Optics | Photonics.com

OPTICS DICTIONARY TERMS

coated opticsOptical elements that have been coated with one or more layers of dielectric, or metallic material. These coatings serve to reduce or increase reflection from the surface, and to protect the surfaces from fumes or abrasion. Magnesium fluoride,...

geometric opticsA field of physics that deals with light as if it truly were composed of rays diverging in various directions from the...

Gaussian beam opticsThe area of optics that deals with the propagation of Gaussian laser beams in free space, or any general medium - i.e....

radial gradientIn gradient index optics, a gradient profile in which the index varies in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis....

replicated opticsOptical components, usually reflectors, produced using proprietary techniques that transfer the precision of a master to a...

fresnelA unit of frequency equivalent to 1012 cps. Named for Augustin Jean Fresnel, a French physicist known for his work in light...

opticsThe study of light – optics is the area of physics that deals with the generation, propagation, and interaction of...

atom opticsThe area of optics in which the wave nature of a particle is exploited to carry out very accurate interferometry and other...

tissue opticsThe study of the optical properties of living tissue. Increased understanding of the behavior of light in this varied,...

waferA cross-sectional slice cut from an ingot of either single-crystal, fused, polycrystalline or amorphous material that has...

high-performance parallel interface (HIPPI)A very high bandwidth communication line often used in fiber optics.

magnitudeIn astronomy, the relative brightness of a celestial body. Originally a scale from 1 to 6, where 1 represented the brightest...

momentum transferIn physics, momentum transfer is the amount of momentum transferred from one particle to another during particle collision...

laser guide starAn artificial star used to aid in adaptive optics imaging of the sky. The guide star is provided from a telescope system on...

Schlieren opticsAn optical system that records inhomogeneities within a medium by detecting the energy refracted by that portion of the...

adaptive opticsOptical components or assemblies whose performance is monitored and controlled so as to compensate for aberrations, static...

image opticsAny form of lens, optical system (camera, telescope, microscope, etc.), or opto-electronics utilized for the purpose of...

Gaussian optics1. That branch of optics that illustrates the theory in which q is substituted for sin q in Snell's law. Effective results...

free-space optics (FSO)A type of optical communications technology dealing with the use of lasers and other light sources to send telecommunication...

transpositionIn optics, the changing of the relative curves of a lens without changing its refractive value.

laser penDevice consisting of a laser diode, beam-correcting optics and collimating optics in a single housing. Also called a...

figure (fig)In optics, the geometrical form of an optical surface.

optics of materialThe area of optics that deals with the interaction of light with a given material. The optical properties of material are...

automatic profilingIn fiber optics, the use of a detector to study the range of refractive indices achieved at various wavelengths. This...

high-density storageExtensive data storage in the form of bits, with the use of high-resolution photographic materials and optics, and generally...

paraboloidal mirrorA concave mirror that has the form of a paraboloid of revolution. The paraboloidal mirror may have only a portion of a...

diffractive lensAny optical device that utilizes diffraction in an image-forming capability. Familiar diffractive lenses are zone plates,...

photonicsThe technology of generating and harnessing light and other forms of radiant energy whose quantum unit is the photon. The...

optical encoderA device designed to measure linear or rotary motion by detection of the movement of markings on a transparent medium past a...

quantum opticsThe area of optics in which quantum theory is used to describe light in discrete units or "quanta" of energy known as...

dioptricsThe branch of optics that deals with the study of the refraction of light, particularly by the transmitting medium of the...

laser pointerHandheld optical laser device containing a semiconductor or DPSS source. The output is corrected via internal collimating...

equivalent wavelengthIn surface height measurement of optics with steep slopes, the use of two short visible wavelengths to synthesize a longer,...

matrix optics

cladding glassIn fiber optics, the glass that is found around the glass core of the fiber, and that has a lower refractive index than the...

intensified vidiconA standard direct-readout vidicon tube linked by fiber optics to an intensifier for increased sensitivity.

