Photonics Dictionary: H

A small mass spectrometer used to find leaks in a vacuum system by detecting the presence of helium. Using a magnetic deflection device that is permanently tuned to helium, it is capable of detecting...

An infrared device used in satellites and rockets to determine a heat horizon for the Earth at altitudes (above 200 miles) where the visible horizon cannot be discerned. The device scans the infrared...

A halogen lamp, also known as a tungsten halogen, quartz-halogen, or quartz iodine lamp, is an incandescent lamp that uses a tungsten filament surrounded by a small amount of halogen gas, such as...

Harmonic generation refers to a nonlinear optical process in which incoming photons interact with a material and produce new photons at integer multiples of the frequency of the incoming photons....

A guided missile that uses an infrared sensor to detect and home in on an enemy target. The missile is guided by the high infrared emissions produced by a target, such as the heat from an aircraft or...

A helium-neon (HeNe) laser is a type of gas laser that emits visible red light at a wavelength of 632.8 nm. It operates based on the principle of stimulated emission of photons from excited helium...

Laboratory experiments that focus on demonstrating new capabilities of a certain technology or device, usually without consideration of industrial or commercial practicality.

In optical communications, the translation of optical signals into radio signals, lowering their frequency in detection from greater than 1014 Hz to less than 1010 Hz, so that further signal...

High dynamic range (HDR) refers to a technology that allows for a broader and more dynamic range of luminosity in visual content, such as images or videos. It is particularly associated with displays...

A satellite-borne remote sensing device capable of transmitting images at 10 and 20 m resolution from an altitude of 830 km, each sensor covering a ground area of 60 km, by means of a folded...

A high-speed motion camera, also known as a high-speed camera or slow-motion camera, is a specialized imaging device designed to capture fast-moving events or phenomena at extremely high frame rates....

Photography involving the recording of events that occur too fast to be perceived by the human eye or recorded by conventional photographic techniques. See high-speed movie camera; high-speed...

An imaging device whose technology contributes three specific advantages: ability to study large solid specimens that exhibit behavior in bulk; conduction of in situ studies of radiation damage; and...

Histochemical staining is a laboratory technique used in biology and medicine to visualize specific chemical components within biological tissues. This technique involves the application of various...

Histology is the branch of biology and medicine that involves the study of the microscopic structure of tissues and organs at the cellular and subcellular levels. It is a field that focuses on the...

Techniques used in biology to produce microradiographs of cells, tissues or small organisms.

A holographic camera, also known as a holographic imaging system or holographic recorder, is a specialized device used to capture 3D holographic images of objects or scenes. Unlike conventional...

A technique used to create a series of interrelated holographic images that give an appearance of motion when projected in sequence. A flashing laser is used in both the recording and projecting of...

The study of crystal growth from the molten stage utilizing a holographic system wherein interferometric techniques record detailed and measurable elements of crystal microstructure. In this way, the...

A holographic grating is a type of diffraction grating that is produced using holographic recording techniques. It consists of a periodic structure of alternating transparent and opaque regions,...

The holographic recording of a microscopic specimen whereby magnification is achieved by alteration in a wavelength or radius of curvature between recording and reconstruction of the wavefront. With...

The application of coherent wavefront techniques to the determination of the physical state of a system without appreciably altering that state.

Holographic tomography is an advanced imaging technique that combines holography and tomography to provide three-dimensional reconstructions of transparent or weakly scattering objects with high...

Holography is a technique used to capture and reconstruct three-dimensional images using the principles of interference and diffraction of light. Unlike conventional photography, which records only...

Term applied to laser technology to denote an area of above-average intensity often attributable to atmospheric inconsistencies.

A device where each pixel in the detector array is mated with a preamplifier on a single silicon chip, providing sensing and signal processing capabilities.

A hydrogel is a three-dimensional network of polymer chains that are hydrophilic, meaning they have a strong affinity for water. This network structure allows hydrogels to absorb and retain large...

Hyperspectral imaging is an advanced imaging technique that captures and processes information from across the electromagnetic spectrum. Unlike traditional imaging systems that record only a few...

A hyperspectral imaging camera is a sophisticated imaging device capable of capturing and processing data across a wide range of wavelengths within the electromagnetic spectrum, typically from...

Hyperspectral resolution refers to the level of detail or granularity in the spectral information captured by a hyperspectral imaging system. In hyperspectral imaging, the electromagnetic spectrum is...