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Articles of the RP Photonics Encyclopedia

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A

Abbe number
ABCD matrixBuyer's Guide
aberrations → optical aberrations
absolute phase → carrier–envelope offset
absorbanceBuyer's Guide
absorbing coatings → black coatings
absorptanceBuyer's Guide
absorptionBuyer's Guide
absorption coefficientBuyer's Guide
absorption cross-sections → transition cross-sections
absorption efficiency → pump absorption
absorption lengthBuyer's Guide
absorption saturation → pump absorption
absorption spectroscopy → laser absorption spectroscopy
absorptivity → absorptance
acceptance angle in fiber optics
acceptance angle in fiber optics: Case study: The numerical aperture of a fiber: a strict limit for the angular field distribution?
acceptance angle in nonlinear optics → critical phase matching
achromatic lenses → lenses
achromatic opticsBuyer's Guide
acousto-optic deflectorsBuyer's Guide
acousto-optic frequency shiftersBuyer's Guide
acousto-optic modulator driversBuyer's Guide
acousto-optic modulatorsBuyer's Guide
acousto-optic Q-switchesBuyer's Guide
acousto-optic tunable filtersBuyer's Guide
actinometry
active fibersBuyer's Guide
active laser media → laser gain media
active mirror → thin-disk lasers
active mode lockingBuyer's Guide
active mode locking: Case study: actively mode-locked laser
active optical cables → fiber-optic links
active Q-switching → Q-switching
active stabilization of lasers → stabilization of lasers
adaptive opticsBuyer's Guide
additive-pulse mode locking
add–drop multiplexers → wavelength division multiplexing
adhesives → optical adhesives
adiabatic soliton compressionBuyer's Guide
adiabatic soliton compression: Case study: adiabatic soliton compression
adjoint modes → resonator modes
afocal optical systems
air-guiding fibers → hollow-core fibers and capillaries
air-spaced etalons: Case study: air-spaced etalon
alexandrite lasersBuyer's Guide
alignment lasersBuyer's Guide
alignment sensitivity: RP Photonics Spotlight 2015-05-14: Alignment sensitivity of laser resonators – an important design criterion
alignment sensitivity: RP Photonics Spotlight 2011-06-10: Are compact resonators more stable?
alignment sensitivity: RP Photonics Software News 2017-04-26: How to calculate misalignment effects in laser resonators
alignment sensitivity of optical resonatorsBuyer's Guide
alkali vapor lasers → metal vapor lasers
all-solid-state lasersBuyer's Guide
allowed transitions → forbidden transitions
alpha factor → linewidth enhancement factor
aluminum mirrors → metal-coated mirrors
amplification bandwidth → gain bandwidth
amplification factor
amplified spontaneous emissionBuyer's Guide
amplified spontaneous emission: Tutorial chapter on ASE in fiber amplifiers
amplified spontaneous emission: Case study: ASE in ytterbium-doped fibers
amplified spontaneous emission: RP Photonics Spotlight 2015-03-11: Strange time dependence of ASE from a fiber amplifier
amplified spontaneous emission: RP Photonics Spotlight 2013-07-08: Amplified spontaneous emission in fiber amplifiers
amplified spontaneous emission: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-08-06: Fiber amplifiers: more ASE for larger core with higher NA?
amplified spontaneous emission: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-07-30: Fiber amplifiers: stronger ASE in the backward direction
amplifier chainsBuyer's Guide
amplifier chains: Tutorial chapter on multi-stage fiber amplifiers
amplifier chains: RP Photonics Software News 2017-11-17: Modeling multi-stage amplifiers with RP Fiber Power
amplifier fibers → rare-earth-doped fibers
amplifier modeling: Tutorial: Modeling of fiber amplifiers and lasers
amplifier noise
amplifier noise: Tutorial chapter on noise of fiber amplifiers
amplifier noise: Noise in laser technology
amplifier noise: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-07-16: Spontaneous emission and amplifier noise
amplifier stages → amplifier chains
amplifier transitions → laser transitions
amplifiers → optical amplifiers
amplifiers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-01-27: Noise figure of amplifiers
amplifiers for photodiodes → photodiode amplifiers
amplitude noise → intensity noise
amplitude-squeezed lightBuyer's Guide
anamorphic prism pairsBuyer's Guide
anamorphic prisms → prisms
angle cleaving → cleaving of fibers
angle phase matching → critical phase matching
anomalous dispersion → chromatic dispersion
anti-reflection coatingsBuyer's Guide
anti-reflection coatings: Case study: dual-wavelength anti-reflection coating
anti-Stokes fluorescence cooling → optical refrigeration
antibunching → nonclassical light
AOM drivers → acousto-optic modulator drivers
aperiodic fiber gratings → fiber Bragg gratings
aperture stops
apochromatic opticsBuyer's Guide
apochromats → achromatic optics
apodized fiber Bragg gratings → fiber Bragg gratings
applications of lasers → laser applications
arc lamp pumping → lamp-pumped lasers
arc lampsBuyer's Guide
argon fluoride lasers → excimer lasers
argon-ion lasersBuyer's Guide
array spectrometers → spectrographs
arrayed waveguide gratingsBuyer's Guide
articulated mirror arms → laser beam delivery
artificial saturable absorbers → saturable absorbers
ASE sources: Software demo: ASE source with automatic spectral optimization
aspheric lenses → aspheric optics
aspheric opticsBuyer's Guide
astigmatism
astrophotonicsBuyer's Guide
asynchronous sampling → optical sampling
athermal lasers → radiation-balanced lasers
atmospheric correction → laser guide stars
attenuation coefficient → absorption coefficient
attenuators → optical attenuators
attenuators: RP Photonics Spotlight 2015-02-05: Attenuating laser beams – not that easy
attosecond pulse spectroscopy → time-resolved spectroscopy
attosecond pulses → high harmonic generation
autocollimatorsBuyer's Guide
autocorrelatorsBuyer's Guide
avalanche photodiodesBuyer's Guide
axial mode spacing → free spectral range
axial modes → resonator modes
axiconsBuyer's Guide

