ON DEMAND: Learn from over 150 years of Optical Design Experience!
Search
Menu
PI Physik Instrumente - 50 ways hexapod LB 5/24
RMI Dictionary Terms

isotropic
That property of a material that determines that velocity of propagation within the material is the same for all directions.
repeatability
The degree to which a predetermined or previous setting of a positioning device can be duplicated by observance of the...
star testing
The visual examination by a trained observer of the image of a point source. Any coloring or departure from the Airy disc...
tangential distortion
Optical aberration such that image magnification varies with ray distance from the optical axis in a radial distortion.
spectroscopy
Spectroscopy is a technique used in the study of interactions between matter and electromagnetic radiation. It involves...
germanium crystal
Germanium crystal refers to a crystalline form of the element germanium (Ge), which is a metalloid and semiconductor...
oscilloscope
A system in which a supplied signal causes the deflection of the electron beam in a cathode-ray tube, thus forming a visible...
mode
1. The characteristic of how light propagates through a waveguide that can be designated by a radiation pattern in a plane...
sheet grating
A three-dimensional grating designed with thin metal sheets to remain opaque to all but one specific and predetermined wave.
optical correlation
The procedure by which the similarity of an optical signal or waveform to a reference-stored signal or waveform is...
electrostatic storage
Information storage on a dielectric medium that represents the data as those spots on the medium having electrostatic...
Murty interferometer
A form of shearing interferometer that contains a simple wedged (plane-parallel) glass plate with a nonzero optical path...
power density
In laser welding or heat treating, the instantaneous laser beam power per unit area. This parameter is key in determining...
field
1. In raster scan television, one of the two scans that are interlaced to make up a frame. 2. See field of view.
quantum entanglement
Quantum entanglement is a phenomenon in quantum mechanics where two or more particles become correlated to such an extent...
holographic crystal growth analysis
The study of crystal growth from the molten stage utilizing a holographic system wherein interferometric techniques record...
ring topology
A system of local area networking in which each node or station is connected to two others, ultimately forming a loop. Data...
detector
1. A device designed to convert the energy of incident radiation into another form for the determination of the presence of...
electron-gun system
An electron-gun system is an assembly used to generate and control a focused beam of electrons. Electron guns find...
instantaneous field of view
Instantaneous field of view (iFOV) is a term commonly used in the context of remote sensing, imaging systems, and optical...
coincidence rangefinder
An optical instrument used to determine the distance to a target being viewed. Two similar optical systems view the target...
neutral density wedge
A strip or annulus of glass coated with a semitransparent material such as inconel. The coating thickness, and as a result...
photovoltaic cell
A photovoltaic cell, commonly known as a solar cell, is a semiconductor device that directly converts light energy into...
photoelectric exposure meter
A device consisting of a microammeter, a photovoltaic cell and a battery. It is used for the measurement of scene brightness...
brightfield
Brightfield refers to a type of microscopy and imaging technique in which the specimen is illuminated with a white light...
wide-angle distortion
A common aberration in lenses covering large fields of view; it results in images of objects near the edge of the field...
collimator
An optical instrument consisting of a well- corrected objective lens or mirror with a light source and or object/image (i.e....
Newton's rings
The series of rings or bands formed when light beams reflected from two polished, adjacent surfaces, placed together with a...
actinometer
A device that measures the intensity of photochemically active radiation, particularly from the sun. One form of this...
detector array
A detector array refers to a collection of individual detector elements arranged in a two-dimensional grid or matrix format....
Brillouin scattering
Brillouin scattering is a phenomenon in physics where an incident electromagnetic wave (usually light) interacts with...
astronomical unit
The unit generally used to express distances within the solar system, and sometimes to measure interstellar distances....
Sellmeier's equation
An equation that uses the wavelength of light passing through a medium, along with a set of coefficients, to calculate the...
permittivity
 polariscope
A combination of a polarizer and an analyzer that is used to detect birefringence or rotation of the plane of polarization...
stage micrometer
In microscopy, a calibrated scale on a slide that may be viewed to determine the exact magnification factor of the...
optical testing
Refers to a variety of methods and tools used to determine the surface contour and performance of optical components and...
conoscope
An optical instrument, generally a polarizing microscope, that is used to determine the interference figures and optical...
unijunction transistor
A three-terminal semiconductor having only one PN junction and a stable, open-circuit, negative-resistance property.
pulse forming network
A series of capacitors and inductors connected to the flashlamp in a pumped Nd:YAG laser system in order to regulate the...
Rayleigh interferometer
A device that is used to determine the index of refraction of a gas or liquid through the interference patterns formed by...
laser annealing
Laser annealing is a process that involves using a laser beam to heat and modify the microstructure of a material, typically...
active-matrix liquid crystal display
When applied to LCD grids, the active matrix is a means of supplying power to pixels by use of a transistor and capacitor....
integration time
Integration time, in the context of optics, imaging systems, and sensor technology, refers to the duration over which a...
pulse analyzer
The instrument used to analyze a pulsed electromagnetic wave to determine its time, amplitude, duration and shape, and to...
sputtering target
A sputtering target is a solid material used in the process of physical vapor deposition (PVD), specifically sputtering....
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...
chemical vapor deposition
Chemical vapor deposition is a process of applying dopants to a glass bait by flame reactions of gaseous compounds. See also...
optical pyrometry
The determination of the temperature of a source by the detection of its incandescent brightness.
einstein
A unit of energy equal to the amount of energy absorbed by one molecule of material undergoing a photochemical reaction, as...
polygonal mirror
A polygonal mirror, also known as a multifaceted mirror or facet mirror, is a type of optical component used in various...
gravimeter
An instrument capable of precise measurements of the Earth's gravity. This permits the detection of small changes in local...
tetartohedral crystal
The section of crystal symmetry having only one-quarter of the greatest number of faces permitted by the crystal system of...
Z-scan
A technique for determining the nonlinear optical properties of a sample material by moving the sample through a focused...
homogeneous
That property of a substance that determines that all components of volume are the same in composition and optical...
assist gas
A gas, such as oxygen, that improves the speed and efficiency of a laser cutter or welder when applied to the work surface,...
FMCW lidar
FMCW lidar stands for frequency-modulated continuous wave lidar. It is a type of lidar (light detection and ranging)...
laser absorption spectroscopy
An experimental research technique by which absorbed or unabsorbed radiation is analyzed in order to characterize and...
pixel
A pixel, short for "picture element," is the smallest controllable element of a digital image or display. It is a...
point source lamp
A lamp, usually incandescent, that has a very compact filament, permitting a greater concentration of emitted light, aided...
ospin
Opsins are a group of light-sensitive proteins found primarily in the retinas of vertebrate and invertebrate eyes, as well...
frequency comb
A frequency comb is a precise and regular series of equally spaced spectral lines, or frequencies, that are generated with...
geometric optics
A field of physics that deals with light as if it truly were composed of rays diverging in various directions from the...
point-contact crystal diode
A crystal diode whose rectifying activity is determined by the touching of the crystal to a finely pointed wire surrounded...
sputtering equipment
Sputtering equipment is machinery used in the process of physical vapor deposition (PVD), specifically sputtering....
optical testing instrument
An optical testing instrument is a device or system used to evaluate and measure the performance, quality, and...
reflecting objective
An image-forming system that uses mirrors rather than lenses. Such objectives are frequently used for astronomical...
blink comparator
An optical system that rapidly alternates two similar pictures or scenes to permit the detection of small dissimilarities...
immunohistochemistry
Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a method for detecting antigens or haptens in cells of a tissue section by using labeled...
multi-axis alignment
Multi-axis alignment refers to the process of aligning or adjusting components or systems in multiple spatial dimensions or...
brightness control
The manual shifting bias control of a cathode-ray tube that determines both the average brightness and the contrast of a...
