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2,694 terms
Photonics Dictionary
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actinochemistry
Actinochemistry refers to the branch of chemistry that studies the chemical effects of radiation, particularly light, on substances and chemical reactions. Here are the key aspects of...
actinometer
An actinometer is a device used to measure the intensity of radiation, particularly solar radiation or light, often with a focus on its ability to cause photochemical reactions. Here are the key...
actinometry
Actinometry refers to the measurement of the intensity of radiation, particularly light, with a specific focus on its ability to cause photochemical reactions. It involves quantifying the amount of...
active element
In various fields of science and technology, an active element typically refers to a component or substance that actively participates in or facilitates a process, operation, or reaction. Here are...
active infrared system
An active infrared (IR) system is a type of technology that uses infrared radiation actively emitted and detected by sensors for various purposes. Here are the key features and applications of active...
active layer
In the context of semiconductors and electronics, the active layer is the part of a semiconductor device where the essential electronic activities take place. This includes the movement and...
active optics
Active optics refers to a technology used in telescopes and other optical instruments to improve the quality of images by dynamically adjusting the shape of optical components, such as mirrors, in...
active transport
Active transport is a biological process by which cells move molecules or ions across their cell membrane against their concentration gradient, meaning from a region of lower concentration to a...
active-matrix display
An active-matrix display is a type of flat-panel display technology where each pixel is actively controlled by one or more thin-film transistors (TFTs). This technology is commonly used in liquid...
active-matrix liquid crystal display
An active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) is a type of flat-panel display technology that utilizes an array of thin-film transistors (TFTs) to control the individual pixels on the screen. This...
active-matrix OLED display
An active matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display is a type of flat-panel display technology that combines the active matrix addressing scheme with organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs)....
activity (radioactivity)
Radioactivity refers to the spontaneous emission of radiation from the nucleus of an unstable atom. This emission occurs as the nucleus undergoes radioactive decay, which is a natural and random...
actuator
An actuator is a mechanical or electromechanical device that is responsible for moving or controlling a mechanism or system. It converts various forms of energy (such as electrical, hydraulic,...
acuity (visual acuity)
Visual acuity specifically refers to the clarity or sharpness of vision, typically measured by the ability to discern the details of objects at a specific distance. It is a fundamental measure of the...
acuity, visual
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acuity (visual acuity)
Visual acuity specifically refers to the clarity or sharpness of vision, typically measured by the ability to discern the details of objects at a specific distance. It is a fundamental measure of the...
acutance
Acutance refers to the perceived sharpness of an image in terms of the contrast of edges, rather than the resolution of fine details. It relates to how well-defined and crisp edges appear in a...
acute bisectrix
The term acute bisectrix is used in mineralogy and crystallography to describe a specific optical property of minerals, particularly in relation to their crystal structure and light behavior. ...
adaptation (visual adaptation)
Visual adaptation refers to the process by which the visual system adjusts to changes in the environment or stimuli over time. It allows the eyes to maintain sensitivity and perception under varying...
adapter (optical adapter)
An optical adapter typically refers to a device or component used in optical systems to facilitate connections between different types of optical fibers, connectors, or interfaces. Here are a few...
adaptive optics
Adaptive optics (AO) is a technology used to improve the performance of optical systems by reducing the effects of atmospheric distortions. The Earth's atmosphere can cause light passing through it...
additive color mixing
Additive color mixing refers to the process of creating colors by combining different wavelengths of light. In this system, red, green, and blue (RGB) are considered primary colors. By mixing varying...
additive color process
The additive color process refers to the method of creating color by combining different wavelengths of light. This process is fundamental in various applications, particularly in: ...
additive manufacturing
Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is a manufacturing process that involves creating three-dimensional objects by adding material layer by layer. This is in contrast to...
additivity of luminance
The additivity of luminance refers to a principle in visual perception and color theory where the perceived brightness of a combination of light sources or colors is the sum of the brightness of each...
address (memory)
The code signifying the location of the information being sought on a CD-ROM.
addressability (optical)
Optical addressability refers to the capability to control or manipulate individual elements that emit or modulate light (such as pixels in a display or light sources in an optical network) using...
adhesion (thin-films)
Optical thin film adhesion specifically refers to the adhesion properties of thin films used in optical applications. Here’s a detailed definition: Thin film materials: Optical thin films...
adhesive (optical)
An intermolecular substance that serves to hold materials together. Two types are used in the optical industry: one, which must be transparent and colorless, to cement lenses together; and a...
adjacency effect
The adjacency effect refers to a phenomenon in remote sensing and image analysis where the characteristics of an object or area are influenced by its proximity to other objects or features within the...
ADM
adaptive delta modulation; add-drop multiplexer
ADP
ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, adaptive Doppler processing
ADPCM
adaptive differential pulse code modulation; varies the binary step interval for the required bandwidth for a given signal-to-noise ratio.
adsorption
The process by which a substance, usually a solid, attracts and retains on its surface the molecules of another substance.
advanced communication technology satellite
The advanced communication technology satellite (ACTS) was a program developed by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) in the United States to demonstrate and advance satellite...
advanced driver assistance systems
Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) refers to a set of safety features and technologies designed to assist drivers in the driving process and enhance overall vehicle safety. These systems use...
aeolight
A glow discharge lamp consisting of a cold cathode and a mixture of inert gases. The intensity of illumination varies with the applied signal voltage. This lamp was commonly used as a source of...
aerial perspective
An optical illusion in which distant objects are lighter in tone and less distinct in outline than those closer to the observer because of the atmospheric diffusion of light.
aerial photography
Photographing of terrain on the ground and objects in the air by cameras mounted in aircraft; utilized in satellites, multispectral scanning and intricate data handling systems.
aerocartography
The creation of topographical maps and charts from a stereographic record produced through the overlapping of consecutive aerial photographs by more than 50 percent.
aerosol
A two-phase system consisting of dispersed liquid or solid particles in a gas; examples include dust, smoke and clouds.
after-image
That image remaining on the detector after the primary stimulus has been removed. In the visual system, the after-image commonly appears as the complementary color of the primary stimulus.
agri-photonics
Agri-photonics refers to the application of photonics technologies in agriculture. Photonics involves the generation, manipulation, and detection of light and other forms of radiant energy whose...
AI system-on-chip
An AI system-on-chip (SoC) is an integrated circuit that integrates hardware components optimized for performing AI computations efficiently. These components typically include: AI accelerators:...
air bearing
A support device in which a column or chamber of air permits the free travel of a mobile part. In optical mounting and positioning equipment, air bearings are of two types, linear or rotary,...
air dose
A quantitative measure of the amount of radiation given off by an instrument, expressed in roentgens per unit of free air.
air-spaced doublet
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doublet
1. A compound lens consisting of two elements. If there is an air space between the elements it is called an "air-spaced doublet.'' If the inner surfaces are cemented together, it is called a...
airglow
Diffuse light emitted by the atmosphere due to the excitation of particles of atmospheric gas. These excited particles release light that is visible from Earth as a faint luminescence in the night...
alexandrite lasers
An alexandrite laser is a solid-state laser that utilizes a synthetic crystal made from the rare earth element alexandrite (BeAl2O4:Cr3+). This crystal is capable of emitting laser light in the...
alidade
An old name for the rotating arm moving about an axis of rotation over a divided circle used to measure angles. Now the term refers to a small stadia telescope mounted over a ruler for use in...
altazimuth
A type of telescope mount that permits direct azimuth and elevation adjustments.
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Photonics Dictionary
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