Photonics Dictionary: R

Any of the many devices used to detect the presence of radiation from a specific region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

An instrument used to detect radioactive materials: alpha particles or helium nuclei; beta particles or free electrons; and gamma rays, which are x-rays of very short wavelength. They may be detected...

A plot showing how the response (ability to detect a signal) varies with wavelength. D(l).

Also known as radiation thermometer. A pyrometer in which the radiant intensity from the source to be measured is used to calculate its temperature. The usual detector is a thermocouple, thermopile...

A read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) is an electronic device used in imaging systems, particularly in infrared (IR) and other sensing technologies. It is designed to interface with an array of...

A photodetector mounted in the same package as a laser diode that is positioned to monitor the output from the rear facet of the diode.

A detector and signal demodulator used in optical communications systems to receive a signal and often to translate it into an electronic signal.

A means of high resolution study through the application of soft and hard x-rays onto a sample surface in order to obtain image information from 1-10 nm layers and surfaces. The x-ray source emission...

Reflectance spectroscopy is a technique used to analyze the reflective properties of materials across various wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. By measuring the reflectance of light from a...

The number of electrons emitted per photon incident upon a photodetector.

A ring laser gyroscope (RLG) is a type of gyroscope that uses laser light to detect and measure changes in orientation. It operates based on the Sagnac effect, which is a fundamental principle of...