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Alluxa - Optical Coatings LB 8/23
ESO Dictionary Terms

image converter high-speed camera
A camera that uses an image converter tube in such a way that voltage waveforms applied to internal electrodes cause the...
knife-edge scanning microscope
An imaging device originally created to image whole mouse brain volumes at microscopic resolution. The main component of the...
crystal oven
A temperature-controlled container used to stabilize the temperature and resonant frequency of a crystal found in a...
point-projection x-ray microscopy
A method of producing magnified images by x-rays. The specimen is placed close to a point source of x-rays; the...
vertical resolution
In television system specifications, the number of parallel horizontal black and white lines of equal thickness, that can be...
phase
In optics and photonics, "phase" refers to a property of electromagnetic waves, such as light, that describes the position...
frequency comb
A frequency comb is a precise and regular series of equally spaced spectral lines, or frequencies, that are generated with...
microbubble resonator
A microbubble resonator is a device used in photonics and optical physics for the precise manipulation of light waves. It...
STED microscopy
STED microscopy, or stimulated emission depletion microscopy, is a superresolution imaging technique in fluorescence...
absorption peak
An absorption peak refers to a sharp increase or spike in the absorption of electromagnetic radiation at a particular...
video scan converter
A device that changes the number of lines per frame of a video image to adapt to a lower resolution format, either by...
trapped plasma avalanche-triggered transit
Oscillator device composed of a semiconducting diode in a coaxial resonating cavity. When the biasing current is applied to...
image intensifier
An image intensifier, also known as an image intensification tube or image intensification device, is a specialized...
micro ion milling
Process developed for the production of high-resolution patterns in electro- and magneto-optics. These high-generation...
horizontal resolution
In television, the number of individual pixels that can be distinguished in a horizontal scanning line; also called...
magnetic resonance imaging
An imaging technique used in radiology that is based on the principles of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to produce...
rod
The light-sensitive cells on the retina of the eye that are responsible for low-resolution, peripheral vision.
Q
The figure of merit of a resonator, defined as (2p) x (average energy stored in the resonator)/(energy dissipated per...
Fresnel number
In a lens, the square of the radius of its aperture divided by the product of the focal length and the wavelength. It...
probe
Acronym for profile resolution obtained by excitation. In its simplest form, probe involves the overlap of two...
microdisplay
A microdisplay is a miniature electronic display technology that is designed to project visual information onto a small...
chemosphere
Also known as mesosphere. A level of the atmosphere, extending from the stratosphere to the ionosphere, that is noted for...
spectral domain optical coherence tomography
Spectral domain optical coherence tomography is an imaging technique used in medical diagnostics, particularly in...
pixel pitch
Pixel pitch refers to the distance between the centers of two adjacent pixels on a display screen or imaging sensor. It is...
CMOS camera
A CMOS camera refers to an imaging device that employs a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor to...
test cube
A device used to detect elevation, pyramid and resolution errors in prisms and other components by bringing them into...
Q-switch
A device used to rapidly change the Q of an optical resonator. It is used in the optical resonator of a laser to prevent...
meso form
A form of an element that cannot demonstrate optical activity as a result of dextrogyrate and levogyrate effects that are...
microresonator frequency comb
 microfilm equipment
Two essential pieces of equipment used in connection with the microfilming process: a camera capable of producing, on film,...
mesoscope
In the field of optics and imaging, a mesoscope refers to an optical instrument that is designed to observe and capture...
optical parametric oscillator
A laser-pumped crystal with nonlinear optical properties inside of an optical resonator in which the output generates...
extreme ultraviolet
Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) refers to a specific range of electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum....
swept source optical coherence tomography
Swept-source optical coherence tomography is an imaging technique used in medical diagnostics, particularly in...
ultraprecision cathode-ray tube display
A highly accurate cathode-ray tube used to display information with the utmost efficient stability and resolution. The...
magneto-optical photonic crystal
A photonic crystal that comprises magneto-optical material such that the optical response of the device depends on the...
laser desorption
A process of forming ions within a given molecular species by incident laser light. The molecular species may remain intact,...
time delay integration
A method of scanning in which a frame transfer device produces a continuous video image of a moving object by means of a...
hologram
An interference pattern that is recorded on a high-resolution plate, the two interfering beams formed by a coherent beam...
intensified charge-coupled device camera
An intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) camera is an advanced imaging device that combines the capabilities of both an...
