Photonics Dictionary

A type of fiber optic sensor that detects alteration in position, distance, pressure, liquid level or temperature by transmitting light across a gap to a reflector; a change in the light returned to...

An astronomical telescope is a type of optical instrument designed to gather and magnify light from distant celestial objects for observation and analysis. It typically consists of two main optical...

Characteristic of a reflector that reflects light along a different line or lines than that of the incident ray.

A corner reflector that provides an increase in the range of angles over which it may be used.

A mass-relieving method whereby material is removed through the sides of a reflector in a direction parallel to the surface. A method of cutting a cylindrical piece of material from a large piece.

A corner cube, also known as a corner reflector or retroreflector prism, is a type of optical device used to reflect light or electromagnetic waves back towards their source with minimal deviation in...

An optical element designed to correct each zone of a reflector or refractor for spherical aberration.

A technique used in integrated optics where a groove is cut on a substrate surface and covered by a thin film to facilitate the construction of filters, resonators, beamsplitters and grating couplers...

A reflecting surface that scatters radiation that is incident on it, thus producing diffuse reflection.

A device similar to distributed feedback lasers in construction and operation, but in which the period grating that produces feedback is removed from the gain region to simplify fabrication. The...

A distributed feedback laser (DFB laser) is a type of semiconductor laser diode designed to emit coherent, narrow-bandwidth light with precise control over the wavelength. It achieves this through a...

A weight reducing method whereby material from the rear of a reflector is removed leaving a pattern of ribs normal to the surface in an egg-crate pattern.

An electrochemical process of metal fabrication using an electrolyte, an anode to supply the metal, and a control of the electrical current and of the deposit of metal on the matrix of a reflector.

A retroreflector that can focus a beam of light, with one planar reflective surface, one spherical and a third that is either planar or convex cylindrical.

An optical reflector with the reflective coating applied to the front surface of the substrate. This eliminates the ghost image formed with second-surface mirrors.

A photometer for measuring gloss by comparing the specular reflectance to that from a perfect specular reflector.

An optical component coated to reflect infrared radiation. Gold, silver and aluminum are typical coating materials.

A laser in which the transition involved in stimulated emission of radiation takes place between two levels of an ionized gas. The gases are electrically excited in a container called a plasma tube,...

A device designed to concentrate and direct a light source by enclosing the source in it and using a concave reflector to direct the light through its only opening.

A complete unit containing a light source, globe, reflector, housing, socket and other necessary components for lighting.

A thin layer of metal deposited on the surface of a substrate. The film may serve as a reflector, beamsplitter, neutral density filter or electromagnetic interference filter.

A condenser composed of a paraboloidal reflector and used for dark-field illumination.

A lamp, usually incandescent, that has a very compact filament, permitting a greater concentration of emitted light, aided by the use of small apertures and appropriate reflectors.

The light from a nonselective diffuse reflector due to the standard illumination of the scene to be televised.

The term reflective is an adjective that describes the ability of a surface or material to reflect light or other forms of radiation. It implies the capability of bouncing back or redirecting...

A type of conducting surface or material used to reflect radiant energy.

A lamp used in projection that is made with a reflector built into the bulb, normally by coating a portion of its interior with a reflective material to ensure the reflector's optimum position in...

Optical components, usually reflectors, produced using proprietary techniques that transfer the precision of a master to a number of elements.

Retroreflection is a phenomenon in optics where light is reflected back toward its source, typically in a direction nearly parallel to the direction from which it originated. This occurs due to the...

A retroreflector is an optical device or structure that reflects incident light or electromagnetic waves back to their source, regardless of the direction from which the light approaches. Unlike...

An aspheric plate placed at, or near, the center of curvature of a spherical reflector and used to correct for spherical aberration.

An instrument that uses a blackened silver-disc reflector with a shutter to create temperature fluctuations that are proportional to the intensity of the solar radiation incident upon it. Using the...

Technology that uses data from an array of sensors, one of which is commonly lidar, to solve the problem of creating a map of an unknown environment while simultaneously maintaining a location within...

A reflector that exhibits specular reflectance, producing a direct image of its source. Also known as regular reflectance.

A reflector having a surface that has been superpolished to reduce residual sleeks and scratches and microroughness so that its scatter coefficient is low. Its surface is said to have a low-scatter...

Also known as corner-cube reflector or retrodirective reflector. Three reflecting surfaces, perpendicular to each other, that are arranged like the inside corner of a cube. As the triple mirror has a...