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Communications Dictionary Terms

diode laser
A diode laser is a type of laser that uses a semiconductor diode as the active medium to generate coherent light....
light-emitting diode
An LED, or light emitting diode, is a semiconductor device that emits light when an electric current passes through it. LEDs...
optical time-domain reflectometer
An optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) is a specialized instrument used in optical fiber communications to characterize...
half duplex
A communications system that can transmit in only a single direction at a time. See duplex.
long-wavelength system
In fiber optic communications systems, generally one that operates between 1000 and 1700 nm.
diffraction grating
A diffraction grating is an optical component consisting of a surface with a periodic structure of equally spaced, parallel...
node
In a communications network, a point at which data are received or from which they are sent. Though the term often is used...
optics
Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter...
microlens array
A microlens array is a grid-like structure composed of numerous small lenses, typically arranged in a regular pattern. Each...
optoelectronics
Optoelectronics is a branch of electronics that focuses on the study and application of devices and systems that use light...
etalon
An etalon is an optical device that consists of two parallel reflecting surfaces separated by a precise and known distance....
photonic integrated circuit
A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) is a compact and integrated device that incorporates multiple photonic components and...
GaN distributed feedback lasers
GaN (Gallium Nitride) distributed feedback (DFB) lasers refer to a specific type of semiconductor laser based on Gallium...
microphotonics
The technology of manipulating light on a micro scale. In optical communications, this is usually accomplished using two or...
custom optic
A custom optic refers to an optical component that is designed, manufactured, and tailored to meet specific requirements or...
Bragg grating
A filter that separates light into many colors via Bragg's law. Generally refers to a fiber Bragg grating used in optical...
modem
Modulator/demodulator. An electronic device that modulates and demodulates signals transmitted over communications lines.
III-V material
In semiconductor physics and materials science, the term "III-V materials" refers to compounds composed of elements from...
Kerr soliton
A Kerr soliton refers to a specific type of soliton, a self-reinforcing wave packet, that arises in nonlinear optical...
metalens
A metalens, short for "metasurface lens," is a type of optical lens that uses nanostructured materials to manipulate light...
photonic crystal surface-emitting laser
PCSEL stands for "photonic crystal surface-emitting laser." It refers to a type of laser diode that emits light from its...
laser communications
self-phase modulation
Self-phase modulation (SPM) is a nonlinear optical phenomenon that occurs when an intense laser beam passes through a...
impurity level
In the context of optical materials, the term "impurity level" refers to the presence of foreign atoms or molecules within...
photonics
The technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant energy whose quantum unit is the photon. The...
metasurfaces
Metasurfaces are two-dimensional arrays of subwavelength-scale artificial structures, often referred to as meta-atoms or...
coherent communications
A fiber optic communications system that works on the principles of homodyning or heterodyning. The transmitting laser...
modified chemical vapor deposition
Modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) is a technique used in the fabrication of optical fibers. It is a specialized form...
fiber Bragg grating
A fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is a type of optical filter that is inscribed or "written" into the core of an optical fiber. It...
optical manufacturing tools and machinery
Optical manufacturing tools and machinery encompass a wide range of equipment, instruments, and systems used in the...
second-order nonlinear optical properties
Second-order nonlinear optical properties refer to a class of phenomena exhibited by certain materials in response to...
optical microphone
Laser-powered telephone device for analog communications that employs a vibrating plastic membrane as a transmitter to...
atomic clock
An atomic clock is a highly precise timekeeping device that uses the vibrations or oscillations of atoms as a reference for...
optical design software
Optical design software refers to specialized computer programs used by optical engineers, physicists, and designers to...
quantum key distribution
Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a method of secure communication that utilizes principles from quantum mechanics to...
local area network
Data communications network in a clearly defined geographical location, and extending no more than a few miles in length. It...
diamond-turned optic
Diamond turning refers to a precision machining process used to produce complex optical components, particularly lenses and...
fiber laser
A fiber laser is a type of laser in which the active gain medium is an optical fiber doped with rare-earth ions such as...
photonic crystals
Photonic crystals are artificial structures or materials designed to manipulate and control the flow of light in a manner...
broadband filter
A broadband filter is an electronic or electromagnetic device designed to pass a range of frequencies or signals within a...
InGaAs photodiode
An InGaAs photodiode refers to a photodetector device that is constructed using a semiconductor material composed of a...
trunk
In a fiber optic communications network, a circuit that connects two switching centers and does not branch off to terminal...
phase distrortion
Phase distortion refers to a change in the phase relationships between different frequency components of a signal. In the...
metrology
Metrology is the science and practice of measurement. It encompasses the theoretical and practical aspects of measurement,...
synchronous optical network
A standard for fiber optic telecommunications interfaces, with a 1300-nm data link operating over single-mode fiber at data...
phase mask
In optics and photolithography, a phase mask refers to a device that modifies the phase of light waves passing through it....
laser crystal
A laser crystal, also known as an active medium or gain medium, is a solid-state material used in the construction of...