echelle
A grating that serves to provide higher resolution and dispersion than the average grating, and still has a greater free...
advanced compatible television
A television format with enhanced vertical resolution (400 lines as compared with the standard 330) that, unlike...
label-free
Label-free refers to a technique or method that does not require the use of additional labels, tags, or markers to detect or...
silver halide emulsion
An emulsion in which grains of the photosensitive material silver halide are deposited. Each grain, when exposed to light,...
ring dye laser
A laser using a dye solution as the active medium whose resonator is formed into a ring (or a triangle or another shape) by...
parallel scanning
Parallel scanning refers to a method of acquiring data or images simultaneously from multiple sources or in parallel, rather...
lithography
Lithography is a key process used in microfabrication and semiconductor manufacturing to create intricate patterns on the...
high-content screening
Also known as HCS, an analytical method designed to collect statistically relevant amounts of quantitative data on many...
mode
1. The characteristic of how light propagates through a waveguide that can be designated by a radiation pattern in a plane...
mode beating
In optics, "mode beating" refers to an interference phenomenon that can occur in laser systems with multiple longitudinal...
resolving power
A measure of an optical system's ability to produce an image which separates two points or parallel lines on the object. See...
overillumination
A hologram facet illumination technique in which the illuminating beam is twice the size of the hologram facet so that full...
three-photon microscopy
Three-photon microscopy is an advanced imaging technique that belongs to the family of multi-photon microscopy methods. It...
aplanatic surface
An aplanatic surface is an optical surface that is specifically designed or shaped to minimize spherical aberration and...
transverse mode
In the context of optics and lasers, a transverse mode refers to a specific spatial pattern of the electric field within the...
laser active elements
Laser active elements typically refers to the substances or materials within a laser system that play a critical role in the...
remote sensing
Remote sensing is a method of data collection and observation where information about objects, areas, or phenomena on...
electron-gun system
An electron-gun system is an assembly used to generate and control a focused beam of electrons. Electron guns find...
radio-frequency discharge laser
A gas laser in which the electrodes are mounted perpendicular to the optical resonator.
optical coherence tomography imaging system
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an imaging technique used in medical diagnostics and biomedical research to obtain...
grating spectroscope
A spectroscope having a diffraction grating for the resolution of light of various wavelengths.
microring resonator
A microring resonator is a compact optical device that utilizes the resonant behavior of light within a small ring-shaped...
cyclotron resonance
The tendency of charge carriers to spiral about an axis in a direction identical to that of an applied magnetic field that...
pixel
A pixel, short for "picture element," is the smallest controllable element of a digital image or display. It is a...
Camera Link HS
Camera Link HS (high speed) is a standard developed for high-speed digital data transmission in machine vision and...
spectroscopy
Spectroscopy is a technique used in the study of interactions between matter and electromagnetic radiation. It involves...
radiation trapping
That process by which radiation spontaneously emitted by a volume of optical materials is resonantly reabsorbed within the...
nitric oxide detector
A pollution-measuring device used to detect the presence of nitric oxide regardless of other gases present. It utilizes the...
reflection x-ray microscopy
A means of high resolution study through the application of soft and hard x-rays onto a sample surface in order to obtain...
functional near-infrared spectroscopy
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive neuroimaging technique that measures changes in hemoglobin...
blue diode laser
A blue diode laser is a type of semiconductor laser that emits light in the blue wavelength range of the electromagnetic...
hydrogenated amorphous silicon
A photoreceptor material used in solar cells and in drums for laser printers and high-speed copiers because of its high...
surface-enhanced Raman scattering
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a powerful analytical technique that enhances the Raman scattering signal of...
image quality
A measure of the closeness with which an optical image is capable of resembling the original object. The factors that affect...
plasmonics
Plasmonics is a field of science and technology that focuses on the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and free...
resolution chart
embedded vision
Embedded vision refers to the integration of computer vision technologies into various embedded systems, devices, or...
raster unit
The vertical or horizontal distance between two addressable points on a display screen; indicates the basic resolution...
coded aperture imaging
An imaging process in which the single opening of a simple pinhole camera is replaced with many openings called,...
photographic resolution
A measure of the ability of a photographic system to record fine detail. Usually stated in terms of cycles per millimeter on...
parametric oscillator
A device using a parametric amplifier inside a resonant optical cavity to generate a frequency-tunable coherent beam of...
