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5,268 terms
Photonics Dictionary
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GVD
group velocity dispersion
gyroscope
A gyroscope is a mechanical device consisting of a spinning disk or wheel mounted on a spinning axis in such a way that its orientation remains fixed regardless of any movement of its mounting...
gyroscopic camera mount
A mount that uses a floating suspension and a motor-driven gyroscope to keep a motion picture or still camera at a set angle even though the camera is mounted in a place that subjects it to heavy...
gyroscopy
Gyroscopy refers to the principles and applications of gyroscopes, devices that measure or maintain orientation based on the principles of angular momentum. Gyroscopes are essential in various...
H-plane bend
With respect to waveguides, the continuous change in the direction of the axis of the wavelength, during which the axis is perpendicular to the direction of polarization.
hackle
A defect in the cleaved end face of an optical fiber, defined as multiple surface irregularities across the fiber surface. A less serious imperfection of the same nature is known as mist.
HADAR
heat-assisted detection and ranging
Haidinger fringes
Also known as constant angle or constant deviation fringes. The interference fringes observed with dense flat plates near normal incidence. The fringes of the Fabry-Perot interferometer are Haidinger...
hair-trigger operation
Triggering a laser at a predetermined time by pumping it to a level just below its threshold and then using an auxiliary source that quickly pumps it above threshold. Means of achieving it in laser...
halation
1. In a cathode-ray tube, the glow surrounding a bright spot that appears on the fluorescent screen as the result of the screen's light being reflected by the front and rear surfaces of the tube's...
half bandwidth
The term half bandwidth (HBW) generally refers to the width of a spectral band or frequency range at half of its maximum amplitude. It is commonly used in the context of signal processing, optics,...
half duplex
A communications system that can transmit in only a single direction at a time. See duplex.
half-power point
1. The value on either the leading or the trailing edge of a laser pulse at which the power is one-half of its maximum value. 2. The wavelength at which a filter is transmitting one-half of its peak...
half-shade device
A device for forming at least two adjacent areas of polarized light. The angle between the directions of vibration of the light waves in the two areas is generally small.
half-shade plate
A semicircular, half-wave quartz plate between the polarizer and analyzer. It often is used in forming precision settings with a polariscope.
half-wave plate
A plate of electro-optical material that serves to rotate the plane of polarization of a light beam.
half-wave voltage
That voltage required across a Pockels, Kerr or other electro-optic light modulator to retard one polarization electrical vector by one-half a wavelength relative to the other. It corresponds to a...
halide
In chemistry, a halide refers to a chemical compound containing one or more halogen atoms bonded to another element. The halogens are a group of elements in the periodic table that includes fluorine...
halo
1. The faintly hued ring that is seen to surround a light source viewed through fog or light clouds. The size of scattering particles determines the size of the ring. 2. The ring surrounding a...
halogen lamp
A halogen lamp, also known as a tungsten halogen, quartz-halogen, or quartz iodine lamp, is an incandescent lamp that uses a tungsten filament surrounded by a small amount of halogen gas, such as...
hard elastics
High-modulus elastic fibers that exhibit the following differences from conventional elastic fibers: Increasing temperature decreases recovery force (the fibers are enthalpic vs. conventionally...
hard tube
->
high-vacuum tube
An electron tube whose electrical characteristics will not be affected by gaseous ionization because of its high degree of evacuation. Also known as a hard tube.
hard x-ray
A type of x-ray that is capable of deep penetration; its wavelength is about 10-8 cm.
harmonic generation
Harmonic generation refers to a nonlinear optical process in which incoming photons interact with a material and produce new photons at integer multiples of the frequency of the incoming photons....
harmonic wave analyzer
An instrument designed to calculate the amplitude and phase of the different harmonic elements of a radiation wave utilizing a graph of the wave.
Harting Dove prism
A direct-vision prism made in one piece that can be used only in parallel light.
Hartmann formula
->
dispersion formula
All formulas that present the index of refraction as a function of a wavelength of electromagnetic radiation. Also called dispersion equation, Cauchy formula, Hartmann formula.
Hartmann test
A test for spherical aberration, coma or astigmatism in which incident rays from a point source are isolated by small holes in a metal disc located close to the lens or mirror under test....
haze filter
A filter, used in photography, that absorbs the ultraviolet and extreme blue violet radiation scattered by atmospheric haze.
HCMM
heat capacity mapping mission
HDTV
high-definition TV
HDVS
high-definition video systems
HDWDM
high-density wavelength division multiplex
HE
11
mode
Designation for the fundamental mode of an optical fiber.
HEA
high-efficiency antireflection
head-up display
A head-up display (HUD) is a transparent display technology that presents information directly in the field of view of a user, typically without requiring the user to look away from their usual...
heat affected zone
The heat-affected zone (HAZ) refers to the portion of a material, typically metal, that experiences changes in its microstructure and mechanical properties due to the heat generated during welding,...
heat equation
A calorimetric calculation from which the temperature vs. time dependence of any point on a sample can be determined, provided surface and bulk absorption, thermal conductivity and heat transfer...
heat filter
->
heat-transmitting filter
A filter that allows heat radiation from an incident beam to pass without absorption or reflection.
heat lamp
A lamp designed to emit a large amount of infrared radiation; used in applications requiring heat.
heat sink
A heat sink for a laser is a device designed to absorb and dissipate the excess heat generated by the laser during operation. This is crucial to maintain the laser's performance, prevent overheating,...
heat treating
The process of subjecting glass to temperature cycling to produce physico-chemical reactions that alter its properties. Similar processes can be accomplished with a laser -- most commonly a CO2,...
heat wave
In reference to infrared, emissions that are like radio waves but that have a higher frequency.
heat-transmitting filter
A filter that allows heat radiation from an incident beam to pass without absorption or reflection.
heatseeker
A guided missile that uses an infrared sensor to detect and home in on an enemy target. The missile is guided by the high infrared emissions produced by a target, such as the heat from an aircraft or...
heavy seeds
A condition in which the solid inclusions within a glass blank are very numerous, such as 25 or more to the square inch.
height-range indicator
A display that allows the observation and measurement of the altitude and range of airborne objects.
heightfinder
A rangefinder used to determine the height or altitude of aerial targets by means of optical triangulation. The device employs the stereoscopic principle.
helical scanning
A method used in facsimile scanning that sweeps the elemental area across the copy in a spiral motion as the result of the movement of a single turn helix against a stationary bar.
heliograph
An instrument designed to record the duration and intensity of solar radiation.
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Photonics Dictionary
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