Instantaneous field of view (iFOV) is a term commonly used in the context of remote sensing, imaging systems, and optical instruments. It refers to the specific portion of a scene that an optical sensor or instrument can capture or observe at a...

That length over which energy in two separate waves remains constant. With respect to a laser, the greatest distance between...

The transition cross section constant coefficient which defines the transition probability of absorption from ground to a...

An instrument that employs the interference of lightwaves to measure the accuracy of optical surfaces; it can measure a...

A fiber Bragg grating (FBG) is a type of optical filter that is inscribed or "written" into the core of an optical fiber. It...

An illuminometer designed to measure illumination in terms of luxes.

Any of the various methods of decomposing a signal into a set of coefficients of orthogonal waveforms (trigonometric...

Directed energy refers to a type of energy that is emitted and transferred in a controlled direction. The term is often...

A camera that uses an image converter tube in such a way that voltage waveforms applied to internal electrodes cause the...

Instruments used by ophthalmologists and optometrists to study the eye. There are, for instance, the ophthalmoscope to...

Propagation of electromagnetic waves through the Earth's atmosphere in a path that conforms to the curvature of the Earth...

A precisely defined series of steps that describes how a computer performs a task.

Convex is an adjective used to describe a surface or shape that curves outward, bulges, or has a rounded and outwardly...

Supercontinuum refers to a broad spectrum of light that spans a wide range of wavelengths, typically from the visible to the...

Nonlinear optics is a branch of optics that studies the optical phenomena that occur when intense light interacts with a...

In digital image processing, a subcategory of frame processing that transforms pixel brightness and contrast through use of...

The visual perception of contrasting forms is more difficult if the forms have the same luminance but different...

A type of erasable data storage device that uses a medium deposited on the disc in two layers, each dyed to absorb a...

A flexible display refers to a type of electronic visual display that is designed to be bendable, foldable, or rollable,...

The time domain is a concept used in signal processing and analysis to describe signals in terms of their behavior over...

A document-transmitting process that uses a cylinder that rotates the document to be scanned and detected by a photoelectric...

The cause of some forms of laser injury in which tissue absorbs incident laser light and experiences a damaging rise in...

In the spectral sense, an optical source that emits one or more spectrally narrow lines as opposed to a continuous spectrum....

Pushbroom scanning is a technique used in remote sensing and imaging systems, particularly in satellite and aerial sensors,...

Ion-beam sputtering (IBS) is a physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique used for depositing thin films onto substrates. It...

Optical switching refers to the process of controlling the routing or transmission of optical signals within a network using...

The allowable departure from the given figure or geometrical form. It may be described in terms of fringes or wavelengths.

A linear positioning stage, also known as a linear stage or translation stage, is a precision mechanical device used to...

The center of the sphere of which the surface of a lens or mirror forms a portion. Each curved surface of a lens has a...

An instrument usually consisting of a very long interferometer, 3 to 800 m, and a laser light source for the study and...

The organic inclusion in quartz crystal that forms delicate films and microspheres and that shows a maximum absorption at...

The smallest object that may be seen, measured in terms of the angle subtended by the object measured at the eye. Also...

An optical system that is corrected for distortion and spherical aberration and therefore forms the image of a straight line...

Image displacement by a decentered lens, rotated on a chuck whose axis of rotation passes through the geometrical center of...

Spatial resolution refers to the level of detail or granularity in an image or a spatial dataset. It is a measure of the...

A hyperspectral imaging camera is a sophisticated imaging device capable of capturing and processing data across a wide...

The use of computer analysis in the calculation of diffraction patterns for information on the design of optical systems. In...

A colorimeter is a device used to measure and quantify the color characteristics of an object or a light source. It provides...

A computer-generated hologram (CGH) is a holographic image produced using computational methods and algorithms, rather than...

Optical fiber optic switches are devices used in optical fiber communication systems to selectively route optical signals...

A rear or front projection screen composed of minute optical surfaces that introduce a spread to the light beam that...

Photovoltaic (PV) refers to a technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductors. The term...

A thin film or coating that forms on various finished surfaces. On optical surfaces it usually denotes aging.

Frame rate refers to the frequency at which consecutive images, or frames, are displayed in a video sequence. It is...

Oleophobic is a term used to describe substances or materials that repel or resist oils. The word oleophobic comes from the...

In image processing, modifying the dot that forms the image in order to simulate a series of gray tones.

An exciton is a quasiparticle that represents the bound state of an electron and a hole in a solid-state material, typically...