reflectance confocal microscopy
Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a non-invasive imaging technique that allows for high-resolution, in vivo imaging...
resonant cavity
 optical assembly
An optical assembly refers to a collection of optical components that are carefully arranged and aligned to perform a...
magnetic resonance spectroscopy
A method of studying the chemical and physical properties of atoms and molecules (typically living tissue and chemical...
limiting angle of resolution
The angle subtended by two points or lines that are just far enough apart to be distinguished as separate. The ability of an...
nanostructured glass
A unique glass made up of nano-structured materials to create millimeter sized monolithic glass space-variant polarization...
accumulator
A broadband continuum resonator that confines a wide range of wavelengths. From the optical confinement a single wavelength...
time-correlated single photon counting
Time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) is a technique used in photon counting applications, particularly in the...
grating
A framework or latticework having an even arrangement of rods, or any other long narrow objects with interstices between...
nanoimprint lithography
Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) is a nanolithography technique used for fabricating nanoscale patterns on a substrate. It is a...
spatial resolution
Spatial resolution refers to the level of detail or granularity in an image or a spatial dataset. It is a measure of the...
single-photon avalanche diode
A single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) is a specialized type of photodetector designed to detect extremely weak optical...
atomic clock
An atomic clock is a highly precise timekeeping device that uses the vibrations or oscillations of atoms as a reference for...
near-field scanning optical microscope
A scanning probe microscope that analyzes the surface of a specimen by recording the intensity of light as it is focused...
endoscope
An endoscope is a medical device used for visualizing and examining the interior of hollow organs, body cavities, or...
micro-optical coherence tomography
Micro-optical coherence tomography (micro-OCT) is an imaging technique that is an adaptation of optical coherence tomography...
spurious resolution
A phenomenon that causes the details in an image to appear at a spatial frequency higher than that at which the contrast...
microlens array
A microlens array is a grid-like structure composed of numerous small lenses, typically arranged in a regular pattern. Each...
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...
fiber laser
A fiber laser is a type of laser in which the active gain medium is an optical fiber doped with rare-earth ions such as...
FMCW lidar
FMCW lidar stands for frequency-modulated continuous wave lidar. It is a type of lidar (light detection and ranging)...
numerical aperture
The sine of the vertex angle of the largest cone of meridional rays that can enter or leave an optical system or element,...
ringdown testing
A test method for determining high-reflectivity levels by monitoring cavity decay within a resonant cavity formed by two...
matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization
Process of analysis in which the analyte substance is distributed in a matrix before laser desorption. This method avoids...
whispering gallery mode
Whispering gallery mode (WGM) refers to a phenomenon in wave physics, particularly in optics, where waves, such as light or...
fiber optic imaging bundle
A fiber optic imaging bundle is a specialized optical device composed of multiple optical fibers bundled together. Each...
single-molecule FRET
Single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) is a specialized technique in biophysics and molecular...
antialiasing
In image processing, methods of reducing image defects that result from false data. Techniques include sampling, linear...
binning
Combining adjacent pixels into one larger pixel, resulting in increased sensitivity and lower resolution, or, in image...
second-harmonic generation microscopy
A nonlinear label-free imaging technique commonly used during surgical procedures for the visualization of collagen fibers...
micro-optic gyroscope
A thin-film device that integrates optics and electronics on a single chip to provide a passive-ring resonator gyroscope...
mesosphere
 two-photon polymerization
Two-photon polymerization (TPP) is a technique used in additive manufacturing, specifically in the field of 3D printing. It...
photoacoustic imaging
Abbreviated PAI. An imaging modality with a hybrid technique based on the acoustic detection of optical absorption from...
Bragg's law
The law expressing the condition under which a crystal will reflect a beam of x-rays with the greatest amount of distinction...
fused quartz and silica
Fused quartz and silica are closely related materials, both composed primarily of silicon dioxide (SiO2), but they are...
active transport
The transport of molecules in a cell which requires the use of a cell's internal energy. The energy used in the cell may be...
diode-pumped solid-state laser
A diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL) is a type of laser system that uses semiconductor diode lasers to pump energy into...
Jacquinot advantage
The higher throughput obtained with an FTIR device compared with traditional spectrometers that need slits to achieve...
Fabry-Perot cavity
An optical resonator in which feedback is accomplished by two parallel planes. In diode lasers, the planes are obtained by...
normal dispersion
Dispersion characterized by an increasing index of refraction in the medium as the frequency of the propagating light...