infrared scannerAn optical system used to collect infrared energy from a scene using scanning optics with a point or line detector, as...

optical sapphireA material used in optics that differs from ruby only in the slight impurity that gives the material its color. Colorless...

light patternIn optics, a pattern, such as the Buchmann-Meyer pattern, that may be viewed when the record surface is illuminated by a...

astronomical mirrorGenerally, a mirror used instead of lenses in astronomical and space applications. It is not limited in size, does not...

surface1. In optics, one of the exterior faces of an optical element. 2. The process of grinding or generating the face of an...

cladding modeA mode that is confined by virtue of a lower-index medium surrounding the cladding. Cladding modes, in the terminology of...

buffer1. In fiber optics, a protective material applied as an optical fiber cover that has no optical function. 2. In image...

bellowsIn optics, a collapsible structure situated between the lens and film of a camera to allow variation of the distance between...

collective lensA convex or positive lens that serves to collect energy and direct it into subsequent system optics.

visually coupled airborne systems simulator (VCASS)A visual system including a tiny television tube and imaging optics, all contained in a helmet to be worn by pilots in...

active opticsTechnology that corrects the shape of reflective optics; primarily applied in large telescope systems, in order to...

modulationIn general, changes in one oscillation signal caused by another, such as amplitude or frequency modulation in radio which...

physical opticsThe branch of science that treats light as a wave phenomenon wherein light propagation is studied by wavefronts rather than...

solid opticsOptical elements arranged with no spaces between, so that the light travels only through glass, not air.

static beam shapingA technique for creating optimal performance in a system by producing a specific beam irradiance distribution, usually...

attenuation-limited powerIn fiber optics, the limitation on performance imposed by the amplitude of a received signal rather than distortion.

pressurizationInjecting a gas (usually nitrogen) with a very low moisture content into the body of an optical instrument to create a...

cold coatingA method of applying antireflection coatings to optics that avoids the elevated temperatures normally used. A cold coating...

objectThe figure seen through or imaged by an optical system. It may contain structures, natural or artificial, or it may be the...

diffraction gratingA glass substrate carrying a layer of deposited aluminum that has been pressure-ruled with a large number of fine...

x-ray opticsThe study of the physics of x-rays, where the x-rays exhibit properties similar to those of lightwaves. Also called Roentgen...

cutoff wavelength1. In detector technology, the long wavelength at which detector response falls to a set percentage (usually 20 or 50...

beam tableLaser light show effects equipment including optics and mechanical devices that reflect, position or distort the laser beam,...

fiberless optics

exposureIn optics, the total radiant energy incident on a surface-per-unit area. It is equal to the integral over time of the...

fiber opticsThe use of thin flexible glass or plastic fibers as wave guides - or "light pipes" - to channel light from one location to...

infrared cameraA camera that uses infrared optics to image and focus infrared radiation onto a recording medium sensitive to its...

massive opticsOptical components exceeding 24 in. in diameter. The components are usually glass, acrylic or polystyrene and are used for...

covered grooveA technique used in integrated optics where a groove is cut on a substrate surface and covered by a thin film to facilitate...

nano (n)An SI prefix meaning one billionth (10-9). Nano can also be used to indicate the study of atoms, molecules and other...

ultraviolet fiber optics (UVFO)Special glasses that extend the usable range of fiber optics well into the ultraviolet region. The fibers have a core of...

micro-opticsTiny (less than 2 mm in diameter) lenses, beamsplitters and other optical components used, for example, in endoscopes or...

binary opticsOptical elements, often created by micromachining, lithography or vacuum deposition, that rely on diffraction of the...

metamaterialA material engineered from artificial matter not found in nature. The artificial makeup and design of metamaterials give...

lambertian source planeIn optics, a plane that emits a flux proportional to the cosine of the angle of the normal; dense opal glass is an example.

bubble chamber opticsSpecially designed optics for the observation and photographing of hydrogen in a bubble chamber.

collectorA positive lens located at or close to an intermediate image plane. The collector refracts off-axis light bundles, directing...

space-division multiplex (SDM)In fiber optics, the condition in which each fiber of a bundle carries a separate channel.

magneto-opticsThe study of the effects of a magnetic field on specific properties of light, such as polarization.

strainIn optics, the mechanical tension, compression or shear in optical glass due to internal stress caused by improper cooling...

injection moldingA method of producing high-quality plastic optics in large volumes by injecting the heated, liquified plastic at high...

