The Vision Spectra Conference is now available ON DEMAND: Discover emerging trends in Cameras, Systems, and Sensors!
Search
Menu
Zurich Instruments AG - Boost Your Optics July-August LB
Photonics Marketplace
Suppliers Products
Handbook Institutions Dictionary

Show Filters
7,024 terms

Photonics Dictionary

Clear All Filters xfs x
photovoltaic
Photovoltaic (PV) refers to a technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductors. The term "photovoltaic" is derived from the words "photo," meaning light, and...
photronic cell
A photovoltaic cell usually sensitive to infrared radiation. It may have a copper base and a film of cuprous oxide. When it is irradiated, voltage is produced.
physical optics
The branch of science that treats light as a wave phenomenon wherein light propagation is studied by wavefronts rather than rays, as in geometric optics.
physical vapor deposition -> magnetron sputtering
A variation from standard physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating techniques, magnetron sputtering is a plasma coating process that utilizes magnetic fields to contain the plasma in front of the...
physiological optics
The study of visual perception by the sense of sight.
physisorption
A type of adsorption in which the adsorbed layer is attached to the adsorbent surface by an attractive force between the atoms or molecules rather than by a chemical bond (chemisorption).
picking
The process whereby pitch is broken and the lenses or blanks are removed from the block.
pico (p)
In the SI system, prefix meaning 10-12.
picosecond continuum
A broadband, visible picosecond probe pulse capable of measuring an entire absorption spectrum in one shot.
picosecond pulse
A pulse having extremely short duration, about 10-13 to 10-10 s, that is produced by mode locking of wide-bandwidth lasers, such as the organic dye and ruby lasers. Picosecond pulses are used in the...
picosecond spectroscopy
A method of measuring complex sequential photosynthetic reactions by varying the pulse time and wavelength of light generated by a combination of argon-ion and dye lasers.
picture element -> pixel
A pixel, short for "picture element," is the smallest controllable element of a digital image or display. It is a fundamental unit that represents a single point in a raster image, which is a grid of...
picture monitor
A kinescope used to survey the details of television video transmission.
picture tube
A term referring to the cathode-ray tube used in television receivers.
PID
proportional integral derivative; pulse interference detector
piecewise interferometry
An interferometric technique for the generation of precision gratings that allows for sequential exposure of small segments in the writing of a large grating, allowing increased intensity that...
piezo worm
A piezoelectric translator that moves up and down a spindle like a caterpillar. It clamps itself at one end, expands, clamps the other end, releases the first end, and then contracts and begins the...
piezo-optical transducer
A structure consisting of a thin film of liquid crystal sandwiched between light-polarizing filters that have received a surface lubricant. Depending on motion, the transducer acts as a highly...
piezoelectric axis
With respect to a crystal, one of the paths or axes that will exhibit a piezoelectric charge when subject to tension or compression.
piezoelectric crystal
A crystal consisting of a substance that has the ability to become electrically polarized and has strong piezoelectric properties. It is cut so as to emphasize the coupling to some distinct...
piezoelectric motion systems
Piezoelectric motion systems are mechanical systems that utilize piezoelectric materials to generate controlled motion or displacement. Piezoelectric materials exhibit the piezoelectric effect, which...
piezoelectric transducers and ceramic materials
Piezoelectric transducers are devices that utilize the piezoelectric effect to convert electrical energy into mechanical vibrations or vice versa. The piezoelectric effect is a property exhibited by...
piezoelectric
Piezoelectricity is a property exhibited by certain materials in which they generate an electric charge in response to mechanical stress or deformation, and conversely, undergo mechanical deformation...
piezoresistance
Piezoresistance is a phenomenon in materials science and physics where the electrical resistance of a material changes in response to applied mechanical stress or strain. This change in resistance...
pigtail
A short length of optical fiber permanently fixed to a component and used to couple power between it and the transmission fiber.
PIN photodiode
A PIN photodiode is a type of photodetector or semiconductor device used to convert light signals into electrical signals. The name "PIN" is derived from the arrangement of the three semiconductor...