A phonon is a quantum of vibrational energy associated with the periodic motion of atoms or molecules in a crystalline...

The least space between two parallel lines that can be discriminated as a gap to the human eye. It is measured in terms of...

An accelerometer is a sensor or transducer that measures the rate of change of velocity of an object, or in simpler terms,...

A resonator is a device or system that exhibits resonance, which is a phenomenon that occurs when an external force or...

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...

Fused quartz and silica are closely related materials, both composed primarily of silicon dioxide (SiO2), but they are...

A group of related lines that represent transitions between two spectroscopic terms, each of which may be complex. Also in...

Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) is a spectroscopic technique that involves using a laser to excite molecules or atoms,...

In optics, a motion controller refers to a device or system that precisely controls the movement of optical components, such...

A reticle carrying patterns of various forms that can be rotated in an optical beam to cause variations in the intensity of...

A Fresnel lens is a type of optical lens that consists of a series of concentric grooves or steps carved into a flat, thin...

Calorimetry is a branch of science that involves the measurement of heat flow in physical or chemical processes. It...

Photometry is the branch of science that deals with the measurement of light, particularly in terms of its intensity and the...

The internet of things (IoT) refers to a network of interconnected physical devices, vehicles, appliances, and other objects...

Azimuthal polarization refers to a specific polarization state of light where the electric field vector of the...

A two-stage illuminating system for a microscope in which the source is imaged in the aperture of the substage condenser by...

When a stereo pair of images is switched so that the right eye sees the left image and the left eye the right, the stereo...

The naturally occurring crystalline form of silicon dioxide. It is slightly birefringent and exhibits rotary dispersion of...

Gallium nitride-based light-emitting diodes (GaN-based LEDs) are semiconductor devices that emit light when an electric...

A tool used to determine the curvature of a lens surface in terms of dioptric power. See lens watch; spherometer.

Inactive optically, but having the capacity for resolution into forms of opposed optical activity. The term is derived from...

A fiber optic preform is a cylindrical glass rod or tube used as the starting material for manufacturing optical fibers. It...

A high-frequency approach to the propagation of light in graded-index fibers in which the modal field is represented in...

Primarily the measurement of photographic sensitivity of certain materials such as photographic film. It refers to the...

Mathematical definition for the changes that occur between potential and kinetic energy. These formulas express wave motion.

A Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) is a state of matter that forms at temperatures close to absolute zero. It is named after...

A factor derived by equating the incident light on the subject to the required incident light for suitable photography. The...

Blaze height typically refers to a parameter in the context of diffraction gratings, which are optical devices consisting of...

Sometimes referred to as the surface normal or 'surface norm'; the normal is an axis that forms right angles with a surface...

Sputtering equipment is machinery used in the process of physical vapor deposition (PVD), specifically sputtering....

A swept-source laser, also known as a wavelength-swept laser, is a type of laser that rapidly and continuously changes its...

Cold atoms refer to atoms that have been cooled to extremely low temperatures, typically in the microkelvin (µK) to...

The measurement of surface temperature by a thermograph that forms a pattern of the heat radiated by the surface on a...

A cathode-ray tube that increases the brightness or size of an image or forms a visible image from invisible radiation. The...

A fluorescent screen refers to a phosphorescent or fluorescent-coated surface that emits visible light when exposed to other...

A cylindrical lens is an optical component that has different curvatures along its two orthogonal axes, resulting in a shape...

A GRIN (gradient index) lens is a type of optical lens that utilizes a gradient in refractive index across its volume rather...

Concave is an adjective used to describe a surface or shape that curves inward or has a hollow or recessed appearance. In...

The total optical power loss in a system. The loss budget is often stated in terms of the transmitted power and the power...

Carbonization is a process in which organic materials are heated in the absence of air, leading to the decomposition of the...

The Lorentz oscillator model is a theoretical model used in physics to describe the response of a charged particle (such as...

A method of depositing crystalline films one molecular layer at a time, by dipping the substrate into water containing a...

An instrument used to measure the change of heat content of a system by measuring microwave power in terms of generated heat.

A cosmetic defect on the surface of an optical element. A dig is nearly equal in terms of its length and width. The size is...

The first nonlinear theory in plasma physics that details the time and space evolution of plasma wave instability from a...

Remote inspection refers to the process of inspecting, evaluating, or monitoring assets, equipment, infrastructure, or...

Unified notation for specification of reflectance in terms of both incident- and reflected-beam geometry; i.e., the ratio of...

Gamma ray radiation released when matter and antimatter, such as electron and positron, unite and eliminate each other,...