MEMS fiber optic switch
A MEMS fiber optic switch is a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device designed to selectively route optical signals...
adaptive optics
Adaptive optics (AO) is a technology used to improve the performance of optical systems by reducing the effects of...
nonlinear optical materials
Nonlinear optical materials are substances that exhibit optical properties that are not linearly proportional to the...
optical repeater
In an optical fiber or waveguide communications system, an optoelectronic device or module that receives an optical signal,...
reflection grating
A reflection grating is an optical component that consists of a series of closely spaced, parallel reflecting surfaces or...
fiber-coupled LED
A fiber-coupled LED (light-emitting diode) refers to an LED device that is optically coupled to an optical fiber for the...
infrared light-emitting diode
An infrared light-emitting diode (IR LED) is a semiconductor device that emits infrared light when an electric current...
optical materials
Optical materials refer to substances or compounds specifically chosen for their optical properties and used in the...
noise
The unwanted and unpredictable fluctuations that distort a received signal and hence tend to obscure the desired message....
optical design and engineering services
Optical design and engineering services involve the development, customization, and optimization of optical systems and...
optical filter
An optical filter is a device that selectively transmits or blocks specific wavelengths, or colors, of light. Optical...
nonlinear optics
Nonlinear optics is a branch of optics that studies the optical phenomena that occur when intense light interacts with a...
Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine
Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) is an international standard for medical imaging created by both the...
averaged threshold receiver
A receiver for optical communications systems consisting of a symmetric binary, pulse-code-modulated transmitter, a...
mutual coherent function
A function that quantifies the performance degradation of coherent communications systems, imaging systems and all systems...
heterodyning
In optical communications, the translation of optical signals into radio signals, lowering their frequency in detection from...
optical glass
Optical glass refers to a type of glass specifically engineered and manufactured for use in optical components and systems,...
chalcogenide
Chalcogenide refers to a class of compounds containing elements from group 16 of the periodic table, which includes sulfur...
indium phosphide
Indium phosphide (InP) is a compound semiconductor material composed of indium (In) and phosphorus (P). It belongs to the...
duplex
In data communications, the simultaneous operation of a circuit in both directions is known as full duplex; if only one...
lock-in amplifier
A lock-in amplifier is a specialized electronic instrument used to extract and measure small signals embedded in noise or...
polarization
Polarization refers to the orientation of oscillations in a transverse wave, such as light waves, radio waves, or other...
Pockels
In optics, the Pockels effect refers to the phenomenon where the refractive index of a material changes in response to an...
subscriber loop
That portion of the telecommunications network that runs from a local central telephone to the subscriber premises.
gain-switching
Gain-switching is a technique used in lasers to generate short pulses of light by modulating the gain of the laser medium....
data bus
A system incorporated into fiber optic data communications characterized by several spatially distributed terminals that are...
clock
A signal, generated by an oscillator, that provides the means of synchronization of operations in a data communications...
receiver
A detector and signal demodulator used in optical communications systems to receive a signal and often to translate it into...
femtosecond laser
A femtosecond laser is a type of laser that emits ultrashort pulses of light with durations on the order of femtoseconds,...
low-loss fiber
Optical fiber that transmits a greater percentage of input light than does high-loss step-index fiber. Low-loss fiber...
magneto-optics
Magneto-optics refers to the study and manipulation of the interaction between magnetic fields and light (electromagnetic...
holographic grating
A holographic grating is a type of diffraction grating that is produced using holographic recording techniques. It consists...
diamond turning
Diamond turning, also known as diamond machining or diamond cutting, is a precision machining process used to produce...
optical fiber
Optical fiber is a thin, flexible, transparent strand or filament made of glass or plastic used for transmitting light...
optical switching
Optical switching refers to the process of controlling the routing or transmission of optical signals within a network using...
molded lens
A molded lens is an optical lens manufactured using a molding process, typically involving the shaping of a material, such...
laser optics
Laser optics refers to a broad category of optical components and systems designed for manipulating and controlling laser...
electroholography
A technology that uses electrically activated holograms stored within specially developed crystals to route information in...
laser
A laser, which stands for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation," is a device that produces coherent and...
electro-optic modulator
An electro-optic modulator (EOM) is a device used to modulate the amplitude, phase, or polarization of light waves using an...
lattice
In photonics, a lattice refers to a periodic arrangement of optical elements or structures, often on a microscopic or...
diffraction efficiency
Diffraction efficiency is a measure of how effectively a diffractive optical element (DOE) or diffraction grating directs...
