Photonics Dictionary

Ratio of the radiance of the specimen to that of a perfect reflecting or transmitting diffuser identically irradiated.

A reflecting prism that is rhomboidal in shape. It has two parallel transmitting faces, and two parallel reflecting faces; the latter are oblique to the former (usually but not necessarily at...

A type of 45-90-45° prism used to bend a beam of light through a right angle with the surfaces forming the 90° angle acting as transmitting faces.

Sapphire refers to a crystalline form of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) that is used in various optical and photonic applications due to its exceptional optical, mechanical, and thermal properties. Sapphire...

1. A polariscope consisting of a Savart plate and a tourmaline plate analyzer, and used to produce parallel color fringes by transmitting polarized light. 2. A polariscope composed of an analyzing...

The large, usually flat surface onto which an image is projected for viewing. May be reflecting or transmitting (rear projection).

Average wavelength usually determined for light-transmitting devices by taking a weighted average for each wavelength of the spectral energy distribution of incident light, transmittance of the...

The use of a specialized optical microscope designed to provide a more three-dimensional view of a sample. Stereomicroscopy usually uses reflected light and provides enhanced depth perception via the...

Superluminal transmission refers to the hypothetical process of transmitting information faster than the speed of light, which is commonly denoted as superluminal or faster-than-light (FTL)...

The science of sensing and measuring information at some remote location and transmitting the data to a convenient location for reading or recording.

An instrument or system capable of both transmitting and receiving a signal.

Pertaining to materials having the property of reflecting a part and transmitting a part of the incident radiation.

Capable of transmitting light with little absorption and no appreciable scattering or diffusion.

A vortex phase plate is an optical device designed to impart a phase singularity, commonly referred to as a vortex or phase vortex, onto a light beam. This singularity results in a phase profile...

An infrared transmitting material used in the production of fluoride glasses for optical fibers.