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8,236 terms
Photonics Dictionary
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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...
halftone screen
A plate containing a uniform pattern of transparent holes in an opaque background, the clear area being nearly equal to the opaque area. Used in the printing process.
halftones
The gray-colored tones halfway between shadows and highlights in a reproduced image.
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...
Hall effect
The development of a transverse electric field in a solid material when it carries an electric current and is placed in a magnetic field that is perpendicular to the current.
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...
HALO
high-altitude large optics
halogen
Any of the five elements astatine, chlorine, fluorine, bromine and iodine, grouped because their chemical properties are similar.
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...
halving line
The line that divides the two half-images in a coincidence rangefinder. The two halves of the images formed by the two objectives of the instrument must be brought to a point where they coincide...
hand viewer
A device small enough to be held in a hand that uses a magnifying lens and a translucent back to permit the viewing of photographic transparencies.
hard coating
Usually a dielectric coating on glass or plastic optics; a coating that is comparable in hardness to glass itself.
hard copy
Text or images printed on paper or another tangible medium, as opposed to those viewed electronically on a cathode-ray-tube screen.
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 seal
The process of sealing laser components by means of frit seals, welding or bonding rather than using epoxy.
hard tube
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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.
hard-clad silica fiber
A type of optical fiber in which a silica core is surrounded by a hard polymer or similar material much stronger than the customary cladding material.
hardness
In the most general sense, the resistance of a solid surface to damage.
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
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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....
HAZ
heat-affected zone
haze
An aggravated form of fog in a polished surface caused by the scattering of light. The defects causing haze are larger than those causing fog, but singly are not large enough to be seen by the...
haze factor
The ratio between the luminescence of an object and the luminescence of the scattering medium through which it is being viewed.
haze filter
A filter, used in photography, that absorbs the ultraviolet and extreme blue violet radiation scattered by atmospheric haze.
HBS
holographic beam sampler
HCCD
high-performance CCD
HCG
high-index-contrast subwavelength grating
HCMM
heat capacity mapping mission
HCN
hydrogen cyanide
HDSL
high-bit-rate digital subscriber loop
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...
HEAO
high-energy astronomy observatory
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 exchanger
A type of cooling system in which one fluid is used to carry heat off another without direct contact between the two.
heat filter
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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.
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Photonics Dictionary
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