Judas opticsA small defocused Galilean telescope mounted in a hole in a door. Viewed from inside through the positive lens, a wide-angle...

spherical gradientIn gradient index optics, a gradient profile in which the refractive index varies symmetrically about a point.

octaveThe interval between two points, where the frequency at the second point is twice the frequency of the first. In physics and...

concave gratingA reflecting grating ruled on a concave spherical surface that not only disperses the light but focuses the spectrum. The...

laser triangulationA technique that uses a solid-state laser and a detector to determine an object's relative distance to the system. The laser...

geometric imageThe position and shape of the image of a point source, as predicted by geometric optics alone. The geometric image is to be...

scratch resistant coating (SRC)Thin layers intended to prevent damage to plastic optics.

optogeneticsA discipline that combines optics and genetics to enable the use of light to stimulate and control cells in living tissue,...

electron opticsThe control of free electron movement through the use of electrical or magnetic fields, and use of this electron movement in...

refractive index contrastA measure of the relative difference in refractive index between two optical materials. Most commonly used in fiber optics...

soft coatingA term describing an antireflection coating that may be applied to optics that cannot tolerate the high temperatures usually...

acousto-opticsDiscipline within optical physics that addresses sound vibration, phonon effects and their influencing behavior within...

leaky rayIn an optical waveguide, a ray for which geometric optics would predict total internal reflection at the core boundary, but...

beam optics

normalized frequencyAlso referred to as the V number in fiber optics; the normalized frequency is a dimensionless quantity, denoted by the...

microdisplayA transmissive, reflective or emissive high-resolution display that typically measures 1 cm diagonally, and whose use...

crystal opticsThe study of the transmission of radiant energy through crystals, especially anisotropic crystals, and their effects on...

micro-optic gyroscope (MOG)A thin-film device that integrates optics and electronics on a single chip to provide a passive-ring resonator gyroscope...

toric lensA lens having one or more toric surfaces. A toric surface is one having a maximum power in one meridian and a minimum power...

hard coatingUsually a dielectric coating on glass or plastic optics; a coating that is comparable in hardness to glass itself.

endoscopeA medical instrument used to view inside the human body by inserting the instrument into a natural or created aperture. The...

adapter1. In optics, the housing, usually cylindrical, that contains the lenses and iris diaphragm of a camera. 2. In fiber optics,...

laser tubeThe device, usually made of glass or a similar material, that contains the resonant cavity and optics of a gas laser.

imageIn optics, an image is the reconstruction of light rays from a source or object when light from that source or object is...

wave opticsAlso referred to as physical optics - the area of optics in which the wave nature of light is essential when defining its...

convergence1. In optics, the bending of light rays toward each other, as by a convex or positive lens. 2. Turning in the eyes to view a...

solar furnaceAn optical system that is designed to produce a high temperature in a specified area by the optical direction and...

kinematic mountA mount for an optic element or optics assembly, designed so that all six degrees of freedom are singly constrained. This...

Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy (LSFM)Also known as single plane illumination microscopy (SPIM), this process was designed for imaging of sensitive samples and...

opticalPertaining to optics and the phenomena of light.

rainbow hologramEssentially, a hologram of a hologram, in which the first-generation hologram is masked with a narrow slit. During image...

head-up display (HUD)An optical system that superimposes a synthetic display providing navigational or weapon-aiming information on a pilot's or...

atmospheric opticsThe analysis of the properties of radiation, such as light, when acted upon by variations in the atmosphere. Blue and red...

dust extinctionIn atmospheric optics, the almost total blocking of light transmission in the atmosphere due to the scattering and...

polishing jigIn fiber optics, a device used to polish a biconic plug to a specified length and surface finish. Also called a polishing...

