Photonics Dictionary: P

The current that flows through a photosensitive device, such as a photodiode, as the result of exposure to radiant power.

The electron stream emitted by a phototube when the cathode is exposed to light.

Present in photocurrent burst, it is the low frequency pulse that corresponds to the light scattered from the beams in the absence of heterodyne mixing.

A Peltier cooler, also known as a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) or thermoelectric module, is a solid-state device that uses the Peltier effect to transfer heat between two electrical junctions. It can...

A Darlington current amplifier consisting of two separate transistors, of which a phototransistor is the input device.

A photodetector, also known as a photosensor or photodiode, is a device that detects and converts light into an electrical signal. Photodetectors are widely used in various applications, ranging from...

A photodiode detector is a semiconductor device that converts light into an electrical current. It operates based on the principle of the photoelectric effect, where photons of light incident on the...

A two-electrode, radiation-sensitive junction formed in a semiconductor material in which the reverse current varies with illumination. Photodiodes are used for the detection of optical power and for...

The transformation of incident radiant energy into a photoelectric emission current.

A cathode principally designed to emit a photoelectric current.

The control of an instrument or electrical circuit by the current produced by varying radiation incident to a photoelectric cell.

Also known as light beating. The mixing of two narrowband optical components to produce an AC component in the photocurrent at the optical difference frequency.

A phototube in which the primary photoemission current, before being extracted at the anode, is multiplied many times.

The force that stimulates the emission of an electrical current when photovoltaic action creates a potential difference between two points.

An electronic tube instrument in which the anode current varies with the intensity of light incident on the cathode.

An electron tube having a photocathode for the emission of a photoelectric current.

A photovoltaic cell, commonly known as a solar cell, is a semiconductor device that directly converts light energy into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect. The photovoltaic effect is...

Photovoltaic (PV) refers to a technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductors. The term "photovoltaic" is derived from the words "photo," meaning light, and...

A PIN photodiode is a type of photodetector or semiconductor device used to convert light signals into electrical signals. The name "PIN" is derived from the arrangement of the three semiconductor...

Introduced into the laser beam from localized fluctuations in current density within the plasma itself. These fluctuations represent macroscopic changes of gain in the laser.

Discharge that results when a doped semiconductor crystal with a PN junction is charged with a low-voltage direct current. The dual process depends on excitation caused by electrical energy...

Refers to the voltage and current necessary for the operation of circuit devices.

A step before fusion splicing that involves cleaning the fiber end with low-current electricity.

Measurement of surface roughness or quality through the use of a diamond-pointed stylus connected to a coil in an electric field. As the stylus is traced across the surface, a current is created that...

A device designed to detect frequency-modulated signals by forming a unidirectional pulse from each sine wave. The direct current of the pulse is proportional to the frequency of the...

A series of capacitors and inductors connected to the flashlamp in a pumped Nd:YAG laser system in order to regulate the pulse shape of the current delivered to the lamp at a given operating voltage.

Unlike the thermocouple or bolometer, the pyroelectric infrared detector is a current source with an output proportional to the rate of change of its temperature. Capable of extremely rapid response...

A current-source thermal detector used to detect and study the pulses obtained from particular lasers.