Schmitt trigger
Oscilloscope electronic circuit that produces an output pulse whose pulse width is determined by the time that the output...
calibration reference
Any known value derived from standard analysis that serves as a reference to the accuracy of an instrument or process in...
polisher pressing
The process of forming a polisher by pressing it with an optical surface.
photogrammetric equipment
The special cameras, film and other means for forming maps by aerial photography.
sum of slopes
Heat loss determined by the sum of rising and falling slopes at a constant temperature.
multiband camera
A group of four cameras loaded with different combinations of filters and film (one is usually an infrared color film) to...
DIN system
The logarithmic method of determining emulsion speeds developed by the German standards organization, Deutscher...
molded blank
A blank whose basic surface curves are attained by heating and forming a given weight of raw glass; a rough glass blank...
oil-on plate
A polished plano-parallel plate that is contacted to an unpolished glass surface to permit see-through analysis of the...
right-angle prism
A type of 45-90-45° prism used to bend a beam of light through a right angle with the surfaces forming the 90° angle...
metamaterial
Metamaterials are artificial materials engineered to have properties not found in naturally occurring substances. These...
mode filling factor
In a laser, the fraction of plasma volume used by a particular transverse mode of oscillation, a determinant of the gain...
formate
A salt of formic acid that can be used to enhance the photosensitivity of silver halide crystals.
Grittington test
A method of determining the abrasion resistance of very hard materials by passing a weighted wiper blade across them in a...
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...
difference threshold
The minimum of change in stimulation needed to effect an awareness of change in sensation that is statistically determined.
etalon
An etalon is an optical device that consists of two parallel reflecting surfaces separated by a precise and known distance....
zone plate
A plate of glass, usually a photograph, on which there is a central spot surrounded by concentric annular zones, alternately...
service-mount device
A surface-mount device (SMD) is an electronic component that is mounted directly onto the surface of a printed circuit board...
objective grating
A coarse diffraction grating that is used to form a scale of intensities to determine the relative magnitudes of stars. The...
beam profiling
Beam profiling is a technique used to characterize and analyze the spatial intensity distribution of a laser beam. It...
halogen lamp
A halogen lamp, also known as a tungsten halogen, quartz-halogen, or quartz iodine lamp, is an incandescent lamp that uses a...
antireflection coating
An antireflection coating (AR coating) is a thin film or coating applied to optical surfaces, such as lenses or windows, to...
neon indicator tube
A cold-cathode tube containing neon and designed to visually determine a potential difference or field.
lens measure
A tool used to determine the curvature of a lens surface in terms of dioptric power. See lens watch; spherometer.
supplementary lens
A meniscus that is often fitted before a camera lens to permit focusing on near objects.
phototheodolite
A camera equipped with angular scales in altitude and azimuth. The scale readings are imprinted on the film when an exposure...
micro-robotics
Micro-robotics refers to the field of robotics that involves the design, development, and application of miniature robotic...
optical cable assembly
An optical cable that is connector terminated. Generally, an optical cable that has been terminated by a manufacturer and is...
exciton
An exciton is a quasiparticle that represents the bound state of an electron and a hole in a solid-state material, typically...
mass spectrometry
An instrumental technique that utilizes the mass-to-charge ratio of charged particles as recorded from a mass spectrometer...
redshift
The displacement of spectrum lines, as determined by the increasing distance between, and the relative velocity of, the...
Van der Waals
Van der Waals forces refer to the attractive or repulsive forces between molecules (or parts of molecules) that arise from...
brightness resolution
The degree to which a pixel in a digital image represents the analog brightness of the corresponding point in the original...
Fermi-Dirac function
The mathematical expression of the probability of any given state of energy being occupied when a semiconductor is in...
spectroscope
In a general sense, any one of a class of instruments used to disperse radiation, visible or invisible, into its component...
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,...
quantum key distribution
Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a method of secure communication that utilizes principles from quantum mechanics to...
sensitometer
An instrument for determining the sensitivity of a photographic film to light. The film is given either a stepped exposure...
Q machine
Device in which contact ionization of atomic particles and thermionic electron emission are used to produce magnetically...
optical figure
The amount by which an optical surface deviates from its ideal design value, expressed in wavelengths of light. Optical...
germicidal UV
Germicidal ultraviolet (GUV) refers to a specific range of UV radiation that has disinfectant properties capable of killing...
chemical actinometer
A light-sensitive detector having a chemical compound that reacts when exposed to light. It is used in photochemistry and...
photochromic
Photochromic refers to a property exhibited by certain materials, typically organic compounds or dyes, which undergo...
crystalline lens
The internal lens of the eye. It is semielastic to permit changes in its power when focusing on objects at near distances.
cladding mode
A mode that is confined by virtue of a lower-index medium surrounding the cladding. Cladding modes, in the terminology of...
scatterometer
An instrument used to determine the absolute or relative scatter levels of optical surfaces.
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...
surface quality standards
The standards of MIL-O-13830 set by the US government relative to tolerable surface scratches and other such defects in an...
iris
The adjustable membrane located just in front of the crystalline lens within the eye. The iris gives the eye its color. See...
Pauli exclusion principle
The number of electrons that can share a principal quantum number by preventing identity between any two electrons' four...
nuclear quadrupole resonance spectroscopy
A chemical detection technique used to measure molecules that have a magnetic dipole moment. The analysis is directed to...
prism
A prism is a geometric optical element with flat, polished surfaces that refract light. It is typically a solid, transparent...
binary optics
Optical elements, often created by micromachining, lithography or vacuum deposition, that rely on diffraction of the...
zenith telescope
A telescope that is fixed or has a limited degree of movement in a vertical plane; primarily used to determine the position...
epitaxial
Epitaxial refers to the growth of a crystalline layer on a crystalline substrate in such a way that the orientation of the...
additive manufacturing
Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is a manufacturing process that involves creating three-dimensional...
magnetic resonance imaging
An imaging technique used in radiology that is based on the principles of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to produce...
transmissometry
The methods used to determine the extinction characteristics of a medium.
flame spectrometry
The procedure applied to flame-excited line emissions to determine spectra and wavelengths.
darkroom
A room that is light-tight, permitting total darkness or illumination with a safelight when working with photosensitive...
lithography
Lithography is a key process used in microfabrication and semiconductor manufacturing to create intricate patterns on the...
reflective spectroscopy
Reflectance spectroscopy is a technique used to analyze the reflective properties of materials across various wavelengths of...
iconometer
An instrument in which an object's image, produced by a lens of known focal length, is used to determine the object's...
micro-ring resonator
A micro-ring resonator is a compact optical device that utilizes the resonant behavior of light within a small ring-shaped...
color vision
Aspect of vision permitting the observer to distinguish among stimuli by their hue, saturation, and brightness or lightness.
time-correlated single photon counting
Time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) is a technique used in photon counting applications, particularly in the...
Malus's law
A law that uses the square of the cosine between the plane of polarization of a beam of plane-polarized light and the plane...
polishing puck
A flat cylindrical device generally used to polish terminated ends in fiber optic connections.
infrared thermistor
A thermistor that uses a semiconductor that is sensitive to infrared radiation to measure the radiation's intensity.