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...
micro-optics
Micro-optics refers to the design, fabrication, and application of optical components and systems at a microscale level....
absorption band
A group of frequencies or wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum which exhibits resonance or energy contributions near...
optoacoustic
Optoacoustic, or photoacoustic, refers to a phenomenon and related techniques that involve the generation of acoustic waves...
micro-LED
Micro-LED (micro-light-emitting diode) refers to a technology that involves the use of very small light-emitting diodes to...
photonic cavity
A photonic cavity, also known as an optical cavity, is a structure that confines electromagnetic radiation within a certain...
mesopic vision
Vision at intermediate levels of luminance between photopic and scotopic vision, where both retinal cones and retinal rods...
resorption
The absorption of a material by a medium or system that has formerly been released from absorption by that same medium or...
wave plate
An optical element having two principal axes, slow and fast, that resolve an incident polarized beam into two mutually...
microcomb
A microcomb, short for microresonator frequency comb, is a novel photonic device that generates a precise series of evenly...
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...
ray tracing
Ray tracing is a rendering technique used in computer graphics to simulate the way light interacts with objects in a scene....
line-narrowed laser
A semiconductor laser in which the naturally occurring broad linewidth has been narrowed by incorporating the laser diode...
absorption line
The wavelength or frequency corresponding to an absorption resonance with a given molecular or atomic species. The line...
resonance spectrum
The fluorescent emission spectrum emitted by certain substances following the irradiation of one of these substances with...
racemic
Inactive optically, but having the capacity for resolution into forms of opposed optical activity. The term is derived from...
stable resonator
A laser resonator in which a mode oscillating between the mirrors will converge upon the laser's longitudinal axis.
extended source
A radiation source that, unlike the point source, can be resolved by the naked eye into a geometrical image.
Lorentz oscillator model
The Lorentz oscillator model is a theoretical model used in physics to describe the response of a charged particle (such as...
linear image sensor
A linear image sensor is a type of solid-state electronic device used to capture and convert light into electrical signals....
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...
spatial mode
Also known as transverse mode. The configurations of energy storage, relative to the structure of a laser resonator, that...
radiation temperature
The temperature of a complete radiator that has a total radiant emittance identical to that of an unknown resource.
RTSP protocol
RTSP, or real-time streaming protocol, is a network control protocol designed for controlling streaming media servers. It is...
diffraction grating spectrograph
A spectrograph that uses a diffraction grating as its dispersive element in place of a prism, and yields greater resolving...
x-ray streak camera
A diagnostic instrument that uses a photocathode design to see a broad range of x-ray radiation by streaking the...
low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit (LEO) refers to a region in space that is relatively close to Earth's surface, typically characterized by...
Rayleigh criterion of resolving power
When a lens system with a circular aperture is free of aberrations, the image of a point object will appear as a disc of...
Nyquist criterion
In image acquisition (and sampling theory), the postulate that the pickup sampling frequency must be a minimum of twice as...
blaze height
Blaze height typically refers to a parameter in the context of diffraction gratings, which are optical devices consisting of...
microscopy
Microscopy is a scientific technique that involves the use of microscopes to observe and study objects that are too small to...
hyperspectral imaging
Hyperspectral imaging is an advanced imaging technique that captures and processes information from across the...
surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is an analytical technique that combines the principles of Raman spectroscopy...
visual binaries
A pair of stars (double star) that can be seen separately with a telescope, generally by setting a filar micrometer for the...
flowmeter
A flowmeter is a device used to measure the flow rate or quantity of a fluid passing through a particular point in a system....
total internal reflection fluorescence
Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy is an advanced fluorescence microscopy technique that leverages the...
supercontinuum
Supercontinuum refers to a broad spectrum of light that spans a wide range of wavelengths, typically from the visible to the...
frame rate
Frame rate refers to the frequency at which consecutive images, or frames, are displayed in a video sequence. It is...
tip-enhanced Raman scattering
Tip-enhanced Raman scattering (TERS) is a powerful technique that combines Raman spectroscopy with the enhanced spatial...
definition
The clarity of an optically reproduced image. Definition is produced by the combination of resolution and acutance.
nanoparticle photonic resonator absorption microscopy
Nanoparticle photonic resonator absorption microscopy is a microscopy technique that combines the principles of photonic...
attosecond-pump attosecond-probe spectroscopy
Attosecond-pump attosecond-probe spectroscopy (APAP) is an advanced technique in ultrafast spectroscopy that allows...
lensless microscopy
Lensless microscopy, also known as computational or holographic microscopy, is an imaging technique that captures and...
solid-state laser
A solid-state laser is a type of laser that uses a solid gain medium (as opposed to a liquid or gas) to produce coherent...
single molecule localization microscopy
Single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) is a group of super-resolution microscopy techniques that surpass the...
aperture distortion
A loss of resolution or detail in a television signal caused by the size of the electron scanning beam.