B

B integral
Babinet depolarizers → depolarizers
Babinet–Soleil compensatorsBuyer's Guide
balanced photodetectionBuyer's Guide
ball lensesBuyer's Guide
band gap
bandwidthBuyer's Guide
bandwidth: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-10-11: Understanding Fourier spectra
bandwidth-limited pulses
bandwidth–distance product
bat ear controllers → fiber polarization controllers
beam blocks → beam dumps
beam characterization: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-06-01: Characterize your pump beam!
beam collimation → collimated beams
beam collimatorsBuyer's Guide
beam combiningBuyer's Guide
beam delivery systems → laser beam delivery
beam diagnostics → beam profilers
beam diameter → beam radius
beam distortions → beam quality
beam divergence
beam dumpsBuyer's Guide
beam expandersBuyer's Guide
beam focus → beam waist
beam focus: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-11-22: The beam focus – not just a demagnified version of your beam
beam homogenizersBuyer's Guide
beam parameter productBuyer's Guide
beam pointing fluctuations
beam pointing stability → beam pointing fluctuations
beam profilersBuyer's Guide
beam propagation: Tutorial chapter on power propagation vs. field propagation
beam propagation factor → M2 factor
beam propagation method → numerical beam propagation
beam properties
beam qualityBuyer's Guide
beam quality: RP Photonics Spotlight 2020-09-30: Beam radius and beam quality of laser pulses
beam quality: RP Photonics Spotlight 2013-11-12: Beam quality limit for multimode fibers
beam quality: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-03-04: What is a ''high'' laser beam quality?
beam quality: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-06-11: Beam quality measurements can easily go wrong
beam quality: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-07-24: Beam distortions in laser cavities
beam quality factor → M2 factor
beam radius
beam radius: RP Photonics Spotlight 2020-09-30: Beam radius and beam quality of laser pulses
beam radius: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-07-11: What is a beam width, beam size, and a beam waist?
beam reducers → beam expanders
beam shapersBuyer's Guide
beam shapers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-04-08: Creating a top-hat laser beam focus
beam shuttersBuyer's Guide
beam splittersBuyer's Guide
beam traps → beam dumps
beam viewing cards → laser viewing cards
beam waist
beat length → polarization beat length
beat note
beat note: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-07-29: No beat note for orthogonal modes
beat notes: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-07-26: Beat signals with zero linewidth
Beer–Lambert law
bend losses
bend losses: Software demo: Bend effects in a large mode area fiber
Berek compensatorsBuyer's Guide
Berek tunable waveplates → Babinet–Soleil compensators
Bessel beams and Bessel–Gauss beamsBuyer's Guide
binoculars → telescopes
biophotons: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-02-16: The science of biophotons
birefringenceBuyer's Guide
birefringence: Tutorial chapter on polarization issues in optical fibers
birefringence: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-05-19: Why strong birefringence in fibers helps
birefringent fibers → polarization-maintaining fibers
birefringent filters → birefringent tuners
birefringent phase matchingBuyer's Guide
birefringent polarizers → polarizers
birefringent tunersBuyer's Guide
birefringent walk-off → spatial walk-off
bit error rateBuyer's Guide
black coatingsBuyer's Guide
blackbody radiation → thermal radiation
blazed gratings → diffraction gratings
blue lasersBuyer's Guide
borosilicate glasses → silicate glasses
bound modes → guided waves
Bragg fibers → photonic bandgap fibers
Bragg grating sensors → fiber-optic sensors
Bragg gratingsBuyer's Guide
Bragg mirrorsBuyer's Guide
Bragg mirrors: Case study: Bragg mirror
breakdown → laser-induced breakdown
Brewster platesBuyer's Guide
Brewster windowsBuyer's Guide
Brewster's angle
brightnessBuyer's Guide
brightness converters
Brillouin scatteringBuyer's Guide
Brillouin scattering: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-03-03: Thresholds for nonlinear effects in fiber amplifiers
Brillouin scattering: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-09-01: Stimulated Brillouin scattering: lower peak power, stronger effect?
Brillouin scattering: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-06-24: The plague of a narrow emission linewidth
broad area laser diodesBuyer's Guide
broadband light sources → superluminescent sources
buildup welding → laser cladding
bulk Bragg gratings → volume Bragg gratings
bulk lasers
bulk lasers versus fiber lasers → fiber lasers versus bulk lasers
bundled fibers → fiber bundles
burst mode lasersBuyer's Guide
burst-mode transceivers → telecom transceivers

