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Sheetak - Cooling at your Fingertip 11/24 MR

Zurich Instruments AG - Challenge Us 10/24 HP

8,726 terms

Photonics Dictionary

CubeSat

A CubeSat is a type of miniaturized satellite characterized by its standardized size and modular design. CubeSats are typically used for scientific research, technology demonstration, educational...

cubic convolution

A method of resampling in which a 16-pixel neighborhood around a given pixel from the original image is used to calculate the final brightness value of that pixel in the corrected image.

cup bevel

A bevel produced by grinding with a cup-shaped tool.

Curie temperature

The temperature above which a ferromagnetic material becomes only paramagnetic.

curie

Standard maintained by the International Commission on Radiological Units as a unit of radioactivity defined as the quantity of any radioactive nuclide in which the number of disintegrations per...

curing

The use of chemicals or radiation to induce a desired change in a substance; e.g., some optical adhesives are set by exposure to ultraviolet light and are said to be UV-curing.

current saturation

A condition during laser operation when laser output can no longer be increased by additional electric current.

current transient

A sudden, brief increase in current or voltage in a circuit that can damage sensitive components and instruments. Preventive measures include slow-starter circuits, filtering and static control.

cursor

On a display monitor, a small, mobile rectangle, cross-hair or pointer that locates a feature in an image that is the object of attention, or indicates where the next character will appear in word...

curvature

The measure of departure from a flat surface, as applied to lenses; the reciprocal of radius. Applies to any surface, including lenses, mirrors and image surfaces.

curvature loss -> macrobend loss

In an optical waveguide, that loss attributable to macrobending. Macrobending usually causes little or no radiative loss.

curvature of field

A lens aberration that causes a flat object surface to be imaged onto a curved surface rather than a plane.

curvilinear distortion

A lens aberration in which the focal length varies radially outward from the center of the field. It has the effect of making a straight tangential line in the object appear curved in the image,...

custom optic

A custom optic refers to an optical component that is designed, manufactured, and tailored to meet specific requirements or applications. These optics can include lenses, mirrors, prisms, filters, or...

cut plane

In computer graphics, intersection of a plane with a three-dimensional object to create a sectional view.

cutback technique

A technique for measuring fiber attenuation or distortion by performing two transmission measurements. One is at the output end of the full length of the fiber. The other is within 1 to 3 m of the...

cutoff wavelength

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...

cuton wavelength

In filter terminology, that wavelength where the filter transmission increases beyond 5 percent.

cutting

The process of forming a lens to a given pattern, or of cutting a piece of glass along the line of scratch.

cutting center

The point on a cutting line that will become the geometrical center of the cut lens.

cutting laser systems

Cutting laser systems are advanced machines that use focused laser beams to cut, engrave, or mark materials with high precision. These systems are widely used in various industries due to their...

CVD

chemical vapor deposition; compact videodisc

CVF

continuously variable filter

CVL

copper vapor laser

CVROS

compact video-rate optical scanner

continuous wave; clockwise

CWDM

coarse wavelength division multiplexing

cyanocrylate cement

Adhering material used to glue optical components that transmit in the infrared. It is easily dissolved by acetone.

cyanometer

An instrument designed to measure the proportion of light emitted by a source in the blue region of the spectrum.

cyanometry

The analysis of light in the blue region of the visible spectrum.

cyberspace -> virtual reality

Virtual reality (VR) is a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional environment or experience that can be interacted with and explored by an individual using electronic devices, such as a...

cycloidal mass spectrometer

A small mass spectrometer, with a limited mass range, equipped with an analyzer to generate a cycloidal-path beam of the sample.

cyclotron resonance

The tendency of charge carriers to spiral about an axis in a direction identical to that of an applied magnetic field that has an angular frequency formed by the value of the applied field and the...

cyl

cylinder

cylinder axis

In a cylindrical lens, the meridian parallel to the generating lines of the cylindrical surface. In a toric lens, the cylinder axis is the axis of the equivalent cylindrical surface that has been...

cylindrical lens

A cylindrical lens is an optical component that has different curvatures along its two orthogonal axes, resulting in a shape resembling a cylinder. Unlike spherical lenses, which have the same...

cystoscope

An endoscope used for the visual examination of the bladder.

Czochralski technique

Czerny-Turner design

A form of monochromator optical system consisting of two spherical concave mirrors used in conjunction with a movable diffraction grating.

Czochralski technique

density; diopter

deci-

detectivity

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

D-star -> D*

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

D/A

digital-to-analog

deka-

DAA

data acquisition and analysis

DAC

digital-to-analog converter

Dall-Kirkham telescope

Photonics Dictionary

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