Doppler principle
The theory established by Christian J. Doppler in 1842 that states that the rate of change in distance between a perceiver...
rim ray
A ray of an image-forming bundle that passes through the edge of the entrance pupil or aperture stop. Usually used in...
dual inline package
A package for electronic components that is suited for automated assembly into printed circuit boards. The DIP is...
optical analysis
The mathematical evaluation of an optical system to determine and quantify its basic optical properties and image quality...
bump-forming optical disk
 halo
1. The faintly hued ring that is seen to surround a light source viewed through fog or light clouds. The size of scattering...
modulation transfer function
Also called sine wave response and contrast transfer function. The modulation transfer function is the ratio of the...
mode beating
In optics, "mode beating" refers to an interference phenomenon that can occur in laser systems with multiple longitudinal...
scintillation spectrometry
The method of determining the energy distribution of high-speed charged particles by the luminous effect formed when the...
Knoop hardness
A measurement of the hardness of a material as determined by the penetration depth of a diamond stylus under a specified...
wedge ring detector
A diffraction pattern sampling unit composed of a 32-element monolithic silicon photodiode array and a readout unit. The...
entrance slit
The entrance slit, also known simply as the slit, is an essential component in optical instruments such as spectrometers and...
raster unit
The vertical or horizontal distance between two addressable points on a display screen; indicates the basic resolution...
photoelasticity
The process of determining, with the aid of plane-polarized light, the stress distribution in materials under complex...
heat equation
A calorimetric calculation from which the temperature vs. time dependence of any point on a sample can be determined,...
mixing
Combining light beams, usually of unlike frequencies, to form a single beam with a frequency that is equal to the frequency...
fusion splice
A splice accomplished by the application of localized heat sufficient to fuse or melt the ends of two lengths of optical...
ring-laser gyroscope
A ring laser gyroscope (RLG) is a type of gyroscope that uses laser light to detect and measure changes in orientation. It...
functional near-infrared spectroscopy
Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a non-invasive neuroimaging technique that measures changes in hemoglobin...
photogrammetry
Photogrammetry is a technique used to obtain accurate three-dimensional measurements of objects and environments through the...
Laurent polarimeter
A Laurent polarimeter is an instrument used in optics for measuring the rotation of plane-polarized light caused by...
autofluorescence
Autofluorescence refers to the natural emission of fluorescence exhibited by certain biological structures or molecules when...
epifluorescence microscopy
Fluorescence imaging technique in which the excitation light from the objective is directed into the sample producing...
stereocomparator
1. A stereoscope that has adjustable scales to allow the determination of distances and dimensions from stereoscopic...
image iconoscope
A camera tube similar in design to the iconoscope. However, the image formed in the image iconoscope is projected on a...
electroforming process
An electrochemical process of metal fabrication using an electrolyte, an anode to supply the metal, and a control of the...
metascope
A sensing or image-forming detector that serves to convert infrared rays into visible signals for communication purposes....
mesopic vision
Vision at intermediate levels of luminance between photopic and scotopic vision, where both retinal cones and retinal rods...
whole slide imaging
Whole slide imaging (WSI), also known as virtual slide microscopy or digital pathology, is a technology that involves the...
laser contact tip
A surgical device used to deliver laser light. Specifically,contact tips are made with artificially grown sapphire which is...
fiber optic cable assembly
A fiber optic cable assembly refers to a complete unit consisting of optical fibers, connectors, protective jackets, and...
pupil
1. In the eye, the opening in the iris that permits light to pass and be focused on the retina. 2. In a lens, the image of...
stadimetry
The determination of distance based upon the known size of an object and the size of its image at the image plane of an...
panoramic camera
A camera designed to form a continuous record of an expansive section of the horizon. The typical panoramic camera is...
circular dichroism spectroscopy
A type of spectroscopy used extensively in the analysis of biological samples. Because most biologically synthesized...
cutting
The process of forming a lens to a given pattern, or of cutting a piece of glass along the line of scratch.
resonator
A resonator is a device or system that exhibits resonance, which is a phenomenon that occurs when an external force or...
Ruticon
A ruticon is an opto-electronic device in which light going through it can be modulated by an electric field. The...
hair-trigger operation
Triggering a laser at a predetermined time by pumping it to a level just below its threshold and then using an auxiliary...
spectrometric analysis
The analysis of spectra and their components, determined from their measurements.
spectral centroid
Average wavelength usually determined for light-transmitting devices by taking a weighted average for each wavelength of the...
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...
optical bench
A support for optical parts comprising a solid bed that permits precise longitudinal movement of one component relative to...
electron probe microanalysis
An analytical technique used to determine the nature of extremely small samples by forming the x-ray spectrum of the samples...
multiple wavelength interferometry
A specific form of phase shifting interferometry - commonly referred to as multiple wavelength phase shifting interferometry...
ferromagnetism
The properties of certain materials that cause them to have relative permeabilities that exceed unity. This permeability...
feedback circuit
A circuit that permits feedback in an electronic device.
thermistor
A solid-state semiconducting structure (basically one of the bolometers) that changes electrical resistance with...
ray tracing
Ray tracing is a rendering technique used in computer graphics to simulate the way light interacts with objects in a scene....
tolerancing
The determination of the degree to which a manufactured component can deviate from its ideal specifications of material and...
laser damage threshold
The laser damage threshold refers to the maximum level of laser intensity that a material can withstand without experiencing...
Suits' model
Family of deterministic models of plant canopy reflectance that provides deterministic formulation for each necessary...
half-shade plate
A semicircular, half-wave quartz plate between the polarizer and analyzer. It often is used in forming precision settings...
image
In optics, an image is the reconstruction of light rays from a source or object when light from that source or object is...
dichroic mirror
A dichroic mirror, also known as a dichroic beamsplitter or interference filter beamsplitter, is an optical device that...
lay length
In a fiber optic cable, the longitudinal length required for the transmission media, wrapped around a central member, to...
thermionic emission
The emission of free electrons by a rise in temperature of the cathode alone.
hyperspectral imaging
Hyperspectral imaging is an advanced imaging technique that captures and processes information from across the...
secondary x-rays
X-rays emitted by a substance that formerly has been exposed to x-rays. The properties of the substance determine the...
distortion
A general term referring to the situation in which an image is not a true-to-scale reproduction of an object. The term also...
optical glass
Optical glass refers to a type of glass specifically engineered and manufactured for use in optical components and systems,...
photoelectric sensitivity
That property of a material that determines its ability to release electrons when absorbing photons.
traveling microscope
A measuring instrument composed of a microscope and reticle, and mounted on a calibrated slide mechanism. May be used...
laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy
A pump-probe technique whereby a single wavelength source may be used in order to excite a given sample to determine...
air bearing
A support device in which a column or chamber of air permits the free travel of a mobile part. In optical mounting and...
ophthalmic instruments
A family of specialized instruments used by ophthalmologists and optometrists to study a patient's eyes and prescribe...
photopolymerization
A process in which a mixture of one or more monomers, plus a catalyst, polymerize under exposure to light radiation....
photodischarge spectroscopy
A spectroscopic process that detects and analyzes the discharge from an extrinsic surface with less than bandgap light. This...
microfluoroscope
A fluoroscope equipped with a magnified, fine-grained fluorescent screen to determine the fluorescence emitted by a...
visioceilometer
An instrument that uses an erbium:glass laser to determine cloud height from the ground.
sequence camera
A type of motion-picture camera in which single frames are photographed either automatically at a predetermined rate (as...
optogenetic defibrillation
An optogenetic technique that embeds genetically-engineered proteins to the heart to aid in terminating arrhythmias. After...
open optical interface
An interface in an optical network that permits an optical signal to pass without changing the optical signal to an...
trunk
In a fiber optic communications network, a circuit that connects two switching centers and does not branch off to terminal...
light-emitting diode
An LED, or light emitting diode, is a semiconductor device that emits light when an electric current passes through it. LEDs...
light-powered telephone
Technology that relies on a highly efficient photodetector that can detect incoming light signals at one frequency and...
altazimuth
A type of telescope mount that permits direct azimuth and elevation adjustments.
spectrophotometer
A spectrophotometer is a scientific instrument used to measure the intensity of light at various wavelengths in the...
laser Doppler velocimeter
Device which determines particle velocity through the measurement of scattered interference of a beam pair from a single...
common optoelectronics laser detection system
A laser warning and countermeasure system containing a sensor that indicates the direction of a laser beam, and analytical...
stoichiometry
The determination of what, how much and in what proportions chemicals must be combined to produce the desired reactions and...