C

C band → optical fiber communications
calibration lamps → spectral lamps
calorimeters → optical energy meters
camera sensors → image sensors
camerasBuyer's Guide
candela → luminous intensity
capillaries → hollow-core fibers and capillaries
carbon dioxide lasers → CO2 lasers
cardinal points
carrier lifetime → upper-state lifetime
carrier–envelope offsetBuyer's Guide
cascade lasing → cooperative lasing
causality
caustic → beam quality
cavitiesBuyer's Guide
cavity bandwidth → resonator modes
cavity design → resonator design
cavity dumpers → pulse pickers
cavity dumpingBuyer's Guide
cavity modes → resonator modes
cavity resonances → resonator modes
CCD sensors → image sensors
ceramic laser gain mediaBuyer's Guide
chalcogenide fibersBuyer's Guide
channel waveguides
characterization of laser beams → laser beam characterization
characterization of thin-film devices → thin-film characterization
charge injection devices → image sensors
chemical lasers → gas lasers
chemical vapor deposition → fiber fabrication
chemiluminescence
chillers → laser cooling units
chillers for lasers → laser cooling units
chirp
chirp: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-02-03: Quantifying the chirp of ultrashort pulses
chirped fiber Bragg gratings → fiber Bragg gratings
chirped mirrorsBuyer's Guide
chirped mirrors: RP Photonics Software News 2021-11-04: How to design multilayer optical devices
chirped pulses → chirp
chirped-pulse amplificationBuyer's Guide
chirped-pulse amplification: Case study: Chirped-pulse ytterbium-doped fiber amplifier system
chirped-pulse amplification: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-08-01: Fiber amplifiers: modeling of ultrashort pulse amplification with saturation of wavelength-dependent gain
choppers → optical choppers
chromatic aberrationsBuyer's Guide
chromatic dispersionBuyer's Guide
chromatic dispersion: Tutorial chapter on the chromatic dispersion of optical fibers
chromaticity
chromium-doped laser gain mediaBuyer's Guide
CIE standard illuminants
circle of confusion → imaging with a lens
circular multipass cells → multipass gas cells
cladding → fiber cladding
cladding mode strippersBuyer's Guide
cladding modesBuyer's Guide
cladding pumping: Tutorial chapter on double-clad fibers
cladding pumping: Software demo: Pump absorption in a double-clad fiber
cladding pumping: Software demo: Cladding-pumped high-power ytterbium-doped fiber laser
cladding-pumped fibers → double-clad fibers
class-A and class-B regime of a laser → relaxation oscillations
cleaner cavities → mode cleaners
cleaning of fiber endsBuyer's Guide
cleaning of opticsBuyer's Guide
cleavers → fiber cleavers
cleaving of fibersBuyer's Guide
clustering
CMOS sensors → image sensors
co-packaged optics → photonic packaging
CO2 lasersBuyer's Guide
coatings
coatings → dielectric coatings
coherenceBuyer's Guide
coherence: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-11-03: Coherent light from a bulb?
coherence: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-06-23: Coherence – a black-or-white issue?
coherence: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-04-22: Abused photonics terms: coherence
coherence function → coherence time
coherence lengthBuyer's Guide
coherence length: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-09-22: Coherence length of ultrashort pulses
coherence timeBuyer's Guide
coherent beam combiningBuyer's Guide
coherent detection → optical heterodyne detection
coherent states
coherent time-resolved spectroscopy → time-resolved spectroscopy
coherent transceivers → telecom transceivers
cold cathode fluorescent lamps → fluorescent lamps
cold mirrorsBuyer's Guide
collimated beamsBuyer's Guide
collimation optics → collimated beams
color centers
color filters → optical filters
color rendering index
color spaces
color temperature
color vision
colorimetersBuyer's Guide
colorimetry
coma → optical aberrations
comb spectra → frequency combs
common-path interferometers
compact fluorescent lamps → fluorescent lamps
complex degree of temporal coherence → coherence time
complex reflection coefficient → reflectivity
complex refractive index → refractive index
composite laser crystalsBuyer's Guide
concentration of dopant → doping concentration
concentration quenching → quenching
condensersBuyer's Guide
confocal microscopy → confocal scanning microscopes
confocal parameter → Rayleigh length
confocal scanning microscopesBuyer's Guide
conical emission → laser-induced breakdown
conjugate planes
connectors for fibers → fiber connectors
constringence → Abbe number
contact bonding → optical contact bonding
continuous-wave operation
cooling units for lasers → laser cooling units
cooperative lasing
copper vapor lasers → metal vapor lasers
core → fiber core
core-less end capsBuyer's Guide
corner cube prismsBuyer's Guide
Cornu depolarizers → depolarizers
coupled-mode theory → mode coupling
critical phase matching
cross lasers → alignment lasers
cross relaxation → energy transfer
cross-phase modulation
cross-phase modulation: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-02-12: Factor 2 in the equation for cross-phase modulation
cross-sections → transition cross-sections
crown glasses
cryogenic lasersBuyer's Guide
crystal ovensBuyer's Guide
crystalline fibers → single-crystal fibers
crystalline mirrorsBuyer's Guide
current amplifiers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-10-16: Using a transimpedance amplifier for optical power measurements and recording with a photodiode
custom opticsBuyer's Guide
cut-off wavelengthBuyer's Guide
cutting heads → laser processing heads
cycle jitter → timing jitter
cylindrical lensesBuyer's Guide

