectric current from the opposite side.
broadside radiation
Radiation that occurs perpendicular to the plane of the radiation device.
electrostatic tape camera
A camera that records its images electrostatically on plastic tape; used in situations where radiation would have an adverse...
accessible radiation
Electromagnetic radiation present upon the open aperture of the source within an operating environment.
infrared photoconductor
A photoconductor that demonstrates increased conductivity during its exposure to infrared radiation.
laser
A laser, which stands for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation," is a device that produces coherent and...
Faraday rotation
The effect discovered by Faraday in 1845 whereby nonoptically active materials or substances become capable of rotating the...
dark noise
The noise produced in a photodetector when the photocathode is shielded from all external optical radiation and operating...
soft radiation
Term applied to radiation composed of particles or photons that will not easily penetrate a material because of their low...
ondoscope
A glow discharge tube placed on an insulating rod to detect the presence of high-frequency radiation in the vicinity of a...
gray scales
Transparencies that represent progressive steps in the amount of transmitted radiation for administering predetermined...
infrared thermistor
A thermistor that uses a semiconductor that is sensitive to infrared radiation to measure the radiation's intensity.
Doppler effect
The effect produced on a wave frequency because of the relative motion of a source or an observer. The radiation emitted...
infrared radiation source
Any object that emits radiation of a wavelength lying between about 0.75 to 1000 µm. A calibrated secondary source...
extreme ultraviolet
Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) refers to a specific range of electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum....
intrabeam viewing
With respect to laser radiation, the subjection of the human eye to all or a portion of the laser beam.
infrared camera
An infrared camera, also known as a thermal imaging camera or IR camera, is a device that captures and visualizes the...
excited state
The stationary state of an ion, atom or molecule, above the ground state that is produced by the interaction with the...
nonperiodic radiation
Irregular waves; e.g., light waves, having little coherence and a broad spectrum of frequencies.
spiral scanning
A scanning process in which the greatest amount of radiation determines part of a spiral motion rotating in one direction.
transverse scattering
The method for measuring the index profile of an optical fiber or preform by illuminating it coherently and transversely to...
negative-refraction metamaterial
An artificial material, engineered to have a negative refractive index value, such that light or any other form of...
aperture imaging
The formation of an image by a pinhole aperture that transmits radiation, such as gamma radiation.
photoconductive antenna
Photoconductive antenna (PCA) is a semiconductor element that generates or detects high-frequency electromagnetic signals....
radiophotoluminescence
The luminescence displayed when particular minerals are irradiated with β-rays and g-rays, after being exposed to...
exciter filter
In ultraviolet and fluorescence photography, the term applied to the filter used in the photographic system and with the...
gamma ray
The spontaneous emittance of electromagnetic radiation by the nucleus of certain radioactive elements during their quantum...
atmospheric window
A range of wavelengths within which radiation transmitted through the atmosphere suffers relatively little absorption by...
photopolymerization
A process in which a mixture of one or more monomers, plus a catalyst, polymerize under exposure to light radiation....
radiology
The study of radioactive substances and high-energy radiations such as x-rays and g-rays.
nonlinear optical detector
A type of radiation detector designed to recognize nonlinear optical effects, such as the Raman effect, by means of a...
inverse bremsstrahlung
Collisional absorption of energy that occurs in inertial confinement fusion systems when hydrodynamic expansion of the...
beamwidth
The angular width of a radiation beam. With respect to a conical beam of light, it is the vertex angle of the cone. The...
blackbody
An ideal body that completely absorbs all radiant energy striking it and, therefore, appears perfectly black at all...
solar furnace
An optical system that is designed to produce a high temperature in a specified area by the optical direction and...
zero-order reflection grating
A grating that specularly reflects the specified long radiation wavelengths and diffracts the shorter wavelengths off in...
Stefan-Boltzmann law
The formula that indicates the total radiation at all wavelengths from a perfect blackbody. W Total = 5.67 x 10-12 T 4(W/cm2)
thermal-infrared camera
A thermal-infrared camera, often referred to simply as a thermal camera, is a type of imaging device that detects infrared...
light quantum
The individual coherent series of lightwaves that defines a quantum of radiant energy. Light quantum is equal to hv, h being...
radiation trapping
That process by which radiation spontaneously emitted by a volume of optical materials is resonantly reabsorbed within the...
diffractometer
A measurement device used to study the structure of matter using the diffraction of electromagnetic radiation.
solar laser
A laser pumped by solar radiation focused by mirrors.
Ultraviolet-C
Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) refers to a specific range of ultraviolet radiation with shorter wavelengths than those of visible...
thermal imaging
The process of producing a visible two-dimensional image of a scene that is dependent on differences in thermal or infrared...
