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ESI Dictionary Terms

selective laser melting
Selective laser melting (SLM) is an additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing technology that belongs to the powder bed...
entrance slit
The entrance slit, also known simply as the slit, is an essential component in optical instruments such as spectrometers and...
bolometer
A thermometric instrument used for the detection and measurement of radiant energy. Its essential component is a short...
fluoroscopic image intensifier
A form of image intensifier designed to amplify a weak fluoroscopic image. The image is received at an input phosphor...
Sonnar lens
A photographic objective that uses the thick meniscus principle to obtain its power. It is designed to photograph small...
gram positive
Gram-positive bacteria are a group of bacteria that have a thick cell wall composed primarily of a substance called...
high-speed motion camera
A high-speed motion camera, also known as a high-speed camera or slow-motion camera, is a specialized imaging device...
diffraction-limited lens
A lens with aberrations corrected to the point that residual wavefront errors are substantially less than one-quarter the...
four-wave mixing
A phenomenon that occurs in WDM and DWDM systems when three closely spaced signal wavelengths near the zero-dispersion...
acousto-optic modulators and deflectors
An acousto-optic modulator (AOM) is a device that utilizes the interaction between sound waves and light waves to modulate...
double-clad fiber
Double-clad fiber (DCF) is a specialized optical fiber that features two concentric cladding layers surrounding a core. The...
femtosecond laser
A femtosecond laser is a type of laser that emits ultrashort pulses of light with durations on the order of femtoseconds,...
metabolite
A metabolite is any small molecule that is a product of metabolism, the chemical processes that occur within living...
cesium 134
An isotope of cesium that emits negative beta particles and has a half-life of 2.19 years; its applications include...
dropping
The process whereby a blank or disc is heated to a sufficiently high temperature to sag into a mold having a desired...
galvanometric scanner
A galvanometric scanner, also known as a galvanometer scanner or galvo scanner, is a type of optical scanning device used to...
simultaneous exposure and development
The process, used with a positive photoresist, in which the photoresist is immersed in developing chemicals while being...
microscope stage
The component of a microscope on which the sample or slide to be examined is placed. Depending on the design of the...
hydrophobic
Hydrophobic is a term used to describe substances or materials that repel or do not readily interact with water. The word...
photoelectric cathode
A cathode principally designed to emit a photoelectric current.
metasurfaces
Metasurfaces are two-dimensional arrays of subwavelength-scale artificial structures, often referred to as meta-atoms or...
electron-gun system
An electron-gun system is an assembly used to generate and control a focused beam of electrons. Electron guns find...
anisotropy
Anisotropy refers to the property of exhibiting different values or characteristics when measured in different directions....
broadband filter
A broadband filter is an electronic or electromagnetic device designed to pass a range of frequencies or signals within a...
power modulation
Power modulation refers to the intentional variation of power levels in a signal, often in the context of electronic...
frequency domain
The frequency domain is a concept used in signal processing and analysis to represent signals and data in terms of their...
GigE
GigE, short for gigabit Ethernet, refers to a standard for high-speed Ethernet communication, capable of transmitting data...
scientific CMOS camera
A scientific CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) camera is a type of digital camera specifically designed for...
diffraction efficiency
Diffraction efficiency is a measure of how effectively a diffractive optical element (DOE) or diffraction grating directs...
red, green, blue
RGB stands for red, green, blue, which are the primary colors of light used in additive color mixing. The RGB color model is...
wobble
In micropositioning systems, motion (most frequently undesired) about the Z-axis.
Fresnel reflection
Fresnel reflection refers to the reflection of light at the interface between two different media with different refractive...
riez photodiode
A photodiode having a conducting grid that covers the surface of the photodiode junction and intercepts and wastes some of...
coudé
A set of mirrors along a telescope's polar axis designed to redirect light to a fixed position without being affected by the...
thick-film deposition
Successive layering of resistive, dielectric and conductive inks on a substrate by a type of screening process.
holographic optical element
A component used to modify light rays by diffraction; the HOE is produced by recording the interference pattern of two laser...
unijunction transistor
A three-terminal semiconductor having only one PN junction and a stable, open-circuit, negative-resistance property.
Er:YAG laser
An Er:YAG laser is a type of solid-state laser that uses a crystal made of erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet...
network interface card
A network interface card (NIC), also known as a network adapter or LAN adapter, is a hardware component that allows...
single-photon avalanche diode
A single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) is a specialized type of photodetector designed to detect extremely weak optical...
Lenard tube
An electron-beam tube designed so that the beam can be carried through a portion of the wall of an evacuated enclosure.
chalcogenide
Chalcogenide refers to a class of compounds containing elements from group 16 of the periodic table, which includes sulfur...
multianode microchannel array detector
A photon-counting instrument for use in both space-borne and ground-based photometric and spectroscopic instrumentation....
microdisplay
A microdisplay is a miniature electronic display technology that is designed to project visual information onto a small...
laser annealing
Laser annealing is a process that involves using a laser beam to heat and modify the microstructure of a material, typically...
blocking cement
An adhesive used to hold optical elements to blocking tools. It is usually a thermoplastic substance such as resin, beeswax,...
mode
1. The characteristic of how light propagates through a waveguide that can be designated by a radiation pattern in a plane...
grown-junction photocell
A photodiode that has been designed so that the bar of semiconductor material has a PN junction perpendicular to its length...
resistor
A device having electrical resistance and used in an electric current for purposes of protection, operation or control of...
grating beamsplitter
A grating beamsplitter is an optical device that utilizes the principles of diffraction to split a beam of light into...
beam attenuator
A device designed to decrease flux density or power per unit area of a light beam through absorption and scattering of the...
field of view
The field of view (FOV) refers to the extent of the observable world or the visible area that can be seen at any given...
X-axis
1. In a plane Cartesian coordinate system, the horizontal axis, or axis in the left to right direction. 2. In a quartz...
thermal interface materials
Thermal interface materials (TIMs) are substances or compounds used to enhance the thermal conductivity between two surfaces...
monochromator
A monochromator is an optical instrument used to isolate and select a narrow range of wavelengths from a broader spectrum of...
transmission sphere
A precision lens designed to convert the plane wavefront output of an interferometer to a spherical wavefront for the...
laser pattern generation
Production of a repeated image of a transmitted beam through a diffractive optical element such as a holographic card or...
flight path deviation indicator
An instrument designed to give a visual indication to the pilot when the plane has strayed from a specific flight path.
blur circle
A blur circle refers to the out-of-focus region in an image captured by an optical system. When an object in a scene is not...
face-pumped laser
A device in which slab geometry internally compensates for thermal-optic distortion; the solid host material -- glass or...
flasher
A device that is designed to automatically turn electric lamps on and off in a rapidly repeating sequence. The device may...
immersion refractometer
A type of refractometer designed to measure the refractive indices of liquids. A section of the instrument is immersed into...
plasmonics
Plasmonics is a field of science and technology that focuses on the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and free...
cathode-coupled amplifier
A cascade amplifier that uses a common cathode resistor to couple energy from stage to stage.
laser designator
A laser device used to establish a location or target usually for detection by an impact source e.g. missiles and guided...
interchangeable lens
A lens that has a mount, usually bayonet or screw type in design, that can be used on a camera in place of lenses with the...
functional material
Functional materials refer to materials that possess specific properties or functionalities that make them suitable for...
gastroscope
An optical instrument designed for the visual examination of the inside of the stomach.
hydrogel
A hydrogel is a three-dimensional network of polymer chains that are hydrophilic, meaning they have a strong affinity for...
Geiger counter
Also called Geiger-Müller counter. An instrument designed to detect and measure radioactivity through the use of a...
design and engineering consulting services
Design and engineering consulting services refer to professional services provided by specialized firms or individuals to...
fiber optic spectrometer
A fiber optic spectrometer is a device used for measuring the spectral content of light. It utilizes optical fibers to...
arc flash
An arc flash is a sudden release of electrical energy due to an electric arc — a continuous, high-current discharge of...
orange peel
In the context of imaging, particularly digital imaging and printing, "orange peel" refers to a texture or visual distortion...
lapping
1. The process of wearing down the surface of a softer material by rubbing it under pressure against the surface of a harder...
harmonic wave analyzer
An instrument designed to calculate the amplitude and phase of the different harmonic elements of a radiation wave utilizing...
digital camera
A digital camera is a device that captures and records still images or video in digital format. Unlike traditional film...