D

D4σ method → beam radius
damage threshold → laser-induced damage
dark count rate
dark current
data transmission → optical data transmission
data transmission: Software demo: Data transmission
dBm
dechirping → pulse compression
decibelBuyer's Guide
deformable mirrorsBuyer's Guide
deformable phase plates → deformable mirrors
delay lines → optical delay lines
delayed nonlinear response
delayed self-heterodyne interferometer → self-heterodyne linewidth measurement
demagnification → magnification
depolarization lossBuyer's Guide
depolarizersBuyer's Guide
depressed cladding → fibers
depth of field
depth of focus
detectivity
detector cards → laser viewing cards
deterministic photon sources → single-photon sources
diameter of laser beam → beam radius
diameter–divergence product
diaphragmsBuyer's Guide
diattenuation → dichroism
dichroic mirrorsBuyer's Guide
dichroic mirrors: Case study: dichroic mirror
dichroism
dielectric coatingsBuyer's Guide
dielectric materials
dielectric mirrorsBuyer's Guide
dielectric mirrors: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-11-02: Reflection spectrum of tilted dielectric mirror
dielectric mirrors: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-10-26: Residual transmission through highly reflecting mirrors
dielectric mirrors: RP Photonics Software News 2021-11-04: How to design multilayer optical devices
difference frequency generation → sum and difference frequency generation
differential group delay → group delay
differential mode delay
differential photodetection → balanced photodetection
diffraction
diffraction: RP Photonics Spotlight 2019-11-19: Why are large mode areas problematic?
diffraction: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-12-03: Diffraction in optical fibers
diffraction: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-11-28: The role of diffraction in optical resonators
diffraction gratingsBuyer's Guide
diffraction-limited beams
diffractive beamsplitters → diffractive optics
diffractive lenses → diffractive optics
diffractive opticsBuyer's Guide
diffuse scattering → scattering
diffusersBuyer's Guide
diffusion bonding → composite laser crystals
diode arrays → diode bars
diode barsBuyer's Guide
diode bars: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-04-16: Why large mode area waveguides do not work for laser diodes
diode drivers → laser diode drivers
diode lasersBuyer's Guide
diode modules → laser diode modules
diode stacksBuyer's Guide
diode-pumped lasersBuyer's Guide
diode-pumped lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-06-01: Characterize your pump beam!
diopters → dioptric power
dioptric power
direct diode lasersBuyer's Guide
direct-detection receivers → telecom receivers
disk lasers → thin-disk lasers
dispersion
dispersion compensationBuyer's Guide
dispersion compensation modules
dispersion managementBuyer's Guide
dispersion relations → Kramers–Kronig relations
dispersion slope → third-order dispersion
dispersion-decreasing fibers
dispersion-engineered fibersBuyer's Guide
dispersion-flattened fibersBuyer's Guide
dispersion-flattened fibers → dispersion-shifted fibers
dispersion-shifted fibersBuyer's Guide
dispersive delay lines → optical delay lines
dispersive mirrorsBuyer's Guide
dispersive pulse compression → pulse compression
dispersive pulse stretchers → pulse stretchers
dispersive spectral analysis → spectrometers
dispersive waves
dissipative solitons → solitons
distance measurements with lasersBuyer's Guide
distributed amplifiersBuyer's Guide
distributed Bragg reflector lasersBuyer's Guide
distributed feedback lasersBuyer's Guide
distributed mirrors → Bragg mirrors
distributed sensors → fiber-optic sensors
divergence angle → beam divergence
divided-pulse amplificationBuyer's Guide
divided-pulse amplification: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-03-11: Divided-pulse amplification
domain engineering → periodic poling
domain inversion → periodic poling
domain-patterned semiconductors → orientation-patterned semiconductors
domes → optical domes
doped fiber amplifiers → fiber amplifiers
doped fibers → rare-earth-doped fibers
doped insulator lasersBuyer's Guide
doping concentration
doping concentration: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-07-01: Lifting the confusion concerning doping concentrations
Doppler broadening
Doppler cooling
Doppler limit
double pulses
double refraction → birefringence
double-chirped mirrors → chirped mirrors
double-clad fibersBuyer's Guide
double-clad fibers: Tutorial chapter on double-clad fibers
double-clad fibers: Case study: Double-clad fiber amplifier
double-clad fibers: Software demo: Pump absorption in a double-clad fiber
double-clad fibers: Software demo: Cladding-pumped high-power ytterbium-doped fiber laser
doublet lenses → achromatic optics
doubly resonant cavities → resonant frequency doubling
doubly resonant oscillators → optical parametric oscillators
dressed states → Sisyphus cooling
drilling heads → laser processing heads
drivers for lasers → laser drivers
drivers for modulators → modulator drivers
dual-band mirrors → dichroic mirrors
dual-line lasers → multi-line lasers
dual-segment photodiodes → position-sensitive detectors
dual-stage amplifiers → amplifier chains
duty cycle → quasi-continuous-wave operation
dye lasersBuyer's Guide
dynamically unstable resonators → unstable resonators

E

echelette gratings → diffraction gratings
edge-emitting semiconductor lasersBuyer's Guide
effective cross sections: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-12-04: Energy levels of solid-state gain media
effective cross-sections → effective transition cross-sections
effective modal bandwidth → modal bandwidth
effective mode areaBuyer's Guide
effective mode area: RP Photonics Spotlight 2025-11-03: Lost factors of 2 around Gaussian beams, peak intensities and effective mode areas
effective nonlinear coefficient
effective nonlinear length → nonlinear length
effective pulse duration → pulse duration
effective Rayleigh length → Rayleigh length
effective refractive index
effective refractive index: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-10-07: Effective refractive index: correcting a common belief
effective step-index profile → step-index fibers
effective transition cross-sections
effectively single-mode fibers → single-mode fibers
efficiency of a laser → wall-plug efficiency
elastic scattering → scattering
electric field reconstruction → pulse characterization
electric-field poling → periodic poling
electrical-to-optical efficiency → wall-plug efficiency
electro-optic effectBuyer's Guide
electro-optic field mapping → electro-optic sampling
electro-optic modulatorsBuyer's Guide
electro-optic Q-switchesBuyer's Guide
electro-optic samplingBuyer's Guide
electro-optics
electroabsorption modulatorsBuyer's Guide
electroluminescence
electron beam evaporation → dielectric mirrors
electronic dispersion compensationBuyer's Guide
electronics for photodetectionBuyer's Guide
electronics for photonicsBuyer's Guide
elliptical core → polarization-maintaining fibers
emission cross-sections → transition cross-sections
emission linewidth → linewidth
emission spectrum → optical spectrum
emissivity
end pumpingBuyer's Guide
end pumping: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-04-01: The ideal pump intensity distribution in an end-pumped solid-state laser
endlessly single-mode fibers → photonic crystal fibers
energy efficiency: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-09-02: Why LEDs are energy-efficient, and why they could well increase energy consumption
energy levels: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-12-04: Energy levels of solid-state gain media
energy meters → optical energy meters
energy migration → energy transfer
energy of laser pulses → pulse energy
energy transfer
energy transfer: RP Photonics Software News 2018-02-22: Modeling pair-induced quenching in erbium-doped fiber amplifiers
enhancement cavitiesBuyer's Guide
entangled states → photons
entrance and exit pupil
entropy balance of lasers → radiation-balanced lasers
epoxy-free bonding → optical contact bonding
erbium-doped fiber amplifiersBuyer's Guide
erbium-doped fiber amplifiers: Case study: Erbium-doped fiber amplifier for a long-wavelength signal
erbium-doped fibers → rare-earth-doped fibers
erbium-doped laser gain mediaBuyer's Guide
erbium-ytterbium-doped laser gain mediaBuyer's Guide
etalonsBuyer's Guide
etalons: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-12-31: Tilt tuning of etalons
etalons: Case study: air-spaced etalon
etalons: Case study: etalon with thermal effects
evanescent waves
excess noise → amplifier noise
excimer lampsBuyer's Guide
excimer lasersBuyer's Guide
excited-state absorption
exit pupil → entrance and exit pupil
exitance → radiant exitance
external-cavity diode lasersBuyer's Guide
extinction coefficient → absorption coefficient
extinction ratio → polarization of light
eye protection → laser safety glasses
eye-safe lasersBuyer's Guide
eyepieces → ocular lenses

