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Alluxa - Optical Coatings LB 8/23
8,738 terms

Photonics Dictionary

Search 8,700+ definitions in the Photonics Dictionary—your authoritative source for terms in optics, lasers, imaging, fiber optics, and related technologies.

sheathing -> jacket
The outer material that surrounds and protects the buffered and unbuffered fibers in an optical cable.
sheet grating
A three-dimensional grating designed with thin metal sheets to remain opaque to all but one specific and predetermined wave.
sheet polarizer
A sheet of plastic material containing microscopic crystals of herapathite or some other similar substance that transmits light polarized in one direction, but absorbs light polarized in a...
SHF
super high frequency
SHG
second-harmonic generation
shift register -> transport shift register
The element in a charge-coupled device that receives the charge packets transferred from the line of sensor sites and then delivers the image data to the device's output circuitry.
shining -> clearing
Also called shining. Grinding and polishing one surface of a blank to permit a more thorough examination for quality.
shock wave
Interruption in the normal flow of a plasma or fluid characterized by sharp rises in velocity, temperature and pressure. As the shock passes into a gaseous compound, gas particles are heated and...
short finish
A term that describes an incomplete polish.
short wavelength infrared
Short wavelength infrared (SWIR) refers to the portion of the infrared spectrum that encompasses wavelengths roughly between 1,000 and 3,000 nanometers (nm). In the electromagnetic spectrum, infrared...
short-arc lamp
A compact high-pressure light source in which an electrical discharge between electrodes spaced no more than 12 mm apart occurs in a xenon or other gas medium, providing a visible light resembling a...
short-flash light source
An electronic flash tube in which the flash recurs at a frequency extending to many thousands per second. A stroboscopic light source is a short-flash light source.
short-focus lens -> wide-angle lens
A wide-angle lens is a type of camera lens that has a shorter focal length than a standard or normal lens, allowing it to capture a broader field of view. Wide-angle lenses are characterized by their...
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

Photonics Dictionary

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