Photonics Dictionary: P

Periodic interruptions of a light beam incident on an absorbing medium that produce heat, expansion and acoustic wave generation. Since the amplitude of this wave is proportional to the absorbed...

Generation of an acoustical signal by a sample exposed to modulated light.

A device for measuring absorption coefficients in which a confined, nonabsorbing gas fills the space inside the cell between the two windows, which are made from a weakly absorbing medium.

Abbreviated PAI. An imaging modality with a hybrid technique based on the acoustic detection of optical absorption from endogenous chromophores or exogenous contrast agents. Light is absorbed by the...

A method for obtaining the optical absorption spectra of solids, semisolids, liquids and gases. PAS is inherently insensitive to reflection or scattering from the sample, analyzes opaque samples and...

A phase-modulated sensor is a type of sensor that uses modulation of the phase of a signal to measure changes in a physical quantity. In such sensors, variations in the phase of the signal are...

Phototheranostics, a portmanteau of "photo" (light), "therapy," and "diagnostics," refers to an emerging field that combines therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities in a single platform, often...

Piezoelectric transducers are devices that utilize the piezoelectric effect to convert electrical energy into mechanical vibrations or vice versa. The piezoelectric effect is a property exhibited by...