F

f–2f interferometer → frequency combs
F-centers → color centers
f-number
f-stop number → f-number
fabrication of optical fibers → fiber fabrication
Fabry–Perot interferometers → Fabry–Pérot interferometers
Fabry–Perot laser diodes → Fabry–Pérot laser diodes
Fabry–Pérot interferometersBuyer's Guide
Fabry–Pérot laser diodesBuyer's Guide
Faraday circulatorsBuyer's Guide
Faraday effectBuyer's Guide
Faraday isolatorsBuyer's Guide
Faraday isolators: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-06-09: Poor man's isolator
Faraday mirrorsBuyer's Guide
Faraday rotatorsBuyer's Guide
fast absorbers → saturable absorbers
fast axis → diode bars
fast light → superluminal transmission
faster than light → superluminal transmission
femtosecond fiber lasers → mode-locked fiber lasers
femtosecond lasersBuyer's Guide
femtosecond lasers: Solid state lasers for ultrashort pulses – a diverse family
femtosecond pulse amplifiers → ultrafast amplifiers
ferroelectric domain engineering → periodic poling
few-cycle pulses → ultrashort pulses
few-mode fibers
fiber adapters → fiber-optic adapters
fiber amplifiersBuyer's Guide
fiber amplifiers: Tutorial: Fiber amplifiers
fiber amplifiers: Tutorial: Modeling of fiber amplifiers and lasers
fiber amplifiers: Case study: Erbium-doped fiber amplifier for a long-wavelength signal
fiber amplifiers: Case study: Erbium-doped fiber amplifier for rectangular nanosecond pulses
fiber amplifiers: Fiber amplifiers – a technology for many applications
fiber amplifiers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-07-30: Fiber amplifiers: stronger ASE in the backward direction
fiber amplifiers: RP Photonics Software News 2021-01-22: Pump absorption in amplifier fibers
fiber amplifiers: RP Photonics Software News 2017-11-17: Modeling multi-stage amplifiers with RP Fiber Power
fiber amplifiers: RP Photonics Software News 2017-09-22: Pulse amplification in the steady state
fiber amplifiers: RP Photonics Software News 2016-09-27: Transverse dependencies in fiber amplifier and laser modeling
fiber arraysBuyer's Guide
fiber Bragg gratingsBuyer's Guide
fiber Bragg gratings: Software demo: Mode coupling in a fiber Bragg grating
fiber Bragg gratings: Software demo: Mode coupling in a fiber Bragg grating
fiber bundlesBuyer's Guide
fiber cablesBuyer's Guide
fiber cladding
fiber cleaning → cleaning of fiber ends
fiber cleaversBuyer's Guide
fiber coatingsBuyer's Guide
fiber coilsBuyer's Guide
fiber collimatorsBuyer's Guide
fiber connectorsBuyer's Guide
fiber connectors: Tutorial chapter on accessories and tools for optical fibers
fiber core
fiber couplersBuyer's Guide
fiber couplers: Tutorial chapter on fiber couplers
fiber couplers: Software demo: Fused fiber coupler
fiber coupling stages → fiber launch systems
fiber drawing towers → fiber fabrication
fiber end caps → core-less end caps
fiber endface inspectionBuyer's Guide
fiber ends: Tutorial chapter on fiber ends
fiber fabricationBuyer's Guide
fiber fuse
fiber inspection instruments → fiber endface inspection
fiber jointsBuyer's Guide
fiber joints: Tutorial chapter on fiber joints
fiber lasersBuyer's Guide
fiber lasers: Tutorial: Modeling of fiber amplifiers and lasers
fiber lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2011-02-10: Fiber lasers: more difficult to design than bulk lasers
fiber lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-06-06: Fiber lasers which are no fiber lasers
fiber lasers: RP Photonics Software News 2022-10-11: Ytterbium fiber lasers emitting at 975 nm
fiber lasers versus bulk lasersBuyer's Guide
fiber launch systemsBuyer's Guide
fiber lensesBuyer's Guide
fiber loop mirrors
fiber loop reflectors → fiber loop mirrors
fiber manufacturing → fiber fabrication
fiber microscopes → fiber endface inspection
fiber mode calculators → mode solvers
fiber modes → fibers
fiber modes: Tutorial chapter on fiber modes
fiber modes: Case study: Mode structure of a step-index multimode fiber
fiber modes: RP Photonics Spotlight 2014-07-28: How to define the mode radius of a fiber?
fiber modes: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-04-15: Abused photonics terms: modes
fiber modes: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-10-04: Higher-order modes of fibers: a solution for single-mode guidance with large mode area?
fiber nonlinearities: Tutorial chapter on nonlinearities of optical fibers
fiber nonlinearities: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-03-09: Nonlinearities in fiber amplifier modeling
fiber nonlinearities: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-03-03: Thresholds for nonlinear effects in fiber amplifiers
fiber opticsBuyer's Guide
fiber optics: Tutorial: Passive fiber optics
fiber optics: RP Photonics Spotlight 2023-01-24: Launching light into step-index multimode fibers
fiber optics:: Field Guide to Fiber Optics
fiber patch cablesBuyer's Guide
fiber patch panelsBuyer's Guide
fiber pigtailing → photonic packaging
fiber polarization controllersBuyer's Guide
fiber polishing → polishing of fibers
fiber preformsBuyer's Guide
fiber properties
fiber recoatersBuyer's Guide
fiber rods → fiber bundles
fiber sensors → fiber-optic sensors
fiber shufflesBuyer's Guide
fiber simulation softwareBuyer's Guide
fiber splices
fiber splices → fiber joints
fiber splitters: Tutorial chapter on fiber couplers and splitters
fiber strippersBuyer's Guide
fiber to the homeBuyer's Guide
fiber-coupled diode lasersBuyer's Guide
fiber-feedback parametric oscillators → optical parametric oscillators
fiber-optic adaptersBuyer's Guide
fiber-optic arrays → fiber arrays
fiber-optic attenuatorsBuyer's Guide
fiber-optic cables → fiber cables
fiber-optic communications → optical fiber communications
fiber-optic connectors → fiber connectors
fiber-optic depolarizers → depolarizers
fiber-optic linksBuyer's Guide
fiber-optic networksBuyer's Guide
fiber-optic parametric amplifiers → optical parametric amplifiers
fiber-optic patch cords → fiber cables
fiber-optic platesBuyer's Guide