Nernst glower
A Nernst glower, also known simply as a Nernst lamp or Nernst filament, is a type of incandescent lamp or radiant heater...
film platen
A mechanism in a camera designed to position the film in the focal plane for exposure.
cesium chloride
Colorless crystals used in photoelectric cells and for photosensitive material in cathodes.
freeform mirrors
Freeform mirrors refer to reflective optical components that deviate from traditional symmetric or rotationally symmetric...
digital filter
A linear computation or algorithm performed on a selected series in the form of an input signal that produces a new series...
additive manufacturing
Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is a manufacturing process that involves creating three-dimensional...
actinic
Stimulating light used for the production of energy through photosynthesis, solar cell or other light senstitive device.
f-Theta lens
A family of lenses commonly used in scan systems for reading or printing documents. The lens must be designed such that the...
phase hologram
A hologram that is formed on a recording medium by changing the phase of the illuminating wave in correspondence with the...
optical tooling target
Sets of paired lines carefully designed to give the most accurate pointing possible for various lengths of sight.
superconductor
A metal, alloy or compound that loses its electrical resistance at temperatures below a certain transition temperature...
heat lamp
A lamp designed to emit a large amount of infrared radiation; used in applications requiring heat.
light modulator
A device that is designed to modulate a beam of light, usually from a laser source, by acting upon the beam directly. The...
microRNA
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small, single-stranded RNA molecules, typically consisting of about 19 to 24 nucleotides,...
laser resistor trimming
In hybrid or monolithic integrated circuits, the laser ablation of a portion of resistor material to achieve the design...
laser powder bed fusion
Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is a type of additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing technology that uses a high-power...
laser shock adhesion test
A nondestructive test, also referred to as LASAT, that uses a high-energy laser pulse that is targeted on an adhesively...
accelerometer
An accelerometer is a sensor or transducer that measures the rate of change of velocity of an object, or in simpler terms,...
fingerprint camera
A fixed-focus camera designed to record the ink impression of fingerprints that have been impressed on a card or form for...
vertical external cavity surface-emitting laser
A laser that has a surface-emitting semiconductor gain element coupled to an external mirror designed to complete the laser...
optical channel monitor
An optical channel monitor (OCM) is a device used in optical communication systems to monitor and analyze the performance of...
laser-mediated gene transfer
Laser-mediated gene transfer refers to a technique in molecular biology and genetic engineering that utilizes lasers to...
near-field holography
A lithography method that allows the transfer of fine-pitch gratings from a phase mask into photoresist. The exposure takes...
multicolor hologram
A hologram formed by reconstruction of multicolor wavefronts. The system used to produce the hologram is designed to combine...
time-to-amplitude converter
A time-to-amplitude converter (TAC) is an electronic circuit that converts a time interval between two events into an...
dark frame
A frame taken to identify electronic noise in a CCD imaging device. A dark frame is recorded without exposing the CCD to any...
crystallized glass
Glass of special composition that is melted, formed into desired shapes, and subjected to a high-temperature treatment in...
micro-LED
Micro-LED (micro-light-emitting diode) refers to a technology that involves the use of very small light-emitting diodes to...
bandgap
In semiconductor physics, the term bandgap refers to the energy range in a material where no electronic states are allowed....
interference inverter
A device, consisting of a diode activated by an interference pulse, that is designed to minimize the white spots on a...
aerial film
Film designed especially for the needs and conditions encountered in aerial photography. It is produced in a variety of...
photoresist
Photoresist is a light-sensitive material used in photolithography processes, particularly in the fabrication of...
epitaxial equipment
Epitaxial equipment refers to a set of specialized tools and systems used in the process of epitaxy, which is the growth of...
optical character recognition
Optical character recognition (OCR) is a technology that is used to convert printed or handwritten text into...
lithography
Lithography is a key process used in microfabrication and semiconductor manufacturing to create intricate patterns on the...
molded lens
A molded lens is an optical lens manufactured using a molding process, typically involving the shaping of a material, such...
electromagnetic compatibility
The ability of a device to operate without electromagnetically interfering with the operation of nearby equipment and...
thermal resistance
In a laser, a measure of the device's ability to dissipate internally generated heat.
Casimir force
The Casimir force is a quantum phenomenon that results in an attractive force between two closely spaced uncharged...
iris diaphragm
A mechanical device designed to smoothly vary the effective diameter of a lens, thereby controlling the amount of light...
nanophotonics
Nanophotonics is a branch of science and technology that explores the behavior of light on the nanometer scale, typically at...
sapphire window
A sapphire window refers to a transparent optical component made from sapphire crystal. Sapphire is a single-crystal form of...
telescope lens
A telescope lens is a primary optical component of a telescope system that gathers and focuses light to form an image. It is...
binocular
Designating any instrument in which both eyes can be used to view the image to achieve a stereoscopic effect, or merely to...
isophotometer
A direct recording photometer that is designed to scan a photographic negative to determine its points of isodensity.
contrast filter
A filter designed to improve contrast in an imaging system. For visual and black and white photosystems, a yellow filter is...
waveguide
A waveguide is a physical structure or device that is designed to confine and guide electromagnetic waves, such as radio...
oleophobic
Oleophobic is a term used to describe substances or materials that repel or resist oils. The word oleophobic comes from the...
lab-on-a-chip
A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) is a miniaturized device that integrates various laboratory functions and capabilities onto a single,...
metamaterial
Metamaterials are artificial materials engineered to have properties not found in naturally occurring substances. These...
Fabry-Perot etalon
A nonabsorbing, multireflecting device, similar in design to the Fabry-Perot interferometer, that serves as a multilayer,...
macro lens
A camera lens, used in macrophotography, that is designed and corrected to produce optimum definition of a nearby object...
laser drift
Laser drift typically refers to a phenomenon where the frequency or wavelength of a laser source gradually changes over...
YAG crystal
A YAG crystal refers to a solid-state crystal made of yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG), which is a synthetic crystalline...
cresyl violet
Cresyl violet, also known as cresyl violet acetate or cresyl echt violet, is a synthetic organic compound belonging to the...
thin lens relationships
Formulas designating the relationships between image distance, object distance, focal length, refractive index, etc., of a...
Rayleigh prism
A prism system designed to produce a very high dispersion of light.
machine vision lens
A machine vision lens is a specialized optical lens designed for use in machine vision systems, which are used for automated...
modulated transmission ellipsometry
A method used to detect internal or residual microstresses in a material by using a laser beam to locate changes in...
Gaussian optics
1. That branch of optics that illustrates the theory in which q is substituted for sin q in Snell's law. Effective results...
microprojector
A miniature projecting device designed to enhance and reproduce the image generated by a smaller image-forming instrument....
die bonding
Die bonding is a critical process in semiconductor manufacturing and microelectronics assembly, where a semiconductor die or...
endoscope
An endoscope is a medical device used for visualizing and examining the interior of hollow organs, body cavities, or...
residual absorption and scattering
Loss mechanisms that degrade the performance of all thin-film optical devices by removing radiant flux out of the specular...
Cassegrain lens system
A two-mirror lens design used in astronomical telescopes, the primary being a parabola, the secondary a smaller hyperbola....
scintillation crystal
A scintillation crystal, also known simply as a scintillator, is a material that emits light when it interacts with ionizing...
contour projector
An inspection device in which the profile of a mechanical part is projected onto a ground-glass screen at a precisely known...
scintillation counter
An instrument designed to measure radiation indirectly through the use of several phosphors and a photomultiplier tube. The...
thermal noise-limited operation
Operation in which the minimum detectable signal has its limits set by the thermal noise of the detector, the load...
photodynamic inactivation
Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) is a therapeutic approach that utilizes the combination of light, a photosensitizer, and...
dopant
The impurity added to a substance to produce desired properties in the substance.
computer-generated hologram
A computer-generated hologram (CGH) is a holographic image produced using computational methods and algorithms, rather than...
GaN distributed feedback lasers
GaN (gallium nitride) distributed feedback (DFB) lasers refer to a specific type of semiconductor laser based on Gallium...
polysulfone resin
A thermoplastic, self-extinguishing polymer with excellent high-temperature, low-creep and arc resistance properties.
piezoresistance
Piezoresistance is a phenomenon in materials science and physics where the electrical resistance of a material changes in...
reactive evaporation
Reactive evaporation refers to a process in thin-film deposition where a material is deposited onto a substrate through...
infrared light-emitting diode
An infrared light-emitting diode (IR LED) is a semiconductor device that emits infrared light when an electric current...
blocking pitch
An adhesive used to affix optical elements to an approximately shaped body -- usually of cast iron.
angular spectrum approach
The angular spectrum approach is a mathematical and computational technique used in the field of optics to analyze and...
global optimization
A controlled random search process, such as generalized simulated annealing, that has been incorporated into many optical...
microcircuit manufacturing
The formation of transistors, diodes, capacitors, resistors and other electronic elements directly on a flake of silicon by...
quantum cascade laser
A quantum cascade laser (QCL) is a type of semiconductor laser that operates based on the principles of quantum mechanics....
perfect lens
A theoretical, ideal lens capable of producing perfect images. Used as a lens design and analysis tool to image collimated...
silicon photodiode
A silicon photodiode is a semiconductor device that converts light into an electrical current. It is a type of photodetector...
space pattern
On a test chart, the pattern designed to direct and measure geometric distortion.
hardness
In the most general sense, the resistance of a solid surface to damage.
attenuation
Attenuation refers to the gradual loss or reduction of intensity, force, or magnitude of a particular property as it...
apertometer
An instrument designed to measure the numerical aperture of an objective.
molecular modeling
A method of predicting the nonlinear optical effects exhibited by different molecules without synthesizing the molecules...
camera
A light-tight box that receives light from an object or scene and focuses it to form an image on a light-sensitive material...
liquid crystal light valve
A liquid crystal light valve (LCLV), also known as a spatial light modulator (SLM), is an optical device that modulates the...
pseudo-second-derivative
A method used to approximate the values of the homogeneous second derivatives at each iteration in the course of lens design...
spatially offset Raman spectroscopy
Spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) is a technique that extends traditional Raman spectroscopy by incorporating...
electron-beam recording
The recording of the information contained in a modulated electron beam onto photographic or silicon resin-coated materials....
luxmeter
An illuminometer designed to measure illumination in terms of luxes.
resistor trimming
 etalon
An etalon is an optical device that consists of two parallel reflecting surfaces separated by a precise and known distance....
parallelogram distortion
In a camera or cathode-ray tube, distortion that is designated by a lateral skewing of the reproduced image.
light-emitting diode
An LED, or light emitting diode, is a semiconductor device that emits light when an electric current passes through it. LEDs...
