Photonics Dictionary

In a pumped laser system, the ratio of output energy to pump energy.

A fluid used to decrease the temperature rise produced by friction or other causes.

An infrared detector that achieves a specified sensitivity through the application of certain cryogenic temperatures.

A corner cube, also known as a corner reflector or retroreflector prism, is a type of optical device used to reflect light or electromagnetic waves back towards their source with minimal deviation in...

In rangefinders and height finders, a rotatable or sliding wedge-shaped element used to divert the line of sight precisely to correct errors in the optical system.

An optical wedge of very small angles that admits light while sealing out moisture and dirt and that may be rotated to compensate for the errors in the entire system. Correction windows are sometimes...

A technique for removing thermal noise and drift from focal plane assemblies by sampling the system output between views of scene elements and then subtracting the resulting value from the subsequent...

A formula indicating that, for an imaging lens system, the image brightness for off-axis points will fall off at a rate proportional to the cos4 of the off-axis field angle.

A system consisting of two or more Geiger-Müller counters, connected in coincidence with their centers on an axis. The only particles recorded are those traversing all counters, near the axis,...

The deformation of a material at high levels of stress, often associated with elevated temperatures.

That wavelength at which the absorption of a given element or system begins to demonstrate an inconstant value.

In an optical system, the aperture size at which the lens gives its best overall performance.

1. A defect inherent in a multiple-axis positioning system whereby an adjustment of one axis causes an undesired change in another; its severity depends upon the degree to which the positioning axes...

A cryogenically cooled long-wave infrared (LWIR) camera is a specialized thermal imaging device designed to detect infrared radiation in the long-wave infrared spectrum, typically ranging from 8 to...

The science and technology applied to the creation of low temperatures (i.e., approaching absolute zero).

The spectrographic analysis of matter that is in a cooled state. Generally, a mechanical refrigerator is used to lower the temperature of the sample, allowing isolation and study of the sample and...

A cryostat is a device used to maintain very low temperatures, typically below the boiling point of liquid nitrogen (77 K or -196°C) or even lower. It provides a controlled environment for...

A solid with a structure that exhibits a basically symmetrical and geometrical arrangement. A crystal may already possess this structure, or it may acquire it through mechanical means. More than 50...

A temperature-controlled container used to stabilize the temperature and resonant frequency of a crystal found in a crystal-controlled oscillator.

A system that applies a crystal as a diffracting agent to photograph the spectrum.

Glass of special composition that is melted, formed into desired shapes, and subjected to a high-temperature treatment in which the glass undergoes a stage of nucleic formation, and a second stage,...

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...

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...

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...

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

A Dammann grating is a type of diffractive optical element (DOE) used to create an array of equally spaced, uniform-intensity spots or beams. It is named after its inventor, Dr. Herbert Dammann. The...

An organizational method used in optical design computer programs. The technique produces one number (merit function) to measure the state of correction of an optical system. This number, which is...

A system incorporated into fiber optic data communications characterized by several spatially distributed terminals that are served with the same multiplexed signal.

The communications network between nodes of a data transmission system.

1. The grinding or edging of a lens so that the geometrical center and optical center do not coincide. 2. The shifting of an optical element from the system's optical axis, sometimes done on purpose...

In a single element, any lack of coincidence between the optical and the mechanical axes. In a lens system, any lack of coincidence of optical axes of the lens elements that make up that system.

An aberration occurring in a lens system when one or more of the centers of curvature of the optical surfaces do not coincide with the system's axis.

Deep learning is a subset of machine learning that involves the use of artificial neural networks to model and solve complex problems. The term "deep" in deep learning refers to the use of deep...

Deep multiphoton microscopy is an advanced imaging technique used in biological and biomedical research to visualize structures and processes deep within tissues with high resolution. It combines the...

A deep ultraviolet (DUV) laser is a type of laser that emits light in the deep ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum, typically with wavelengths ranging from about 200 nanometers (nm)...

Deep ultraviolet (DUV or deep-UV) refers to a specific range of ultraviolet light with shorter wavelengths than those in the UV-A and UV-B regions. The exact wavelength range considered as DUV can...

The number of unique ways in which a part can move in an alignment system. In static alignment, there are six: one in the direction of and one in rotation about each of the X, Y and Z axes. In...

The term delta error (delta-E) generally refers to the difference or change in error between two values or states. The word "delta" is often used in mathematics and science to represent a change or...

Dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) is an optical communication technique used to increase the data-carrying capacity of optical fiber networks by simultaneously transmitting multiple...

A critical image parameter in applications where object position may change dynamically relative to the imager; this is a sensitive function of the system's preclosed loop (initial) focal range and...

The distance, on either side of the object plane focused on, through which satisfactory image definition can be obtained. For the special case of an imaging system with lens axis perpindicular to the...

Design and engineering consulting services refer to professional services provided by specialized firms or individuals to assist clients in various aspects of product development, system design, or...