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sensor Dictionary Terms

B-scope
A cathode-ray display where information is represented visually as spots. Each spot's location is represented by a...
adaptive optics
Adaptive optics (AO) is a technology used to improve the performance of optical systems by reducing the effects of...
structural color
Structural color refers to coloration in materials that is not caused by pigments or dyes but is instead a result of the...
holographic camera
A holographic camera, also known as a holographic imaging system or holographic recorder, is a specialized device used to...
fiber optic sensor
A fiber optic sensor is a device that uses optical fibers to detect and measure physical, chemical, biological, or...
GRIN lens
A GRIN (gradient index) lens is a type of optical lens that utilizes a gradient in refractive index across its volume rather...
Kerr effect
The Kerr effect, named after the physicist John Kerr who first observed it in 1875, is a nonlinear optical phenomenon where...
common optoelectronics laser detection system
A laser warning and countermeasure system containing a sensor that indicates the direction of a laser beam, and analytical...
CID camera
CID, or charge injection device, camera refers to a type of imaging device that utilizes a specific kind of solid-state...
disc calorimeter
A device that provides simple and reliable laser power and energy measurement. Essentially a heat flux sensor producing an...
cold shield
That part of an infrared detector-Dewar assembly that limits the solid angle viewed by the sensor; it is maintained at a...
amplitude-modulated sensor
A type of fiber optic sensor that detects alteration in position, distance, pressure, liquid level or temperature by...
molded lens
A molded lens is an optical lens manufactured using a molding process, typically involving the shaping of a material, such...
infrared lens
An infrared lens is an optical component specifically designed and optimized for transmitting, focusing, or manipulating...
alphanumeric reader
An instrument that reads alphabetic, numerical and special characters by means of a photosensor that measures the varying...
ultrasonic
Ultrasonic refers to sound waves with frequencies higher than the upper audible limit of human hearing, typically above...
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...
staring sensor array
Polarization Imaging
A subsurface imaging technique based upon the polarization of light reflected off an object. The polarization of reflected...
internet of things
The internet of things (IoT) refers to a network of interconnected physical devices, vehicles, appliances, and other objects...
color scanner
An instrument that uses a beam of light to scan a color transparency, and three differently filtered photosensors to record...
optical testing instrument
An optical testing instrument is a device or system used to evaluate and measure the performance, quality, and...
pixel pitch
Pixel pitch refers to the distance between the centers of two adjacent pixels on a display screen or imaging sensor. It is...
pixel binning
Pixel binning, also known as pixel merging or pixel combining, is a technique used in digital imaging and camera technology....
CMOS quantitative polymerase chain reaction system
This type of miniaturized system, referred to as CMOS qPCR, combines microfluidic technology with an ultralow-light CMOS...
nanophotonics
Nanophotonics is a branch of science and technology that explores the behavior of light on the nanometer scale, typically at...
optical communications
The transmission and reception of information by optical devices and sensors.
directed energy
Directed energy refers to a type of energy that is emitted and transferred in a controlled direction. The term is often...
FMCW lidar
FMCW lidar stands for frequency-modulated continuous wave lidar. It is a type of lidar (light detection and ranging)...
neuromorphic vision sensor
A neuromorphic vision sensor is a type of imaging device designed to mimic the structure and functioning of the human visual...
dark operate mode
An operate mode in which the sensor is programmed to perform a task such as generating output when the light level falls...
heatseeker
A guided missile that uses an infrared sensor to detect and home in on an enemy target. The missile is guided by the high...
volumetric imaging
Volumetric imaging refers to the capture, visualization, and analysis of three-dimensional (3D) information from a volume of...
line scan
Line scan refers to a method of capturing images or data by scanning a single line at a time, as opposed to capturing the...
GaAIAs laser
A GaAlAs laser is a type of semiconductor laser diode that emits light in the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic...
charge-coupled device
A charge-coupled device (CCD) is a type of electronic image sensor used in various imaging devices, including digital...
dynamic stare sensor
A type of mosaic detector array that combines features of scanning and staring sensors by using a small rapid scanning...
hydrogel
A hydrogel is a three-dimensional network of polymer chains that are hydrophilic, meaning they have a strong affinity for...
intensity-modulated sensor
A type of fiber optic sensor that responds to a change in the intensity of received light caused by the displacement or...
optofluidics
Optofluidics is an interdisciplinary field that combines principles from optics and fluidics to create devices and systems...
