Photonics Dictionary

1. In detector technology, the long wavelength at which detector response falls to a set percentage (usually 20 or 50 percent). 2. In fiber optics, the shortest wavelength at which a fiber transmits...

A value used to designate the relative sensitivity of a detector. The higher the D* value, the better the detector.

The current that flows in a photodetector when there is no optical radiation incident on the detector and operating voltages are applied.

Dark current density refers to the electric current that flows through a semiconductor device in the absence of any external illumination. It is primarily caused by thermal generation of charge...

The noise produced in a photodetector when the photocathode is shielded from all external optical radiation and operating voltages are applied.

Deep learning is a subset of machine learning that involves the use of artificial neural networks to model and solve complex problems. The term "deep" in deep learning refers to the use of deep...

A deep-ultraviolet (DUV) laser is a type of laser that emits light in the deep ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum, typically with wavelengths ranging from about 200 nm down to 10 nm....

The interval between direction of signal to a light-emitting diode and attainment of 10 percent output current in the photodetector.

The detection and analysis of the transmission and reflection properties of objects and photographic images.

The region at the PN junction in a semiconductor radiation detector where the potential energies of the two materials create an energy barrier, which results in an electrical field that depletes the...

The square of the ratio of the measured detectivity to the theoretical maximum detectivity.

A measure of the sensitivity of a detector; the reciprocal of noise equivalent power (NEP). See D*.

1. A device designed to convert the energy of incident radiation into another form for the determination of the presence of the radiation. The device may function by electrical, photographic or...

A detector array refers to a collection of individual detector elements arranged in a two-dimensional grid or matrix format. Each element within the array is capable of detecting electromagnetic...

In optical communication systems, operations in which the amplitude of the pulses, as opposed to their width, determines the distance between repeaters.

A detector-Dewar assembly typically refers to a combination of a detector and a Dewar flask used in scientific instruments, particularly in the field of infrared spectroscopy or other applications...

A device in which the functions of optical detector and emitter are combined.

A type of pyroelectric detector with favorable qualities of linearity, sensitivity and spectral responsivity used in FTIR detectors.

In an optical rangefinder, the system of wedges that rotate in opposite directions to aid in the detection of deviation in the image axis.

A dichroic mirror, also known as a dichroic beamsplitter or interference filter beamsplitter, is an optical device that selectively reflects or transmits light based on its wavelength. Dichroic...

A lidar (light detection and ranging) technique used in pollution monitoring. Two light beams are emitted simultaneously, one at a wavelength that will be absorbed by the target particles, and the...

Diffractive optical processors are optical devices that utilize diffractive optics principles to perform various computational tasks, such as image processing, pattern recognition, and optical...

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is a nondestructive analytical technique used to investigate the optical properties of materials, particularly in the field of spectroscopy. Unlike traditional...

Use of a photoelectric receiver to sense an object's presence by detecting a small amount of the emitter's light that is diffusely reflected by the object.

Digital signal processing (DSP) refers to the manipulation and analysis of signals, which are representations of physical quantities that vary over time or space. In the context of DSP, these signals...

In a fiber optic transmission system, the conversion of received optical pulses directly to an electrical signal.

Direct time-of-flight (dTOF) is a technique used in 3D imaging and depth sensing to measure the time taken for light or electromagnetic waves to travel from a source to a target object and back to a...

In optical character recognition, the mechanical or electronic transducer used to detect the level of illumination present in the various portions of an illuminated sample region.

An imaging process, similar to specific Doppler mapping radar techniques, that utilizes a laser, an optical imaging system, and a line array of photodetectors and spectrum analyzers. The laser...

A device used to detect and measure the quantity of exposure to nuclear or x-ray radiation, and dependent on the fact that such radiation ionizes a gas.

A spectrophotometer in which the beam emitted by the radiation source is split into beams that travel through the sample and a reference cell and are subsequently recombined to fall on the detector....

For a detector, the amount of time alotted for the observation of one location.

A type of mosaic detector array that combines features of scanning and staring sensors by using a small rapid scanning motion (see saccadic motion) over a few pixels at a time.

Edge AI, also known as edge artificial intelligence, refers to the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and models directly on edge devices, such as smartphones, sensors, IoT...

In image processing, the location of edges by employing templates that respond to the first or second derivative of gray-scale intensity in the neighborhood of each pixel.

1. That portion of the aperture that functions to collect energy and deliver it to the final system detector. 2. For an obscured or noncircular aperture, the equivalent nonobscured, circular aperture.

A device that detects radiation by utilizing the influence of light in forming an electrical signal. It may be a phototube; a photoconductive, photovoltaic or photojunction cell; a phototransistor;...

An EMCCD (electron-multiplying charge-coupled device) camera is a type of scientific camera specifically designed for low-light imaging applications that require high sensitivity and fast readout...

A method for detecting vibration amplitudes analogous to image holography, except that the film emulsion is replaced by a television target.

Emission spectroscopy is a technique used to study the emission of electromagnetic radiation (light) by atoms, molecules, or ions when they undergo transitions from excited states to lower energy...