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communication Dictionary Terms

germanium crystal
Germanium crystal refers to a crystalline form of the element germanium (Ge), which is a metalloid and semiconductor...
holographic grating
A holographic grating is a type of diffraction grating that is produced using holographic recording techniques. It consists...
quantum noise
Noise generated within an optical communications system link that has both internal (dark current) and external (background...
fiber optic preform
A fiber optic preform is a cylindrical glass rod or tube used as the starting material for manufacturing optical fibers. It...
optical link
Any optical transmission channel used in telecommunications designed to connect two end terminals or to be connected in...
modulator
A modulator is a device or component that modifies a carrier signal in order to encode information for transmission over a...
laser communications
 polarization
Polarization refers to the orientation of oscillations in a transverse wave, such as light waves, radio waves, or other...
ultrasonic
Ultrasonic refers to sound waves with frequencies higher than the upper audible limit of human hearing, typically above...
optical repeater
In an optical fiber or waveguide communications system, an optoelectronic device or module that receives an optical signal,...
internet of things
The internet of things (IoT) refers to a network of interconnected physical devices, vehicles, appliances, and other objects...
electron multiplication charge-coupled device camera
An EMCCD (electron-multiplying charge-coupled device) camera is a type of scientific camera specifically designed for...
embedded vision
Embedded vision refers to the integration of computer vision technologies into various embedded systems, devices, or...
Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine
Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) is an international standard for medical imaging created by both the...
diamond-turned optic
Diamond turning refers to a precision machining process used to produce complex optical components, particularly lenses and...
half bandwidth
The term half bandwidth (HBW) generally refers to the width of a spectral band or frequency range at half of its maximum...
cold atom
Cold atoms refer to atoms that have been cooled to extremely low temperatures, typically in the microkelvin (µK) to...
edge-emitting LED
An edge-emitting light-emitting diode is a type of LED structure where light emission occurs primarily along the edge of the...
mutual coherent function
A function that quantifies the performance degradation of coherent communications systems, imaging systems and all systems...
network interface card
A network interface card (NIC), also known as a network adapter or LAN adapter, is a hardware component that allows...
Bragg grating
A filter that separates light into many colors via Bragg's law. Generally refers to a fiber Bragg grating used in optical...
diode-pumped solid-state laser
A diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL) is a type of laser system that uses semiconductor diode lasers to pump energy into...
photonics
The technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant energy whose quantum unit is the photon. The...
GigE
GigE, short for gigabit Ethernet, refers to a standard for high-speed Ethernet communication, capable of transmitting data...
transmitter
In fiber optic communications, a light source whose beam can be modulated and sent along an optical fiber, and the...
nonlinear optics
Nonlinear optics is a branch of optics that studies the optical phenomena that occur when intense light interacts with a...
resonator
A resonator is a device or system that exhibits resonance, which is a phenomenon that occurs when an external force or...
lock-in amplifier
A lock-in amplifier is a specialized electronic instrument used to extract and measure small signals embedded in noise or...
machine vision system
A machine vision system is an integrated combination of hardware and software components designed to capture, process, and...
power modulation
Power modulation refers to the intentional variation of power levels in a signal, often in the context of electronic...
impurity level
In the context of optical materials, the term "impurity level" refers to the presence of foreign atoms or molecules within...
infrared
Infrared (IR) refers to the region of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths longer than those of visible light, but...
metrology
Metrology is the science and practice of measurement. It encompasses the theoretical and practical aspects of measurement,...
end-fire coupling
End-fire coupling refers to a method of coupling energy into or out of a waveguide, transmission line, or antenna, where the...
optical grating
An optical grating, in the context of optics and physics, refers to a device with a periodic structure of closely spaced,...
supercontinuum
Supercontinuum refers to a broad spectrum of light that spans a wide range of wavelengths, typically from the visible to the...