fiber-optic pump combinersBuyer's Guide
fiber-optic sensorsBuyer's Guide
fiber-optic splitters → fiber couplers
fiber-optic switchesBuyer's Guide
fiber-optic tapersBuyer's Guide
fibersBuyer's Guide
fibers: Tutorial: Passive fiber optics
fibers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2016-09-12: An apparent paradox concerning light beams in fibers
fibers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-10-08: Nobel Prize for Charles K. Kao for pioneering work on optical fibers
fibers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-07-09: Gain-guiding index-antiguiding fibers
fibers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-12-03: Diffraction in optical fibers
field curvature → optical aberrations
field lenses
field of view
field propagation: Tutorial chapter on power propagation vs. field propagation
field stops
figure-eight lasers → mode-locked fiber lasers
figure-of-eight laser → mode-locked fiber lasers
filters → optical filters
finesseBuyer's Guide
first surface mirrorsBuyer's Guide
Fizeau interferometersBuyer's Guide
flash lamp pumping → lamp-pumped lasers
flash lampsBuyer's Guide
flat optics
flat-top beams
flat-top beams: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-04-08: Creating a top-hat laser beam focus
flint glasses
fluence
fluorescenceBuyer's Guide
fluorescence lifetime → upper-state lifetime
fluorescence microscopyBuyer's Guide
fluorescence quenching → quenching
fluorescence spectroscopyBuyer's Guide
fluorescent cooling → optical refrigeration
fluorescent lampsBuyer's Guide
fluoride fibersBuyer's Guide
fluoride glasses
fluorine lasers → excimer lasers
fluorozirconate fibers → fluoride fibers
fly-wheel oscillators → frequency metrology
FM mode locking → mode locking
focal distance
focal lengthBuyer's Guide
focal plane arrays
focal points and focal planes
focal ratio → f-number
Fock states
Fock states → nonclassical light
focus
focusing of light beams: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-11-22: The beam focus – not just a demagnified version of your beam
focusing power → focal length
forbidden transitions
forbidden transitions: RP Photonics Spotlight 2011-03-13: What if solid-state laser transitions would be much stronger?
forsterite crystals → chromium-doped laser gain media
forward and backward pumping: Tutorial chapter on forward and backward pumping of fiber amplifiers
four-level and three-level gain media: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-08-22: What is different for quasi-three-level lasers?
four-level and three-level gain media: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-03-15: Interesting features of over-long fiber lasers
four-level and three-level gain media: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-08-12: Understanding quasi-three-level lasers
four-level and three-level laser gain media
four-level and three-level laser gain media: Case study: Ytterbium-doped 975-nm fiber lasers
four-wave mixing
Fourier limit → transform limit
Fourier optics
Fourier spectrum: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-10-11: Understanding Fourier spectra
Fourier transform spectral phase interferometry → spectral phase interferometry
Fourier transform spectroscopy
fourth-harmonic generation → frequency quadrupling
Frantz–Nodvick equation → gain saturation
Franz–Keldysh effect → electroabsorption modulators
free spectral rangeBuyer's Guide
free-electron lasersBuyer's Guide
free-space communications → free-space optical communications
free-space modes → modes
free-space optical communicationsBuyer's Guide
freeform opticsBuyer's Guide
frequency chains → frequency metrology
frequency combsBuyer's Guide
frequency combs: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-07-01: Characterizing a cavity with a frequency comb
frequency combs: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-07-01: With wavelength combs to picometer resolution
frequency conversion → nonlinear frequency conversion
frequency domain interferometry → spectral phase interferometry
frequency doublingBuyer's Guide
frequency doubling: RP Photonics Spotlight 2014-11-14: Correctly designing frequency conversion stages: not easy, but worthwhile!
frequency doubling: RP Photonics Spotlight 2013-08-26: Frequency doubling and the reverse process
frequency doubling: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-01-27: Beam quality in second-harmonic generation
frequency doubling: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-01-14: Frequency doubling: long pulses cause trouble
frequency doubling: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-10-17: Why the second-harmonic beam is smaller
frequency doubling: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-09-21: Optimum crystal length for frequency doubling
frequency doubling: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-03-05: More efficient frequency doubling with shorter pulses?
frequency doubling: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-09-29: Frequency dependence of the conversion efficiency for frequency doubling
frequency doubling: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-08-15: The effect of a double pass in a frequency doubler
frequency metrologyBuyer's Guide
frequency noiseBuyer's Guide
frequency quadruplingBuyer's Guide
frequency standards → optical frequency standards
frequency synthesizers → frequency combs
frequency triplingBuyer's Guide
frequency-resolved optical gatingBuyer's Guide
frequency-stabilized lasersBuyer's Guide
Fresnel equations
Fresnel lensesBuyer's Guide
Fresnel number
Fresnel reflections
Fresnel zone plates → zone plates
front surface mirrors → first surface mirrors
frustrated total internal reflection → total internal reflection
fundamental mode locking
fused quartz → fused silica
fused silica
fused silica fibers → silica fibers
fusion → laser-driven nuclear fusion
fusion splicing of fibersBuyer's Guide
Füchtbauer–Ladenburg equation
f–theta lenses → scanning lenses