CMOS camera
A CMOS camera refers to an imaging device that employs a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor to...
plasma-coupled device
Monolithic self-scanning linear image sensor array for multichannel spectroscopy with a spectral range of from 200 to 1000...
light fidelity
LiFi, short for light fidelity, is a wireless communication technology that utilizes visible light or infrared light to...
instantaneous field of view
Instantaneous field of view (iFOV) is a term commonly used in the context of remote sensing, imaging systems, and optical...
impurity level
In the context of optical materials, the term "impurity level" refers to the presence of foreign atoms or molecules within...
advanced tactical air reconnaissance system
An aerial reconnaissance system that can transmit, in near real time, image data recorded by IR and visual-spectrum sensors,...
integration time
Integration time, in the context of optics, imaging systems, and sensor technology, refers to the duration over which a...
gas filter correlation
A technique for measuring the concentration of any gases. Identical infrared beams are alternately chopped, one passing...
donpisha
A type of asynchronous shutter device that is used particularly in CCD sensor applications to capture an image of a...
photonic cavity
A photonic cavity, also known as an optical cavity, is a structure that confines electromagnetic radiation within a certain...
stibine gas
The purest gas source of antimony, which is used in the manufacture of compound semiconductors for IR sensors and...
blackbody source
A blackbody source, often simply referred to as a blackbody, is a theoretical or practical physical object that absorbs all...
InGaAs photodiode
An InGaAs photodiode refers to a photodetector device that is constructed using a semiconductor material composed of a...
parallel scanning
Parallel scanning refers to a method of acquiring data or images simultaneously from multiple sources or in parallel, rather...
germanium crystal
Germanium crystal refers to a crystalline form of the element germanium (Ge), which is a metalloid and semiconductor...
infrared light source
An infrared light source is a device that emits light in the infrared spectrum, which lies beyond the visible spectrum of...
lab-on-a-chip
A lab-on-a-chip (LOC) is a miniaturized device that integrates various laboratory functions and capabilities onto a single,...
unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without a human pilot onboard. UAVs are remotely...
micro-robotics
Micro-robotics refers to the field of robotics that involves the design, development, and application of miniature robotic...
Joule-Thomson cooler
A detector cooling device in which a gas under high pressure escapes through an expansion valve in the tank; as the escaped...
bias frame
A frame taken with a CCD camera over an exposure length of zero seconds with the lens cap on or the shutter closed and no...
mid-wave infrared
MWIR stands for mid-wave infrared, referring to a specific range of wavelengths within the infrared spectrum. Infrared...
high-content screening
Also known as HCS, an analytical method designed to collect statistically relevant amounts of quantitative data on many...
beam profiling
Beam profiling is a technique used to characterize and analyze the spatial intensity distribution of a laser beam. It...
2D profile sensor
A 2D profile sensor is a type of sensor used in various industrial and technological applications to measure and capture...
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...
high-resolution visible sensor
A satellite-borne remote sensing device capable of transmitting images at 10 and 20 m resolution from an altitude of 830 km,...
whispering gallery mode
Whispering gallery mode (WGM) refers to a phenomenon in wave physics, particularly in optics, where waves, such as light or...
machine vision
Machine vision, also known as computer vision or computer sight, refers to the technology that enables machines, typically...
electron multiplication charge-coupled device camera
An EMCCD (electron-multiplying charge-coupled device) camera is a type of scientific camera specifically designed for...
quantum efficiency
Quantum efficiency (QE) is a measure of the effectiveness with which a device or system, typically in the context of...
digital camera
A digital camera is a device that captures and records still images or video in digital format. Unlike traditional film...
microbend-modulated sensor
A type of fiber optic sensor that detects changes in pressure, vibration, sound level or acceleration by monitoring the...
3D laser line profile sensor
A 3D profile sensor, also known as a 3D profiling sensor or 3D depth sensor, is a technology that is used to capture and...
Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor
The Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor is an optical device used for measuring the wavefront aberrations of an optical system....
linear receive optics
Linear receive optics typically refers to the optical components and systems used in the reception (detection) of linearly...
