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8,236 terms
Photonics Dictionary
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short-wave pass filter
A filter that is transparent to shorter wavelengths, but opaque to longer wavelengths.
short-wave radiation
Characterizes the significant solar radiation at the surface of the earth, so named because its spectral range extends only from 0.3 to 2.8 µm.
shot noise
Noise generated by the random variations in the number and velocity of the electrons from an emitter.
shunt resistance
In a silicon photodiode, the dynamic resistance (dv/d1) of the junction at zero volts.
shutter
A mechanical or electronic device used to control the amount of time that a light-sensitive material is exposed to radiation.
shutter speed tester
A device used to measure the opening time of a shutter. The most common devices depend on the charging or discharging of an electrical condenser, or on the production of a curve of open area against...
SI
Systeme Internationale d'Unites, the international metric system of units.
SI
International System of Units; step index
SIC
semiconductor integrated circuit
SID
silicon imaging device; Society for Information Display
SIDE
suprathermal ion detector
side mode suppression ratio
The relation of power between center peak longitudinal mode with the nearest higher order mode.
side-lit cable
A type of fiber optic cable that emits light from its sides along its length.
sidereal time
Frequently used in astronomical measurement, it is based on the diurnal rotation of a star relative to the fixed stellar system.
siemens
The electric conductance of a conductor in which a current of 1 ampere is produced by an electric potential difference of 1 volt.
sign conventions
A convention that defines specific dimensions of an optical system, such as the image distance or radius of curvature of a lens or mirror, as negative or positive to facilitate calculations based on...
signal level
Calculation of peak and average transmission power at a given point along an optical fiber or cable.
signal period
Also referred to as the width of the dark pulse. This is the time interval between the instant the particle approaches the beam and the instant the particle leaves the beam.
signal-induced noise
Noise generated in the flow of current in the photomultiplier, produced by the intentional or controlled application of optical power to the photocathode.
signal-to-noise ratio
The ratio of the power in a desired signal to the undesirable noise present in the absence of a signal.
SILEX
semiconductor laser intersatellite link experiment
silica
->
silicon dioxide
An abundant material found in the form of quartz and agate and as one of the major constituents of sand. The silicates of sodium, calcium, and other metals can be readily fused, and on cooling do not...
silicon
->
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.
silicon carbide light-emitting diodes
Silicon carbide (SiC) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are semiconductor devices that emit light when an electric current is applied to them. These LEDs are made using silicon carbide as the...
silicon cell
A solid-state device, composed of silicon, that is used to convert radiation into electrical energy.
silicon dioxide
An abundant material found in the form of quartz and agate and as one of the major constituents of sand. The silicates of sodium, calcium, and other metals can be readily fused, and on cooling do not...
silicon monoxide
A material used as a protective layer on an aluminized or silvered mirror. It is evaporated on the mirror as a thin layer, and after exposure to the air the monoxide tends to become silicon dioxide...
silicon photodiode
A silicon photodiode is a semiconductor device that converts light into an electrical current. It is a type of photodetector specifically designed for detecting and measuring light intensity. Silicon...
Silsbee effect
The ability of an electrical current to destroy superconductivity by means of the magnetic field generated by the current. The temperature of the material is not raised, and the effect is identical...
silver halide emulsion
An emulsion in which grains of the photosensitive material silver halide are deposited. Each grain, when exposed to light, either develops or fails to develop as a unit, leaving a dark or clear...
silver spots
Spots in a polished glass surface that are opaque and have a silvery, metallic reflection.
silver-disc pyrheliometer
An instrument that uses a blackened silver-disc reflector with a shutter to create temperature fluctuations that are proportional to the intensity of the solar radiation incident upon it. Using the...
SIMD
single-instruction/multiple-data
SIMOX
separation by implantation of oxygen
simple magnifier
A short focal length (less than five inches) positive lens used to produce a magnified image of the object being viewed. While a single element will function, an achromat or multielement assembly...
simplex
A fiber optic transmission system in which data can go in only a single direction.
SIMS
secondary ion mass spectrometry
simulated annealing
->
global optimization
A controlled random search process, such as generalized simulated annealing, that has been incorporated into many optical design programs as a way of helping designers find the most suitable lens...
simultaneous dual field of view
A passive infrared system that uses two line-of-sight telescopes to generate both narrow and wide field-of-view images of the same target area, which can be presented on a single split screen or on...
simultaneous exposure and development
The process, used with a positive photoresist, in which the photoresist is immersed in developing chemicals while being exposed to the optical pattern. The newly exposed surface is continuously...
simultaneous location and mapping
Technology that uses data from an array of sensors, one of which is commonly lidar, to solve the problem of creating a map of an unknown environment while simultaneously maintaining a location within...
sin
sine of
sine wave object
An object that has a sinusoidal variation of luminance. Its image will have a sinusoidal variation of illuminance and the only effect of degeneration by the lens system will be to reduce the...
sine wave response
->
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...
sine wave target
Bar pattern represented as a sine curve in which the light distribution varies in one direction.
sine wave testing chart
A test chart whose luminance changes uniformly in one direction according to a sinusoidal rule. These charts carry groups of black lines on a white ground, the intensity profile across the lines...
single attachment station
In a dual-ring local area network, a node that is connected only to the primary, active ring and not to the secondary ring that provides a backup in case of cable or system failure.
single instruction/multiple data
A computer architecture used in parallel processing whereby the processing elements are directed by a single, central control unit; generally used for large numbers of relatively simple processing...
single molecule localization microscopy
Single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) is a group of super-resolution microscopy techniques that surpass the diffraction limit of traditional optical microscopes, allowing for the...
single-beam gradient trap
->
laser tweezers
A technique based on the principles of laser trapping and used to manipulate the position of small particles by gradually changing the position of the laser beam or beams once the particles are...
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Photonics Dictionary
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