McLeod gauge
A gauge designed to measure high degrees of vacuum. It consists of a glass bulb attached to the vacuum vessel, the...
scanning
The successive analysis or synthesizing of the light values or other similar characteristics of the components of a picture...
surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is an analytical technique that combines the principles of Raman spectroscopy...
x-ray streak camera
A diagnostic instrument that uses a photocathode design to see a broad range of x-ray radiation by streaking the...
diamond turning
Diamond turning, also known as diamond machining or diamond cutting, is a precision machining process used to produce...
fused quartz and silica
Fused quartz and silica are closely related materials, both composed primarily of silicon dioxide (SiO2), but they are...
reflective
The term reflective is an adjective that describes the ability of a surface or material to reflect light or other forms of...
chromascope
An instrument designed to analyze the optical effects of color.
adhesive
An intermolecular substance that serves to hold materials together. Two types are used in the optical industry: one, which...
optical gate
An optical gate typically refers to a device or system that controls the transmission of light, allowing it to pass through...
scanner
1. A device used to trace out an object and build up an image. One of the most common of these types is video scanning. The...
potentiometer
A device designed to measure electromotive force or electrical difference potential.
sheet grating
A three-dimensional grating designed with thin metal sheets to remain opaque to all but one specific and predetermined wave.
crystal
A solid with a structure that exhibits a basically symmetrical and geometrical arrangement. A crystal may already possess...
silicon carbide light-emitting diodes
Silicon carbide (SiC) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are semiconductor devices that emit light when an electric current is...
laser cavity
A laser cavity, also known as an optical cavity or resonator, is a fundamental component of a laser system. It is a confined...
linear positioning stage
A linear positioning stage, also known as a linear stage or translation stage, is a precision mechanical device used to...
Mach-Zehnder interferometer
A Mach-Zehnder interferometer is an optical device used to measure the phase difference between two collimated beams of...
3D printing
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), is a manufacturing process that builds three-dimensional objects...
advanced driver assistance systems
Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) refers to a set of safety features and technologies designed to assist drivers in...
confocal resonator
A confocal resonator, also known as a confocal cavity or confocal laser resonator, is a type of optical resonator...
diamond-turned optic
Diamond turning refers to a precision machining process used to produce complex optical components, particularly lenses and...
topological photonics
Topological photonics is a branch of physics and optics that explores the application of topological concepts to the...
neon indicator tube
A cold-cathode tube containing neon and designed to visually determine a potential difference or field.
optical switching
Optical switching refers to the process of controlling the routing or transmission of optical signals within a network using...
Fresnel lens
A Fresnel lens is a type of optical lens that consists of a series of concentric grooves or steps carved into a flat, thin...
helium-neon laser
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...
photosynthetically active radiation
Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is the 400- to 700-nm region (visible light) of the electromagnetic spectrum that...
thermosetting cement
An adhesive that permanently sets or hardens at a specified high temperature. Methacrylate is an example of a thermosetting...
freeform optics
Freeform optics refers to the design and fabrication of optical surfaces that do not follow traditional symmetric shapes,...
smear ghost
A false image in television that follows the desired image so closely that it appears to be smeared.
photoconductor contact
Material used to integrate photoconductors into electro-optical systems. It should provide low resistance to the flow of...
acousto-optic deflector
A system designed with a laser as a light source and a means for producing sound waves extending beyond 100 MHz to deflect...
aiming circle
An instrument designed to measure angles in azimuth; used in general topographic work and military gunnery.
impurity level
In the context of optical materials, the term "impurity level" refers to the presence of foreign atoms or molecules within...
ultraviolet densitometry
A technique, involving spectrophotometry in the ultraviolet, that is designed to determine the colors of thin-layer...
binocular microscope
A microscope designed with two eyepieces (oculars), permitting the use of both eyes when viewing through the instrument.
aptamer
An aptamer is a short, single-stranded DNA or RNA molecule that can bind to a specific target molecule with high affinity...
cassette
A container designed to hold recording material (film, video- and audiotape) so that when it is loaded into a recording...
spectral flow cytometry
Spectral flow cytometry is an advanced flow cytometry technique that expands the capabilities of traditional flow cytometry...
curing
The use of chemicals or radiation to induce a desired change in a substance; e.g., some optical adhesives are set by...
focus lamp
An incandescent or carbon arc lamp designed with a stable and compact arc or filament that permits it to be used as a light...
long-pass filter
A long-pass filter is an optical filter that allows longer wavelengths of light to pass through while blocking or...
rotational power stability
Ability of a laser to resist variations in output power caused when it is slowly rotated about its optical or symmetrical...
morphological processing
A set of algorithms used to study the structural and spatial characteristics of objects in a digitized image for...
linear receive optics
Linear receive optics typically refers to the optical components and systems used in the reception (detection) of linearly...
convolutional neural network
A powerful and flexible machine-learning approach that can be used in machine vision to help solve difficult problems....
fill factor
In solar energy technology, the percent of usable land covered by collectors. The horizontal collector is the only design...
substrate
A substrate refers to a material or surface upon which another material or process is applied or deposited. In various...
blaze height
Blaze height typically refers to a parameter in the context of diffraction gratings, which are optical devices consisting of...
optical testing instrument
An optical testing instrument is a device or system used to evaluate and measure the performance, quality, and...
cartesian lens
A lens, one surface being a cartesian oval, that produces an aplanatic condition.
laser texturing
Laser texturing is a manufacturing process that involves using a laser beam to selectively modify the surface of a material,...
noise
The unwanted and unpredictable fluctuations that distort a received signal and hence tend to obscure the desired message....
germanium crystal
Germanium crystal refers to a crystalline form of the element germanium (Ge), which is a metalloid and semiconductor...
flexible display
A flexible display refers to a type of electronic visual display that is designed to be bendable, foldable, or rollable,...
liquid crystal on silicon
Liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) is a display technology that combines liquid crystal materials with silicon-based...
ballast resistance
In a laser, the series resistance necessary for a stable electrical discharge.
second-order nonlinear optical properties
Second-order nonlinear optical properties refer to a class of phenomena exhibited by certain materials in response to...
light diffusion
Light diffusion refers to the process by which light is scattered or spread out in various directions as it interacts with a...
optical glass
Optical glass refers to a type of glass specifically engineered and manufactured for use in optical components and systems,...
APD detector
An APD detector, or avalanche photodiode detector, is a type of photodetector used to detect light or optical signals by...
comparator
1. An eyepiece or magnifier with a scale at its image plane. That scale is placed in contact with an object, permitting...
process camera
A photographic camera designed to produce reproduction film of visual information (pictures, line drawings, graphs) for...
etaloning
Etaloning is an optical phenomenon that occurs in imaging systems, particularly in devices such as spectrometers,...
grinding and polishing machinery
Machinery used to grind and finish a component, such as a lens or prism, to a desired precision. Usually such machines carry...
GaN-based LEDs
Gallium nitride-based light-emitting diodes (GaN-based LEDs) are semiconductor devices that emit light when an electric...
laser damage threshold
The laser damage threshold refers to the maximum level of laser intensity that a material can withstand without experiencing...
metabolic imaging
Metabolic imaging refers to the visualization and quantification of metabolic processes within living organisms, tissues, or...
conductance
A material property that is the inverse of its resistance to the flow of electricity.
microstereoscope
A binocular microscope designed for the viewing of stereo pairs. As these stereoscopic image pairs are seen through a...
Pirani gauge
A vacuum gauge designed to measure very high degrees of vacuum by thermal conduction.
flat machine
A polishing machine designed to permit adjustment of the polisher speed and motion for the control of flat surfaces.
holographic camera
A holographic camera, also known as a holographic imaging system or holographic recorder, is a specialized device used to...
mercury arc
An electric arc that is formed in mercury vapor through which an electric current flows. The intensity of the illumination...
Czerny-Turner design
A form of monochromator optical system consisting of two spherical concave mirrors used in conjunction with a movable...
holographic grating
A holographic grating is a type of diffraction grating that is produced using holographic recording techniques. It consists...
optical link
Any optical transmission channel used in telecommunications designed to connect two end terminals or to be connected in...
mirror blank
A mirror blank refers to the initial piece of material from which a mirror is made. It is typically a flat or slightly...
phototheranostics
Phototheranostics, a portmanteau of "photo" (light), "therapy," and "diagnostics," refers to an emerging field that combines...
photomask
A photomask, also known simply as a mask or reticle, is a key component in the photolithography process used in...
computer-calculated diffraction pattern
The use of computer analysis in the calculation of diffraction patterns for information on the design of optical systems. In...
neuromorphic
Neuromorphic refers to the design and development of computing systems or devices that are inspired by the structure and...
metallographic microscope
A specially designed microscope for observing the etched surface of a polished metal specimen. The specimen is often laid...
electro-optic modulator
An electro-optic modulator (EOM) is a device used to modulate the amplitude, phase, or polarization of light waves using an...
quantum dot light-emitting diode
Quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED) is a display technology that utilizes quantum dots, which are semiconductor...
proof-of-concept system
An assembly of prototype instruments, equipment and/or software designed to perform all the functions of a concept or idea...
multiconfiguration mode
Used in computer design for optical systems with common parts and different applications.