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...
near-infrared camera
A near-infrared (NIR) camera is an imaging device designed to capture images in the near-infrared region of the...
convergent beam sensing mode
A type of photoelectric proximity mode sensing incorporating a lens system to focus the light from the emitter in a small,...
microring resonator
A microring resonator is a compact optical device that utilizes the resonant behavior of light within a small ring-shaped...
scientific complementary metal-oxide semiconductor
Scientific complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (sCMOS) refers to a type of image sensor technology specifically designed...
motion controller
In optics, a motion controller refers to a device or system that precisely controls the movement of optical components, such...
machine vision system
A machine vision system is an integrated combination of hardware and software components designed to capture, process, and...
micro-optics
Micro-optics refers to the design, fabrication, and application of optical components and systems at a microscale level....
virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) is a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional environment or experience that can be...
pushbroom scanning
Pushbroom scanning is a technique used in remote sensing and imaging systems, particularly in satellite and aerial sensors,...
piezoelectric motion systems
Piezoelectric motion systems are mechanical systems that utilize piezoelectric materials to generate controlled motion or...
photodetector
A photodetector, also known as a photosensor or photodiode, is a device that detects and converts light into an electrical...
hyperspectral imaging
Hyperspectral imaging is an advanced imaging technique that captures and processes information from across the...
microchannel plate
A microchannel plate (MCP) is a specialized electron multiplier device used in various applications such as particle...
nanopositioning
Nanopositioning refers to the precise and controlled movement or manipulation of objects or components at the nanometer...
magneto-optics
Magneto-optics refers to the study and manipulation of the interaction between magnetic fields and light (electromagnetic...
panoramic camera
A camera designed to form a continuous record of an expansive section of the horizon. The typical panoramic camera is...
silicon photodiode
A silicon photodiode is a semiconductor device that converts light into an electrical current. It is a type of photodetector...
linear image sensor
A linear image sensor is a type of solid-state electronic device used to capture and convert light into electrical signals....
infrared detector
An infrared detector is a device that is used to detect and measure infrared radiation, which lies beyond the visible...
electron microscope
A device utilizing an electron beam for the observation and recording of submicroscopic samples with the aid of photographic...
simultaneous location and mapping
Technology that uses data from an array of sensors, one of which is commonly lidar, to solve the problem of creating a map...
functional material
Functional materials refer to materials that possess specific properties or functionalities that make them suitable for...
optical barcode reader
An optical barcode reader, commonly known as a barcode scanner, is a device that uses optical technology to capture and...
input/output
I/O stands for input/output. In computing, it refers to the communication between a computer system or program and its...
event-based sensor
An event-based image sensor, also known as a dynamic vision sensor (DVS), is a type of digital imaging device designed to...
thermography
Thermography is a technique that involves the use of an infrared imaging device, called a thermal camera or infrared camera,...
optical filter
An optical filter is a device that selectively transmits or blocks specific wavelengths, or colors, of light. Optical...
conical scan sensor
A device used to determine the location and attitude with respect to the Earth of orbiting spacecraft by detecting the...
charge-injection device
A charge-injection device (CID) refers to a class of devices that manipulate and detect electrical charge within a...
transport shift register
The element in a charge-coupled device that receives the charge packets transferred from the line of sensor sites and then...
aptamer
An aptamer is a short, single-stranded DNA or RNA molecule that can bind to a specific target molecule with high affinity...
modulation transfer function analysis/measurement equipment
MTF analysis/measurement equipment refers to instruments and tools used to measure and analyze the modulation transfer...
label-free
Label-free refers to a technique or method that does not require the use of additional labels, tags, or markers to detect or...
piezoresistance
Piezoresistance is a phenomenon in materials science and physics where the electrical resistance of a material changes in...
blooming
The loss of focus of a camera sensor because of excessive brightness, characterized by the enlargement of spot size and...
ground truth
A term variously applied to remote sensing techniques that essentially refers to all parametric conditions that influence...
area scan
Area scan, in the context of imaging and cameras, refers to a method of capturing an entire two-dimensional image in a...
proximity-mode sensing
A method of sensing by transmitting energy from the sensor and detecting the energy after it has been reflected by the...
digital twin
A digital twin refers to a virtual representation or digital counterpart of a physical object, system, or process. This...
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...
sensor
1. A generic term for detector. 2. A complete optical/mechanical/electronic system that contains some form of radiation...
saccadic motion
The movement of the eye as it focuses on details of a scene. Some imaging systems mimic this movement by small, rapid...
flatbed scanner
An imaging device analogous to a drum scanner, but operating at greater speeds; it uses a row of sensors to traverse an...
infrared optic
Infrared optics refer to optical components and systems designed to manipulate and control infrared (IR) light, which lies...
microlens array
A microlens array is a grid-like structure composed of numerous small lenses, typically arranged in a regular pattern. Each...
optical manufacturing tools and machinery
Optical manufacturing tools and machinery encompass a wide range of equipment, instruments, and systems used in the...
transducer
A transducer is a device or component that converts one form of energy into another. It is commonly used in various fields,...
embedded vision
Embedded vision refers to the integration of computer vision technologies into various embedded systems, devices, or...