The frequency domain is a concept used in signal processing and analysis to represent signals and data in terms of their...

A device for obtaining very low crosstalk in a crosspoint by arranging two simple switches along different arms of a passive...

A mixed-signal oscilloscope (MSO) is a type of electronic test instrument that combines the capabilities of both a...

Examination of the processes whereby heat energy is converted into other forms of energy.

The laser damage threshold refers to the maximum level of laser intensity that a material can withstand without experiencing...

A well plate, also known as a microplate or microtiter plate, is a flat plate with multiple small wells or depressions...

Expression of the length of a transmission medium in terms of wavelengths of the propagating wavelength. In general,...

Remote sensing is a method of data collection and observation where information about objects, areas, or phenomena on...

A measure of image quality produced by an optical system. May be specified in terms of cycles per millimeter, referencing a...

A small card (10 x 15 cm) that has been treated with a photographic emulsion to record and store the microimages of...

Calculations of lens aberrations whereby the first two terms of the series expansion are the only ones employed....

The term "metaverse" refers to a collective virtual shared space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical...

Full width half maximum (FWHM) is a measure of the extent of a function. Given by the difference between the two extreme...

A measure of the ability of a photographic system to record fine detail. Usually stated in terms of cycles per millimeter on...

Indium phosphide (InP) is a compound semiconductor material composed of indium (In) and phosphorus (P). It belongs to the...

A small object that behaves as a whole unit or entity in terms of it's transport and it's properties, as opposed to an...

Positioning generally refers to the determination or identification of the location or placement of an object, person, or...

Swept-source optical coherence tomography is an imaging technique used in medical diagnostics, particularly in...

Ratio of the molecular diffusion coefficients of momentum in terms of heat; used in convection studies.

Micro-robotics refers to the field of robotics that involves the design, development, and application of miniature robotic...

A spectral signature, in the context of remote sensing and spectroscopy, refers to the unique pattern or characteristic...

In photonics, a lattice refers to a periodic arrangement of optical elements or structures, often on a microscopic or...

Polarization refers to the orientation of oscillations in a transverse wave, such as light waves, radio waves, or other...

Fluence is a term used in various scientific and technical disciplines to describe the amount of something per unit area....

A frequency comb is a precise and regular series of equally spaced spectral lines, or frequencies, that are generated with...

Sapphire optical fiber is a type of optical fiber made from single-crystal sapphire, which is a form of aluminum oxide...

Micro-LED (micro-light-emitting diode) refers to a technology that involves the use of very small light-emitting diodes to...

The smallest area of uniform brightness that can be seen by the eye. It is measured in terms of the solid angle subtended by...

A form of liquid crystal in which flow does not take place in the usual manner. When examined with polarized light, the...

A glass-ceramic material developed in Russia. Astrosital resembles Zerodur in terms of its ultralow thermal expansion. Other...

Conceptual formulas that characterize both the transmittance functions of lenses and propagation in the Fresnel zone.

In digital image processing, a subcategory of frame processing that treats each pixel in terms of its relationship to...

The interaction between two oscillations of unlike frequencies that forms other oscillations, specifically those with a...

Laser peening is a surface enhancement technique used to improve the mechanical properties of materials, particularly...

An instrument consisting essentially of a tube 160 mm long, with an objective lens at the distant end and an eyepiece at the...

Design and engineering consulting services refer to professional services provided by specialized firms or individuals to...

A family of specialized instruments used by ophthalmologists and optometrists to study a patient's eyes and prescribe...

Camera Link HS (high speed) is a standard developed for high-speed digital data transmission in machine vision and...

An intensity distribution (intensity as a function of radial distance from the beam center) which is given by the Gaussian...

A condenser that forms a hollow cone-shaped beam of light with its focal point in the plane of the specimen. If it is used...

In optics and photonics, "phase" refers to a property of electromagnetic waves, such as light, that describes the position...

1. A plane that forms one side of the groove ruled on a diffraction grating. 2. To form the individual grooves of a grating...

A CubeSat is a type of miniaturized satellite characterized by its standardized size and modular design. CubeSats are...

The term reflective is an adjective that describes the ability of a surface or material to reflect light or other forms of...

A pixel, short for "picture element," is the smallest controllable element of a digital image or display. It is a...

Integration time, in the context of optics, imaging systems, and sensor technology, refers to the duration over which a...

A material consisting of very small colorless particles imbedded in a clear glass matrix. It is available in two forms:...

A viewfinder whose optical system forms a direct image of a subject, as opposed to those systems that use reflectance in the...

A fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) is a type of gyroscope that uses the interference of light waves to detect changes in...