Pockels
In optics, the Pockels effect refers to the phenomenon where the refractive index of a material changes in response to an...
node
In a communications network, a point at which data are received or from which they are sent. Though the term often is used...
microlens array
A microlens array is a grid-like structure composed of numerous small lenses, typically arranged in a regular pattern. Each...
frequency domain
The frequency domain is a concept used in signal processing and analysis to represent signals and data in terms of their...
adaptive optics
Adaptive optics (AO) is a technology used to improve the performance of optical systems by reducing the effects of...
dispersion-shifted fiber
A dispersion-shifted fiber (DSF) refers to a type of optical fiber designed to minimize the effects of chromatic dispersion,...
microring resonator
A microring resonator is a compact optical device that utilizes the resonant behavior of light within a small ring-shaped...
phase mask
In optics and photolithography, a phase mask refers to a device that modifies the phase of light waves passing through it....
electro-optic modulator
An electro-optic modulator (EOM) is a device used to modulate the amplitude, phase, or polarization of light waves using an...
gallium arsenide phosphide
Gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP) is a semiconductor alloy composed of gallium (Ga), arsenic (As), and phosphorus (P). It...
laser
A laser, which stands for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation," is a device that produces coherent and...
modified chemical vapor deposition
Modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) is a technique used in the fabrication of optical fibers. It is a specialized form...
phase-shift keying
A method of coding information in a communications system where the shift in the phase of an electromagnetic wave represents...
high-performance parallel interface
A very high bandwidth communication line often used in fiber optics.
optical fiber optic switches
Optical fiber optic switches are devices used in optical fiber communication systems to selectively route optical signals...
reflection grating
A reflection grating is an optical component that consists of a series of closely spaced, parallel reflecting surfaces or...
CMOS image sensor
A CMOS image sensor, short for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor image sensor, is a type of semiconductor device used...
nanophotonics
Nanophotonics is a branch of science and technology that explores the behavior of light on the nanometer scale, typically at...
mode-locked lasers
Mode-locking is a technique used in lasers to produce ultrashort pulses of light with durations on the order of picoseconds,...
clock
A signal, generated by an oscillator, that provides the means of synchronization of operations in a data communications...
rare earth dopants
Rare earth dopants refer to elements from the lanthanide series, also known as rare earth elements, that are intentionally...
optical testing instrument
An optical testing instrument is a device or system used to evaluate and measure the performance, quality, and...
solid-state laser
A solid-state laser is a type of laser that uses a solid gain medium (as opposed to a liquid or gas) to produce coherent...
half duplex
A communications system that can transmit in only a single direction at a time. See duplex.
fiber-coupled photoconductive antenna
A fiber-coupled photoconductive antenna (FCPA) is a type of optoelectronic device that combines a photoconductive antenna...
waveguide
A waveguide is a physical structure or device that is designed to confine and guide electromagnetic waves, such as radio...
diode laser
A diode laser is a type of laser that uses a semiconductor diode as the active medium to generate coherent light....
diamond turning
Diamond turning, also known as diamond machining or diamond cutting, is a precision machining process used to produce...
enhanced picture archiving and communication system display
Enhanced picture archiving and communication system (PACS) display (ePAD) is a software tool used in medical imaging to...
blaze height
Blaze height typically refers to a parameter in the context of diffraction gratings, which are optical devices consisting of...
optical noise
Optical noise refers to undesirable fluctuations or disturbances in an optical signal that can affect the quality or...
free-space optics
Free-space optics (FSO), also known as optical wireless communication or optical wireless networking, refers to the...
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...
second-order nonlinear optical properties
Second-order nonlinear optical properties refer to a class of phenomena exhibited by certain materials in response to...
phase distrortion
Phase distortion refers to a change in the phase relationships between different frequency components of a signal. In the...
diffraction efficiency
Diffraction efficiency is a measure of how effectively a diffractive optical element (DOE) or diffraction grating directs...
silicon photodiode
A silicon photodiode is a semiconductor device that converts light into an electrical current. It is a type of photodetector...
Camera Link HS
Camera Link HS refers to a high-speed version of the Camera Link interface standard used in machine vision and industrial...
data link
The communications network between nodes of a data transmission system.
long-wavelength system
In fiber optic communications systems, generally one that operates between 1000 and 1700 nm.
indium phosphide
Indium phosphide (InP) is a compound semiconductor material composed of indium (In) and phosphorus (P). It belongs to the...
GaN distributed feedback lasers
GaN (Gallium Nitride) distributed feedback (DFB) lasers refer to a specific type of semiconductor laser based on Gallium...
InGaAs photodiode
An InGaAs photodiode refers to a photodetector device that is constructed using a semiconductor material composed of 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....
photonic integrated circuit
A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) is a compact and integrated device that incorporates multiple photonic components and...
quantum key distribution
Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a method of secure communication that utilizes principles from quantum mechanics to...
directed energy
Directed energy refers to a type of energy that is emitted and transferred in a controlled direction. The term is often...
freeform optics
Freeform optics refers to the design and fabrication of optical surfaces that do not follow traditional symmetric shapes,...
laser optics
Laser optics refers to a broad category of optical components and systems designed for manipulating and controlling laser...
subscriber loop
That portion of the telecommunications network that runs from a local central telephone to the subscriber premises.