G

gain
gain: Tutorial chapter on gain and absorption in rare-earth-doped fibers
gain bandwidth
gain bandwidth: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-10-25: The gain bandwidth of laser crystals and glasses
gain clamping
gain compression → gain saturation
gain efficiency
gain equalizationBuyer's Guide
gain equalization: Case study: Erbium-doped fiber amplifier for multiple signals
gain flattening → gain equalization
gain guiding
gain guiding: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-11-02: Gaussian apertures in resonator models: not only for exotic lasers, but also for gain guiding
gain guiding: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-07-09: Gain-guiding index-antiguiding fibers
gain media → laser gain media
gain media: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-08-22: What is different for quasi-three-level lasers?
gain modules → laser heads
gain narrowing
gain saturation
gain saturation: Case study: Erbium-doped fiber amplifier for rectangular nanosecond pulses
gain saturation: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-05-11: Gain saturation in solid-state lasers
gain saturation: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-08-01: Fiber amplifiers: modeling of ultrashort pulse amplification with saturation of wavelength-dependent gain
gain saturation: RP Photonics Spotlight 2015-08-08: Gain saturation with pulses
gain switchingBuyer's Guide
gamma-ray detectors → scintillation detectors
gap loss attenuators → fiber-optic attenuators
gas absorption cells → multipass gas cells
gas and vacuum cellsBuyer's Guide
gas discharge lampsBuyer's Guide
gas lasersBuyer's Guide
Gaussian apertures: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-11-02: Gaussian apertures in resonator models: not only for exotic lasers but also for gain guiding
Gaussian beams
Gaussian beams: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-10-03: Peak intensity of Gaussian beam
Gaussian mirrors → variable reflectivity mirrors
Gaussian optics
Gaussian pulses
Geiger mode photodiodes → avalanche photodiodes
geometrical optics
germanate fibersBuyer's Guide
germanosilicate glasses → silicate glasses
giant pulses → Q-switching
Giles parameters
Gires–Tournois interferometersBuyer's Guide
Gires–Tournois interferometers: Case study: Gires–Tournois interferometer
glass fibers → fibers
glass lasers and amplifiersBuyer's Guide
Glauber states → coherent states
goggles → laser safety glasses
gold mirrors → metal-coated mirrors
Gordon–Haus jitter
Gouy phase: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-11-25: The Gouy phase shift speeds up light
Gouy phase shift
graded reflectivity mirrors → variable reflectivity mirrors
graded-index fibersBuyer's Guide
graded-index fibers: Case study: Telecom fiber with parabolic index profile
gradient-index filters → rugate filters
gradient-index lensesBuyer's Guide
grating compressors → pulse compression
grating spectrometers → spectrometers
gratings → diffraction gratings
gray tracking → photodarkening
green lasersBuyer's Guide
green lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-08-14: Progress on green laser diodes
green problem → intracavity frequency doubling
green-induced infrared absorption → photodarkening
GRISMs → dispersion compensation
ground state laser transitions → four-level and three-level laser gain media
group delay
group delay dispersionBuyer's Guide
group index
group refractive index → group index
group velocity
group velocity: RP Photonics Spotlight 2016-09-12: An apparent paradox concerning light beams in fibers
group velocity delay compensation platesBuyer's Guide
group velocity dispersionBuyer's Guide
group velocity mismatch
guide stars → laser guide stars
guided modes → modes
guided waves
gyroscope fiber coils → fiber coils

H

half-silvered mirrors → beam splitters
half-wave plates → waveplates
half-wave voltage → Pockels cells
halogen lampsBuyer's Guide
hand lenses → magnifying glasses
hard apertures → optical apertures
harmonic mode lockingBuyer's Guide
harmonic separators → dichroic mirrors
Haus Master equation
heat capacity lasers → quasi-continuous-wave operation
heat control filters → cold mirrors
heat radiation → infrared light
heavy metal fluoride fibers → fluoride fibers
Heisenberg's uncertainty principle: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-06-13: Heisenberg's uncertainty principle and the transform limit
helical drilling → laser drilling
helium–cadmium lasers → metal vapor lasers
helium–neon lasersBuyer's Guide
Henry factor → linewidth enhancement factor
heralded photon sources → single-photon sources
Hermite–Gaussian modes
Herriott multipass cells → multipass gas cells
heterodyne detection → optical heterodyne detection
high harmonic generationBuyer's Guide
high intensity discharge lampsBuyer's Guide
high pressure discharge lamps → gas discharge lamps
high-brightness laser diodes
high-energy lasersBuyer's Guide
high-power fiber lasers and amplifiersBuyer's Guide
high-power fiber lasers and amplifiers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-03-05: Dependence on Raman conversion on the optical bandwidth
high-power fiber lasers and amplifiers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2011-05-28: Explanation for the mode instability in high-power fiber amplifiers with few-mode fibers
high-power lasersBuyer's Guide
high-power lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2011-12-23: mode-locked thin-disk laser
high-power lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-01-15: Origins of heating in laser crystals
high-power lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-10-22: Lasers attract dust to cavity mirrors
high-Q resonators → Q-factor
higher-order dispersion → chromatic dispersion
higher-order modes
higher-order modes: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-10-04: Higher-order modes of fibers: a solution for single-mode guidance with large mode area?
higher-order solitons
higher-order solitons: Case study: Numerical experiments with soliton pulses in fibers
highly nonlinear fibersBuyer's Guide
holey fibers → photonic crystal fibers
hollow-core fibers and capillariesBuyer's Guide
holographic bulk gratings → volume Bragg gratings
holographic gratings → diffraction gratings
holographyBuyer's Guide
homodyne detection → optical heterodyne detection
homogeneous broadening
homogeneous saturation
hot mirrorsBuyer's Guide
hybrid laser crystals → composite laser crystals
hybrid mode locking → mode locking
hyper Raman scattering
hyperfocal distance
hyperspectral imagingBuyer's Guide