COMINT
An acronym for communications intelligence, referring to the collection of communications signals in the VHF and UHF...
fiber optic preform
A fiber optic preform is a cylindrical glass rod or tube used as the starting material for manufacturing optical fibers. It...
digital signal processing
Digital signal processing (DSP) refers to the manipulation and analysis of signals, which are representations of physical...
laser drift
Laser drift typically refers to a phenomenon where the frequency or wavelength of a laser source gradually changes over...
microelectromechanical systems
Refers to micron-size complex machines that have physical dimensions suitable for the fabrication of optical switches for...
nanophotonics
Nanophotonics is a branch of science and technology that explores the behavior of light on the nanometer scale, typically at...
infrared
Infrared (IR) refers to the region of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths longer than those of visible light, but...
diode-pumped solid-state laser
A diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL) is a type of laser system that uses semiconductor diode lasers to pump energy into...
GRIN lens
A GRIN (gradient index) lens is a type of optical lens that utilizes a gradient in refractive index across its volume rather...
optical gate
An optical gate typically refers to a device or system that controls the transmission of light, allowing it to pass through...
frequency domain
The frequency domain is a concept used in signal processing and analysis to represent signals and data in terms of their...
integrated optics
A thin-film device containing miniature optical components connected via optical waveguides on a transparent dielectric...
mode-locked lasers
Mode-locking is a technique used in lasers to produce ultrashort pulses of light with durations on the order of picoseconds,...
attenuation
Attenuation refers to the gradual loss or reduction of intensity, force, or magnitude of a particular property as it...
optical communications
The transmission and reception of information by optical devices and sensors.
dispersion-shifted fiber
A dispersion-shifted fiber (DSF) refers to a type of optical fiber designed to minimize the effects of chromatic dispersion,...
optical testing instrument
An optical testing instrument is a device or system used to evaluate and measure the performance, quality, and...
optoisolator
An optical coupling device that uses light to bridge the gap between incompatible wire communications systems. It contains...
high-loss fiber
Optical fiber in which the attenuation exceeds the normally acceptable level for long-haul or data communications use.
optical fiber optic switches
Optical fiber optic switches are devices used in optical fiber communication systems to selectively route optical signals...
integrated services digital network
A set of international standards by which a single telecommunications channel is used to transmit voice and data...
link
In data communications, the instrumentation connecting two stations: transmitters, receivers and the cable that runs between...
micro-optics
Micro-optics refers to the design, fabrication, and application of optical components and systems at a microscale level....
fiber optic transceiver
A fiber optic transceiver, often simply referred to as an "optical transceiver," is a device used in fiber optic...
phase
In optics and photonics, "phase" refers to a property of electromagnetic waves, such as light, that describes the position...
fiber optic cable assembly
A fiber optic cable assembly refers to a complete unit consisting of optical fibers, connectors, protective jackets, and...
distributed feedback laser
A distributed feedback laser (DFB laser) is a type of semiconductor laser diode designed to emit coherent, narrow-bandwidth...
frequency comb
A frequency comb is a precise and regular series of equally spaced spectral lines, or frequencies, that are generated with...
microcomb
A microcomb, short for microresonator frequency comb, is a novel photonic device that generates a precise series of evenly...
plasmonics
Plasmonics is a field of science and technology that focuses on the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and free...
data link
The communications network between nodes of a data transmission system.
phase-shift keying
A method of coding information in a communications system where the shift in the phase of an electromagnetic wave represents...
error correcting code
The addition to the information signal in communications of redundant bits that enable the originally encoded message to be...
GaAlAs laser
A GaAlAs laser is a type of semiconductor laser diode that emits light in the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic...
transmitter
In fiber optic communications, a light source whose beam can be modulated and sent along an optical fiber, and the...
local oscillator laser
In coherent optical communications systems, a laser used at the receiving end to produce a steady wave that is combined with...
isolator
In the context of electronics and optics, an isolator refers to a device that allows the transmission of signals in one...
epitaxial equipment
Epitaxial equipment refers to a set of specialized tools and systems used in the process of epitaxy, which is the growth of...
optical link
Any optical transmission channel used in telecommunications designed to connect two end terminals or to be connected in...
supercontinuum
Supercontinuum refers to a broad spectrum of light that spans a wide range of wavelengths, typically from the visible to the...
quantum noise
Noise generated within an optical communications system link that has both internal (dark current) and external (background...
CubeSat
A CubeSat is a type of miniaturized satellite characterized by its standardized size and modular design. CubeSats are...
time domain
The time domain is a concept used in signal processing and analysis to describe signals in terms of their behavior over...

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