3D laser triangulation
3D Laser Triangulation - A technology that allows sensors to probe the surroundings. Laser triangulation systems have an...
rolling shutter artifacts
Rolling shutter artifacts are distortions or visual anomalies that can occur in images or videos captured by cameras with...
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...
complementary metal-oxide semiconductor
Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) refers to a technology used in the fabrication of integrated circuits,...
evaporagraph
A sensor generally used for infrared imaging. It consists of two chambers separated by a thin, blackened membrane. An...
lidar
Lidar, short for light detection and ranging, is a remote sensing technology that uses laser light to measure distances and...
lensless microscopy
Lensless microscopy, also known as computational or holographic microscopy, is an imaging technique that captures and...
second-order nonlinear optical properties
Second-order nonlinear optical properties refer to a class of phenomena exhibited by certain materials in response to...
field of view
The field of view (FOV) refers to the extent of the observable world or the visible area that can be seen at any given...
holography
Holography is a technique used to capture and reconstruct three-dimensional images using the principles of interference and...
image intensifier
An image intensifier, also known as an image intensification tube or image intensification device, is a specialized...
fiber optic spectrometer
A fiber optic spectrometer is a device used for measuring the spectral content of light. It utilizes optical fibers to...
endoscope
An endoscope is a medical device used for visualizing and examining the interior of hollow organs, body cavities, or...
lattice
In photonics, a lattice refers to a periodic arrangement of optical elements or structures, often on a microscopic or...
modified chemical vapor deposition
Modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) is a technique used in the fabrication of optical fibers. It is a specialized form...
stealth
That characteristic which makes a weapon system less visible to radar, optical, acousto-optic, infrared and other military...
machine vision lens
A machine vision lens is a specialized optical lens designed for use in machine vision systems, which are used for automated...
remote sensing
Remote sensing is a method of data collection and observation where information about objects, areas, or phenomena on...
nanoimprint lithography
Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) is a nanolithography technique used for fabricating nanoscale patterns on a substrate. It is a...
accelerometer
An accelerometer is a sensor or transducer that measures the rate of change of velocity of an object, or in simpler terms,...
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...
liquid crystal
Liquid crystals are a state of matter that exhibits properties intermediate between those of conventional liquids and solid...
light field
The term light field refers to the spatial distribution of light rays traveling in all directions through a given space. It...
optoelectronics
Optoelectronics is a branch of electronics that focuses on the study and application of devices and systems that use light...
intensified charge-coupled device camera
An intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) camera is an advanced imaging device that combines the capabilities of both an...
aberration sensor (wavefront sensor)
Designed for the function of optical wavefront analysis. Shack-Hartmann camera aberration sensors use a lens array to image...
photoelectric photometry
The use of photoelectric sensors to detect and measure the intensity of a light source. This application, as compared to...
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...
ferroelectric materials
Ferroelectric materials are a type of dielectric materials that exhibit spontaneous electric polarization, meaning they...
epitaxial deposition
Epitaxial deposition is a process used in semiconductor manufacturing and materials science to grow a thin crystalline...
augmented reality
Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that integrates digital information, typically in the form of computer-generated...
intensified charge-coupled device
A CCD image sensor that uses a proximity-focused image intensifier to provide greater sensitivity at low light levels.
interferometric sensor
indium gallium arsenide camera
An InGaAs (indium gallium arsenide) camera is a type of imaging device that utilizes InGaAs sensors to capture images in the...
drift scan
An astronomical scanning technique for capturing images of stars without moving the sensor. To perform a drift scan, a CCD...
hybrid mosaic on stacked silicon
A sensor module used in advanced pattern recognition systems, containing signal-processing integrated circuits stacked and...
wide-angle lens
A wide-angle lens is a type of camera lens that has a shorter focal length than a standard or normal lens, allowing it to...
phase-modulated sensor
A phase-modulated sensor is a type of sensor that uses modulation of the phase of a signal to measure changes in a physical...
short wavelength infrared
Short wavelength infrared (SWIR) refers to the portion of the infrared spectrum that encompasses wavelengths roughly between...