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...
topological photonics
Topological photonics is a branch of physics and optics that explores the application of topological concepts to the...
metascope
A sensing or image-forming detector that serves to convert infrared rays into visible signals for communication purposes....
integrated photonics
Integrated photonics is a field of study and technology that involves the integration of optical components, such as lasers,...
diffraction grating
A diffraction grating is an optical component consisting of a surface with a periodic structure of equally spaced, parallel...
averaged threshold receiver
A receiver for optical communications systems consisting of a symmetric binary, pulse-code-modulated transmitter, a...
fiber optics
The use of thin flexible glass or plastic fibers as wave guides — or "light pipes" — to channel light from one...
infrared optic
Infrared optics refer to optical components and systems designed to manipulate and control infrared (IR) light, which lies...
plasmonics
Plasmonics is a field of science and technology that focuses on the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and free...
optical manufacturing tools and machinery
Optical manufacturing tools and machinery encompass a wide range of equipment, instruments, and systems used in the...
optical design software
Optical design software refers to specialized computer programs used by optical engineers, physicists, and designers to...
epitaxial equipment
Epitaxial equipment refers to a set of specialized tools and systems used in the process of epitaxy, which is the growth of...
optics
Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter...
digital signal processing
Digital signal processing (DSP) refers to the manipulation and analysis of signals, which are representations of physical...
trunk
In a fiber optic communications network, a circuit that connects two switching centers and does not branch off to terminal...
attenuation
Attenuation refers to the gradual loss or reduction of intensity, force, or magnitude of a particular property as it...
chalcogenide
Chalcogenide refers to a class of compounds containing elements from group 16 of the periodic table, which includes sulfur...
GaAIAs laser
A GaAlAs laser is a type of semiconductor laser diode that emits light in the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic...
design and engineering consulting services
Design and engineering consulting services refer to professional services provided by specialized firms or individuals to...
lattice
In photonics, a lattice refers to a periodic arrangement of optical elements or structures, often on a microscopic or...
optical microphone
Laser-powered telephone device for analog communications that employs a vibrating plastic membrane as a transmitter to...
back channel
A channel for communication with the source in an otherwise unidirectional network, such as a channel that provides...
micro-robotics
Micro-robotics refers to the field of robotics that involves the design, development, and application of miniature robotic...
photonic crystals
Photonic crystals are artificial structures or materials designed to manipulate and control the flow of light in a manner...
contention rate
The maximum number of users who are using a given communication channel. Typically, the number of users at any given time is...
optical time-domain reflectometer
An optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) is a specialized instrument used in optical fiber communications to characterize...
link
In data communications, the instrumentation connecting two stations: transmitters, receivers and the cable that runs between...
phase
In optics and photonics, "phase" refers to a property of electromagnetic waves, such as light, that describes the position...
videography
Videography refers to the process of capturing moving images and recording them in a digital format. It involves the use of...
APD detector
An APD detector, or avalanche photodiode detector, is a type of photodetector used to detect light or optical signals by...
optical glass
Optical glass refers to a type of glass specifically engineered and manufactured for use in optical components and systems,...
synchronous optical network
A standard for fiber optic telecommunications interfaces, with a 1300-nm data link operating over single-mode fiber at data...
stimulated Brillouin scattering
In Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS), an incident photon (usually laser light) interacts with acoustic phonons in a...
terahertz
Terahertz (THz) refers to a unit of frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum, denoting waves with frequencies between 0.1...
optical channel monitor
An optical channel monitor (OCM) is a device used in optical communication systems to monitor and analyze the performance of...
fiber-coupled LED
A fiber-coupled LED (light-emitting diode) refers to an LED device that is optically coupled to an optical fiber for the...
Brillouin scattering
Brillouin scattering is a phenomenon in physics where an incident electromagnetic wave (usually light) interacts with...
data bus
A system incorporated into fiber optic data communications characterized by several spatially distributed terminals that are...
local oscillator laser
In coherent optical communications systems, a laser used at the receiving end to produce a steady wave that is combined with...
receiver
A detector and signal demodulator used in optical communications systems to receive a signal and often to translate it into...
molded lens
A molded lens is an optical lens manufactured using a molding process, typically involving the shaping of a material, such...
microcomb
A microcomb, short for microresonator frequency comb, is a novel photonic device that generates a precise series of evenly...
coherent communications
A fiber optic communications system that works on the principles of homodyning or heterodyning. The transmitting laser...
