Photonics Dictionary

An area in which airborne particulates can be monitored and controlled so that given size particles do not exceed a specified concentration, thereby eliminating potential dysfunctions in gyroscopes,...

The limited light-gathering area of an optical system. The area is normally restricted to an edge or outer surface of an individual component. Also known as free aperture or objective aperture. The...

In a visual optical system, the axial distance from the last mechanical surface of the eyepiece to the exit pupil.

Denoting a finished circular edge. A decentered lens is adjusted on a centering chuck so that its image runs true, and the lens is then edged. A circular edge is one that has been cleared out....

Also called shining. Grinding and polishing one surface of a blank to permit a more thorough examination for quality.

Naturally occurring planes in crystalline substances that provide easy points for separation.

The application of photography, with the exception of radiography, to obtain pictures of parts or the whole of a patient to make a diagnosis.

An instrument for measuring the vertical angle of an object. It usually contains an accurately made protractor, a sensitive level bubble, and a sighting device, such as a small telescope.

A defect in an optical system that prevents rays from reaching their intended destination; it can be caused by an undersized aperture, a baffle out of position, etc. In imaging applications, removing...

A signal, generated by an oscillator, that provides the means of synchronization of operations in a data communications network.

A television system that does not broadcast television signals but transmits them over a closed circuit.

A closed-loop system that compensates for thermal blooming by optimizing only one parameter: the amplitude of the phase correction.

In morphological image processing, a series of dilations followed by the same number of erosions.

A CMOS camera refers to an imaging device that employs a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor to capture digital images. CMOS cameras have become ubiquitous due to their low...

A CMOS image sensor, short for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor image sensor, is a type of semiconductor device used to capture visual information and convert it into electrical signals for...

This type of miniaturized system, referred to as CMOS qPCR, combines microfluidic technology with an ultralow-light CMOS bio-optical sensor with LEDs as the optical excitation source to achieve...

A method of improving the signal-to-noise ratio of an interferogram by adding another interferogram to it.

Coagulation refers to the process of transforming a liquid, particularly blood or a solution containing dispersed particles, into a solid or semi-solid state. This term is most commonly associated...

Optical elements that have been coated with one or more layers of dielectric, or metallic material. These coatings serve to reduce or increase reflection from the surface, and to protect the surfaces...

A type of cable made up of two conductors; one conductor is inside of and concentric with the other.

A jet of inert gas along a laser welding beam's axis that cools, protects or cleans the work surface.

CoaXPress (CoaXPress or CXP) is a standardized digital interface and communication protocol used primarily in machine vision and industrial imaging applications. It enables high-speed data...

Glass that transmits near-ultraviolet radiation but is opaque in the visible region. Also known as woods glass.