Doppler broadening
The spreading of potentially equal radiation frequencies that results in broadening of the spectral line. This effect is...
extraterrestrial radiation
Radiation that is emitted by a source outside the Earth and its atmosphere.
infrared light source
An infrared light source is a device that emits light in the infrared spectrum, which lies beyond the visible spectrum of...
thermal dissociation
A technique for detecting free radicals by their electronic spectra. The material to be studied is placed in a...
barium fluoride
A relatively hard crystal, highly resistant to excessive energy radiation, that is frequently used for optical windows,...
double diffuse density
Measurement derived from calculation when incident flux of a negative is entirely diffuse and all radiation transmissions...
microbending loss
Transmission loss in optical fibers caused by packaging processes; it is considered a power-coupling effect from the guided...
Hertz effect
The ionization and spark emission due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
actinism
The creation of a chemical reaction in a substance when radiation is directed to it.
infrared lens
An infrared lens is an optical component specifically designed and optimized for transmitting, focusing, or manipulating...
facet erosion
The degradation of the facets in a laser diode due to the intensity of radiation.
photonic cavity
A photonic cavity, also known as an optical cavity, is a structure that confines electromagnetic radiation within a certain...
gray
1. A measure of absorbed dose, equal to the energy imparted by ionizing radiation to a mass of matter corresponding to 1 J...
optical transition
The process by which an atomic system changes from one energy level to another by either the emission or absorption of...
surface reflection
Also known as Fresnel reflection. That portion of the incident radiation that is reflected from the surface of a refractive...
Compton scattering
The phenomenon observed by A.H. Compton in 1923 -- that some scattered radiation possesses a longer wavelength and...
intrinsic detector
A photodetector composed of a photoconductive material that, when exposed to radiation, conducts without the aid of added...
electron image tube
A cathode-ray tube that increases the brightness or size of an image or forms a visible image from invisible radiation. The...
detector
1. A device designed to convert the energy of incident radiation into another form for the determination of the presence of...
accessible emission
The present radiation level within a laser or electromagnetic radiation operating area.
overexposure
The improper exposure of a radiation-sensitive medium that results when there is too much radiation exposing the medium, or...
surface-emitting laser diode
A semiconductor laser diode that emits light perpendicular to the active region. The output radiation is taken through the...
thermal radiation
The emission of radiant energy in which the energy emitted originates in the thermal motion of the atoms or molecules of the...
atomic fluorescence spectroscopy
The analysis of fluorescence emitted by discrete atoms, in flames, that have absorbed radiation from an external source. It...
color-translating microscope
A type of compound microscope that uses three visible wavelengths to translate details produced by invisible radiation.
coded disc
A reticle carrying patterns of various forms that can be rotated in an optical beam to cause variations in the intensity of...
fluorescence quenching
The suppression of fluorescence by absorption of the stimulating radiation.
photoelectric constant
The constant that, multiplied by the frequency of the radiation-producing emission of photoelectrons, determines the amount...
cosine collector
Translucent collector developed to compensate for the partial blocking of a flat surface's collection angle that normally...
detector array
A detector array refers to a collection of individual detector elements arranged in a two-dimensional grid or matrix format....
air dose
A quantitative measure of the amount of radiation given off by an instrument, expressed in roentgens per unit of free air.
linear energy transfer
The transfer of energy lost by radiation to the body, relative to the loss of energy per unit of path traveled.
Nernst glower
A Nernst glower, also known simply as a Nernst lamp or Nernst filament, is a type of incandescent lamp or radiant heater...
optical air mass
A measure of the optical path length for light traveling from the sun or other celestial source through Earth's atmosphere...
nonthermal radiation
The radiation emitted from a group of charged particles that does not depend on the temperature of the source in which those...
actinic glass
Glass designed to absorb most infrared and ultraviolet radiation while transmitting most of the visible region.
total radiation pyrometer
Also known as a pyrradiometer. An instrument that is designed to measure heat radiation nonselectively; e.g., the...
lead selenide cell
A thin-film photoconductive cell that is sensitive to the infrared region. The photosensitive material of the cell is...
Mie scattering
Mie scattering, named after the German physicist Gustav Mie, refers to the scattering of electromagnetic radiation (such as...
continuous-wave laser
A laser that emits radiation continuously rather than in short bursts, as in a pulsed laser.
infrared detector
An infrared detector is a device that is used to detect and measure infrared radiation, which lies beyond the visible...
radioparent
Capable of being penetrated by some form of radiation.
organic dye
Any organic substance, that when dissolved in appropriate liquid based solvents will absorb and emit electromagnetic...
kinetic cooling
An atmospheric nonlinear process unique to CO2 laser wavelengths, whereby CO2 absorbs 10.6-µm radiation and the CO2...
packet
The finite amount of electrical charge generated in response to incident radiation and transferred from one storage element...