MTF optimization
Computerized lens design algorithm that permits the lens MTF characteristic to be included and controlled during the...
video detector
A device, such as a thermionic or crystal diode, that is introduced into the vision channel of a television receiver to...
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...
data bus
A system incorporated into fiber optic data communications characterized by several spatially distributed terminals that are...
gray scales
Transparencies that represent progressive steps in the amount of transmitted radiation for administering predetermined...
normal
Sometimes referred to as the surface normal or 'surface norm'; the normal is an axis that forms right angles with a surface...
cuton wavelength
In filter terminology, that wavelength where the filter transmission increases beyond 5 percent.
Fabry-Perot method
A means of determining a prism's index of refraction by placing the prism so that its emergent face is perpendicular to the...
visual photometer
A photometer that permits visual comparison of the luminance of two surfaces.
near-field scanning
A measurement technique used to determine the spatial distribution profile of an electrical or optical quantity of interest...
planform bonding
A manufacturing process used to construct substrates for large optical components. Used with IR materials, planform bonding...
beamsplitter
A beamsplitter is an optical device used to divide a beam of light into two or more separate beams, typically by reflecting...
rotating prism camera
A camera, with a rotating prism, that is capable of forming multiple exposures on a constantly moving strip of film.
diffuse reflectance spectroscopy
Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is a nondestructive analytical technique used to investigate the optical properties...
terminated crossbar
An optical matrix that does not require perfection in both states of the crosspoint, so that all the optical switches can be...
multispectral imaging
Multispectral imaging is a technique that involves capturing and analyzing images at multiple discrete spectral bands within...
image brightness
The apparent luminance of the image as seen through an optical system. This brightness of the image is determined by the...
binocular microscope
A microscope designed with two eyepieces (oculars), permitting the use of both eyes when viewing through the instrument.
diamond cutting tool
A tool made by imbedding small particles of diamond in the working edge. In the optical field, the most commonly used...
angle of refraction
The angle formed between a refracted ray and the normal to the surface. This angle lies in a common plane with the angle of...
modified chemical vapor deposition
Modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) is a technique used in the fabrication of optical fibers. It is a specialized form...
calorimetry
Calorimetry is a branch of science that involves the measurement of heat flow in physical or chemical processes. It...
splitting uniformity
When splitting the output of a single optical fiber into two or more fibers, the difference in the maximum loss between any...
metrology
Metrology is the science and practice of measurement. It encompasses the theoretical and practical aspects of measurement,...
Doppler-Fizeau principle
The principle stating that the displacement of spectrum lines is determined by the distance between, and relative velocity...
comparator
1. An eyepiece or magnifier with a scale at its image plane. That scale is placed in contact with an object, permitting...
dark space
The portion of a glow discharge tube that permits little or no light transmission.
laser sintering
Laser sintering is an additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing technology that involves using a laser to selectively fuse...
Savart polariscope
1. A polariscope consisting of a Savart plate and a tourmaline plate analyzer, and used to produce parallel color fringes by...
double-image prism
A prism block that, when used with a lens, is capable of forming two images of one object.
self-phase modulation
Self-phase modulation (SPM) is a nonlinear optical phenomenon that occurs when an intense laser beam passes through a...
monomer
A molecule that has the ability to chemically combine with other molecules to form a polymer, hence being capable of being...
optical coatings
Optical coatings are thin layers of materials applied to optical components, such as lenses, mirrors, filters, and prisms,...
reagent
A reagent is a substance or compound that is used in a chemical reaction to bring about a specific transformation or to...
birefringence
Birefringence is an optical property of certain materials that causes them to exhibit different refractive indices for light...
adaptometer
An apparatus used to determine the degree of adaptation of the eye under different conditions.
photon counter
A device used to evaluate the luminance of a surface by determining the number of photons emitted from a sample surface area.
luminescence
Luminescence is the emission of light that occurs without the involved substance undergoing a significant increase in...
four-level laser
A solid-state laser consisting of active atoms or ions of a transition metal, rare-earth metal or actinide, imbedded in a...
linear optics
Linear optics refers to the study and manipulation of light in a linear and deterministic manner, where the response of...
spatial light interference microscopy
Spatial light interference microscopy (SLIM) is an optical microscopy technique that belongs to the category of quantitative...
dynamic beam correction
The superimposition of a pilot object on each hologram. The fixed relative position of the scanning and pilot beam during...
flat machine
A polishing machine designed to permit adjustment of the polisher speed and motion for the control of flat surfaces.
spectral pyrheliometer
Any pyrheliometer that has a filter placed over its sensor to limit the range of solar radiation it will detect; used to...
geodimeter
Trade name referring to an instrument that determines surface distances by measuring the length of time it takes for a...
gain-switching
Gain-switching is a technique used in lasers to generate short pulses of light by modulating the gain of the laser medium....
photoconductivity
The conductivity increase exhibited by some nonmetallic materials, resulting from the free carriers generated when photon...
negative dielectric anisotropy
State typically studied in liquid crystals in which the dielectric coefficient parallel to the director is less than the...
fused quartz and silica
Fused quartz and silica are closely related materials, both composed primarily of silicon dioxide (SiO2), but they are...
motion picture camera
A camera equipped with a lens and a long length of perforated film, the latter being moved intermittently between exposures...
machine vision lighting
Machine vision lighting refers to the use of specific lighting techniques and equipment in the field of machine vision,...
phase transfer function
The determination of the relative phase shift of an image as a function of frequency. A phase change of 180° with...
inquiry display terminal
field emission microscope
An image-forming instrument in which a strong electrostatic field causes cold emission of electrons from a sharply rounded...
phototherapy
Phototherapy is a medical treatment that involves the use of light to treat various conditions, particularly those related...
photographic dosimetry
The use of photographic emulsions to detect and determine the amounts of ionizing radiation, such as x-rays and gamma rays,...
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a laboratory technique used to detect and measure the presence of specific...
Bjerrum screen
In ophthalmic practice, an instrument that determines the boundaries of the field of view. It is composed of a 2-m square of...
trochoidal mass spectrometer
A magnetic-deflection mass spectrometer that has an electrostatic field placed perpendicularly to its magnetic field,...
target
1. The anode or anticathode of an x-ray tube that emits x-rays when bombarded by electrons. 2. The screen in a television...
neutron drip line
Prediction based on observations of nuclear masses in the valley of stability that indicates the maximum number of electrons...
neodymium:YAG
Literally, neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet. A cylindrical rod of yttrium-aluminum-garnet doped with neodymium that is the...
spectrograph
An optical instrument for forming the spectrum of a light source and recording it on a film. The dispersing medium may be a...
