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Photonics Dictionary

2D profile sensor

A 2D profile sensor is a type of sensor used in various industrial and technological applications to measure and capture detailed information about the shape, contour, or profile of an object in two...

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 measure the three-dimensional shape or profile of an object or a scene. These...

3D laser triangulation

3D laser triangulation is a technology that allows sensors to probe the surroundings. Laser triangulation systems have an ideal operating point, or the standoff distance, where its reflected spot is...

3D printing

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), is a manufacturing process that builds three-dimensional objects layer by layer from a digital model. This technology allows the creation of...

3D profiling

3D profiling, also known as three-dimensional profiling, refers to the process of capturing, analyzing, and visualizing the three-dimensional shape, geometry, and surface characteristics of objects...

3D scanners

3D scanners are devices used to capture the three-dimensional shape and characteristics of physical objects or environments. They utilize various technologies to gather data about the geometry,...

absolute (kelvin degrees), absorption, acoustic, alpha particle, analog, anode, ampere, amplitude, area, atomic, atomic mass, Helmholtz free energy, mass number, nucleon number

atto-

angstrom

A-O

acousto-optic

A/D

analog-to-digital

attoampere

analog to analog, anti-aliasing (AA optical filter e.g. low pass filter), approximate absolute temperature, atomic absorption

AAAS

American Association for the Advancement of Science

AART

Analog Adaptive Resonance Theory

AAS

American Astronomical Society

Abaxial ray

Ray oriented and assumed to propagate orthogonal to the optical axis

abaxial spherical aberration

Abaxial spherical aberration, also called oblique spherical aberration, refers to a specific type of optical aberration that occurs in lens systems. It is a form of spherical aberration that affects...

Abbe condenser

An Abbe condenser is a type of optical component used in microscopy to enhance the illumination of the specimen. Named after the German physicist Ernst Abbe, who developed it in the 19th century, the...

Abbe constant

A dispersion relation defined in order to value the reciprocal amount of dispersion. It is defined as the refractivity over the difference in index values of the shortest and longest visible...

Abbe illumination

Image of a uniform source through the sample of a microscope image system. Light from the sample plane is reimaged by the objective into the image plane.

Abbe prism

A form of roof prism used to invert an image. The prism has faces cut normal to the optical axis; therefore, the prism may be placed within the optical path of a system and invert the image without...

Abbe refractometer

An Abbe refractometer is a scientific instrument used to measure the refractive index of liquids and solids. Named after the German physicist Ernst Abbe, this device operates on the principle of...

Abbe sine condition

Abbe-Porro prism

An Abbe-Porro prism, often referred to simply as a Porro prism, is an optical prism used in binoculars and other optical instruments to invert and reverse an image. It is named after the Italian...

aberration sensor (wavefront sensor)

An aberration sensor typically refers to a component or feature in optical systems, especially in telescopes or cameras, that detects and quantifies aberrations. Aberrations are imperfections or...

ABG

The ABg model or Harvey-Shack is a method of describing bidirectional scattering from isotropic or polished surfaces.

ablation -> laser ablation

Laser ablation is a process that involves the removal or erosion of material from a target surface using laser energy. This technique is widely used in various scientific, industrial, and medical...

ablation threshold

The ablation threshold refers to the minimum amount of energy, such as laser energy or intense radiation, required to remove material from a surface through ablation. Ablation itself is the process...

ablative photodecomposition

Ablative photodecomposition refers to a process where a material is broken down or decomposed due to exposure to intense light, typically laser light. In this process, the photons from the laser...

ablative wall flashlamp

An ablative wall flashlamp typically refers to a type of flashlamp used in certain high-energy laser systems. Components include: Flashlamp: This is a device that produces an intense pulse...

Abney effect

The Abney effect, named after its discoverer Sir William de Wiveleslie Abney, refers to a phenomenon in color perception where the appearance of a color is influenced by the brightness of its...

abrasion mark

Optical surface damage due to abrasive rubbing. Abrasion damage affects are less than the thickness of the optical coating layers. Surface investigation may be achieved by aluminization of the coated...

abrasive

Powder used to produce a smooth optical surface through abrasive polishing. Compounds may produce a surface finish specified for each.

abridged spectrophotometer

An abridged spectrophotometer refers to a simplified or compact version of a traditional spectrophotometer, which is a scientific instrument used to measure the intensity of light at different...

ABS

absorbance; acrylonitrile butadiene styrene

abs

absolute value

absolute colorimetric

Absolute colorimetric refers to a color management rendering intent used in color profiles and conversion processes, particularly in the context of printing and digital imaging. Absolute...

absolute luminance threshold

The absolute luminance threshold is the lowest luminance level of a light source or illuminated object that can be detected by the human eye under specific conditions. This threshold represents the...

absolute magnification

The value of the distance of distinct vision, minimum focusing distance or near point, divided by the focal length of the lens. Magnification is produced when the optic is placed at its focal...

absolute purity threshold

Least value of color value combinations which gives white light; minimum purity as determined to be white.

absolute refractive index

The ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum divided by the speed of light in the medium.

absolute temperature scale

The measurement of heat energy as determined from absolute zero as the zero point on the scale. Increments are identical to the Celsius as well as Kelvin scales.

absolute white

Absolute white is a term used in color science and imaging to describe a reference white point that represents the brightest, most neutral white achievable. It serves as a standard for measuring and...

absorbance

The natural log of the ratio of absorbed intensity over the total intensity which gives a constant value assuming a stable volume as well as energy. In optical physics the absorbance may be defined...

absorbing wedge

An absorbing wedge is an optical device used to control the intensity of light passing through it by absorbing a portion of the light. It is typically used in experiments and optical systems where...

absorptance

Absorptance refers to the fraction of incident electromagnetic radiation (such as light or infrared radiation) that is absorbed by a surface, rather than being reflected or transmitted. It is a...

absorption

Absorption is the process by which a material takes in energy from electromagnetic radiation (such as light, heat, or sound) and converts it to other forms of energy, typically internal energy (such...

absorption band

An absorption band is a range of wavelengths, frequencies, or energies in the electromagnetic spectrum within which a substance absorbs radiation. It appears as a dark band in a spectrum where the...

absorption coefficient, absorption cross section

The transition cross section constant coefficient which defines the transition probability of absorption from ground to a higher level within a given atomic or molecular species. The transition...

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