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.
VLSIvery large scale integration
VMvelocity modulation
VMEvirtual memory extension
VMMvector matrix multiplication
VOAvariable optical attenuator
voidA blank area (caused by insufficient inking of the paper) that falls within the range of an intended character stroke in an optical character-recognition system.
Voigt effectThe induced birefringence in isotropic gases that results when the gases are placed in strong fields.
voltage contrast analysisA nondestructive testing method for very large scale integration circuits, using a scanning electron microscope to monitor changes in the electronic state of the chip as it is fed test voltages while...
voltage multiplierA device that converts alternating voltage to direct voltage, while at the same time increasing its amplitude.
voltaic cellAn electric cell having two electrodes of unlike metals immersed in a solution that chemically affects one or both of them, thus producing an electromotive force.
volume Bragg gratingsVolume Bragg gratings (VBGs) are specialized optical elements that consist of periodic variations in refractive index throughout the volume of a transparent material, typically a photosensitive glass...
volume hologramA three-dimensional hologram.
volumetric imagingVolumetric imaging refers to the capture, visualization, and analysis of three-dimensional (3D) information from a volume of space. Unlike traditional two-dimensional (2D) imaging, which provides...
vortex phase plateA vortex phase plate is an optical device designed to impart a phase singularity, commonly referred to as a vortex or phase vortex, onto a light beam. This singularity results in a phase profile...
voxelAn element within a three-dimensional data set image.
VPEvapor phase epitaxy
VPRvapor phase regrowth
VPRFvariable pulse repetition frequency
VQvector quantization
VRvariable reluctance; virtual reality
VRDvirtual retinal display
VRMLvirtual reality modeling language
VRRvisual radio range
VSTEPvertical to surface transmission electrophotonic device
VSWRvoltage standing-wave ratio
VTPRvertical temperature profile radiometer
VTRvideotape recorder
VUVvacuum ultraviolet
Wwatt
w-type fibers -> double-clad fiberDouble-clad fiber (DCF) is a specialized optical fiber that features two concentric cladding layers surrounding a core. The design of double-clad fibers allows them to be used in various...
WAwide-angle
Wadsworth mountingA system used for gratings that consists of a concave mirror, a grating and a plate holder mounted normal to the grating to reduce astigmatism and spherical aberration. The mounting yields a...
waferIn the context of electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, a wafer refers to a thin, flat disk or substrate made of a semiconducting material, usually crystalline silicon. Wafers serve as the...
wafer tubeAn image intensifier tube in which the photocathode and the output of the microchannel plate are proximity-focused on the microchannel plate input and output phosphor screen, respectively.
Waidner-Burgess standardA standard of luminous intensity evaluated as the luminous intensity of 1 cm2 of a blackbody at the melting point of platinum.
WANwide area network
water glassA solution containing colloidal silica particles.
wattThe power that gives rise to the production of energy at the rate of 1 joule per second.
wave1. An undulation or vibration; a form of movement by which all radiant energy of the electromagnetic spectrum is estimated to travel. 2. A type of surface defect, usually due to improper polishing.
wave functionIn quantum mechanics, a wave function (often denoted by the Greek letter Ψ, psi) is a mathematical description that represents the quantum state of a particle or a system of particles. It...
wave numberThe frequency of a wave divided by its velocity of propagation; the reciprocal of the wavelength.
wave opticsAlso referred to as physical optics - the area of optics in which the wave nature of light is essential when defining its propagation. To exploit the wave phenomena of light, one must interact light...
wave plateAn optical element having two principal axes, slow and fast, that resolve an incident polarized beam into two mutually perpendicular polarized beams. The emerging beam recombines to form a particular...
wave splittingAny type of interference produced by a beamsplitter.
wave trainThe continuous group of waves that persists for a short time only.
waveform analyzerA device designed to measure the amplitude and frequency of the elements in a complex waveform.
waveform monitorAn oscilloscope used to survey the waveform of a video signal.
waveformA waveform is a graphical representation of the shape and magnitude of a signal over time. It typically depicts how the amplitude (strength) of the signal changes over time, with time plotted along...
wavefront reconstruction -> holographyHolography is a technique used to capture and reconstruct three-dimensional images using the principles of interference and diffraction of light. Unlike conventional photography, which records only...
wavefrontA wavefront refers to the continuous surface or boundary representing points in a wave that are in phase, meaning they have the same phase or position in their respective cycles. In simpler terms,...
Photonics Dictionary