pincushion distortion
An aberration of a lens system caused by an increase in lens focal length as the field angle increases. The amount of distortion normally increases as the cube of the image height.
pinhole camera
A lensless photographic camera that uses a small sharp-edged hole as its aperture. The light passed by this aperture onto the camera's film plane produces a soft-edged image that has a wide field of...
pinhole eyepiece
A type of eyepiece, or the modification of an eyepiece, in which a small hole, without a lens, functions as the eye lens; used in the adjustment and alignment of microscopes.
pink noise -> flicker noise
Any noise with a power spectral density that is the inverse of the signal's frequency and is therefore most significant for low-frequency signals. It can be expressed as 1/f and is therefore also...
pipeline
In image processing and elsewhere, generally an adjective to describe an assembly-line arrangement for performing a task. For example, an image is put through one kind of processing step and then...
Pirani gauge
A vacuum gauge designed to measure very high degrees of vacuum by thermal conduction.
PIRT
precision infrared triangulation
pistoning
Motion of a fiber into and out of the ferrule. This effect is often caused by changes in temperature.
pitch polishing compound
Pitch for polishing mixed with other materials to give it the right viscosity so that it will follow the fine-ground lens surface and yet maintain contact at all times.
pitch
In positioning, rotation about an axis normal to the line of sight. Also known as attitude.
pixel binning
Pixel binning, also known as pixel merging or pixel combining, is a technique used in digital imaging and camera technology. It involves the combining or grouping of adjacent pixels on an image...
pixel group processing
In digital image processing, a subcategory of frame processing that treats each pixel in terms of its relationship to adjacent pixels. Perceived brightness trends facilitate spatial filtering.
pixel pitch
Pixel pitch refers to the distance between the centers of two adjacent pixels on a display screen or imaging sensor. It is typically measured in millimeters and is a crucial specification in...
pixel
A pixel, short for "picture element," is the smallest controllable element of a digital image or display. It is a fundamental unit that represents a single point in a raster image, which is a grid of...
planar access coupler
Low-insertion-loss fiber coupler fabricated from a sheet of light-sensitive material laminated onto a fused quartz substrate and exposed through a suitable mask. After development of the plastic...
planar magnetron
A device used in the sputtering of thin films, in which a magnet system on the back of the cathode deflects the electrons, lengthening the ionization path. The accelerated ions transfer their...
Planck's (radiation) law
The formula describing the spectral radiant emittance of a perfect blackbody as a function of its temperature and the wavelength of the emitted radiation. where Wλ equals radiation...
Planck's constant
The universal constant h that has a value of 6.6260693 x 10-34 Js. A quantum of energy is equal to the product of the frequency of the radiation and Planck's constant.
Planck's law
A fundamental law of quantum theory which states that the discrete quanta of energy transfers associated with electromagnetic radiation are proportional to the frequency of the radiation.
Planckian locus
Locus of points on a chromaticity diagram that includes the chromaticities of blackbody radiators.
Planckian radiator
A synonym for blackbody or complete radiator.
plane
A surface that has no curvature; a surface that is perfectly flat.
plane densitometer
An instrument designed to give precise and rapid detection of changes in tumor growth as well as the location of small tumors by providing a three-dimensional picture of the tissue.
plane grating
A transmission or reflecting grating with a flat or plane surface requiring a lens or concave mirror to focus the spectrum.

Photonics Dictionary

Marketplace Help Need Help?

Explore Our Content
News
Features
Latest Products
Webinars
White Papers
All Things Photonics Podcast
Videos
Our Summits & Conferences
Industry Events
Bookstore
Join Our Community
Subscribe
Advertise
Become a member
Sign in
Contribute a Feature
Suggest a Webinar
Submit a Press Release
Mobile Apps

About Us
Our Company
Our Publications
Contact Us
Career Opportunities
Teddi C. Laurin Scholarship

Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)



©2024 Photonics Media
100 West St.
Pittsfield, MA, 01201 USA
[email protected]
We use cookies to improve user experience and analyze our website traffic as stated in our Privacy Policy. By using this website, you agree to the use of cookies unless you have disabled them.