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...
infrared photography
The photographic recording of images on a medium sensitive to infrared radiation, using a source capable of emitting in the...
backscatter
Backscatter refers to the phenomenon in which radiation or waves are scattered backward, opposite to the direction of the...
atomic absorption spectroscopy
The analysis of the atomic structure of a sample by means of a source radiation that is absorbed and emitted by the sample...
infrared phosphor
A phosphor, such as sulfide or selenide, that can be excited to luminescence by incident infrared radiation simultaneous to...
terahertz spectrometer
A terahertz spectrometer is a scientific instrument used to measure and analyze the properties of materials in the terahertz...
beam expander
A system of optical components designed to increase the diameter of a radiation beam. Usually an afocal system.
infrared bolometer
A superconducting bolometer, operating at very low temperatures, that is used to detect infrared radiation.
photoconductive film
A film of material that exhibits varying conductivity based upon its absorption of varying amounts of photon radiation.
notch filter
Also referred to as a band-stop or band rejection filter; a notch filter is a filter that is designed to screen out a very...
x-ray analysis
The series of processes used to identify and evaluate crystal structure by using crystalline solids to diffract x-rays. In...
germanium crystal
Germanium crystal refers to a crystalline form of the element germanium (Ge), which is a metalloid and semiconductor...
xenon flashtube
A high-intensity source of incoherent white light in which a capacitor is discharged through a tube of xenon gas; often used...
forward-looking infrared
A night-vision device that uses one or more infrared transducers to scan a scene in the 3- to 5-µm or 8- to...
Geiger counter
Also called Geiger-Müller counter. An instrument designed to detect and measure radioactivity through the use of a...
magneto-optics
Magneto-optics refers to the study and manipulation of the interaction between magnetic fields and light (electromagnetic...
solar plasma
Plasma formed by heat radiation from the sun.
resonance radiation
That radiation emitted by an atom or molecule that has the same frequency as that of an incident particle; e.g., a photon....
emissive power
The emissivity of a body times the emissive power of a blackbody at the same temperature. For a blackbody, it is the total...
photronic cell
A photovoltaic cell usually sensitive to infrared radiation. It may have a copper base and a film of cuprous oxide. When it...
flash photographic density filter
A filter, partially opaque to near-ultraviolet, visible and infrared radiation, that may be made by exposing and processing...
fiber-coupled photoconductive antenna
A fiber-coupled photoconductive antenna (FCPA) is a type of optoelectronic device that combines a photoconductive antenna...
ablation threshold
The minimum energy required to induce atomic and molecular separation or displacement due to incident intense laser...
molecular motor
A molecular motor refers to a nano-sized device composed of organic molecules or other small-scale components that can...
lossy medium
A medium that scatters or absorbs radiation that passes through it.
photon drag detector
An infrared detector in which radiation passes through a doped germanium crystal, creating a voltage drop that can be...
atomic absorption spectrometer
An atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) is an analytical instrument used to determine the concentration of specific chemical...
heliograph
An instrument designed to record the duration and intensity of solar radiation.
luminescent fiber
Fiber that emits luminescent radiation excited by ultraviolet, x-ray or high-energy particles.
dispersion formula
All formulas that present the index of refraction as a function of a wavelength of electromagnetic radiation. Also called...
self-absorption
In optical emission spectroscopy, the reduction in radiant power in the central portion of spectral lines arising from the...
mask spectrometer
Instrument that uses absorption spectroscopy to detect gases in planetary atmospheres. Dispersed incoming radiation is...
quartz spectrograph
A spectrograph used to detect radiation in the range of the ultraviolet in the electromagnetic spectrum. It is made up of...
deep ultraviolet
Deep ultraviolet (DUV or deep-UV) refers to a specific range of ultraviolet light with shorter wavelengths than those in the...
radiopaque
Incapable of being penetrated by any form of radiation.
collimation
1. The process of aligning the optical axes of optical systems to the reference mechanical axes or surfaces of an...
radiation mode
A mode in an optical waveguide whose fields are transversely oscillatory everywhere external to the waveguide. It exists...
Planck's constant
The universal constant h that has a value of 6.6260693 x 10-34 Js. A quantum of energy is equal to the product of the...
radiation-shielding windows
Plates of glass containing as many heavy metal oxides as can be dissolved in the glass without causing devitrification. The...
arc flash
An arc flash is a sudden release of electrical energy due to an electric arc — a continuous, high-current discharge of...
silicon cell
A solid-state device, composed of silicon, that is used to convert radiation into electrical energy.
Stokes' law
Relative to radiation wavelength, the law that states that the wavelength of luminescence stimulated by radiation always...
radiation temperature
The temperature of a complete radiator that has a total radiant emittance identical to that of an unknown resource.
infrared spectrophotometer
A spectrophotometer having a prism or, more frequently, a grating for the study and recording of infrared spectra. It...
null process
Commonly performed in spectroscopy, the optical null process is a method for radiation detection whereby physical detectors...
x-ray streak camera
A diagnostic instrument that uses a photocathode design to see a broad range of x-ray radiation by streaking the...

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