Photonics Dictionary: A

An absorption line is a dark line in a spectrum that occurs when a specific wavelength of light is absorbed by atoms or molecules in a medium (such as a gas or a solid) as light passes through it....

An absorption spectrum is a graphical representation of the absorption of light by a material as a function of wavelength, frequency, or energy. It displays the specific wavelengths of light that are...

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is a manufacturing process that involves creating three-dimensional objects by adding material layer by layer. This is in contrast to...

The angular spectrum approach is a mathematical and computational technique used in the field of optics to analyze and simulate the propagation of optical waves, particularly in the context of wave...

A point source of light used for the test and evaluation of image quality. May be a backlit pinhole in an otherwise opaque sheet placed at an appropriately large distance from the lens being tested.

A camera designed to record astronomical objects (e.g., stars, planets, nebulae, galaxies) and their spectra.

An astronomical mirror, also known as a telescope mirror or primary mirror, is a key component of a reflecting telescope. It serves as the primary optical element responsible for gathering and...

An astronomical telescope is a type of optical instrument designed to gather and magnify light from distant celestial objects for observation and analysis. It typically consists of two main optical...

A mode of data transmission whereby each bit of information is generated separately, with some stop/start code to indicate the interval between bits.