PIN photodiode
A PIN photodiode is a type of photodetector or semiconductor device used to convert light signals into electrical signals....
femtosecond laser
A femtosecond laser is a type of laser that emits ultrashort pulses of light with durations on the order of femtoseconds,...
distributed feedback laser
A distributed feedback laser (DFB laser) is a type of semiconductor laser diode designed to emit coherent, narrow-bandwidth...
COMINT
An acronym for communications intelligence, referring to the collection of communications signals in the VHF and UHF...
photonic crystal surface-emitting laser
PCSEL stands for "photonic crystal surface-emitting laser." It refers to a type of laser diode that emits light from its...
nitrogen vacancy
A nitrogen vacancy (NV) refers to a specific type of defect or impurity in a crystal lattice where a nitrogen atom replaces...
transverse mode
In the context of optics and lasers, a transverse mode refers to a specific spatial pattern of the electric field within the...
optical fiber
Optical fiber is a thin, flexible, transparent strand or filament made of glass or plastic used for transmitting light...
microphotonics
The technology of manipulating light on a micro scale. In optical communications, this is usually accomplished using two or...
custom optic
A custom optic refers to an optical component that is designed, manufactured, and tailored to meet specific requirements or...
photodetector
A photodetector, also known as a photosensor or photodiode, is a device that detects and converts light into an electrical...
laser drift
Laser drift typically refers to a phenomenon where the frequency or wavelength of a laser source gradually changes over...
etalon
An etalon is an optical device that consists of two parallel reflecting surfaces separated by a precise and known distance....
embedded laser
The term "embedded laser" typically refers to a laser device that is integrated or embedded into a larger system or...
quantum cascade laser
A quantum cascade laser (QCL) is a type of semiconductor laser that operates based on the principles of quantum mechanics....
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...
multiplexing
The combination of two or more signals for transmission along a single wire, path or carrier. In most optical communication...
CoaXPress
CoaXPress (CoaXPress or CXP) is a standardized digital interface and communication protocol used primarily in machine vision...
fiber optic transceiver
A fiber optic transceiver, often simply referred to as an "optical transceiver," is a device used in fiber optic...
microelectromechanical systems
Refers to micron-size complex machines that have physical dimensions suitable for the fabrication of optical switches for...
light fidelity
LiFi, short for light fidelity, is a wireless communication technology that utilizes visible light or infrared light to...
duplex
In data communications, the simultaneous operation of a circuit in both directions is known as full duplex; if only one...
laser crystal
A laser crystal, also known as an active medium or gain medium, is a solid-state material used in the construction of...
optical assembly
An optical assembly refers to a collection of optical components that are carefully arranged and aligned to perform a...
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...
optical switching
Optical switching refers to the process of controlling the routing or transmission of optical signals within a network using...
light-emitting diode
An LED, or light emitting diode, is a semiconductor device that emits light when an electric current passes through it. LEDs...
broadband filter
A broadband filter is an electronic or electromagnetic device designed to pass a range of frequencies or signals within a...
time domain
The time domain is a concept used in signal processing and analysis to describe signals in terms of their behavior over...
atomic clock
An atomic clock is a highly precise timekeeping device that uses the vibrations or oscillations of atoms as a reference for...
III-V material
In semiconductor physics and materials science, the term "III-V materials" refers to compounds composed of elements from...
noise
The unwanted and unpredictable fluctuations that distort a received signal and hence tend to obscure the desired message....
heterodyning
In optical communications, the translation of optical signals into radio signals, lowering their frequency in detection from...
optical filter
An optical filter is a device that selectively transmits or blocks specific wavelengths, or colors, of light. Optical...
input/output
I/O stands for input/output. In computing, it refers to the communication between a computer system or program and its...
continuous wave
Continuous wave (CW) refers to a type of signal or transmission where the signal is constant and does not vary with time. In...
metaverse
The term "metaverse" refers to a collective virtual shared space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical...
frequency comb
A frequency comb is a precise and regular series of equally spaced spectral lines, or frequencies, that are generated with...
mixed signal oscilloscope
A mixed-signal oscilloscope (MSO) is a type of electronic test instrument that combines the capabilities of both a...
optical communications
The transmission and reception of information by optical devices and sensors.