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...
machine vision lens
A machine vision lens is a specialized optical lens designed for use in machine vision systems, which are used for automated...
confocal resonator
A confocal resonator, also known as a confocal cavity or confocal laser resonator, is a type of optical resonator...
virtual histology
Virtual histology refers to the use of digital technology and computational methods to simulate or recreate histological...
stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy
Stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) is a superresolution microscopy technique that enables imaging of...
nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
That branch of spectroscopy that applies to the study of interactions between energy and atomic nuclei. The simultaneous...
metabolic imaging
Metabolic imaging refers to the visualization and quantification of metabolic processes within living organisms, tissues, or...
antiresonance
Literally the opposite of resonance, antiresonance occurs when any variation in excitation frequency results in an increased...
neuromorphic vision sensor
A neuromorphic vision sensor is a type of imaging device designed to mimic the structure and functioning of the human visual...
definition test object
A chart, either printed on paper or prepared photographically on glass plates or film, that consists of 3-bar resolution...
adaptive optics
Adaptive optics (AO) is a technology used to improve the performance of optical systems by reducing the effects of...
unstable resonator
A resonator often used for mode control in Fresnel number laser cavities that is highly vulnerable to extremely weak...
inhomogeneous broadening
Broadening of a laser's spectral linewidth when the resonance frequencies of the atoms (or molecules) of the medium are not...
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...
nanophotonics
Nanophotonics is a branch of science and technology that explores the behavior of light on the nanometer scale, typically at...
microchannel plate
A microchannel plate (MCP) is a specialized electron multiplier device used in various applications such as particle...
Breit-Wigner formula
Theoretical calculation of the cross section for a nuclear reaction given in the vicinity of a single resonance level in the...
CoaXPress
CoaXPress (CoaXPress or CXP) is a standardized digital interface and communication protocol used primarily in machine vision...
pushbroom scanning
Pushbroom scanning is a technique used in remote sensing and imaging systems, particularly in satellite and aerial sensors,...
swept-source laser
A swept-source laser, also known as a wavelength-swept laser, is a type of laser that rapidly and continuously changes its...
Q-switched pulse
A laser output that occurs when the cavity resonator Q is first kept very low, using rotating mirrors or saturable...
electron-beam lithography system
An electron-beam lithography (EBL) system is a sophisticated nanofabrication tool used in the semiconductor industry and...
enhanced Faraday effect
The occurrence of very large rotations in transparent materials at weak magnetic fields as predicted in the classical...
speckle imaging
A technique for obtaining improved resolution of images produced by large telescopes and distorted by the effects of...
gallium arsenide injection laser
A laser system consisting of a planar PN junction within a single crystal of gallium arsenide. The pair of parallel,...
Taylor criterion
States that in interferometers in which the separation of the maxima is equal to the half-value width, a slight drop in...
lens testing equipment
Lens testing equipment refers to a range of specialized tools and instruments used to evaluate the optical performance,...
structured illumination microscopy
Structured illumination microscopy (SIM) is an advanced optical imaging technique used in microscopy to enhance the...
digital twin
A digital twin refers to a virtual representation or digital counterpart of a physical object, system, or process. This...
coherent fiber bundle
A coherent fiber bundle (CFB), also known as a coherent fiber optic bundle, is an assembly of multiple optical fibers...
microfluidics
Microfluidics is a multidisciplinary field that involves the manipulation and control of very small fluid volumes, typically...
x-ray phase contrast microscopy
Used for high-resolution surface study with subnanometer resolution. XRIM uses interfacial phase contrast with application...
