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8,726 terms

Photonics Dictionary

optical resolution

A measure of image quality produced by an optical system. May be specified in terms of cycles per millimeter, referencing a repeating bar pattern; or angular resolution, referencing the angle...

optical resonator -> resonator

A resonator is a device or system that exhibits resonance, which is a phenomenon that occurs when an external force or stimulus is applied at a specific frequency, causing the system to oscillate...

optical rotation

1. The angular displacement of the plane of polarization of light passing through a medium. 2. The azimuthal displacement of the field of view achieved with a rotating prism.

optical sound recorder -> photographic sound recorder

A system in which the electrical signal embedded within an audio input signal is converted to a modulated light pattern and recorded on film.

optical spectrum

1.) Generally, the electromagnetic spectrum within the wavelength region extending from the vacuum ultraviolet at 40 nm to the far-infrared at 1 mm. 2.) The wavelength or color distribution...

optical staining

With respect to microscopy, also called dispersive staining, optical staining the projection of colors through areas of a colorless specimen by color filters that are constructed to fit over the...

optical storage -> optical data storage

The storage of information via optical means, primarily employing a low-power laser to inscribe data on a photosensitive surface as pits or phase differences and to read such data via reflected light...

optical strain sensors

Optical strain sensors are devices that utilize optical principles to measure the deformation or strain experienced by a material under mechanical stress. These sensors convert changes in strain into...

optical surface

A reflecting or refracting surface contained within an optical system.

optical switching

Optical switching refers to the process of controlling the routing or transmission of optical signals within a network using various techniques to selectively switch or redirect optical paths. This...

optical system

A group of lenses, or any combination of lenses, mirrors and prisms, so constructed as to refract or reflect light to perform some definite optical function.

optical table

An optical table, also known as an optical bench or an optical breadboard, is a specialized platform used in optics laboratories for mounting and aligning optical components. These tables provide a...

optical tape recorder

An instrument used for video or computer data storage in which a laser optical head is used to write digital information onto a tape. Depending on the size of the reel, the tape may be capable of...

optical testing

Refers to a variety of methods and tools used to determine the surface contour and performance of optical components and systems.

optical testing instrument

An optical testing instrument is a device or system used to evaluate and measure the performance, quality, and characteristics of optical components, systems, and devices. These instruments play a...

optical theorem

A fundamental law of wave scattering theory that connects the extinction cross section of a scatterer to the real part of the forward-scattering amplitude. It is used in the study of division of...

optical thickness

The physical thickness times the refractive index.

optical time-domain reflectometer

An optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) is a specialized instrument used in optical fiber communications to characterize and analyze the optical fibers' characteristics, including attenuation,...

optical time-domain reflectometry

A method for characterizing a fiber wherein an optical pulse is transmitted through the fiber, and the resulting light scattered and reflected to the input is measured (by an optical time-domain...

optical tooling level

A surveying device used to measure vertical displacement of target centers of scale lines from a horizontal plane generated by up to 360° of sweep around its precision vertical axis.

optical tooling target

Sets of paired lines carefully designed to give the most accurate pointing possible for various lengths of sight.

optical transfer function

The function that characterizes the quality of an optical system by denoting the modulation and spatial phase shift of the image of a sinusoidal object with frequency as the independent variable.

optical transform image modulation

A technique for detecting and measuring atmospheric pollution, in which an oscillating mirror directs half the incoming light to a transducer that controls amplitude and frequency, and the resulting...

optical transition

The process by which an atomic system changes from one energy level to another by either the emission or absorption of visible, infrared or ultraviolet radiation.

optical trapping -> laser trapping

A technique for confining atoms, molecules or small particles within one or more laser beams. This can be accomplished through the use of a single focused beam or multiple intersecting beams. With a...

optical tweezers

Optical tweezers refer to a scientific instrument that uses the pressure of laser light to trap and manipulate microscopic objects, such as particles or biological cells, in three dimensions. This...

optical waveguide

Any structure having the ability to guide the flow of radiant energy along a path parallel to its axis and to contain the energy within or adjacent to its surface.

optical waveguide preform -> preform

A glass structure from which an optical fiber waveguide may be drawn.

optical waveguide termination

A configuration or device mounted at the end of a fiber or cable that is intended to prevent reflection.

optical wireless -> free-space optics

Free-space optics (FSO), also known as optical wireless communication or optical wireless networking, refers to the transmission of data using modulated beams of light through free space (air or a...

optical work

The degree to which the surface of a lens causes an incident ray of light to bend, or the amount of convergence or divergence that the surface contributes to a wavefront passing through it.

optical-grade silicon

The element that resembles a lightweight metal, but when very pure, has a very high electrical resistance and is transparent to the infrared between about 0.5 and 15 µm.

optically active material

A material that can rotate the polarization of light that passes through it. An optically active material exhibits different refractive indices for left- and right-circular polarizations (circular...

optically biaxial crystal

One of a class of crystalline substances belonging to triclinic, monoclinic and orthorhombic systems that have two optic axes. Two polarizations are allowed for any given direction of propagation,...

optically compensating zoom system

A variable focal length lens system that retains the object in focus as one or more lenses move as a unit along its optical axis.

optically coupled isolator -> optoisolator

An optical coupling device that uses light to bridge the gap between incompatible wire communications systems. It contains an input amplifier, a light-emitting diode, a photodiode and an output...

optically isotropic crystal

A transparent crystalline substance that displays the same optical properties (i.e. refractive index) in all directions such that all light rays behave the same in all directions of propagation and...

optically pumped laser

A laser in which stimulated emission is triggered by the absorption by electrons of light from an auxiliary source such as a flash lamp, or another laser. See optical pumping.

optically uniaxial crystal

A transparent crystalline substance in which the refractive index of the optic axis (extraordinary axis) is different from the other two crystal axes. Two polarization directions are allowed for any...

optics

Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behavior and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and its manifestation as both particle and wave phenomena. It encompasses the...

optics of material

The area of optics that deals with the interaction of light with a given material. The optical properties of material are generally described by the absorption, transmission, reflection, and...

optoacoustic

Optoacoustic, or photoacoustic, refers to a phenomenon and related techniques that involve the generation of acoustic waves in a material induced by the absorption of light. The term "optoacoustic"...

optocoupler -> optoisolator

An optical coupling device that uses light to bridge the gap between incompatible wire communications systems. It contains an input amplifier, a light-emitting diode, a photodiode and an output...

optoelectronic

Pertaining to a device that responds to optical power, emits or modifies optical radiation, or utilizes optical radiation for its internal operation. Any device that functions as an...

optoelectronic integrated circuit

A monolithic device containing both photonic and electronic sources, detectors, modulators, etc., on a single semiconductor substrate.

optoelectronic isolator -> optoisolator

An optical coupling device that uses light to bridge the gap between incompatible wire communications systems. It contains an input amplifier, a light-emitting diode, a photodiode and an output...

optoelectronic shutter -> electro-optic shutter

A device used to control or block a light beam by means of the Kerr electro-optical effect.

optoelectronic transistor

A transistor that uses an electro-luminescent source, a transparent base and a photoelectric collector.

optoelectronics

Optoelectronics is a branch of electronics that focuses on the study and application of devices and systems that use light and its interactions with different materials. The term "optoelectronics" is...

optofluidics

Optofluidics is an interdisciplinary field that combines principles from optics and fluidics to create devices and systems that integrate the manipulation of light and fluids. This field focuses on...

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Photonics Dictionary

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