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1,977 terms

Photonics Dictionary

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PON

passive optical network

Porro prism erecting system

The arrangement of two Porro prisms so that the inverted image formed by certain types of optical instruments is the same as the object. The first prism, which is set at 90° to the second, inverts...

positive spherical aberration -> spherical aberration

Spherical aberration is an optical aberration that occurs when light rays passing through a lens or curved optical surface do not converge or diverge to a single focal point. Instead of focusing to a...

positive-intrinsic-negative diode -> PIN photodiode

A PIN photodiode is a type of photodetector or semiconductor device used to convert light signals into electrical signals. The name "PIN" is derived from the arrangement of the three semiconductor...

potassium titanyl phosphate

A crystalline material with a high electro-optic coefficient, capable of operating at short wavelengths, with applications in laser, optical disc, printing and microwave systems.

power flow equation

Optical fiber channel characterization scheme based on three assumptions; the discrete mode spectrum can be replaced by a continuum; the loss due to coupling between guided and radiation modes...

precision aperture

An accurately produced hole of any size and shape that is used as a masking device in an optical system. Pinhole apertures of accurate diameters often are produced by laser beam penetration or by...

preform

A glass structure from which an optical fiber waveguide may be drawn.

prelasing

When uncontrolled laser energy leaks from a laser cavity prematurely, it causes serious damage to optical components and significant downtime for repair.

Prentice's rule

A method of determining prism power at any point on a lens. Prism power equals the product of the dioptric power and the distance, in centimeters, from the optical center.

pressurization

Injecting a gas (usually nitrogen) with a very low moisture content into the body of an optical instrument to create a positive internal pressure. This prevents the entrance of moisture, which could...

principal axis

A straight line connecting the curvature centers of the refracting lens surfaces. In a mechanical sense, a line joining the centers of a lens as it is placed in a mount. The principal axis is the...

principal focus -> focal point

That point on the optical axis of a lens, to which an incident bundle of parallel light rays will converge.

principal point

The intersection of the principal plane and the optical axis of a lens.

principal point of focus -> focal point

That point on the optical axis of a lens, to which an incident bundle of parallel light rays will converge.

principal section

A plane passing through a crystal that has the optic axis of the crystal and the light ray under consideration.

prism coupler

An instrument that measures the angle at which a prism can couple laser light into an optical waveguide; used to determine the thickness and refractive index of thin films in integrated optical...

prism spectrograph -> spectrograph

An optical instrument for forming the spectrum of a light source and recording it on a film. The dispersing medium may be a prism or a diffraction grating. A concave grating requires no other means...

prism

A prism is a geometric optical element with flat, polished surfaces that refract light. It is typically a solid, transparent object with at least two flat surfaces that are inclined relative to each...

profile dispersion

In an optical waveguide, that dispersion attributable to the variation of refractive index profile with wavelength. The profile variation has two contributing factors: variation in refractive index...

projecting core coupler

A device that couples a light source to an optical fiber by projecting an image of the source and the fiber core onto a screen where they can be superimposed by micropositioners.

PROM

Pockels readout optical memory; programmable read-only memory

proof strength

The minimum amount of strength characteristic of an optical fiber, as determined by proof stressing; expressed in thousands of pounds of pressure per square inch.

proof stressing

A means of testing the strength of optical fibers to ensure reliability, by applying stress to the fiber so that any flaws generated during manufacturing or handling result in breakage of the fiber.

protective bevel

The removal of a sharp edge on an optical element by grinding, to prevent accidental chipping of that edge during subsequent handling.

protective coating

A film applied to a coated or uncoated optical surface primarily for protecting this surface from mechanical abrasion, from chemical corrosion, or from both. For example, a thin layer of silicon...

proximal scanning

Technique using a fiber optic assembly to illuminate an opaque object and transmit an image back from it without a lens system on the distal end.

pseudohologram

Coded image obtained optically with a nonredundant pinhole array imaging aperture.

pulse spreading

Variations in a signal passing through an optical fiber caused by the effect on the pulse of the fiber's material and mode propagation characteristics.

pump laser

A pump laser is a type of laser used to provide the necessary energy to the gain medium of another laser or laser system, initiating the process of stimulated emission and producing laser light. The...

pumping radiation

Radiation used to excite an optical or laser material to a higher energy level. See optical pumping.

pyramid error

Pyramid error in optics refers to an aberration in the shape of an optical surface, particularly in the context of mirrors. It is a type of distortion that can occur when the surface of a mirror...

pyrolysis

A process that employs heat to remove polyimide plastic coatings from silica optical fibers and capillary tubing.

pyrometer -> optical pyrometer

An instrument for determining the temperature of a hot object by examining the color spectrum of the visible light it gives off and comparing it to the known temperature and wavelength spectrum of...

pyrometry -> optical pyrometry

The determination of the temperature of a source by the detection of its incandescent brightness.

The figure of merit of a resonator, defined as (2p) x (average energy stored in the resonator)/(energy dissipated per cycle). The higher the reflectivity of the surfaces of an optical resonator, the...

Q-switch

A device used to rapidly change the Q of an optical resonator. It is used in the optical resonator of a laser to prevent lasing action until a high level of inversion (optical gain and energy...

q-switched operation

Q-switched operation, or q-switching, is a technique used in lasers to produce short and intense pulses of light. The term "Q" in q-switching stands for "quality factor," which is a measure of the...

Q-switching

Q-switching, short for "quenching-switching," is a technique used in lasers to generate short, high-energy pulses of light. The term "Q" refers to the quality factor of the laser cavity, which...

quadratic profile -> parabolic profile

The condition in which the index of refraction in an optical fiber varies as a parabolic function of the radius.

quantitative oblique back illumination microscopy

Quantitative oblique back illumination microscopy (qOBM) is an advanced imaging technique used in microscopy to achieve high-resolution imaging of biological samples, particularly cells and tissues....

quantitative phase imaging

Quantitative phase imaging (QPI) is an advanced imaging technique used in microscopy to measure and analyze the optical phase information of transparent specimens. Unlike traditional brightfield...

quantum cascade laser

A quantum cascade laser (QCL) is a type of semiconductor laser that operates based on the principles of quantum mechanics. It is a versatile and powerful device used for emitting coherent light in...

quantum confinement

Quantum confinement refers to the phenomenon in quantum mechanics where the motion of charge carriers, such as electrons or holes, is restricted to a region of space that is smaller than their...

quantum dot thin films

Quantum dot thin films refer to thin layers or coatings composed of quantum dots deposited onto a substrate surface. Quantum dots are nanoscale semiconductor particles typically ranging from a few to...

quantum key distribution

Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a method of secure communication that utilizes principles from quantum mechanics to establish a shared secret key between two parties, typically referred to as Alice...

quantum noise

Noise generated within an optical communications system link that has both internal (dark current) and external (background noise, or noise in signal) components.

quantum photodetector -> photodetector

A photodetector, also known as a photosensor or photodiode, is a device that detects and converts light into an electrical signal. Photodetectors are widely used in various applications, ranging from...

quantum well

A quantum well is a structure in quantum mechanics that confines particles, such as electrons or holes, in one spatial dimension. This confinement leads to quantized energy levels, creating a...

quasi-optical

Having properties resembling those of light- waves; e.g., the propagation of waves in the television spectrum.

Photonics Dictionary

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