skew angle
The angle at which photoelectric sensors are aligned to prevent light from being reflected back to the sensor from the...
saturation
1. The decrease of the absorption (or gain) coefficient of a medium near some transition frequency when the power of the...
electro-optic modulator
An electro-optic modulator (EOM) is a device used to modulate the amplitude, phase, or polarization of light waves using an...
multispectral imaging
Multispectral imaging is a technique that involves capturing and analyzing images at multiple discrete spectral bands within...
smart skin
Structural surfaces that incorporate an embedded sensor network capable of detecting flaws within the structure.
plasmonics
Plasmonics is a field of science and technology that focuses on the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and free...
autoguider
A CCD sensor that provides feedback to the motion control system for a telescope, allowing the telescope to follow a...
quantum-ehanced metrology
Quantum-enhanced metrology refers to the use of quantum mechanics principles and techniques to enhance the precision and...
laser diode module
A laser diode module is a compact device that incorporates a laser diode, optics, and often other components into a single...
computer numerically controlled grinding
Computer numerically controlled (CNC) grinding is a manufacturing process that utilizes computerized controls and precision...
matrix array
Image sensors in a two-dimensional configuration of rows or columns.
infrared light-emitting diode
An infrared light-emitting diode (IR LED) is a semiconductor device that emits infrared light when an electric current...
infrared camera
An infrared camera, also known as a thermal imaging camera or IR camera, is a device that captures and visualizes the...
GigE
GigE, short for gigabit Ethernet, refers to a standard for high-speed Ethernet communication, capable of transmitting data...
mosaic detector array
A group of photosensors arranged in a grid-like pattern covering the entire field of view, enabling them to record it all at...
optical fiber
Optical fiber is a thin, flexible, transparent strand or filament made of glass or plastic used for transmitting light...
CCD image sensor
A CCD image sensor, or charge-coupled device image sensor, is a type of electronic device used to convert optical images...
detector-Dewar assembly
A detector-Dewar assembly typically refers to a combination of a detector and a Dewar flask used in scientific instruments,...
semiconductor
A semiconductor is a type of material that has electrical conductivity between that of a conductor and an insulator. In...
nanotube
A nanotube, also known as a nanotubule or simply a tube-like structure, is a nanoscale cylindrical structure composed of...
long-wave infrared
Long-wave infrared (LWIR) refers to a specific range of the infrared spectrum. Infrared radiation is divided into three main...
detector array
A detector array refers to a collection of individual detector elements arranged in a two-dimensional grid or matrix format....
integrated photonics
Integrated photonics is a field of study and technology that involves the integration of optical components, such as lasers,...
homing guidance system
A system of sensors and related instrumentation that allows a navigable object (usually a missile) to locate its destination...
area image sensor
 fluoro-immunosensor
A fiber optic device that uses a HeNe laser, beamsplitter, monochromator and photomultiplier to detect trace levels of...
proximity probe
A noncontact sensor used in the remote measurement of position, speed or other variables of moving parts.
television camera
A camera containing an electronic image sensor that converts the image to an electronic signal suitable for television...
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...
CMOS image sensor
A CMOS image sensor, short for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor image sensor, is a type of semiconductor device used...
photon jet
A photon jet is a narrow, highly collimated beam of light that is formed when light interacts with small dielectric...
blur circle
A blur circle refers to the out-of-focus region in an image captured by an optical system. When an object in a scene is not...
camera memory
Primary image memory that is built into a digital camera and stores the digital images generated by the camera's image...
laser annealing
Laser annealing is a process that involves using a laser beam to heat and modify the microstructure of a material, typically...
nonselective sensor
A radiometric device or system having uniform responsivity relative to all of the radiation parameters, or relative to one...
autofocus system
A means of adjusting the sharpness of an image automatically, with a sensor for estimating distance or contrast and a drive...
advanced driver assistance systems
Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) refers to a set of safety features and technologies designed to assist drivers in...
topological photonics
Topological photonics is a branch of physics and optics that explores the application of topological concepts to the...
quantum sensing
Quantum sensing refers to a class of sensing technologies that leverage principles from quantum mechanics to enhance the...
line-scan camera
A line-scan camera, also known as a line-scan image sensor or linear array camera, is a type of digital camera designed to...
photosite
A small section of the surface of a sensor corresponding to a single pixel in the image.
spectral pyrheliometer
Any pyrheliometer that has a filter placed over its sensor to limit the range of solar radiation it will detect; used to...

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