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622 terms

Definitions: C

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contextual analysis
In optical character recognition systems, the identification of a character facilitated by means of known factors governing its appearance in a particular context; e.g., the first character in the...
continuous dynode electron multiplier -> channel electron multiplier
A photoelectric detector consisting of a glass tube internally coated with a low conductance material. Voltage applied along the tube causes photoemission from the photocathode at the end of the tube...
continuous spectrum
The radiation spectrum of matter found in condensed states, liquid or solid, that is continuous and not a line spectrum. The details of this spectrum are almost independent of the matter emitting the...
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 various contexts, the term is used to describe continuous, uninterrupted...
continuous-wave laser
A laser that emits radiation continuously rather than in short bursts, as in a pulsed laser.
contour analysis
A method in optical character recognition in which a mobile light beam scans the outlines of characters for subsequent reading of these outlines.
contour projection chart
A large-scale, precise drawing of the contours of a perfect mechanical part, often with plus and minus tolerances drawn or indicated. For quality control decisions, enlarged images of mechanically...
contour projector
An inspection device in which the profile of a mechanical part is projected onto a ground-glass screen at a precisely known magnification so that the shape of the part can be compared with a scale...
contouring
Selection of specific brightness values or minimum threshold levels as contingencies for the display of digital data.
contourography
The generation, usually by a cathode-ray oscilloscope, of a two-dimensional image having a three-dimensional appearance.
contrast
The apparent difference in brightness between light and dark areas of an image. For a light target against a dark background, contrast is computed as follows: where Lt is the luminance of the...
contrast control
With respect to television, a potentiometer that allows variation of the intensity of the different elements of an image and that can be used to accentuate the highlights and shadows in an image. In...
contrast filter
A filter designed to improve contrast in an imaging system. For visual and black and white photosystems, a yellow filter is used.
contrast improvement
One area of image enhancement, accomplished by spatial filtering schemes, that usually involves attenuation of phase changes in the complex amplitude over a limited region of the Fourier spectrum of...
contrast threshold
That contrast level that exists between two areas whose difference in brightness is just perceivable.
contrast transfer function -> modulation transfer function
Also called sine wave response and contrast transfer function. The modulation transfer function is the ratio of the modulation in the image to the modulation in the object as a function of frequency...
convergence
1. In optics, the bending of light rays toward each other, as by a convex or positive lens. 2. Turning in the eyes to view a near object. 3. In a television picture tube, the crossing of the...
convergent angle -> angle of convergence
An angle formed by the lines of sight of both eyes when focusing on an object. Also, the rate at which a ray approaches the optical axis.
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, concentrated spot at a specific point in front of the sensor. Also referred...
converging lens
Also known as convergent lens or convex lens. A lens that converges an incident bundle of rays to a focus.
converging meniscus
A converging lens with one convex and one concave surface.
converging surface
The curved boundary between two optical media of different refractive indices, which causes convergence.
conversion efficiency
In a pumped laser system, the ratio of output energy to pump energy.
convertible lens
Any lens with at least two lens elements, each of which can be used singly or in combined configurations.
convex
Convex is an adjective used to describe a surface or shape that curves outward, bulges, or has a rounded and outwardly extending appearance. In the context of geometry or optics, a convex shape is...
convex lens -> converging lens
Also known as convergent lens or convex lens. A lens that converges an incident bundle of rays to a focus.
convexo-concave lens -> meniscus lens
A lens that has one convex surface and the other concave.
convolution
An image-enhancement technique in which each pixel is subjected to a mathematical operation that groups it with its nearest neighbors and calculates its value accordingly.
convolution kernel
The group of adjacent pixels on which the convolution process is carried out.
convolutional neural network
A powerful and flexible machine-learning approach that can be used in machine vision to help solve difficult problems. Inspired by biological processes, multiple layers of neurons process portions of...
Cooke objective
A telephoto lens form noted for its lack of distortion.
Cooke triplet lens
The simplest lens in which all primary aberrations may be corrected. It consists of two positive crown elements on either side of, and spaced away from, a negative flint element.
coolant
A fluid used to decrease the temperature rise produced by friction or other causes.
cooled infrared detector
An infrared detector that achieves a specified sensitivity through the application of certain cryogenic temperatures.
Cooper pairs
The coupled pairs of electrons that carry supercurrents through the body of a superconductor, relative to a coherent macroscopic wave function with the superconductor.
coordinate measuring microscope
An instrument used to measure the coordinates of a point on an object such as a photographic plate.
copolymerization
The combination of two or more different small-molecule monomers into a polymer.
copper oxide photocell
An early type of nonvacuum photocell consisting of a layer of copper oxide on a metallic substrate, with a thin transparent layer of a conductor over the oxide. When light falls on the cell, a small...
copper vapor laser -> metal vapor laser
Devices 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...
copying camera
A camera mounted on an optical bench with an easel to hold the material to be copied. Magnification can be varied over a wide range by sliding the camera and easel.
cord
A threadlike inclusion within a blank of optical glass. Rarely found in quality optical materials.
core
The light-conducting portion of an optical fiber, defined by the region of high refractive index.
core-coupled lens
A semispherical or conical lens created directly on the core of an optical fiber to focus light from a laser into the fiber core.
coring
A mass-relieving method whereby material is removed through the sides of a reflector in a direction parallel to the surface. A method of cutting a cylindrical piece of material from a large piece.
cornea
The transparent front layer of the eye. Light entering the eye is refracted (converged) by the outer surface of the cornea.
corneal shaping
The mechanical modification of the shape of the cornea to correct a vision defect.
corner cube
A corner cube, also known as a corner reflector or retroreflector prism, is a type of optical device used to reflect light or electromagnetic waves back towards their source with minimal deviation in...
corner-cube prism -> corner cube
A corner cube, also known as a corner reflector or retroreflector prism, is a type of optical device used to reflect light or electromagnetic waves back towards their source with minimal deviation in...
corner-cube reflector -> corner cube
A corner cube, also known as a corner reflector or retroreflector prism, is a type of optical device used to reflect light or electromagnetic waves back towards their source with minimal deviation in...
cornering
The removal of a slight overlap that may be found on a blank or pressing.

Photonics DictionaryDefinitionsC

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