Ritchey-Chretien telescope
A form of Cassegrain telescope having a concave hyperbolic primary and a convex hyperbolic secondary. This form permits the...
ultraviolet spectrometer
A spectrophotometer designed for use in the 200- to 380-nm range of the electromagnetic spectrum and equipped with a...
optical pyrometer
An instrument for determining the temperature of a hot object by examining the color spectrum of the visible light it gives...
counting chamber
In microscopy, the chamber that is contained on a microscope slide to hold a certain amount of fluid. It is calibrated...
in phase
That state determining that two waves of like frequency will travel through their maximum and minimum values of the same...
nearest neighbor
A resampling and interpolation method that uses only the value of the nearest neighbor pixel, while not considering values...
photonic cavity
A photonic cavity, also known as an optical cavity, is a structure that confines electromagnetic radiation within a certain...
turnkey system
A system that is complete and self-contained, needing no further additions to permit its operation.
thermal recording
A term referring to various processes for forming visible images outside of a camera to be photographed on ordinary film....
modulation spectroscopy
A method of spectral analysis in which some property of the sample is varied and the corresponding change is measured. The...
refractometry
The method used to determine the refractive index of a given substance.
oximeter
A device that uses a photoelectric cell to determine the level of oxygenation in the blood.
phase matching
Phase matching is a crucial concept in the field of optics, particularly in nonlinear optics and the generation of coherent...
azimuthal polarization
Azimuthal polarization refers to a specific polarization state of light where the electric field vector of the...
spectrum analyzer
A scanning device used to cyclically tune through a given frequency range to determine the amplitude-frequency distribution...
silver-disc pyrheliometer
An instrument that uses a blackened silver-disc reflector with a shutter to create temperature fluctuations that are...
optical link
Any optical transmission channel used in telecommunications designed to connect two end terminals or to be connected in...
klystron
A thermionic tube that has a velocity-modulated electron stream and that may be used as a microwave amplifier or oscillator.
apochromat
An apochromat, often referred to as an apochromatic lens or apochromatic objective, is a type of optical system designed to...
straight-path approximation
The determination of axially symmetric and asymmetric refractive-index distributions by use of interferometry carried out on...
nodal bench
A bench with instrumentation including a collimator, a microscope, positioners and a nodal slide used to rotate a lens about...
pulse counter detector
A device designed to detect frequency-modulated signals by forming a unidirectional pulse from each sine wave. The direct...
laser gravimeter
Means of determining the relative motion of a (seismic) mass or acceleration body from a stable laser operated system.
photon
A quantum of electromagnetic energy of a single mode; i.e., a single wavelength, direction and polarization. As a unit of...
fluorescence correlation spectroscopy
A powerful method, referred to as FCS, for determining the average diffusion coefficients of fluorescent molecules in...
convex
Convex is an adjective used to describe a surface or shape that curves outward, bulges, or has a rounded and outwardly...
MSM photodiode
A metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodiode is a type of photodetector that consists of metal electrodes on a semiconductor...
pattern
A device that determines the lens shape in the cutting or edging phase of fabrication. It also is used to denote the...
fiber optic transceiver
A fiber optic transceiver, often simply referred to as an "optical transceiver," is a device used in fiber optic...
binocular
Designating any instrument in which both eyes can be used to view the image to achieve a stereoscopic effect, or merely to...
view camera
A camera that permits adjustments in the perspective of an image; this is accomplished by the camera design, which permits...
stellar photometry
The utilization of photometric measurement to determine the relative magnitudes of the heavenly bodies.
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...
minimum angle of deviation
The smallest angle through which light is bent by an optical element or system. In a prism, the angle of deviation is a...
stereoscopic rangefinder
A rangefinder similar to a pair of binoculars with a long base, a dot or other wander mark provided in each eyepiece field,...
magneto-optic storage
A specific type of storage in which the material to be written on is heated above its transition temperature and switched in...
visibility meter
1. An instrument used to determine the visual range in an environment. 2. A type of photometer that artificially reduces an...
crystalline axes
The axes of symmetry in a crystal structure. See also biaxial crystal; uniaxial crystal.
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...
epitaxial deposition
Epitaxial deposition is a process used in semiconductor manufacturing and materials science to grow a thin crystalline...
optical lattice
A periodic structure formed by intersecting or superimposed laser beams. These beams can trap atoms in low-potential...
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...
diode laser
A diode laser is a type of laser that uses a semiconductor diode as the active medium to generate coherent light....
laser rangefinder
A laser rangefinder is a device that uses laser technology to measure the distance between the device and a target. It...
stadia scale
A reticle pattern in a surveying instrument consisting of parallel lines that can be superimposed on a calibrated rod,...
Ultraviolet-C
Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) refers to a specific range of ultraviolet radiation with shorter wavelengths than those of visible...
axis
A straight line, real or imaginary, passing through a body and indicating its center; a line so positioned that various...
lateral color
Lens aberration resulting in image size variation as a function of wavelength. See also chromatic aberration.
hyperspectral imaging camera
A hyperspectral imaging camera is a sophisticated imaging device capable of capturing and processing data across a wide...
bandwidth
The range of frequencies over which a particular instrument is designed to function within specified limits. See also fiber...
image intensifier
An image intensifier, also known as an image intensification tube or image intensification device, is a specialized...
Babinet compensator
A device containing two opposed quartz wedges of equal angle, one wedge being movable along its length by a micrometer...
optoisolator
An optical coupling device that uses light to bridge the gap between incompatible wire communications systems. It contains...
intensified charge-coupled device camera
An intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) camera is an advanced imaging device that combines the capabilities of both an...
field stop
An aperture located at an image plane of an optical system that determines the size and shape of the image.
absolute purity threshold
Least value of color value combinations which gives white light; minimum purity as determined to be white.
corner cube
A corner cube, also known as a corner reflector or retroreflector prism, is a type of optical device used to reflect light...
micro-LED
Micro-LED (micro-light-emitting diode) refers to a technology that involves the use of very small light-emitting diodes to...
ellipsometry
Ellipsometry is an optical technique used to characterize the properties of thin films and surfaces. It is based on the...
dust counting microscope
A microscope that has been modified to permit the quantitative analysis of dust samples.
hybrid cooler
A cryogenic cooler device that is an intermittent Joule-Thomson refrigerator with a passive radiator serving as the...
biometrics
Biometrics refers to the automated recognition of individuals based on their physiological or behavioral characteristics....
plasmon ion-assisted deposition
Plasmon ion-assisted deposition (PIAD) is a technique used in thin-film deposition processes, particularly in the production...
breakout cable
A breakout cable, also known as a fan-out cable or breakout assembly, is a type of cable that combines multiple individual...
quantum dots
A quantum dot is a nanoscale semiconductor structure, typically composed of materials like cadmium selenide or indium...
microprojector
A miniature projecting device designed to enhance and reproduce the image generated by a smaller image-forming instrument....
ultraviolet reflectance
Ultraviolet reflectance refers to the ability of a material or surface to reflect UV light. Ultraviolet light is...
write once, read many (WORM)
An optical data storage device that permits the user to store data (write) and play it back (read), but not to erase or...
optical time-domain reflectometer
An optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) is a specialized instrument used in optical fiber communications to characterize...
stroboscopic interferometry
A pulsed interferometer that permits the continuous quantitative mapping of the surface deformation of an adaptive optical...
RTSP protocol
RTSP, or real-time streaming protocol, is a network control protocol designed for controlling streaming media servers. It is...
