Photonics Dictionary: P

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panoramic telescope

A telescope so manufactured that the image remains erect and the position of the eyepiece is unchanged as the line of sight is pointed in any horizontal direction.

parabolic mirror -> paraboloidal mirror

A concave mirror that has the form of a paraboloid of revolution. The paraboloidal mirror may have only a portion of a paraboloidal surface through which the axis does not pass, and is known as an...

paraboloidal mirror

A concave mirror that has the form of a paraboloid of revolution. The paraboloidal mirror may have only a portion of a paraboloidal surface through which the axis does not pass, and is known as an...

paraboloidal reflector -> paraboloidal mirror

A concave mirror that has the form of a paraboloid of revolution. The paraboloidal mirror may have only a portion of a paraboloidal surface through which the axis does not pass, and is known as an...

parallax

The optical phenomenon that causes relative motion between two objects when the eyepoint is moved laterally. When parallax appears in a telescope between the image and reticle, this indicates the...

phase

In optics and photonics, "phase" refers to a property of electromagnetic waves, such as light, that describes the position of a wave at a given point in time within its oscillation cycle. More...

photogrammetry

Photogrammetry is a technique used to obtain accurate three-dimensional measurements of objects and environments through the analysis of photographs or imagery. It involves extracting information...

picture element -> pixel

A pixel, short for "picture element," is the smallest controllable element of a digital image or display. It is a fundamental unit that represents a single point in a raster image, which is a grid of...

pixel

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 simulated by imaging a large source onto and through a pinhole, or by...

point processing

In digital image processing, a subcategory of frame processing that transforms pixel brightness and contrast through use of a mapping function. Point processing can be single-image (simple contrast...

point source -> 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 simulated by imaging a large source onto and through a pinhole, or by...

point spread function

The point spread function (PSF) is a fundamental concept in imaging that describes the response of an imaging system to a point source or point object. It characterizes how a single point of light is...

point-projection x-ray microscopy

A method of producing magnified images by x-rays. The specimen is placed close to a point source of x-rays; the magnification achieved is the ratio of source-image to source-object distance....

positive spherical aberration -> spherical aberration

Spherical aberration is an optical aberration that occurs when light rays passing through a lens or curved optical surface do not converge or diverge to a single focal point. Instead of focusing to a...

processed hologram

A superposition of many zone plates, each reconstructing a real and virtual point image at the appropriate locations upon illumination by a reference beam.

projection x-ray microscope

A microscope that uses an extremely fine x-ray focal point to produce an enlarged photographic image of a sample. Also known as an x-ray shadow microscope.

Photonics DictionaryP

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