MSM photodiode
A metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodiode is a type of photodetector that consists of metal electrodes on a semiconductor...
high-loss fiber
Optical fiber in which the attenuation exceeds the normally acceptable level for long-haul or data communications use.
error correcting code
The addition to the information signal in communications of redundant bits that enable the originally encoded message to be...
absorption hologram
A hologram formed when the light of the illuminating beam is absorbed in correspondence with the recording exposure. In...
metalens
A metalens, short for "metasurface lens," is a type of optical lens that uses nanostructured materials to manipulate light...
infrared light-emitting diode
An infrared light-emitting diode (IR LED) is a semiconductor device that emits infrared light when an electric current...
modem
Modulator/demodulator. An electronic device that modulates and demodulates signals transmitted over communications lines.
single-photon avalanche diode
A single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) is a specialized type of photodetector designed to detect extremely weak optical...
magneto-optics
Magneto-optics refers to the study and manipulation of the interaction between magnetic fields and light (electromagnetic...
linear receive optics
Linear receive optics typically refers to the optical components and systems used in the reception (detection) of linearly...
CMOS camera
A CMOS camera refers to an imaging device that employs a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor to...
electroholography
A technology that uses electrically activated holograms stored within specially developed crystals to route information in...
local area network
Data communications network in a clearly defined geographical location, and extending no more than a few miles in length. It...
optoisolator
An optical coupling device that uses light to bridge the gap between incompatible wire communications systems. It contains...
low-loss fiber
Optical fiber that transmits a greater percentage of input light than does high-loss step-index fiber. Low-loss fiber...
optoelectronics
Optoelectronics is a branch of electronics that focuses on the study and application of devices and systems that use light...
short wavelength infrared
Short wavelength infrared (SWIR) refers to the portion of the infrared spectrum that encompasses wavelengths roughly between...
detector noise-limited operation
In optical communication systems, operations in which the amplitude of the pulses, as opposed to their width, determines the...
self-phase modulation
Self-phase modulation (SPM) is a nonlinear optical phenomenon that occurs when an intense laser beam passes through a...
micro-optics
Micro-optics refers to the design, fabrication, and application of optical components and systems at a microscale level....
unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without a human pilot onboard. UAVs are remotely...
low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit (LEO) refers to a region in space that is relatively close to Earth's surface, typically characterized by...
isolator
In the context of electronics and optics, an isolator refers to a device that allows the transmission of signals in one...
motion controller
In optics, a motion controller refers to a device or system that precisely controls the movement of optical components, such...
spatial light modulator
A spatial light modulator (SLM) is an optical device that modulates or manipulates the amplitude, phase, or polarization of...
meta-optics
Meta-optics, also known as metasurface optics or flat optics, is a branch of optics that involves the design, fabrication,...
optical materials
Optical materials refer to substances or compounds specifically chosen for their optical properties and used in the...
optical design and engineering services
Optical design and engineering services involve the development, customization, and optimization of optical systems and...
gallium nitride
Gallium nitride (GaN) is a compound made up of gallium (Ga) and nitrogen (N). It is a wide-bandgap semiconductor material...
MEMS fiber optic switch
A MEMS fiber optic switch is a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device designed to selectively route optical signals...
off-axis paraboloid and ellipsoid mirror
Off-axis paraboloid and ellipsoid mirrors are specialized optical components used in various optical systems, particularly...
integrated services digital network
A set of international standards by which a single telecommunications channel is used to transmit voice and data...
GRIN lens
A GRIN (gradient index) lens is a type of optical lens that utilizes a gradient in refractive index across its volume rather...
optical Fourier transform
The optical Fourier transform is a mathematical operation applied to optical signals that involves transforming a spatial...
optical gate
An optical gate typically refers to a device or system that controls the transmission of light, allowing it to pass through...
transducer
A transducer is a device or component that converts one form of energy into another. It is commonly used in various fields,...
fiber optic cable assembly
A fiber optic cable assembly refers to a complete unit consisting of optical fibers, connectors, protective jackets, and...
integrated optics
A thin-film device containing miniature optical components connected via optical waveguides on a transparent dielectric...
infrared light source
An infrared light source is a device that emits light in the infrared spectrum, which lies beyond the visible spectrum of...

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