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8,236 terms
Photonics Dictionary
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SPM
scanning probe microscopy
spontaneous emission
Radiation emitted when a quantum mechanical system drops spontaneously from an excited level to a lower level. This radiation is emitted according to the laws of probability without regard to the...
spontaneous transition probability
The probability that an atom in one state will move spontaneously to a lower state within a given unit of time.
spot blocking
Blocking with a spotted tool.
spot diagram
A method of evaluating image quality whereby a large number of rays are traced through a lens from a single object point, and their intersections with the focal plane are plotted and analyzed.
spot filter
A neutral density filter that, when placed in front of the iris of a lens, increases the f-stop range.
spot meter
A telescopic light-sensing meter used to measure illumination levels of small regions at a distance of many feet; it is used in professional motion picture and television production to ensure proper...
spot photometer
->
telephotometer
An instrument used to measure the luminance (brightness) of a distant object. The object is viewed through a small telescope, and a mirror in the focal plane reflects an internal illuminated surface...
spot-to-line converter
->
section converter
An arrangement of optical fibers in a bundle whereby the geometric configuration of the input end differs from that of the output end without changing the total area; for example, a circular bundle...
spotted tool
A metal tool used to hold a number of lens blanks during grinding and polishing.
SPPCM
self-pumped phase conjugate mirror
SPR
surface plasmon resonance
spread function
The distribution of energy about the image of a point source in the focal plane of an optical system.
SPS
solar power satellite
SPSE
Society for Imaging Science and Technology
SPST
single pole/single throw
spurious resolution
A phenomenon that causes the details in an image to appear at a spatial frequency higher than that at which the contrast first drops to zero. A phase reversal will accompany this phenomenon, often...
sputtering
A vacuum deposition method in which the coating material (target) is removed from the surface of the coating source (cathode) by ion bombardment and deposited upon the substrates.
sputtering equipment
Sputtering equipment is machinery used in the process of physical vapor deposition (PVD), specifically sputtering. Sputtering is a method of depositing thin films of material onto a substrate surface...
sputtering target
A sputtering target is a solid material used in the process of physical vapor deposition (PVD), specifically sputtering. Sputtering targets are typically made of metals, metal alloys, or compounds...
square wave
A wave that changes from one amplitude to the other in a short time compared with the wavelength.
SQUID
superconducting quantum interference device
SQW-GRINSCH
single-quantum-well, graded index separate confinement heterostructure
SRAM
static random access memory
SRC
scratch-resistant coating
SRD
superradiant diode
SREM
scanning reflection electron microscopy
SSC
superconducting supercollider
SSIS
solid-state image sensor
SSL
solid-state laser
SSM
stage scanning microscope
SSPD
self-scanned photodiode array
St
stokes
stabilized light source
A light source that does not fluctuate despite temperature changes.
stabilizing platform
A platform mount used to hold sensitive optical instruments immobile.
stable multipass Fabry-Perot interferometer
A plane-parallel interferometer that yields extremely high contrast over a wide range of finesse values without significantly reducing transmission.
stable resonator
A laser resonator in which a mode oscillating between the mirrors will converge upon the laser's longitudinal axis.
stacked hologram
The superimposing of holographic pages in a thick, erasable storage material by changing the reference and object beams. This extends the capacity of holographic memories.
stacked optical memory
A memory system composed of a stack of holographic plates, a mode-locked laser and a rapid detector array. Ultrashort laser pulses are used to extract information from the stack. In this way, storage...
stacked-diode laser
A type of laser used when a great amount of power is required. Avoiding the bulk of large numbers of optical lenses, this instrument offers high-output intensity and a small emitting region at...
stadia scale
A reticle pattern in a surveying instrument consisting of parallel lines that can be superimposed on a calibrated rod, making possible determination of the distance from the instrument to the rod.
stadia surveying
->
surveying instruments
Instruments used for measuring angles and occasionally lengths on the ground. The principal surveying instruments are the level, the stadia telescope, the transit and the theodolite. Laser...
stadimetry
The determination of distance based upon the known size of an object and the size of its image at the image plane of an optical system.
stage micrometer
In microscopy, a calibrated scale on a slide that may be viewed to determine the exact magnification factor of the microscope.
standard lens
A lens whose focal length is roughly equal to the diagonal of the negative format of the camera on which it is mounted.
standard refraction
The refraction that would take place in an idealized atmosphere where the refractive index is reduced uniformly with height at the rate of 39 x 10-6 per kilometer.
standard thermal profile
In infrared imaging systems used for mass screening of printed circuit boards or other quality control applications, an image of an ideal component that is stored in the system's memory and then...
standing wave
The combination of two waves having the same frequency and amplitude and traveling in opposite directions. Standing waves are indicated by a stationary set of nodes spaced one-half wavelength apart...
star coupler
A passive coupler that distributes signals from one or several inputs among a larger number of output waveguides arranged schematically as a star configuration.
star testing
The visual examination by a trained observer of the image of a point source. Any coloring or departure from the Airy disc rings indicates the presence of aberrations in the lens forming that image.
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Photonics Dictionary
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