Johansson geometry
A design for bent crystal monochromators in which spacing is constant along any circular arc terminating at the two foci and...
nominal ocular hazard distance
The calculated normal distance from a photon source at which harmful interaction with the incident light will occur....
grating beamsplitter
A grating beamsplitter is an optical device that utilizes the principles of diffraction to split a beam of light into...
ringdown testing
A test method for determining high-reflectivity levels by monitoring cavity decay within a resonant cavity formed by two...
test glass
A transparent block shaped accurately to reverse curvatures of the components it is used to test. By contacting an...
light negative
That property of a substance that determines that there will be a decrease in conductivity when exposed to light radiation.
horizon detector
An infrared device used in satellites and rockets to determine a heat horizon for the Earth at altitudes (above 200 miles)...
ultrasonic stroboscope
A light-interference device whose excitation is determined by the modulation of a light beam by an ultrasonic field.
heightfinder
A rangefinder used to determine the height or altitude of aerial targets by means of optical triangulation. The device...
ionization chamber
A closed vessel with electrodes of different potentials that is used to determine how much ionization took place in a gas...
scoring
The cutting of pitch tooling surfaces by an optical technician to permit polishing compounds to flow across the surface of...
asynchronous transfer mode
A method of data multiplexing that can provide large, instantaneous bandwidths for busy traffic while permitting slow...
polarizer
An optical device capable of transforming unpolarized or natural light into polarized light, usually by selective...
wide-field fluorescence microscopy
Wide-field fluorescence microscopy uses either naturally occurring structures or staining with fluorescent tags that are...
population inversion
The condition in which there are more atomic systems in the upper of two energy levels than in the lower, so stimulated...
double-exposure holography
The formation of an interferogram by means of two holograms on the same recording medium, often used for determining small...
parfocal eyepiece
One eyepiece of a set having equal distances from their mounting interface to their image plane, permitting freedom to...
fluorophore
A fluorophore is a molecule or a portion of a molecule that has the ability to emit light upon excitation by an external...
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,...
quantum dot light-emitting diode
Quantum dot light-emitting diode (QLED) is a display technology that utilizes quantum dots, which are semiconductor...
junction diode
A semiconductor device with the property of conducting current more easily in one direction than the other. It has two...
thresholding
The process of defining a specific intensity level for determining which of two values will be assigned to each pixel in...
stimulated emission
Radiation similar in origin to spontaneous emission but determined by the presence of other radiation having the same...
apparent visual angle
The angle subtended by an object, determined by the size of the object and its distance from the viewer.
half-shade device
A device for forming at least two adjacent areas of polarized light. The angle between the directions of vibration of the...
minimum object distance
Minimum object distance, often abbreviated as MOD, refers to the closest distance at which a camera lens or optical system...
substrate
A substrate refers to a material or surface upon which another material or process is applied or deposited. In various...
focus control
1. A mechanism that permits the focusing of an optical system.2. A means of obtaining the sharpest image from a cathode-ray...
saturation
1. The decrease of the absorption (or gain) coefficient of a medium near some transition frequency when the power of the...
high
In plano work, that property of a surface determining that it is convex and contacts a flat test glass at its center.
cardioid condenser
An oil immersion condenser used to permit only light that has been diffracted or dispersed by a microscope specimen to enter...
interferometric modulator display
Interferometric modulator display (IMOD) is a type of display technology used in electronic devices, known for its energy...
conical scan sensor
A device used to determine the location and attitude with respect to the Earth of orbiting spacecraft by detecting the...
time-averaged holography
Although low in sensitivity (approximately 10-7 m for helium-neon lasers), this holographic technique permits quantitative...
chroma
1. Attribute of a visual sensation that permits a judgment to be made of the amount of pure chromatic color present. 2. The...
exposure meter
An instrument used to measure the light from a scene to be photographed and to indicate the camera lens and shutter settings...
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...
atmospheric refraction correlation
Formulaic compensation to correct laser ranging data for the effects of horizontal refractivity gradients; it requires the...
fiber Bragg grating
A fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is a type of optical filter that is inscribed or "written" into the core of an optical fiber. It...
quantum
The term quantum refers to the fundamental unit or discrete amount of a physical quantity involved in interactions at the...
conjugate autofocus system
A system that determines whether an image is in or out of focus by means of a source of illumination at the conjugate focal...
spectrogrammetric reading equipment
Spectra can be conveniently recorded on photographic film or plates. The portions that are occupied by regions of the...
optical grating
An optical grating, in the context of optics and physics, refers to a device with a periodic structure of closely spaced,...
Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor
The Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor is an optical device used for measuring the wavefront aberrations of an optical system....
holographic nondestructive testing
The application of coherent wavefront techniques to the determination of the physical state of a system without appreciably...
multifibers
An array of optically distinct fibers that are fused into one strand. They are used to keep the resolution efficiency of the...
Rockwell hardness
Rockwell hardness (Rc) refers to a method for measuring the hardness of a material, primarily metals, using an indentation...
visual test chart
A series of high contrast block letters or similar objects arranged to permit the evaluation of eyesight in humans.
optical Fourier transform
The optical Fourier transform is a mathematical operation applied to optical signals that involves transforming a spatial...
perovskite
The term perovskite refers to a specific crystal structure commonly found in various materials. Perovskite structures have a...
cutoff wavelength
1. In detector technology, the long wavelength at which detector response falls to a set percentage (usually 20 or 50...
electrostatic analyzer
A device that permits only electrons within a narrow velocity range to pass through it, while rejecting those above and...
laser triangulation
A technique that uses a solid-state laser and a detector to determine an object's relative distance to the system. The laser...
framer
A device that permits the adjustment of facsimile transmitters and recorders so that their scanning lines stop and start at...
linewidth
1. The range of frequencies or wavelengths over which radiations are absorbed or emitted in a transition between a specific...
gimbal mount
An optical mounting device that permits adjustment around two perpendicular and intersecting axes of rotation.
fiber optic gyroscope
A fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) is a type of gyroscope that uses the interference of light waves to detect changes in...
attenuator
An electronic transducer, either fixed or adjustable, that reduces the amplitude of a wave without causing significant...
coupled rangefinder
A rangefinder on a camera that is integrated with the focusing mechanism so that when an object's range is determined, the...
negative ghost
A ghost image that has the reverse lightness relations of the original image. This phenomenon is a common optical illusion...
back focal length
The distance from the final optic within a system to the rear image point of the system. See focal length.
rheology
The characteristics of a material that determine its tendency to flow.
cutback technique
A technique for measuring fiber attenuation or distortion by performing two transmission measurements. One is at the output...
flare
Nonimage-forming light, concentrated or diffuse, that is transmitted through the lens to the image. It is frequently the...
near-infrared spectrometer
A near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer is an analytical instrument used to measure the absorption, transmission, or reflection...
diathermic mirror
A mirror coated to reflect cold (white) light while transmitting hot (infrared) energy.
quantum efficiency
Quantum efficiency (QE) is a measure of the effectiveness with which a device or system, typically in the context of...
stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy
Stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) is a superresolution microscopy technique that enables imaging of...
half bandwidth
The term half bandwidth (HBW) generally refers to the width of a spectral band or frequency range at half of its maximum...
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...
holographic grating
A holographic grating is a type of diffraction grating that is produced using holographic recording techniques. It consists...
oil-immersion objective
A form of high-power microscope objective where the space between the object and the first element is filled with an oil...
borescope
A device for the internal inspection of hard-to-get-at mechanical parts, such as rifle barrels, sewer pipes, oil wells, or...
Photoelastic equipment and supplies
Photoelastic equipment and supplies refer to instruments and materials used in photoelasticity, a technique used to analyze...