Risley prism
A Risley prism, also known as a Risley prism pair or Risley rotating prism, is an optical device used for controlling the...
astronomical observatory
A facility designed for the observation and recording of astronomical phenomena.
medical lasers
Medical lasers are devices that produce intense beams of light with specific characteristics and properties, which are used...
heat-resistant glass
Glass that has been specially treated so that it will not shatter when exposed to high temperatures followed by immediate...
cathode-ray tube lens
A high-quality, narrow-angle lens of high aperture designed for low magnification in the recording of cathode-ray tube...
phenotype
In biology, particularly genetics and evolutionary biology, the phenotype refers to the observable characteristics or traits...
microwave phototube
A device designed to detect microwave modulation and to mix modulated and unmodulated laser beams. It consists of a...
diopter movement
The adjustment of the eyepiece of an instrument to provide accommodation for the eyesight differences of individual...
stoichiometry
The determination of what, how much and in what proportions chemicals must be combined to produce the desired reactions and...
phase mask
In optics and photolithography, a phase mask refers to a device that modifies the phase of light waves passing through it....
polygonal mirror
A polygonal mirror, also known as a multifaceted mirror or facet mirror, is a type of optical component used in various...
adhesion
The intermolecular attraction between two surfaces, as between a substrate and a coating; it is an important factor in the...
fluorophore
A fluorophore is a molecule or a portion of a molecule that has the ability to emit light upon excitation by an external...
ferroelectric materials
Ferroelectric materials are a type of dielectric materials that exhibit spontaneous electric polarization, meaning they...
fluorographic lens
A lens having an extremely high aperture and used in the recording of x-ray fluorescent screen images. It often is specially...
distributed feedback laser
A distributed feedback laser (DFB laser) is a type of semiconductor laser diode designed to emit coherent, narrow-bandwidth...
cesium oxide cell
A photoemissive detector sensitive to wavelengths up to 1 µm. It has one sharp maximum of sensitivity at 350 nm and a...
D*
A value used to designate the relative sensitivity of a detector. The higher the D* value, the better the detector.
forward bias
Voltage that produces current flow in the direction of lesser resistance to the steady-state direct current, i.e., from the...
compensating eyepiece
A microscope eyepiece designed for use with apochromatic objectives. Since apochromatic objectives are undercorrected for...
diode
A two-electrode device with an anode and a cathode that passes current in only one direction. It may be designed as an...
photonic integrated circuit
A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) is a compact and integrated device that incorporates multiple photonic components and...
optical blank
A casting consisting of an optical material molded into the desired geometry for grinding, polishing or, in the case of...
Schumann plate
A specific type of photographic plate designed with only a small amount of gelatin to function in the extreme ultraviolet...
mesoscope
In the field of optics and imaging, a mesoscope refers to an optical instrument that is designed to observe and capture...
optical design and engineering services
Optical design and engineering services involve the development, customization, and optimization of optical systems and...
Canada balsam
A resin obtained from the balsam fir, Abies balsamea, used as a lens cement.
stress-applying part
In polarization-preserving optical fibers, the element used to induce birefringence. The SAP is highly doped to provide a...
baffle
An opaque shielding device designed to reduce the effect of stray light on an optical system.
bayonet coupling
A coupling mechanism designed to quickly lock a connector into an adaptor or a lens into a lens mount. Typically coupling is...
atomic clock
An atomic clock is a highly precise timekeeping device that uses the vibrations or oscillations of atoms as a reference for...
view camera
A camera that permits adjustments in the perspective of an image; this is accomplished by the camera design, which permits...
electron multiplication charge-coupled device camera
An EMCCD (electron-multiplying charge-coupled device) camera is a type of scientific camera specifically designed for...
detector array
A detector array refers to a collection of individual detector elements arranged in a two-dimensional grid or matrix format....
optical design software
Optical design software refers to specialized computer programs used by optical engineers, physicists, and designers to...
alexandrite lasers
An alexandrite laser is a solid-state laser that utilizes a synthetic crystal made from the rare earth element alexandrite...
infrared detector
An infrared detector is a device that is used to detect and measure infrared radiation, which lies beyond the visible...
modulation transfer function analysis/measurement equipment
MTF analysis/measurement equipment refers to instruments and tools used to measure and analyze the modulation transfer...
gram negative
Gram-negative bacteria are a group of bacteria that possess a cell envelope composed of a thin layer of peptidoglycan...
focal length
The focal length of a lens is the distance between the lens's optical center (or principal point) and the image sensor or...
Ultraviolet-C
Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) refers to a specific range of ultraviolet radiation with shorter wavelengths than those of visible...
Geometrical optics
The area of optics in which the propagation of light is described by geometrical lines (or rays) governed by Fermat's...
sapphire crystal
Sapphire crystal refers to a transparent, single-crystal form of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) known as corundum. It is one of the...
ultraviolet spectrometer
A spectrophotometer designed for use in the 200- to 380-nm range of the electromagnetic spectrum and equipped with a...
runout
In a linear stage, any deviation from the desired translation across a flat, straight line.
beamsplitter
A beamsplitter is an optical device for dividing a beam into two or more separate beams. A simple beamsplitter may be a very...
microfluidics
Microfluidics is a multidisciplinary field that involves the manipulation and control of very small fluid volumes, typically...
distance of distinct vision
The near-point distance of the normal eye. The value of 10 in. or 25 cm is normal. This value is used in evaluating the...
flow channel
In various fields such as fluid dynamics, microfluidics, and biotechnology, a flow channel refers to a defined pathway...
machine vision system
A machine vision system is an integrated combination of hardware and software components designed to capture, process, and...
bandwidth
The range of frequencies over which a particular instrument is designed to function within specified limits. See also fiber...
filter wheel
A device that holds a number of filters and allows the filter with the desired characteristics to be rotated into an optical...
RTSP protocol
RTSP, or real-time streaming protocol, is a network control protocol designed for controlling streaming media servers. It is...
optical materials
Optical materials refer to substances or compounds specifically chosen for their optical properties and used in the...
direct laser interference patterning
Also called DLIP, a high-speed, high-resolution processing technique that uses high-power, pulsed laser systems to directly...
photolithography
Photolithography is a key process in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices, integrated circuits, and...
atomic time
Any system of time measurement that is based on atomic resonances. The transition times between the hyperfine levels of...
wide-angle lens
A wide-angle lens is a type of camera lens that has a shorter focal length than a standard or normal lens, allowing it to...
quantum key distribution
Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a method of secure communication that utilizes principles from quantum mechanics to...
Lissajous pattern
The pattern, formed by a character generation cathode-ray tube system, in which the characters are made up of wave shapes...
optical-grade silicon
The element that resembles a lightweight metal, but when very pure, has a very high electrical resistance and is transparent...
reticle
A reticle, also known as a reticule or graticule, is a pattern or set of markings placed in the focal plane of an optical...
hysteresis
This term literally means "to lag behind.'' It is quite often used to describe the residual effect that remains after...
bending of light
1. That action occurring when light passes through an optical interface at other than normal incidence, i.e., refraction. 2....
laser peening
Laser peening is a surface enhancement technique used to improve the mechanical properties of materials, particularly...
quantum efficiency
Quantum efficiency (QE) is a measure of the effectiveness with which a device or system, typically in the context of...
optical cement
A permanent, transparent, and highly transmissive adhesive capable of withstanding extreme temperatures that is applied to...
lamp housing
A device designed to concentrate and direct a light source by enclosing the source in it and using a concave reflector to...
photonics contract manufacturing
Photonics contract manufacturing refers to the outsourcing of the production of photonics-related components, devices, or...
aspheric mirror
An aspheric mirror is an optical mirror surface that deviates from the shape of a perfect sphere, having a non-spherical...
mid-infrared camera
A mid-infrared camera is a type of imaging device designed to capture images in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectral range,...
cesium-antimonide photocathode
A photocathode that exhibits maximum sensitivity in the blue and ultraviolet regions of the spectrum. The sensitivity is...
eye-safe laser operation
Wavelengths between 400 and 1400 nm (VIS to NIR) are focused onto the retina by the cornea. Because the retina is sensitive...
notch filter
Also referred to as a band-stop or band rejection filter; a notch filter is a filter that is designed to screen out a very...
paraxial
Characteristic of optical analyses that are limited to infinitesimally small apertures. Also called first-order or Gaussian...
concave
Concave is an adjective used to describe a surface or shape that curves inward or has a hollow or recessed appearance. In...
Camera Link HS
Camera Link HS (high speed) is a standard developed for high-speed digital data transmission in machine vision and...
stereomicroscopy
The use of a specialized optical microscope designed to provide a more three-dimensional view of a sample. Stereomicroscopy...
pyramid error
Pyramid error in optics refers to an aberration in the shape of an optical surface, particularly in the context of mirrors....
photodetector
A photodetector, also known as a photosensor or photodiode, is a device that detects and converts light into an electrical...
achromat
An achromat, in the context of optics, refers to a type of lens or lens system designed to reduce chromatic aberration....
recombinase polymerase amplification
Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a molecular biology technique used to rapidly amplify specific DNA or RNA...
complementary metal-oxide semiconductor
Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) refers to a technology used in the fabrication of integrated circuits,...
light fidelity
LiFi, short for light fidelity, is a wireless communication technology that utilizes visible light or infrared light to...
bubble chamber optics
Specially designed optics for the observation and photographing of hydrogen in a bubble chamber.
plasmon ion-assisted deposition
Plasmon ion-assisted deposition (PIAD) is a technique used in thin-film deposition processes, particularly in the production...
sapphire optical fiber
Sapphire optical fiber is a type of optical fiber made from single-crystal sapphire, which is a form of aluminum oxide...
phototherapy
Phototherapy is a medical treatment that involves the use of light to treat various conditions, particularly those related...
corrector plate
An optical element designed to correct each zone of a reflector or refractor for spherical aberration.
optical table
An optical table, also known as an optical bench or an optical breadboard, is a specialized platform used in optics...
phosphate glass
A type of glass that includes phosphorus pentoxide and that, unlike silica-based glass, is resistant to hydrofluoric acid.
vector correlation
A machine vision technique of image correlation whereby the correlation kernel (template of the desired image) is...
aplanatic points
Aplanatic points refer to specific points in an optical system where certain aberrations, such as spherical aberration or...
photobleaching
Photobleaching is a phenomenon in which the fluorescence of a fluorophore (a fluorescent molecule or dye) is permanently...