Geometrical opticsThe area of optics in which the propagation of light is described by geometrical lines (or rays) governed by Fermat's...

divergence1. In optics, the bending of rays away from each other. 2. In lasers, the spreading of a laser beam with increased distance...

first-order optics

vapor-phase axial deposition (VAD)A process by which high-quality fiber optics are made. See axial vapor-phase deposition.

tangent ogiveIn optics, a shape often given to the leading edge of a projectile. In any side view it appears as a pointed arc, while any...

micro ion millingProcess developed for the production of high-resolution patterns in electro- and magneto-optics. These high-generation...

axial gradientIn gradient index optics, a gradient profile in which the refractive index varies along the direction of light propagation,...

remote laser weldingA robotic process commonly employed by automakers that enables high-speed and flexible production throughput by using...

vacuum apparatusEquipment dependent on the effects of a vacuum. The principal applications in optics are in the coating of lenses and...

near-field scanningA measurement technique used to determine the spatial distribution profile of an electrical or optical quantity of interest...

tolerance fieldIn fiber optics, the annular region between two concentric circles; used to specify fiber cladding and core sizes.

neutralizationIn optics, the process of combining two lenses having equal and opposite powers to produce a result having no power.

infrared searchlightAn infrared source combined with reflecting projection optics to illuminate a target making it visible when observed through...

diffractive opticsOptical elements that use diffraction to control wavefronts. Diffractive optical elements include diffraction gratings,...

paraxialCharacteristic of optical analyses that are limited to infinitesimally small apertures. Also called first-order or Gaussian...

incoherentIn optics, the term denoting the lack of a fixed phase relationship between two waves. If two incoherent waves are...

thermographThe instrument used to collect thermal radiation information on an object by scanning. It consists basically of a detector,...

mandrelA shaft, spindle or any object generally passed through a workpiece to hold, support or shape a particular piece during its...

bandwidth-limited operationIn fiber optics, the limitation on performance imposed by the system bandwidth rather than the amplitude of the signal.

meteorological optics

resolution1. In optics, the ability of a lens system to reproduce the points, lines and surfaces in an object as separate entities in...

hygroscopicIn fiber optics, a material whose properties, usually of transmission, are distinctly affected by the absorption of water...

dissonanceIn optics, the production of maxima and minima by the superimposition of two sets of interference fringes from light of two...

electro-optics1. The branch of physics that deals with the use of electrical energy to create or manipulate light waves, generally by...

RuticonA ruticon is an opto-electronic device in which light going through it can be modulated by an electric field. The...

physiological opticsThe study of visual perception by the sense of sight.

integrated opticsA thin-film device containing miniature optical components connected via optical waveguides on a transparent dielectric...

photoelasticIn optics, the double refraction that is produced when stress is applied to a transparent material. Plastics, which are...

emergent rayIn optics, the light ray leaving a medium in contrast to the entering or incident ray.

scanner1. A device used to trace out an object and build up an image. One of the most common of these types is video scanning. The...

minimum spot sizeThe smallest linear diameter to which a laser or other beam of radiant energy is capable of being focused, depending on the...

cleaning equipmentIn optics, degreasers or ultrasonic arrangements used for removing pitch, cement or polishing material from lenses during...

refracting sphereA transparent sphere that has an index of refraction that is different from that of the medium surrounding it; used in...

transmission (T)In optics, the conduction of radiant energy through a medium. Often denotes the percentage of energy passing through an...

Matrix opticsThe linear relationship between input and output optical fields for a given optical system or application that allows the...

plastic opticsThe integration of plastic materials into optical applications. When the materials are refined into lenses, prisms and...

heterostructuresA method used in integrated optics; formed by growing an epitaxial layer of active material, removing it from its base and...

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