Weissenberg method
The Weissenberg method, named after the German physicist Karl Weissenberg, is a technique used in x-ray crystallography for...
pressing
A blank having basic surface curves attained by forming heat-softened glass that is pressed in a mold.
programmable logic controller
In computerized industrial process control, the element that determines the choice and sequence of operations dependent on...
infrared alarm system
A system that uses infrared detectors and related instrumentation to determine when abnormal amounts of infrared radiation,...
scanning coherent slope microscopy
Measures by heterodyning interferometry the local slope of a vibrating sample. The method allows the reconstruction of a...
insertion loss
The total optical power loss caused by the insertion of an optical component such as a connector, splice or coupler into a...
Marx effect
The decrease in the energy of a photoelectric emission as a result of the simultaneous incidence of radiation having lower...
diffraction limited
The property of an optical system whereby only the effects of diffraction determine the quality of the image it produces.
dewetting
Dewetting is a phenomenon in materials science and physics where a thin film or coating spontaneously undergoes a process of...
effective beam
In photoelectric sensing, the portion of the transmitted beam that actually functions in the system; the diameter of the...
photomultiplier tube
A photomultiplier tube (PMT) is a highly sensitive vacuum tube that detects and amplifies low levels of light. It is widely...
low-light-level instrumentation
Instrumentation designed to permit the perception, recording or measurement of scenes under conditions of low incident...
thermionic diode
A diode electron tube that contains a heated cathode.
wedge photometer
A photometer that uses a wedge, marked to show its reduction of flux density, to make two light sources equal in intensity...
color perception test equipment
Equipment for testing an observer's color vision. Some tests require the identification or ordering of colored samples. The...
mode filter
A device used in measuring the attenuation of multimode optical fibers. A short reference length of fiber when combined with...
thermophotovoltaic
Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) refers to a technology that converts heat energy into electricity using the principles of...
ultraviolet densitometry
A technique, involving spectrophotometry in the ultraviolet, that is designed to determine the colors of thin-layer...
diffractive optics
Optical elements that use diffraction to control wavefronts. Diffractive optical elements include diffraction gratings,...
band spectrum
A spectrum that originates from molecules and that is composed of bands which, in turn, consist of many closely spaced...
Lloyd's mirror
A mirror employed with a very high incidence angle to form a pair of coherent light sources by reflection, and therefore...
absolute temperature scale
The measurement of heat energy as determined from absolute zero as the zero point on the scale. Increments are identical to...
equidensities
1. A contour map of a photographic deposit consisting of lines and curves that join points of equal density. 2. The...
spiral scanning
A scanning process in which the greatest amount of radiation determines part of a spiral motion rotating in one direction.
impurity level
In the context of optical materials, the term "impurity level" refers to the presence of foreign atoms or molecules within...
ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is a branch of medicine that focuses on the anatomy, physiology, and diseases of the eyes and visual system....
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...
total internal reflection fluorescence
Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy is an advanced fluorescence microscopy technique that leverages the...
absorption peak
An absorption peak refers to a sharp increase or spike in the absorption of electromagnetic radiation at a particular...
prism coupler
An instrument that measures the angle at which a prism can couple laser light into an optical waveguide; used to determine...
emission spectrum
An emission spectrum is a graphical representation or a characteristic pattern of the wavelengths or frequencies of light...
deep ultraviolet
Deep ultraviolet (DUV or deep-UV) refers to a specific range of ultraviolet light with shorter wavelengths than those in the...
photocathodes
Photocathodes are specialized materials or surfaces that exhibit the photoelectric effect, wherein the absorption of photons...
Bose-Einstein condensate
A Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) is a state of matter that forms at temperatures close to absolute zero. It is named after...
infrared lens
An infrared lens is an optical component specifically designed and optimized for transmitting, focusing, or manipulating...
anomalous photoconductivity
A spectral phenomenon in which the degree of the photoresponse of an illuminated semiconductor is determined by the...
proof strength
The minimum amount of strength characteristic of an optical fiber, as determined by proof stressing; expressed in thousands...
near-field region
The area closest to an aperture or source where the diffraction pattern differs substantially from that observed at an...
phosphor thermometry
A method for remote measurement of the temperature of moving surfaces in harsh environments by using a laser to stimulate...
magnon
A magnon is a quasiparticle representing a quantized spin wave in a magnetic material. In other words, it is a collective...
pipeline
In image processing and elsewhere, generally an adjective to describe an assembly-line arrangement for performing a task....
nanotube
A nanotube, also known as a nanotubule or simply a tube-like structure, is a nanoscale cylindrical structure composed of...
ophthalmoscopy
Also referred to as fundus photography, ophthalmoscopy is the dioptrical study of the various interior components of the eye...
hand viewer
A device small enough to be held in a hand that uses a magnifying lens and a translucent back to permit the viewing of...
interferometric calorimetry
Heat measurement method in which the sample is made part of the interferometer and the temperature increase is determined by...
GRIN lens
A GRIN (gradient index) lens is a type of optical lens that utilizes a gradient in refractive index across its volume rather...
autocollimator
An autocollimator is an optical instrument used for measuring small angular deviations with high precision. It operates on...
diffractive lens
Any optical device that utilizes diffraction in an image-forming capability. Familiar diffractive lenses are zone plates,...
clearing
Also called shining. Grinding and polishing one surface of a blank to permit a more thorough examination for quality.
concave
Concave is an adjective used to describe a surface or shape that curves inward or has a hollow or recessed appearance. In...
electro-optic detector
A device that detects radiation by utilizing the influence of light in forming an electrical signal. It may be a phototube;...
ion-beam sputtering
Ion-beam sputtering (IBS) is a physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique used for depositing thin films onto substrates. It...
fluorescence lifetime imaging
Fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) is an advanced imaging technique that provides information about the lifetime of...
sag
1. In the geometric sense, an abbreviation for the term "sagitta,'' the height of a curve measured from the chord. ...
arcuate displacement
Displacement in a direction perpendicular to that of the intended displacement, as in a translation stage with simple...
extensometer
1. A strainmeter capable of measuring the change in the relationship between two reference points, provided that the points...
ratiometry
Ratiometry is a technique used in various scientific fields, particularly in analytical chemistry and biochemistry, to...
astronomy
The scientific observation of celestial radiation that has reached the vicinity of Earth, and the interpretation of these...
Mohs hardness
Material hardness scale that is used to characterize the scratch resistance of various materials. This surface hardness...
isophotometer
A direct recording photometer that is designed to scan a photographic negative to determine its points of isodensity.
photoelectric constant
The constant that, multiplied by the frequency of the radiation-producing emission of photoelectrons, determines the amount...
nanophotonics
Nanophotonics is a branch of science and technology that explores the behavior of light on the nanometer scale, typically at...
frame rate
Frame rate refers to the frequency at which consecutive images, or frames, are displayed in a video sequence. It is...
infrared camera
An infrared camera, also known as a thermal imaging camera or IR camera, is a device that captures and visualizes the...
telemeter
1. The term used to describe any of the many instruments used to remotely record physical dimensions, such as strain,...
coincidence circuit
Electronic circuit capable of distinguishing the pulses emitted by separate counters in a given time phase and determining...
magnetometer
A magnetometer is a scientific instrument used to measure the strength and/or direction of a magnetic field. It can detect...
photonics
The technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant energy whose quantum unit is the photon. The...
ultraviolet fiber optics
Ultraviolet (UV) fiber optics refers to optical fibers that are designed and optimized for the transmission of ultraviolet...
mirror lens
An image-forming system having curved mirrors in place of transparent glass components. Mirror lenses are commonly used for...
wedge
An optical element having plane-inclined surfaces. Usually the faces are inclined toward one another at very small angles....
laser speckle
Sparkling granular pattern that is observed when an object diffusely reflects coincident laser light. Speckle appears as an...