Grittington test
A method of determining the abrasion resistance of very hard materials by passing a weighted wiper blade across them in a...
optometer
An instrument designed to measure the refractive power and range of accommodation of the eye. See ophthalmic instruments.
spatial light interference microscopy
Spatial light interference microscopy (SLIM) is an optical microscopy technique that belongs to the category of quantitative...
classification duration
For a laser, the maximum exposure time that the laser design allows; 0.25 seconds for a Class 2 laser.
aerial camera
Camera designed for the imaging of the earth's surface in order to obtain high quality aerial images
lens testing equipment
Lens testing equipment refers to a range of specialized tools and instruments used to evaluate the optical performance,...
antireflection coating
An antireflection coating (AR coating) is a thin film or coating applied to optical surfaces, such as lenses or windows, to...
pointer eyepiece
A Huygenian eyepiece containing a pointer at its focal plane that is used -- when viewing an object through the eyepiece --...
coherent fiber bundle
A coherent fiber bundle (CFB), also known as a coherent fiber optic bundle, is an assembly of multiple optical fibers...
pulse counter detector
A device designed to detect frequency-modulated signals by forming a unidirectional pulse from each sine wave. The direct...
long-wave infrared
Long-wave infrared (LWIR) refers to a specific range of the infrared spectrum. Infrared radiation is divided into three main...
vesicular image
An image with variations in density due to the differential scattering ability of microscopic bubbles in a transparent layer.
obsidian
An acid-resistant, lustrous volcanic glass, usually black or banded.
beam expander
A system of optical components designed to increase the diameter of a radiation beam. Usually an afocal system.
shunt resistance
In a silicon photodiode, the dynamic resistance (dv/d1) of the junction at zero volts.
hyperspectral resolution
Hyperspectral resolution refers to the level of detail or granularity in the spectral information captured by a...
resistance heater
A crucible made of electrically resistive material through which a current is passed to heat the material inside, which then...
laser marking
Laser marking is a process in which a laser beam is used to mark or engrave a surface by altering its properties or...
slide projector
An optical projection device designed to project positive color transparencies onto a screen for viewing.
total radiation pyrometer
Also known as a pyrradiometer. An instrument that is designed to measure heat radiation nonselectively; e.g., the...
infrared signal generator
A device that combines electronic and optical techniques to form a monitored infrared signal between 1 and 14 µm. It...
orthographic camera
A camera designed with a telecentric optical system and a narrow field of view; the telecentric optical system (placement of...
total internal reflection fluorescence
Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy is an advanced fluorescence microscopy technique that leverages the...
dispersion
Dispersion refers to the phenomenon where different wavelengths (colors) of light travel at different speeds when passing...
laser diode module
A laser diode module is a compact device that incorporates a laser diode, optics, and often other components into a single...
virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) is a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional environment or experience that can be...
Geissler tube
A specific gas-filled tube designed to illustrate the luminous effects of discharges through rarefied gases.
Fourier transform spectrometer
An instrument using a Michelson interferometer, a beamsplitter, two plane mirrors and a detector to give Fourier analysis of...
television microscope
A device designed to enlarge the image of a microscopic object by television process. It may be a flying spot scanner that...
laser output
The laser output refers to the generated and emitted light produced by a laser system. This output is characterized by...
slide projection lens
A lens designed for projection of color transparencies.
astronomical telescope
An astronomical telescope is a type of optical instrument designed to gather and magnify light from distant celestial...
lens blank
A lens blank is a piece of optical material in a raw, unfinished state, typically in the form of a disk or block, from which...
Wehnelt cylinder
Also known as cathode-ray tube grid or shield. A cylindrically shaped electrode that, containing the cathode of a...
hydrophilic
Hydrophilic is a term used to describe substances or materials that have an affinity for water. The word hydrophilic comes...
chromaticity coordinates
Proportions of standard primaries (tristimulus values) required for a color match; ratios of each tristimulus value of a...
nonlinear optical detector
A type of radiation detector designed to recognize nonlinear optical effects, such as the Raman effect, by means of a...
surface plate
A large table with an accurately designed plane surface used to test other surfaces, or to provide a true surface for...
two-photon polymerization
Two-photon polymerization (TPP) is a technique used in additive manufacturing, specifically in the field of 3D printing. It...
lateral shearing interferometer
A lateral shearing interferometer is an optical device used in interferometry to measure phase differences between two beams...
piezoelectric motion systems
Piezoelectric motion systems are mechanical systems that utilize piezoelectric materials to generate controlled motion or...
channel impedance
The parallel resistance and capacitance appearing between the active guard ring junctions in a silicon photodiode.
mirror mount
A mirror mount is a mechanical device used to secure and precisely position mirrors in optical systems. Mirrors are...
reagent
A reagent is a substance or compound that is used in a chemical reaction to bring about a specific transformation or to...
coated optics
Optical elements that have been coated with one or more layers of dielectric, or metallic material. These coatings serve to...
polycarbonate
A tough, durable, heat- and cold-resistant optical quality plastic used in injection-molded items such as streetlight...
MEMS fiber optic switch
A MEMS fiber optic switch is a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device designed to selectively route optical signals...
Dammann grating
A Dammann grating is a type of diffractive optical element (DOE) used to create an array of equally spaced,...
optical figure
The amount by which an optical surface deviates from its ideal design value, expressed in wavelengths of light. Optical...
fiber optic gyroscope
A fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) is a type of gyroscope that uses the interference of light waves to detect changes in...
minimum object distance
Minimum object distance, often abbreviated as MOD, refers to the closest distance at which a camera lens or optical system...
image iconoscope
A camera tube similar in design to the iconoscope. However, the image formed in the image iconoscope is projected on a...
meta-optics
Meta-optics, also known as metasurface optics or flat optics, is a branch of optics that involves the design, fabrication,...
chemical vapor deposition equipment
Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) equipment refers to a class of specialized apparatus used in the process of chemical vapor...
periscope
An optical instrument designed to displace the line of sight in a vertical direction. For submarines and other military uses...
twisted intramolecular charge transfer
Twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) is a phenomenon observed in certain organic molecules containing...
detector
1. A device designed to convert the energy of incident radiation into another form for the determination of the presence of...
astronomical camera
A camera designed to record astronomical objects (e.g., stars, planets, nebulae, galaxies) and their spectra.
phage
A phage, short for bacteriophage, is a type of virus that infects and replicates within bacteria. Phages are composed of...
laser ablation
Laser ablation is a process that involves the removal or erosion of material from a target surface using laser energy. This...
electro-optic transistor
A transistor designed to respond to either light or electrical signals.
GRIN lens
A GRIN (gradient index) lens is a type of optical lens that utilizes a gradient in refractive index across its volume rather...
photometry
Photometry is the branch of science that deals with the measurement of light, particularly in terms of its intensity and the...
electron-beam drilling
The use of a tightly focused beam of electrons to drill minute holes in substances. The drilling is accomplished by the...
mid-wave infrared
MWIR stands for mid-wave infrared, referring to a specific range of wavelengths within the infrared spectrum. Infrared...
selenium cell
A photoconductive cell consisting of a layer of selenium on a substrate whose electrical resistance varies with the...
array processor
In image processing, a specially designed programmable computer peripheral that attaches to the host system for the purpose...
vacuum gauge
A gauge designed to measure the degree of vacuum in an evacuated vessel. A simple U-tube containing mercury is adequate for...
masks for evaporation/deposition
In the context of thin film deposition processes such as evaporation or sputtering, masks are used to selectively deposit...
annealing furnace
An oven or furnace that possesses the design requirements and heat control necessary to anneal glass for the optical...
lumen
A lumen is a unit of measurement used to quantify the amount of luminous flux, which is the perceived power of light. In...
filament transformer
A transformer that is designed to regulate the amount of current that passes through an electron tube's filament.
machine vision lighting
Machine vision lighting refers to the use of specific lighting techniques and equipment in the field of machine vision,...
convex
Convex is an adjective used to describe a surface or shape that curves outward, bulges, or has a rounded and outwardly...
spatial filter
1. Generally, an emulsion mask having a clean annular region in an otherwise opaque region. It is designed to eliminate...
x-ray analysis trial
The testing by hypothesizing a likely crystal structure, computing a test x-ray diffraction pattern and comparing this to...
cement
An adhesive used for bonding optical elements or for holding devices.
superreflector
A reflector having a surface that has been superpolished to reduce residual sleeks and scratches and microroughness so that...
directed energy
Directed energy refers to a type of energy that is emitted and transferred in a controlled direction. The term is often...
mixed-signal oscilloscope
A mixed-signal oscilloscope (MSO) is a type of electronic test instrument that combines the capabilities of both a...
interferometer
An instrument that employs the interference of lightwaves to measure the accuracy of optical surfaces; it can measure a...
monocoil sheathing
A type of tubing used to protect optical fiber cables, consisting of a wire spiral of aluminum, galvanized steel or...
panoramic camera
A camera designed to form a continuous record of an expansive section of the horizon. The typical panoramic camera is...
laser active elements
Laser active elements typically refers to the substances or materials within a laser system that play a critical role in the...
aplanatic surface
An aplanatic surface is an optical surface that is specifically designed or shaped to minimize spherical aberration and...
polyethylene
A material used to jacket fiber optic cables. It is chemical- and moisture-resistant, but not fire-resistant.
narrow-angle dark-field illumination
An imaging system designed to highlight small deviations in a planar reflective object such as a mirror. The system can be...
incident light meter
An exposure meter designed to measure the light striking an object and used at a suitable location in a scene.
neutral density coating
A coating applied to a neutral density glass that is designed to reduce the amount of light evenly across the transmitted...
image intensifier
An image intensifier, also known as an image intensification tube or image intensification device, is a specialized...
circular dichroism spectroscopy
A type of spectroscopy used extensively in the analysis of biological samples. Because most biologically synthesized...
event-based sensor
An event-based image sensor, also known as a dynamic vision sensor (DVS), is a type of digital imaging device designed to...
metalens
A metalens, short for "metasurface lens," is a type of optical lens that uses nanostructured materials to manipulate light...
feedback control system
A system designed to control the output quantity of a device by returning a portion of its output signal to its input. This...
reverse bias
Voltage that produces current flow in the direction of greater resistance to the steady-state direct current; i.e., from the...
photon sieve
A photon sieve is an optical device used in the field of optics and imaging. It's designed to focus and shape light,...
radial distortion
An alteration in magnification from the center of the field to any point in the field, measured in a radial direction from...