Williams refractometer
A refractometer that has a greater resolving power than a standard refractometer, and that uses a pentagonal prism to split...
direct laser interference patterning
Also called DLIP, a high-speed, high-resolution processing technique that uses high-power, pulsed laser systems to directly...
very long baseline interferometry
Consists of a pair of radio telescopes concentrated on a single celestial object. This technique creates a single radio...
holographic lens
A photographic recording of interference patterns between a plane wave and a spherical wave on a high-resolution...
holographic tomography
Holographic tomography is an advanced imaging technique that combines holography and tomography to provide three-dimensional...
addressability
In display technology, an expression of resolution given by the number of pixels in both the horizontal and the vertical...
quantum cascade laser
A quantum cascade laser (QCL) is a type of semiconductor laser that operates based on the principles of quantum mechanics....
ultrafast laser
An ultrafast laser is a type of laser that emits extremely short pulses of light with durations typically on the order of...
cavity
In a laser, the optical resonator formed by two coaxial mirrors, one totally and one partially reflective, positioned so...
spectroscopic binaries
Two stars so close together that they cannot be resolved by telescopes. They are proved to be double stars by the doubling...
light sectioning
Technique for measuring the volume bulk of materials as they move along a conveyor with an accuracy of better than 1...
free-electron laser
A free-electron laser (FEL) is a type of laser that generates coherent, high-intensity electromagnetic radiation by using a...
fiber optic spectrometer
A fiber optic spectrometer is a device used for measuring the spectral content of light. It utilizes optical fibers to...
mode hopping
Mode hopping in the context of lasers refers to a phenomenon where a laser system abruptly switches from one longitudinal...
galvanometric scanner
A galvanometric scanner, also known as a galvanometer scanner or galvo scanner, is a type of optical scanning device used to...
resonance ionization spectroscopy
A type of ultrasensitive laser spectroscopy that can detect quantities as small as a single atom of some substances and that...
Fabry-Perot interferometer
A multiple-beam interferometer, usually consisting of two flat plates, with high reflective ability. The plates are set...
scanning electron microscopy
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is an advanced imaging technique used in microscopy to obtain high-resolution,...
dots per inch
A measurement of the spatial resolution of a line or area array in an optical character recognition scanning device.
macula lutea
The small central portion of the human retina that is responsible for providing the clearest, and most distinct aspects of...
plasmon ion-assisted deposition
Plasmon ion-assisted deposition (PIAD) is a technique used in thin-film deposition processes, particularly in the production...
empty magnification
Magnification that is above the level of maximum useful magnification and does not contribute useful resolving power. In a...
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...
nanopositioning
Nanopositioning refers to the precise and controlled movement or manipulation of objects or components at the nanometer...
quantum sensing
Quantum sensing refers to a class of sensing technologies that leverage principles from quantum mechanics to enhance the...
spatial light interference microscopy
Spatial light interference microscopy (SLIM) is an optical microscopy technique that belongs to the category of quantitative...
infrared camera
An infrared camera, also known as a thermal imaging camera or IR camera, is a device that captures and visualizes the...
machine vision system
A machine vision system is an integrated combination of hardware and software components designed to capture, process, and...
high-density storage
Extensive data storage in the form of bits, with the use of high-resolution photographic materials and optics, and generally...
Risley prism
A Risley prism, also known as a Risley prism pair or Risley rotating prism, is an optical device used for controlling the...
CCD camera
A CCD camera, or charge-coupled device camera, is a type of digital camera that utilizes a CCD image sensor to capture and...
video graphics array
A display standard no longer in use and originally defined for IBM PCs, with 640 3 480 pixels in 16 colors and a 4:3 aspect...
astronomical mirror
An astronomical mirror, also known as a telescope mirror or primary mirror, is a key component of a reflecting telescope. It...
Lummer-Gehrcke plate
A high-resolution spectroscopic device commonly used in the early 20th century as a component of double-beam...
nuclear magnetic resonance
A phenomenon, exploited for medical imaging, in which the nuclei of material placed in a strong magnetic field will absorb...
automated optical inspection
Automated optical inspection (AOI) is a technology used in manufacturing processes, particularly in electronics, to...
resonance absorption (light)
The re-emission of absorbed energy, having the same wavelength as the incident energy, in an arbitrary direction from a...
ultraviolet microscopy
The study and photographing of microscope specimens in ultraviolet light; using an optical microscope containing fluorite...
whole slide imaging
Whole slide imaging (WSI), also known as virtual slide microscopy or digital pathology, is a technology that involves the...