Die bonding is a critical process in semiconductor manufacturing and microelectronics assembly, where a semiconductor die or...

An instrument that transforms heat energy into electrical energy.

A fiber optic imaging bundle is a specialized optical device composed of multiple optical fibers bundled together. Each...

A cathode-ray tube, driven by a computer, that receives impulses of information from the computer and displays it in a...

The term gradient-index profile refers to a specific type of refractive index distribution within an optical material. In...

Optical design and engineering services involve the development, customization, and optimization of optical systems and...

Multi-axis alignment refers to the process of aligning or adjusting components or systems in multiple spatial dimensions or...

FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectrometer is a powerful analytical instrument used to obtain an infrared spectrum of...

The technology that deals with the interaction of organic materials with light and other forms of radiant energy whose...

Circular dichroism (CD) is a spectroscopic technique used to study the structural characteristics of chiral (asymmetric)...

A detector array refers to a collection of individual detector elements arranged in a two-dimensional grid or matrix format....

Equipment used for chemical analysis by investigation of the spectra formed and observed in chemical activity. Of particular...

A testing device that provides a contour map of the emergent wavefront for the observer in terms of the given wavelength of...

The pattern, formed by a character generation cathode-ray tube system, in which the characters are made up of wave shapes...

Nonlinear optical materials are substances that exhibit optical properties that are not linearly proportional to the...

Laser drift typically refers to a phenomenon where the frequency or wavelength of a laser source gradually changes over...

A wedge in a rangefinder or heightfinder used to displace the image produced by one telescope so that it coincides with that...

Quantum sensing refers to a class of sensing technologies that leverage principles from quantum mechanics to enhance the...

A simple form of astronomical telescope that uses a fixed objective and a focusable eyepiece. The objective forms an...

Also known as the Wiener spectrum or the noise power spectrum, the optical power spectrum is a fundamental quantity in...

A single number, defined by the computer program or the user that expresses the performance of an optical system. Also known...

A lens that exhibits spherical aberration when used at large aperture settings, and that forms an image with a slightly...

A phage, short for bacteriophage, is a type of virus that infects and replicates within bacteria. Phages are composed of...

A product of the area of a light beam (normal to its direction of propagation) and the solid angle that the beam includes;...

Chalcogenide refers to a class of compounds containing elements from group 16 of the periodic table, which includes sulfur...

An instrument used for viewing in low levels of illumination by means of infrared radiation. A high-aperture lens forms an...

A Mach-Zehnder interferometer is an optical device used to measure the phase difference between two collimated beams of...

An astronomical telescope is a type of optical instrument designed to gather and magnify light from distant celestial...

An instrument used to measure the light from a scene to be photographed and to indicate the camera lens and shutter settings...

A branched fiber optic lightguide that performs both receiving and transmitting functions.

The optical element that receives light from the object and forms the first or primary image in telescopes and microscopes....

The processing of an image or portion of an image by transform coding and analysis. Fourier, Hadamand, Kronecker and...

In image processing, a device that transforms the digital data into an analog video image that can be viewed on a monitor or...

Photonics contract manufacturing refers to the outsourcing of the production of photonics-related components, devices, or...

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a powerful analytical technique that enhances the Raman scattering signal of...

A very hard, highly transparent coating based on forms of carbon, used to protect optical components from abrasion and...

The small central portion of the human retina that is responsible for providing the clearest, and most distinct aspects of...

One of the first lasers to find practical application. Generally, the pumping mechanism is an electric discharge, although...

A blackbody source, often simply referred to as a blackbody, is a theoretical or practical physical object that absorbs all...

A broadband filter is an electronic or electromagnetic device designed to pass a range of frequencies or signals within a...

The technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant energy whose quantum unit is the photon. The...

An infrared detector in which radiation passes through a doped germanium crystal, creating a voltage drop that can be...

The process by which a vitreous or amorphous substance forms a crystal structure at a specified temperature.

Piezoelectric motion systems are mechanical systems that utilize piezoelectric materials to generate controlled motion or...

Designed for the function of optical wavefront analysis. Shack-Hartmann camera aberration sensors use a lens array to image...

A 3D profile sensor, also known as a 3D profiling sensor or 3D depth sensor, is a technology that is used to capture and...

A series of permanent holograms in dichromated gelatin formed by opening total page-composer apertures and setting a point...

The focal length of a lens is the distance between the lens's optical center (or principal point) and the image sensor or...

A technique used in radiography to determine a crystal's structure by obtaining radiographs of it in powder form, normally...