Rockwell hardness
Rockwell hardness (Rc) refers to a method for measuring the hardness of a material, primarily metals, using an indentation...
infrared lens
An infrared lens is an optical component specifically designed and optimized for transmitting, focusing, or manipulating...
atomic absorption spectrometer
An atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) is an analytical instrument used to determine the concentration of specific chemical...
indium gallium arsenide camera
An InGaAs (indium gallium arsenide) camera is a type of imaging device that utilizes InGaAs sensors to capture images in the...
dichroic coating
A dichroic coating, also known as a dichroic filter or dichroic mirror, is an optical coating designed to selectively...
halide
In chemistry, a halide refers to a chemical compound containing one or more halogen atoms bonded to another element. The...
magnesium fluoride
A colorless, crystalline compound whose low refractive index (n = 1.38) makes it effective as a lens antireflection coating...
excimer laser coronary angioplasty
Excimer laser coronary angioplasty (ELCA) refers to a medical procedure used in the treatment of coronary artery disease....
Seidel aberrations
Seidel aberrations refer to a set of monochromatic aberrations in optical systems, named after the German mathematician and...
plane densitometer
An instrument designed to give precise and rapid detection of changes in tumor growth as well as the location of small...
discrete
An individual circuit component, complete in itself, such as a resistor, diode, capacitor or transistor. It is used as an...
image correlation
A machine vision technique that compares a template of the desired image (the correlation kernel) with the actual camera...
air-to-ground phototransmission system
A category of systems designed to communicate a photo taken from the air (e.g., aircraft, balloon, satellite) to a ground...
film recorder
An instrument designed to place nongraphic information, usually generated by a computer, onto photographic film. The...
modified chemical vapor deposition
Modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) is a technique used in the fabrication of optical fibers. It is a specialized form...
fiber-coupled LED
A fiber-coupled LED (light-emitting diode) refers to an LED device that is optically coupled to an optical fiber for the...
biocular
A term pertaining to devices (generally optical) designed for use with both eyes viewing through a single exit pupil. The...
infrared light source
An infrared light source is a device that emits light in the infrared spectrum, which lies beyond the visible spectrum of...
laser crystal
A laser crystal, also known as an active medium or gain medium, is a solid-state material used in the construction of...
friability
The resistance of individual grains of an abrasive to breaking down under pressure. If the grains break down under...
crystal spectrometer
A device designed to measure crystal properties by analysis of crystal diffraction.
excitron
A single-anode mercury pool tube that is designed to maintain a continuous cathode spot.
heliograph
An instrument designed to record the duration and intensity of solar radiation.
delta error
The term delta error (delta-E) generally refers to the difference or change in error between two values or states. The word...
photonic crystals
Photonic crystals are artificial structures or materials designed to manipulate and control the flow of light in a manner...
polychromatic acousto-optic modulator
A crystal-based device that combines and adjusts the intensities of multiple wavelengths of laser light in order to obtain...
globar
A light source made up of silicon carbide or carborundum. It is resistant to the negative temperature coefficient and...
Johansson geometry
A design for bent crystal monochromators in which spacing is constant along any circular arc terminating at the two foci and...
infrared optic
Infrared optics refer to optical components and systems designed to manipulate and control infrared (IR) light, which lies...
scratch resistant coating
Thin layers intended to prevent damage to plastic optics.
cross-coupling
1. A defect inherent in a multiple-axis positioning system whereby an adjustment of one axis causes an undesired change in...
photovoltaic
Photovoltaic (PV) refers to a technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductors. The term...
chromatic aberration
Chromatic aberration is an optical phenomenon that occurs when different wavelengths (colors) of light are refracted by a...
optical cements and adhesive
Optical cements and adhesives are specialized materials used in the assembly and bonding of optical components in optical...
apochromat
An apochromat, often referred to as an apochromatic lens or apochromatic objective, is a type of optical system designed to...
stereo projector
A projector designed to give each of the observer's eyes its own disparate image.
optical clock
An optical clock is a highly precise and advanced timekeeping device that relies on the oscillations of electromagnetic...
custom lapping and polishing services
Custom lapping and polishing services involve specialized processes used to improve the surface finish and dimensional...
hydroscopic
Designed to observe objects below the surface of water. Not to be confused with hygroscopic.
tomosynthesis
A variation of tomography in which several photographs of a patient are taken at different angles, and back-projection of...
laser-induced cut and patch
A process used in the design, repair and customization of integrated circuits. A low-power laser etches a silicon wafer...
polymerase chain reaction
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a widely used molecular biology technique used to amplify a specific segment of DNA...
ultraviolet reflectance
Ultraviolet reflectance refers to the ability of a material or surface to reflect UV light. Ultraviolet light is...
actinic glass
Glass designed to absorb most infrared and ultraviolet radiation while transmitting most of the visible region.
capnometer
An instrument incorporating an infrared detector assembly, used to analyze carbon dioxide gases and in medical applications...
retroreflection
Retroreflection is a phenomenon in optics where light is reflected back toward its source, typically in a direction nearly...
noise current
Any noise or current fluctuation that prevents precise measurement of the signal current. Both dark current and signal...
carbonization
Carbonization is a process in which organic materials are heated in the absence of air, leading to the decomposition of the...
optical noise
Optical noise refers to undesirable fluctuations or disturbances in an optical signal that can affect the quality or...
CubeSat
A CubeSat is a type of miniaturized satellite characterized by its standardized size and modular design. CubeSats are...
light sheet fluorescence microscopy
Also known as single plane illumination microscopy (SPIM), this process was designed for imaging of sensitive samples and...
scattered light filter
A specific type of filter designed to reduce the amount of light scattered by reflections from the edges of optical...
gas current
The positive ion current created in an electron tube as a result of the collisions between electrons and residual gas...
optical filter
An optical filter is a device that selectively transmits or blocks specific wavelengths, or colors, of light. Optical...
frame rate
Frame rate refers to the frequency at which consecutive images, or frames, are displayed in a video sequence. It is...
quantum confinement
Quantum confinement refers to the phenomenon in quantum mechanics where the motion of charge carriers, such as electrons or...
linear image sensor
A linear image sensor is a type of solid-state electronic device used to capture and convert light into electrical signals....
Q
The figure of merit of a resonator, defined as (2p) x (average energy stored in the resonator)/(energy dissipated per...
diffuser
An optical diffuser is an optical component or material designed to scatter or diffuse light that passes through it. It is...
transverse mode
In the context of optics and lasers, a transverse mode refers to a specific spatial pattern of the electric field within the...
polymer
Polymers are large molecules composed of repeating structural units called monomers. These monomers are chemically bonded...
MTF optimization
Computerized lens design algorithm that permits the lens MTF characteristic to be included and controlled during the...
optical combiner
An optical combiner, in the context of optics and display technologies, refers to a device or component that combines...
epoxy
Common name for a variety of adhesives used for lens bonding, fiber optic splicing and other photonics applications. The...
quartz plate
A crystalline-quartz plate designed according to specifications but having its two major faces parallel.
HE11 mode
Designation for the fundamental mode of an optical fiber.
optical fiber
Optical fiber is a thin, flexible, transparent strand or filament made of glass or plastic used for transmitting light...
flux growth
A method of synthesis for crystals such as KTP. The process involves the use of a high-temperature solution called flux to...
tachometer
An instrument designed to measure the rate of rotation of components, such as shafts.
vacuum chamber
A vacuum chamber is a sealed enclosure from which air and other gases are removed to create a low-pressure environment,...
double-Gauss lens
A fast, wide-angle lens used in television and photographic cameras, with excellent overall correction, but subject to...
optical assembly
An optical assembly refers to a collection of optical components that are carefully arranged and aligned to perform a...
slicing and cutting machines - for crystals, quartz, glass, etc.
A crystal, glass, or quartz slicing and cutting machine is a specialized piece of equipment used in the manufacturing...
electrowetting display
An electrowetting display (EWD) is a type of electronic display technology that utilizes the principles of electrowetting to...
mirage
The distortion of an object's true image as the result of abnormal atmospheric disturbances along the path traveled by the...
photoreactive agent
Participates in a reaction only in the presence of light and radiant energy. Besides 3D printing, photoreactive agents also...
isolator
In the context of electronics and optics, an isolator refers to a device that allows the transmission of signals in one...
additive color process
A process of color photography in which colors are added one to another in the form of light, rather than as colorants, to...
regenerative repeater
A repeater that is designed for digital transmission. Also called a regenerator.
biostimulation
The action of a biological system responding to a single or multiple coherent particles of light produced from a laser...
germicidal UV
Germicidal ultraviolet (GUV) refers to a specific range of UV radiation that has disinfectant properties capable of killing...
fiber-coupled photoconductive antenna
A fiber-coupled photoconductive antenna (FCPA) is a type of optoelectronic device that combines a photoconductive antenna...
magnetometer
A magnetometer is a scientific instrument used to measure the strength and/or direction of a magnetic field. It can detect...
optical encoder
A device designed to measure linear or rotary motion by detection of the movement of markings on a transparent medium past a...
low-light-level instrumentation
Instrumentation designed to permit the perception, recording or measurement of scenes under conditions of low incident...