blackbody source
A blackbody source, often simply referred to as a blackbody, is a theoretical or practical physical object that absorbs all...
polarimetric analysis
The determination of a substance's identity or quantity through the analysis of its optical rotation. For example, the...
single molecule localization microscopy
Single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) is a group of super-resolution microscopy techniques that surpass the...
annihilation radiation
Gamma ray radiation released when matter and antimatter, such as electron and positron, unite and eliminate each other,...
equivalent air path
When a block of glass (prism, window, filter, etc.) is placed into a converging light bundle, it increases the physical...
phosphor persistence
The property of a phosphor that determines its ability to emit light for a time after the stimulus has been extinguished....
fiber-lens fusing
A method of terminating optical fibers by forming a lens directly on the end of the fiber, eliminating the need for precise...
thin-film deposition equipment
Thin-film deposition equipment refers to machinery and tools used in the process of depositing thin layers of material onto...
flow cytometry
Flow cytometry is a powerful technique used in biology and medicine for the quantitative analysis of the physical and...
catoptric system
An optical system in which the only image-forming elements are curved-surface mirrors; e.g., a Cassegrain lens system.
geometric image
The position and shape of the image of a point source, as predicted by geometric optics alone. The geometric image is to be...
eye test apparatus
Instruments used by ophthalmologists and optometrists to study the eye. There are, for instance, the ophthalmoscope to...
digital camera
A digital camera is a device that captures and records still images or video in digital format. Unlike traditional film...
ultrasonic grating constant
The space between diffracting centers of an ultrasonic wave that is forming certain light diffraction spectra.
spectrometric oil analysis
An analytical technique used to determine, identify and localize impending malfunctions. It is based upon quantitative and...
adaptive optics
Adaptive optics (AO) is a technology used to improve the performance of optical systems by reducing the effects of...
optical flat
A piece of glass, pyrex or quartz having one or both surfaces carefully ground and polished plano, generally flat to less...
beamwidth
The angular width of a radiation beam. With respect to a conical beam of light, it is the vertex angle of the cone. The...
photoresponse nonuniformity
Noise created by patterns imaged on a CCD surface. Pixel sensitivity is altered by responsivity during illumination.
lens element
One optical element of a multielement lens. See optical element.
Prentice's rule
A method of determining prism power at any point on a lens. Prism power equals the product of the dioptric power and the...
spectral power distribution
The relative power emitted by a source as a function of wavelength. It determines the color-rendering properties of the...
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...
positioning
Positioning generally refers to the determination or identification of the location or placement of an object, person, or...
very long baseline interferometry
Consists of a pair of radio telescopes concentrated on a single celestial object. This technique creates a single radio...
bombsight
An instrument that determines, or allows a bombardier to determine, the point in the plane's line of flight at which a bomb...
scintillation crystal
A scintillation crystal, also known simply as a scintillator, is a material that emits light when it interacts with ionizing...
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...
dichroism
Dichroism refers to the property of certain materials to exhibit different colors or absorbance of light depending on the...
maximum permissable exposure
The maximum level of laser radiation that a person may be exposed to without adverse biological effects.
moiré deflectometry
An optical interference technique widely utilized as a method of nondestructive testing when determining the ray deflection...
zero-order retarder
A quarter- or half-wave retarder made from two plates of quartz, mica or polymer with their fast axes crossed; the...
structured light
The projection of a plane or grid pattern of light onto an object. It can be used for the determination of three-dimensional...
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...
laser desorption
A process of forming ions within a given molecular species by incident laser light. The molecular species may remain intact,...
grating monochromator
An optical instrument used to isolate a narrow bandwidth of optical radiation using a diffraction grating as the dispersive...
detector noise-limited operation
In optical communication systems, operations in which the amplitude of the pulses, as opposed to their width, determines the...
ionography
An electroradiographic process that uses ionization of air by x-rays as a basis for forming electrostatic images.
field lens
1. A lens situated at or near the plane of an internal image to project the aperture of a previous objective or erector upon...
image converter
An electron tube that employs electromagnetic radiation to produce a visual replica of an image produced on its cathode....
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...
backlighting
The forming of a clear silhouette of an object by placing a light source behind it. Used in machine vision when surface...
optical waveguide termination
A configuration or device mounted at the end of a fiber or cable that is intended to prevent reflection.
absorption meter
A measuring device that uses a light-sensitive cell or detector to determine the amount of light transmitted by a substance.
spheric lens
A spheric lens, also known as a spherical lens, is a type of optical lens with at least one surface that is part of a...
Kramers-Kronig relation
Analysis of the reflection spectrum that allows the determination of the experimental dielectric function.
Lippich prism
A small half-shade analyzer placed in the eyepiece of a polarimeter to determine the character of the polarized light...
atomic absorption spectrometer
An atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) is an analytical instrument used to determine the concentration of specific chemical...
long-path absorption spectroscopy
The method that, by measuring the absorption along an atmospheric path at wavelengths ranging from two to a continuum, can...
achromatic lens
A lens consisting of two or more elements, usually of crown and flint glass, that has been corrected for chromatic...
bronchoscope
An optical instrument designed to permit the visual examination of the interior of the bronchi.
acousto-optic tunable filter
A bulk crystalline optic which permits the propagation of light through a volume of index altered material. The variation in...
powder radiography
A technique used in radiography to determine a crystal's structure by obtaining radiographs of it in powder form, normally...
variable-focus lens
A lens assembly containing several movable elements to permit changing of the effective focal length (EFL). Unlike a zoom...
charge-coupled device
A charge-coupled device (CCD) is a type of electronic image sensor used in various imaging devices, including digital...
optical distance
The physical length of the light path in a substance divided by the refractive index of that substance. See also equivalent...
free-space optics
Free-space optics (FSO), also known as optical wireless communication or optical wireless networking, refers to the...
concave and convex spherical mirror
Concave and convex spherical mirrors are types of curved mirrors that have surfaces shaped like segments of spheres. These...
dust counter
An instrument that uses a photoelectric system to determine the size and volume of dust particles in a given unit of air.
gunsight
An optical device that permits the alignment of a gun, cannon or rocket launcher system with its target.
near-infrared spectroscopy
Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive analytical technique that uses the near-infrared region of the...
transverse mode
In the context of optics and lasers, a transverse mode refers to a specific spatial pattern of the electric field within the...
comparison spectrum
In analysis, a reference spectrum, having predetermined wavelengths, that is used to determine the wavelengths of another...
pixel pitch
Pixel pitch refers to the distance between the centers of two adjacent pixels on a display screen or imaging sensor. It is...
flying spot microscope
A microscope that uses a flying spot scanner, directed through the eyepiece, as a light source to determine the features of...
termination
The process of attaching a device to the end of a fiber cable to enable the beam to be transmitted farther, to pass to...
divided slit scan
A scanning technique in optical character recognition in which an array of photocells is used to scan each character to...

(569 results found)

Explore Our Content
News
Features
Latest Products
Webinars
White Papers
All Things Photonics Podcast
Videos
Our Summits & Conferences
Industry Events
Bookstore
Join Our Community
Subscribe
Advertise
Become a member
Sign in
Contribute a Feature
Suggest a Webinar
Submit a Press Release
Mobile Apps

About Us
Our Company
Our Publications
Contact Us
Career Opportunities
Teddi C. Laurin Scholarship

Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)



©2024 Photonics Media
100 West St.
Pittsfield, MA, 01201 USA
[email protected]
We use cookies to improve user experience and analyze our website traffic as stated in our Privacy Policy. By using this website, you agree to the use of cookies unless you have disabled them.