848 terms
Photonics Dictionary
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LEEDlaser-energized explosive device; low-energy electron diffraction
lens blankA lens blank is a piece of optical material in a raw, unfinished state, typically in the form of a disk or block, from which lenses are eventually fabricated. Lens blanks are made from various...
LEOSLasers & Electro-Optics Society (of IEEE)
LFMlaser feedback microscope; lateral force microscope; longitudinal field modulator
LGWSlaser-guided weapons system
LIBSlaser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
LICAPlaser-induced cut and patch
lidarLidar, short for light detection and ranging, is a remote sensing technology that uses laser light to measure distances and generate precise, three-dimensional information about the shape and...
LIFSlaser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy
light modulatorA device that is designed to modulate a beam of light, usually from a laser source, by acting upon the beam directly. The three general types of devices operate in an acousto-optic, electro-optic or...
light sourceThe generic term applied to all sources of visible radiation from burning matter to ionized vapors and lasers, regardless of the degree of excitation.
LIMSlaser ionization mass spectrometry
linac -> linear acceleratorA device used to accelerate the electrons in a free-electron laser. There are several types, including the induction linear accelerator, the radio frequency linear accelerator and the superconducting...
line-narrowed laserA semiconductor laser in which the naturally occurring broad linewidth has been narrowed by incorporating the laser diode into a large resonant external cavity.
line-selectable laser -> tunable laserAny form of laser; e.g., a dye laser, having an output that can be adjusted over a wide range of wavelengths. Normally the range is about 70 nm wide.
linear acceleratorA device used to accelerate the electrons in a free-electron laser. There are several types, including the induction linear accelerator, the radio frequency linear accelerator and the superconducting...
linear opticsLinear optics refers to the study and manipulation of light in a linear and deterministic manner, where the response of optical elements is proportional to the amplitude of the incident light wave....
liquid crystal light valveA liquid crystal light valve (LCLV), also known as a spatial light modulator (SLM), is an optical device that modulates the intensity, phase, or polarization of light passing through it using liquid...
LISlaser isotope separation
LOAlaser optoacoustic
local oscillator laserIn coherent optical communications systems, a laser used at the receiving end to produce a steady wave that is combined with the incoming laser signal before detection, generating a composite wave...
longitudinal pumpingA dye laser cell configuration in which the dye flows in the direction of the axis of the laser, yielding symmetrical energy distribution but small repetition rates.
LRSlaser Raman spectroscopy
LSMlaser scanning microscope
LSTlaser spot tracker
lumiaA laser effect used especially for laser light shows. Lumia are created by placing a distorting medium such as rippled glass in the path of the laser beam.
LUPIlaser unequal path interferometer
machine vision lightingMachine vision lighting refers to the use of specific lighting techniques and equipment in the field of machine vision, which is a technology that enables machines to capture and interpret visual...
magnetic rotation spectroscopyTechnique in which the polarization rotation of light, and its relationship to the magnetic field strength can be analyzed and related to various experimental parameters when passed through a...
magnetorheological finishingMagnetorheological finishing (MRF) is a precision optics polishing technique used for shaping and finishing optical surfaces to achieve extremely high levels of smoothness and accuracy. It is...
Maldimatrix-assisted laser desorption ionization
maserAn acronym for microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Predecessor to the laser, the maser or 'microwave laser' was the first device to produce coherent electromagnetic waves,...
mask1. A framelike structure that serves to restrict the viewing area of the screen when placed before a television picture tube.
2. In photolithography, a photomask (or mask) is typically a patterned...
masks for evaporation/depositionIn the context of thin film deposition processes such as evaporation or sputtering, masks are used to selectively deposit material onto substrates, creating patterns or structures with precise...
mass spectrometryMass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical technique used to determine the molecular composition and structure of compounds based on their mass-to-charge ratio (m/z). It involves ionizing chemical...
master oscillation -> injection seedingThe use of a small ultrastable master oscillator (a diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser) to achieve single-frequency operation of a large pulsed Nd:YAG host laser, providing improved bandwidth and temporal...
Matrix opticsThe linear relationship between input and output optical fields for a given optical system or application that allows the use of a matrix and matrix algebra to define an optical system, or series of...
matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionizationProcess of analysis in which the analyte substance is distributed in a matrix before laser desorption. This method avoids the mass limitations associated with laser desorption and possibly enhances...
maximum permissable exposureThe maximum level of laser radiation that a person may be exposed to without adverse biological effects.
medical lasersMedical lasers are devices that produce intense beams of light with specific characteristics and properties, which are used for various medical applications. These lasers emit light in the form of...
MELmany-element laser; maximum excess loss (MEL) — the many element laser is a laser unit that consists of N like elements of active materials for support with the mode selection of the laser output. The mode selection properties of a many element laser have been experimentally exploited with as many as 10 like elements.
Maximum excess loss is the maximum power lost within a give system (typically a fiber optic communication system) including scattering, dispersion, absorption and coupling loss.
meniscus lensA meniscus lens is an optical lens that has one side that is concave (curved inward) and the other side that is convex (curved outward). It can be categorized into two types based on its optical...
metal vapor laserDevices in which the lasing medium is a vapor of metal atoms or ions, sometimes mixed with another gas. Metal vapor lasers use a variety of metal types to generate a variety of laser lines for...
micro-opticsMicro-optics refers to the design, fabrication, and application of optical components and systems at a microscale level. These components are miniaturized optical elements that manipulate light at a...
microbubble resonatorA microbubble resonator is a device used in photonics and optical physics for the precise manipulation of light waves. It consists of a micro-sized, gas-filled spherical cavity (the "microbubble")...
microchannel spatial light modulatorA device to modulate spatially a collimated coherent beam of light with input data in optical data processing. It uses a photocathode mounted on a microchannel plate, which amplifies an electron...
microphonic noiseOutput noise in a laser beam resulting from acoustic disturbances of mirror separation or orientation. Such disturbances may come either from the plasma or from vibration of external sources.
micropitA laser-induced scar on experimental bare glass surfaces usually attributable to threshold damage and indicative of isolated damage-susceptible areas in the glass.
microprobeAn instrument that produces an intense, tightly focused beam of ions to stimulate emissions from a minute section of a sample undergoing spectroscopic analysis. The ion beams found in microprobes are...
microscopyMicroscopy is a scientific technique that involves the use of microscopes to observe and study objects that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. Microscopes are instruments that magnify and...
Photonics Dictionary