GaAlAs laser
A GaAlAs laser is a type of semiconductor laser diode that emits light in the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic...
optical manufacturing tools and machinery
Optical manufacturing tools and machinery encompass a wide range of equipment, instruments, and systems used in the...
well plate
A well plate, also known as a microplate or microtiter plate, is a flat plate with multiple small wells or depressions...
cesium phototube
A phototube having a cesium-coated cathode that has its greatest sensitivity in the infrared region.
liquid marble
Liquid marble refers to a unique form of microscale liquid encapsulation, where small droplets of liquid are coated with a...
colorimeter
A colorimeter is a device used to measure and quantify the color characteristics of an object or a light source. It provides...
particle acceleration
Particle acceleration refers to the process by which charged particles, such as electrons or protons, gain kinetic energy...
photochemical
The term photochemical pertains to chemical processes or reactions that are initiated or influenced by the absorption of...
fiber optic preform
A fiber optic preform is a cylindrical glass rod or tube used as the starting material for manufacturing optical fibers. It...
hill cloud lens
A fish-eye lens designed to photograph cloud formations over the entire visible sky.
scientific complementary metal-oxide semiconductor
Scientific complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (sCMOS) refers to a type of image sensor technology specifically designed...
plastic optics
Plastic optics refers to optical components or systems that are made from transparent plastic materials, as opposed to...
spectrobolometer
A combination spectrometer and bolometer that is designed to measure a narrow band of radiation from a star.
optical dummy
1. A lens formed to a desired curve and used to form a polisher. 2. A piece of glass included in a block to fill out the...
inverted microscope
A microscope designed so that the specimen is located face down above the objective.
axial gradient technology
A method of designing lasers whereby the laser rod is cut into elliptical discs and cooled by running water over the disc...
Amici prism
Also known as roof prism. A type of prism designed by G.B. Amici. It consists of a roof edge produced upon the long...
ultrasonic detector
A mechanical, electrical, thermal or optical detector designed to identify and measure ultrasonic radiation.
static beam shaping
A technique for creating optimal performance in a system by producing a specific beam irradiance distribution, usually...
evaporation coating
Coating carried out in a sealed chamber evacuated by a mechanical pump in series with an oil diffusion pump to a pressure...
infrared binoculars
An instrument, similar in design to regular binoculars, that can transmit and enlarge infrared images.
gradient-index profile
The term gradient-index profile refers to a specific type of refractive index distribution within an optical material. In...
fiber optic cable assembly
A fiber optic cable assembly refers to a complete unit consisting of optical fibers, connectors, protective jackets, and...
multi-axis alignment
Multi-axis alignment refers to the process of aligning or adjusting components or systems in multiple spatial dimensions or...
decentering
1. The grinding or edging of a lens so that the geometrical center and optical center do not coincide. 2. The shifting of an...
damped least squares
An organizational method used in optical design computer programs. The technique produces one number (merit function) to...
laser optics
Laser optics refers to a broad category of optical components and systems designed for manipulating and controlling laser...
barcode scanner
An optical scanning device designed to read information printed in the form of bars of different size by detection and...
spherical aberration
Spherical aberration is an optical aberration that occurs when light rays passing through a lens or curved optical surface...
Hypalon
E.I. duPont's trade name for a material used in the jacket of fiber optic cables. It is flame-retardant, thermally stable...
optical coatings
Optical coatings are thin layers of materials applied to optical components, such as lenses, mirrors, filters, and prisms,...
optical contact
The adhesion of two sufficiently clean and close-fitting surfaces without the use of cement or glue. The optically contacted...
solar furnace
An optical system that is designed to produce a high temperature in a specified area by the optical direction and...
vortex phase plate
A vortex phase plate is an optical device designed to impart a phase singularity, commonly referred to as a vortex or phase...
fundamental mode
The lowest order mode of a waveguide. In fibers, the mode designated LP01 or HE11.
photoconductive antenna
Photoconductive antenna (PCA) is a semiconductor element that generates or detects high-frequency electromagnetic signals....
waveform analyzer
A device designed to measure the amplitude and frequency of the elements in a complex waveform.
computer numerically controlled grinding
Computer numerically controlled (CNC) grinding is a manufacturing process that utilizes computerized controls and precision...
polymerization
Process of synthesizing long molecular chain materials (polymers) by reaction of many small molecules (usually thousands)...
backscatter
Backscatter refers to the phenomenon in which radiation or waves are scattered backward, opposite to the direction of the...
Senarmont prism
A polarizing beamsplitting prism similar in design to the Rochon prism. However, the Senarmont transmits the extraordinary...
dichroic mirror
A dichroic mirror, also known as a dichroic beamsplitter or interference filter beamsplitter, is an optical device that...
nanoimprint lithography
Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) is a nanolithography technique used for fabricating nanoscale patterns on a substrate. It is a...
borosilicate glass
A strong, heat-resistant glass that contains a minimum of 5 percent boric oxide.
service-mount device
A surface-mount device (SMD) is an electronic component that is mounted directly onto the surface of a printed circuit board...
underwater television system
A television system designed to obtain pictures of objects or scenes beneath the surface of the water. Generally, a...
blocking material
Pitch, wax, resin or other cement suitable for holding optical parts to a spindle during grinding and polishing processes.
incandescent lamp
A lamp that emits light when an electric current passes through a resistant metallic wire situated in a vacuum tube.
electron-beam lithography system
An electron-beam lithography (EBL) system is a sophisticated nanofabrication tool used in the semiconductor industry and...
kampometer
A device designed to measure radiant energy, particularly in the thermal region.
thermoplastic cement
An adhesive whose viscosity decreases as the temperature is increased to a limit. Canada balsam, resin and pitch are...
off-axis paraboloid and ellipsoid mirror
Off-axis paraboloid and ellipsoid mirrors are specialized optical components used in various optical systems, particularly...
beryllium oxide
A dielectric ceramic material used in laser capillary tubes because of its high electrical resistivity and high thermal...
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...
high-pressure cloud chamber
A cloud chamber designed to maintain the gas within it at a high pressure as a means of reducing the range of the...
x-ray spectrometer
An instrument designed to produce an x-ray spectrum of a material as an aid in identifying it. This technique is...
cartesian
Of or pertaining to the methods of the French philosopher Rene Descartes. Refers to the standard orthogonal X-Y-Z coordinate...
laser trimming
The use of lasers in tailoring of such components as thin-film resistors. The process improves speed and accuracy.
aberration sensor (wavefront sensor)
Designed for the function of optical wavefront analysis. Shack-Hartmann camera aberration sensors use a lens array to image...
micro-robotics
Micro-robotics refers to the field of robotics that involves the design, development, and application of miniature robotic...
FMCW lidar
FMCW lidar stands for frequency-modulated continuous wave lidar. It is a type of lidar (light detection and ranging)...
radio telescope
An instrument designed to collect naturally formed extraterrestrial electromagnetic radiation within the radio frequency...
orthonormalization
Optimization method used in optical design computer programs that employs a variable-by-variable approach to construct new...
cyanometer
An instrument designed to measure the proportion of light emitted by a source in the blue region of the spectrum.
high-content screening
Also known as HCS, an analytical method designed to collect statistically relevant amounts of quantitative data on many...
structural color
Structural color refers to coloration in materials that is not caused by pigments or dyes but is instead a result of the...
high-speed movie camera
A camera designed to record at rates exceeding 50 fps. For frame rates up to about 500 fps, an ordinary pull-down mechanism...
stressed mirror polishing
A method of polishing an aspheric surface by mechanically distorting the optic while polishing the surface to a perfect...
equivalent wavelength
In surface height measurement of optics with steep slopes, the use of two short visible wavelengths to synthesize a longer,...
custom optic
A custom optic refers to an optical component that is designed, manufactured, and tailored to meet specific requirements or...
sky filter
A filter designed to decrease the luminosity of the sky without decreasing that of the landscape in the foreground. A filter...
back-wall photovoltaic cell
A photovoltaic cell designed so that light travels through the front electrode and a semiconductor before it comes to the...
calorimetry
Calorimetry is a branch of science that involves the measurement of heat flow in physical or chemical processes. It...
ultraviolet fiber optics
Ultraviolet (UV) fiber optics refers to optical fibers that are designed and optimized for the transmission of ultraviolet...
phase matching
Phase matching is a crucial concept in the field of optics, particularly in nonlinear optics and the generation of coherent...