hyperspectral resolution
Hyperspectral resolution refers to the level of detail or granularity in the spectral information captured by a...
liquid crystal on silicon
Liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) is a display technology that combines liquid crystal materials with silicon-based...
tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
A spectroscopic technique that combines the high chemical specificity of Raman scattering and signal sensitivity provided by...
charge-coupled device
A charge-coupled device (CCD) is a type of electronic image sensor used in various imaging devices, including digital...
entrance slit
The entrance slit, also known simply as the slit, is an essential component in optical instruments such as spectrometers and...
detector array
A detector array refers to a collection of individual detector elements arranged in a two-dimensional grid or matrix format....
laser tube
The device, usually made of glass or a similar material, that contains the resonant cavity and optics of a gas laser.
multispectral scanner
An instrument used to record the emittance or reflectance of an object by scanning with discrete spectral resolution over a...
lidar
Lidar, short for light detection and ranging, is a remote sensing technology that uses laser light to measure distances and...
hyperspectral imaging camera
A hyperspectral imaging camera is a sophisticated imaging device capable of capturing and processing data across a wide...
superresolution
Superresolution refers to the enhancement or improvement of the spatial resolution beyond the conventional limits imposed by...
photomultiplier tube
A photomultiplier tube (PMT) is a highly sensitive vacuum tube that detects and amplifies low levels of light. It is widely...
minimum resolvable temperature
In a thermal imaging system, the smallest change in blackbody equivalent temperature that can be detected clearly by the...
digital radiography
Medical diagnostic (x-ray) imaging using laser printers to produce high-resolution digital hard copy instead of film exposed...
pellicle mirror
A thin, stretched plastic membrane cemented to a rigid supporting ring. It may be coated to act as a beamsplitter, for...
covered groove
A technique used in integrated optics where a groove is cut on a substrate surface and covered by a thin film to facilitate...
chromatic resolving power
The ability of the instrument to separate wavelengths that are close together, numerically equal to the ratio of the shorter...
Förster resonance energy transfer
Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) is a mechanism describing the transfer of energy between two closely spaced...
microphotofabrication
The formation of microimages for microreduction. The technique is used, for example, in the production of precision reticles...
smear
A lack of resolution in a television image as a result of smear ghosts or an insufficiently high video-frequency response....
double-focusing mass spectrometer
A mass spectrometer utilizing both radial electrostatic and magnetic field analyzers to improve the focusing and increase...
optical bistability
The phenomenon that can render an optical resonator the equivalent of a semiconductor flip-flop. A bistable device will...
femtosecond laser
A femtosecond laser is a type of laser that emits ultrashort pulses of light with durations on the order of femtoseconds,...
atomic time
Any system of time measurement that is based on atomic resonances. The transition times between the hyperfine levels of...
etalon
An etalon is an optical device that consists of two parallel reflecting surfaces separated by a precise and known distance....
atomic force microscope
An atomic force microscope (AFM) is a high-resolution imaging and measurement instrument used in nanotechnology, materials...
multifibers
An array of optically distinct fibers that are fused into one strand. They are used to keep the resolution efficiency of the...
equivalency width
Calculation of the amount of energy extracted from a light beam regardless of its wide range resolution.
image definition area
In computer graphics, the coordinated two-dimensional or three-dimensional area of increased resolution where graphics...
brightness resolution
The degree to which a pixel in a digital image represents the analog brightness of the corresponding point in the original...
digital holographic microscopy
Digital holographic microscopy (DHM) is an advanced imaging technique that combines holography and digital image processing...
time-lapse optical coherence tomography
Time-lapse optical coherence tomography (OCT) refers to a medical imaging technique that captures a series of sequential OCT...
ultraviolet lens
A microscope used either to detect selective absorption of various wavelengths by the specimen or to achieve increased...
optical resonator
 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,...
resonator
A resonator is a device or system that exhibits resonance, which is a phenomenon that occurs when an external force or...
intravital microscopy
Intravital microscopy is an imaging technique used to visualize biological processes within living organisms, typically in...
area scan
Area scan, in the context of imaging and cameras, refers to a method of capturing an entire two-dimensional image in a...
remote inspection
Remote inspection refers to the process of inspecting, evaluating, or monitoring assets, equipment, infrastructure, or...
photon jet
A photon jet is a narrow, highly collimated beam of light that is formed when light interacts with small dielectric...
