Photonics Dictionary

A Cassegrain telescope having a parabolic primary mirror, a spherical secondary mirror and a zero-power doublet in the converging bundle for aberration correction.

X resolution is a measure of the number of pixels or data points along the horizontal axis of an image or display. It quantifies the level of detail that can be displayed horizontally, representing...

1. In a plane Cartesian coordinate system, the horizontal axis, or axis in the left to right direction. 2. In a quartz crystal structure, the refrence axis.

The collection and detection of x-rays by virtue of their ionizing properties. The ionization may be perceived directly by a gas-filled ionization chamber, photographically, or by correlating...

Irradiation of a cylindrical crystal with an x-ray beam resulting in Bragg diffraction that produces a slightly enlarged image.

A method of projecting integrated circuit patterns on a silicon wafer using x-ray wavelengths focused through a special mask.

The method of acquiring characteristic x-ray spectra from microscopic samples by use of the combination of a scanning electron microscope and x-ray spectroscopy.

An instrument for eye surgery that directs intense xenon arc light through the transparent cornea lens to the retina where absorption by the pigment epithelium and the choroid produces heat and...

A recorder that plots, on a chart, the interaction between two variables, not directly representing time.

A YAG crystal refers to a solid-state crystal made of yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG), which is a synthetic crystalline material. YAG crystals are known for their exceptional optical properties,...

A ytterbium laser is a type of solid-state laser that employs ytterbium ions (Yb³+) as the dopant in the gain medium. These lasers are known for their high efficiency, broad absorption and...

A type of semiconductor diode used in voltage-limiting circuits; when voltage reaches a certain value, the device becomes a conductor.

A grating that specularly reflects the specified long radiation wavelengths and diffracts the shorter wavelengths off in known directions, eliminating the interference of randomly scattered radiation.

A quarter- or half-wave retarder made from two plates of quartz, mica or polymer with their fast axes crossed; the difference in thickness between the two plates determines the retardance. Zero-order...

A polyethylene grating that transmits the long wavelengths and diffracts shorter wavelengths in controlled directions.

Zerodur is a type of glass ceramic material known for its exceptional thermal and mechanical properties, particularly its low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) close to zero. It was developed by...