Mohs hardness
Material hardness scale that is used to characterize the scratch resistance of various materials. This surface hardness...
motion controller
In optics, a motion controller refers to a device or system that precisely controls the movement of optical components, such...
lock-in amplifier
A lock-in amplifier is a specialized electronic instrument used to extract and measure small signals embedded in noise or...
camera shutter
An apparatus, designed for use with a camera, that is used to rapidly open the path from lens to film, to maintain the...
film thickness gauge
An interferometer spectrometer designed to measure thicknesses of thin films or layers by recording the interferogram and by...
nanotube
A nanotube, also known as a nanotubule or simply a tube-like structure, is a nanoscale cylindrical structure composed of...
concentricity error
The distance between the center of the two concentric circles of an optical fiber that designate the diameter of the...
dry objective
A microscope objective designed to be used without liquid between the cover glass and the objective, or, in the case of...
split Stirling cooler
A cooling system used to attain and maintain desired low temperatures in infrared systems. The Stirling type is a mechanical...
spectroreflectometer
A spectrophotometer specially designed to measure spectral reflectance.
light source power
The electrical power used to stimulate any light source. Power supplies may be step-up or step-down transformers; rectifiers...
infrared optical material
The range of materials that, unlike glass, may be used in the infrared. Water-soluble salts, such as cesium iodide, and...
gyroscope
A gyroscope is a mechanical device consisting of a spinning disk or wheel mounted on a spinning axis in such a way that its...
modulated grating hologram
A computer-generated, phase-and-amplitude, off-axis hologram made by a multi-exposure technique that uses three computer...
pulse slicer
An instrument designed for laser technology that is used to extract single pulses from the laser and transmit a portion of...
zonal aberration
Spherical or chromatic aberration in a lens having a wide aperture. It is present because the refracting power varies for...
spatial phase shift
The change in position of the image of a sine wave object from its ideal position. Usually measured in degrees with...
aspheric lens
An aspheric lens is a type of lens whose surface profiles deviate from the traditional spherical shape. Unlike spherical...
micro-optics
Micro-optics refers to the design, fabrication, and application of optical components and systems at a microscale level....
digital twin
A digital twin refers to a virtual representation or digital counterpart of a physical object, system, or process. This...
residual gas analysis
A measurement in optical thin-film coating processes whereby the gases remaining in the vacuum chamber after coating are...
electrophoresis
The movement of particles or ions in a solution toward the electrode having the opposite sign because of the application of...
deep learning
Deep learning is a subset of machine learning that involves the use of artificial neural networks to model and solve complex...
near-infrared camera
A near-infrared (NIR) camera is an imaging device designed to capture images in the near-infrared region of the...
broadband dielectric mirrors
Broadband dielectric mirrors, also known as broadband mirrors, are optical coatings designed to efficiently reflect or...
signal-to-noise ratio
The ratio of the power in a desired signal to the undesirable noise present in the absence of a signal.
cadmium sulfide cell
A photoconductive cell having cadmium sulfide as its photoconducting material for the production of a very high dark-light...
light field
The term light field refers to the spatial distribution of light rays traveling in all directions through a given space. It...
underwater photography
The field of photography concerned with the recording of subjects beneath the water with a watertight, water-resistant...
frame
1. To center an image or place it in any part of the television screen desired. Also applies to stills. 2. A single image of...
Y axis
1. In a plane Cartesian coordinate system, the vertical axis orthogonal to the X-axis. 2. In a quartz crystal structure, the...
image jump
In optics, the term image jump refers to a displacement or shift in the apparent position of an image when a change occurs...
photomicrographic camera
A still or motion-picture camera designed to photograph through a microscope. Photomicrographic equipment usually contains a...
thermistor
A solid-state semiconducting structure (basically one of the bolometers) that changes electrical resistance with...
diffuse-cutting filter
A color filter that is designed to gradually increase or decrease its absorption with wavelength.
betatron
An instrument designed to produce very hard x-rays by the acceleration of electrons in a varying magnetic field.
confocal scanning microscope
A microscope design that involves apertures inserted in conjugate plane positions inside the microscope, with one aperture...
detector-Dewar assembly
A detector-Dewar assembly typically refers to a combination of a detector and a Dewar flask used in scientific instruments,...
piezoelectric transducers and ceramic materials
Piezoelectric transducers are devices that utilize the piezoelectric effect to convert electrical energy into mechanical...
sputtering target
A sputtering target is a solid material used in the process of physical vapor deposition (PVD), specifically sputtering....
chip-on-board lights
Chip-on-board (COB) lights refer to a type of LED lighting technology where multiple LED chips are directly mounted onto a...
beam profiling
Beam profiling is a technique used to characterize and analyze the spatial intensity distribution of a laser beam. It...
reciprocal second (Hz)
The fundamental wavelength standard of time or frequency. An atomic standard, it is properly expressed as 9,192,631,770...
logic-to-light device
A fiber optic component or system designed in such a way that it can be operated by people without specialized knowledge of...
line-scan camera
A line-scan camera, also known as a line-scan image sensor or linear array camera, is a type of digital camera designed to...
laser sintering
Laser sintering is an additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing technology that involves using a laser to selectively fuse...
mounting cement
An adhesive used to hold optical components in their mounts. It may be a thermoplastic or chemical-hardening substance.
Jamin refractometer
An instrument designed to measure the index of refraction of a gas by the interference patterns formed by two beams, one of...
cell
1. A single unit in a device for changing radiant energy to electrical energy or for controlling current flow in a circuit....
optofluidics
Optofluidics is an interdisciplinary field that combines principles from optics and fluidics to create devices and systems...
spline function
Potential alternative to the conventional pulse approximation method of digital image processing because of its highly...
residual blue
The optical phenomenon in which white light dispersed by small particles in suspension appears blue when viewed through a...
Photoelastic equipment and supplies
Photoelastic equipment and supplies refer to instruments and materials used in photoelasticity, a technique used to analyze...
equalized-response densitometer
A densitometer having a receiver that indicates when a desired radiation level has been attained.
metallic mesh filter
An interference filter in which a very thin metal foil with a periodic array of square holes (inductive mesh) or a thin...
magnetorheological finishing
Magnetorheological finishing (MRF) is a precision optics polishing technique used for shaping and finishing optical surfaces...
solar simulator
A solar simulator is a device used to replicate the spectrum and intensity of sunlight in a controlled environment for...
exciton
An exciton is a quasiparticle that represents the bound state of an electron and a hole in a solid-state material, typically...
edge-emitting LED
An edge-emitting light-emitting diode is a type of LED structure where light emission occurs primarily along the edge of the...
microcomb
A microcomb, short for microresonator frequency comb, is a novel photonic device that generates a precise series of evenly...
photomorphogenesis
The study of the effects of light on the growth and development of various plants.
kinematic mount
A mount for an optic element or optics assembly, designed so that all six degrees of freedom are singly constrained. This...
continuous wave
Continuous wave (CW) refers to a type of signal or transmission where the signal is constant and does not vary with time. In...
beam shaper
A beam shaper is an optical device or system designed to modify the spatial profile or intensity distribution of a laser or...
ferromagnetism
The properties of certain materials that cause them to have relative permeabilities that exceed unity. This permeability...
environmental chamber
A test chamber designed to expose the subject being tested to external conditions, such as heat, shock, pressure and...
photoconductor
A light-sensitive resistor in which resistance decreases with increase in light intensity when illuminated. The device...
flow chemistry
Flow chemistry, also known as continuous-flow chemistry, is a chemical manufacturing process where reactions take place in a...
reflectance confocal microscopy
Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a non-invasive imaging technique that allows for high-resolution, in vivo imaging...
instantaneous field of view
Instantaneous field of view (iFOV) is a term commonly used in the context of remote sensing, imaging systems, and optical...
point spread function
The point spread function (PSF) is a fundamental concept in imaging that describes the response of an imaging system to a...
log converter
A device designed to convert linear change in the light state at input to log data at output.
cesium vapor lamp
A lamp that emits light as the result of the passage of an electrical current through ionized cesium vapor.
neuromorphic vision sensor
A neuromorphic vision sensor is a type of imaging device designed to mimic the structure and functioning of the human visual...
process lens
A lens that is symmetrical and designed to work between 1:1 and about 4:1. It covers a field of about ±20° at f/8...
dispersion-shifted fiber
A dispersion-shifted fiber (DSF) refers to a type of optical fiber designed to minimize the effects of chromatic dispersion,...
Schmidt camera
A camera that consists of a concave spherical mirror with an aspheric plate situated at the center of curvature of the...
centered curve
The surface curvature designed to reduce the marginal error found in the periphery of a spectacle lens.
optics
Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter...
embedded laser
The term "embedded laser" typically refers to a laser device that is integrated or embedded into a larger system or...
fiber optic imaging bundle
A fiber optic imaging bundle is a specialized optical device composed of multiple optical fibers bundled together. Each...
mode hopping
Mode hopping in the context of lasers refers to a phenomenon where a laser system abruptly switches from one longitudinal...
achromatism
Use of achromatic design; the correction of chromatic aberration; without color or hue (grey, black and white)
visual test chart
A series of high contrast block letters or similar objects arranged to permit the evaluation of eyesight in humans.
barium fluoride
A relatively hard crystal, highly resistant to excessive energy radiation, that is frequently used for optical windows,...
optical grating
An optical grating, in the context of optics and physics, refers to a device with a periodic structure of closely spaced,...
anisotropic
Anisotropic is a term used to describe a material or substance that exhibits different properties or behaviors in different...
optical artifacts
Optical artifacts refer to undesired or unintended effects that can occur in optical systems, such as microscopes, cameras,...
diascope
1. An optical device used for projection of enlarged images of transparencies or lantern slides on a screen. 2. A device...
bronchoscope
An optical instrument designed to permit the visual examination of the interior of the bronchi.
breakout cable
A breakout cable, also known as a fan-out cable or breakout assembly, is a type of cable that combines multiple individual...
multiple wavelength interferometry
A specific form of phase shifting interferometry - commonly referred to as multiple wavelength phase shifting interferometry...
CoaXPress
CoaXPress (CoaXPress or CXP) is a standardized digital interface and communication protocol used primarily in machine vision...
ohm
The electrical resistance between two points of a conductor when a constant difference of potential of one volt, applied...
boresight
The alignment process that makes the optical axes of two related systems parallel to each other. Also, making the optical...

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