volumetric imaging
Volumetric imaging refers to the capture, visualization, and analysis of three-dimensional (3D) information from a volume of...
resonance fluorescence
In atomic fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence emitted by an atom at a spectral line of a wavelength identical to that of...
resolving power chart
veiling glare
Diffuse stray light at the image plane of an optical system that results in reduced contrast and resolution.
nitrogen vacancy
A nitrogen vacancy (NV) refers to a specific type of defect or impurity in a crystal lattice where a nitrogen atom replaces...
pixel binning
Pixel binning, also known as pixel merging or pixel combining, is a technique used in digital imaging and camera technology....
linear positioning stage
A linear positioning stage, also known as a linear stage or translation stage, is a precision mechanical device used to...
photomask
A photomask, also known simply as a mask or reticle, is a key component in the photolithography process used in...
instantaneous field of view
Instantaneous field of view (iFOV) is a term commonly used in the context of remote sensing, imaging systems, and optical...
optical resolution
A measure of image quality produced by an optical system. May be specified in terms of cycles per millimeter, referencing a...
Pockels cell
A device containing an electro-optic crystal and using the Pockels effect. A voltage applied across the crystal generates...
resonance
Resonance can be defined in various contexts, including physics, chemistry, and music. Here are definitions for resonance in...
microcircuit manufacturing
The formation of transistors, diodes, capacitors, resistors and other electronic elements directly on a flake of silicon by...
CubeSat
A CubeSat is a type of miniaturized satellite characterized by its standardized size and modular design. CubeSats are...
design and engineering consulting services
Design and engineering consulting services refer to professional services provided by specialized firms or individuals to...
scanning tunneling microscope
A high-resolution imaging instrument that can detect and measure the positions of individual atoms on the surface of a...
photoelectron microscopy
Surface analysis by means of photon induced electron emission. PEM methods provide high lateral resolution of the observed...
resolution target
A chart on paper or glass containing a series of sets of lines at progressively smaller spacing and used to ascertain the...
resonance radiation
That radiation emitted by an atom or molecule that has the same frequency as that of an incident particle; e.g., a photon....
kinetic cooling
An atmospheric nonlinear process unique to CO2 laser wavelengths, whereby CO2 absorbs 10.6-µm radiation and the CO2...
light-beating spectroscopy
The spectroscopic analysis of optical line shapes and frequency shifts, using the technique of light beating; i.e., the...
electro-optic modulator
An electro-optic modulator (EOM) is a device used to modulate the amplitude, phase, or polarization of light waves using an...
motion sensing
Capacity of a vision system to capture an image of an object in motion and to resolve the direction and speed of that motion.
optical testing instrument
An optical testing instrument is a device or system used to evaluate and measure the performance, quality, and...
optical coherence tomography
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging technique used in medical and scientific fields to capture...
high-resolution visible sensor
A satellite-borne remote sensing device capable of transmitting images at 10 and 20 m resolution from an altitude of 830 km,...
optical phonon resonance
The point at which infrared transmission is cut off.
prism chromatic resolving power
The chromatic resolving power of a prism is invariably stated for the case in which parallel rays of light are incident on...
resolution test chart
modulation transfer function analysis/measurement equipment
MTF analysis/measurement equipment refers to instruments and tools used to measure and analyze the modulation transfer...
isotopically selected laser spectroscopy
A spectroscopic technique in which an excitation band absorbs laser energy resulting in an electronic transition. The...
mode-locked lasers
Mode-locking is a technique used in lasers to produce ultrashort pulses of light with durations on the order of picoseconds,...
Kell factor
In an interlaced scanning electro-optical system such as television, the system resolution will be less than the number of...
aspheric lens
An aspheric lens is a type of lens whose surface profiles deviate from the traditional spherical shape. Unlike spherical...
resolution
1. In optics, the ability of a lens system to reproduce the points, lines and surfaces in an object as separate entities in...
cinesextant
An optical instrument used to track and image a test vehicle (target) throughout its flight. The cinesextant frequently...
point spread function
The point spread function (PSF) is a fundamental concept in imaging that describes the response of an imaging system to a...
optical design software
Optical design software refers to specialized computer programs used by optical engineers, physicists, and designers to...
nuclear quadrupole resonance spectroscopy
A chemical detection technique used to measure molecules that have a magnetic dipole moment. The analysis is directed to...

(318 results found)

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