Photonics Dictionary: C

The production of visible light by infrared radiation whereby the light is produced by heat and not by any direct change in wavelength; the transformation is indirect.

The radiation produced when a charged particle traverses a medium that has a refractive index considerably greater than unity. The moving particle has a velocity that exceeds the velocity of light in...

A photoelectric detector consisting of a glass tube internally coated with a low conductance material. Voltage applied along the tube causes photoemission from the photocathode at the end of the tube...

A light-sensitive detector having a chemical compound that reacts when exposed to light. It is used in photochemistry and relies on the chemical reaction to determine the amount of incident radiation.

Glass that transmits near-ultraviolet radiation but is opaque in the visible region. Also known as woods glass.

A light source that is capable of producing radiation with waves vibrating in phase. The laser is an example of a coherent light source.

A mirror whose coating serves to reflect visible radiation while transmitting the infrared.

A type of compound microscope that uses three visible wavelengths to translate details produced by invisible radiation.

Translucent collector developed to compensate for the partial blocking of a flat surface's collection angle that normally occurs in spectroradiometry. The device samples radiant flux according to the...

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 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.