I

idler wave → parametric amplification
idler waves: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-12-11: The idler wave – essential for parametric amplification and oscillation
illuminance
image converters → image intensifiers and image converters
image distortion → optical aberrations
image intensifiers and image convertersBuyer's Guide
image planes
image sensorsBuyer's Guide
image space → object and image space
imagingBuyer's Guide
imaging elements → optical elements for imaging
imaging spectrometers → hyperspectral imaging
imaging systems
imaging with a lens
in-band pumping
in-plane lasers → edge-emitting semiconductor lasers
incandescence → thermal radiation
incandescent lampsBuyer's Guide
incandescent lamps: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-11-03: Coherent light from a bulb?
index of refraction → refractive index
index-depressed cladding → fiber cladding
index-matching fluids
indicator lamps → signal lamps
induced focusing → thermal lensing
industrial lasersBuyer's Guide
inelastic scattering → scattering
inertial confinement fusion → laser-driven nuclear fusion
infrared absorption → absorption
infrared camerasBuyer's Guide
infrared detector cards → laser viewing cards
infrared detectorsBuyer's Guide
infrared emittersBuyer's Guide
infrared fibers → mid-infrared fibers
infrared lightBuyer's Guide
infrared opticsBuyer's Guide
infrared sensor cards → laser viewing cards
infrared sources: RP Photonics Spotlight 2016-10-27: Challenges for nonlinear frequency conversion in extreme wavelength regions
infrared spectroscopy → spectroscopy
infrared thermography → thermal imaging
infrared viewersBuyer's Guide
inhomogeneous broadening
inhomogeneous saturation
injection lockingBuyer's Guide
injection seedingBuyer's Guide
inner cladding → double-clad fibers
insertion lossBuyer's Guide
instantaneous frequency
integrated opticsBuyer's Guide
integrated optoelectronic devices → photonic integrated circuits
integrating spheresBuyer's Guide
intensity → optical intensity
intensity modulatorsBuyer's Guide
intensity noiseBuyer's Guide
intensity noise: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-06-08: Understanding intensity noise
intensity profile measurement → beam profilers
intensity-to-phase coupling → linewidth enhancement factor
inter-satellite communications → free-space optical communications
interferenceBuyer's Guide
interference: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-05-22: Interference effects with imbalanced intensity levels
interference: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-09-27: Light plus light = darkness: no energy problem, but quantum weirdness
interference coatings → dielectric coatings
interference filtersBuyer's Guide
interferometersBuyer's Guide
interferometers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-07-13: The simplified history of the Michelson–Morley experiment
interlocksBuyer's Guide
intermediate image planes → image planes
intermodal dispersion
intersubband transitions → quantum cascade lasers
intracavity frequency doublingBuyer's Guide
intracavity laser absorption spectroscopyBuyer's Guide
intracavity pumping
inversion → population inversion
ion beam sputtering → dielectric mirrors
ion lasers
irradiance

J

jitter → timing jitter
joule meters → optical energy meters

K

k vector → wave vector
Kelly sidebands
Kerr constant → Kerr effect
Kerr effectBuyer's Guide
Kerr lensBuyer's Guide
Kerr lens mode lockingBuyer's Guide
Kerr nonlinearity → Kerr effect
key distribution → quantum cryptography
knife edge beam profilers → beam profilers
Kramers–Kronig relations
krypton fluoride lasers → excimer lasers
krypton lamps → gas discharge lamps
krypton-ion lasers → argon-ion lasers
Kuizenga–Siegman theory

L

L band → optical fiber communications
Laguerre–Gaussian modes
Lambertian emitters and scatterers
lamp power suppliesBuyer's Guide
lamp-pumped lasersBuyer's Guide
lanthanide lasers → rare-earth-doped laser gain media
large diameter opticsBuyer's Guide
large mode area fibersBuyer's Guide
large mode area fibers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2019-11-19: Why are large mode areas problematic?
large mode area fibers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-04-28: Easier launching into fibers with large mode area?
large mode area fibers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-02-04: Continuing struggle for larger fiber mode areas
large mode area fibers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-08-10: Single-mode fibers with large mode areas
large-core fibersBuyer's Guide
laser 3D printingBuyer's Guide
laser ablationBuyer's Guide
laser absorption spectroscopyBuyer's Guide
laser additive manufacturingBuyer's Guide
laser amplifiers → optical amplifiers
laser applicationsBuyer's Guide
laser applications: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-04-17: Miniature laser projectors – The next big laser thing?
laser beam characterizationBuyer's Guide
laser beam characterization: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-06-01: Characterize your pump beam!
laser beam combining → beam combining
laser beam deliveryBuyer's Guide
laser beam machining → laser material processing
laser beam quality → beam quality
laser beam shapers → beam shapers
laser beam shutters → beam shutters
laser beamsBuyer's Guide
laser beams: RP Photonics Spotlight 2015-02-05: Attenuating laser beams – not that easy
laser beams: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-04-08: Creating a top-hat laser beam focus
laser beams: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-11-22: The beam focus – not just a demagnified version of your beam
laser beams: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-07-11: What is a beam width, beam size, and a beam waist?
laser brazing → laser soldering
laser cavities → laser resonators
laser claddingBuyer's Guide
laser cleaningBuyer's Guide
laser coatingBuyer's Guide
laser communications → free-space optical communications
laser coolingBuyer's Guide
laser cooling unitsBuyer's Guide
laser cross-sections → transition cross-sections
laser crystalsBuyer's Guide
laser cuttingBuyer's Guide
laser designBuyer's Guide
laser design: RP Photonics Spotlight 2011-02-10: Fiber lasers: more difficult to design than bulk lasers
laser design: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-04-01: The ideal pump intensity distribution in an end-pumped solid-state laser
laser design: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-07-05: Laser design: side product or the basis of laser development?
laser developmentBuyer's Guide
laser development: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-01-27: Second opinion: a useful tool, also in laser technology!
laser development: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-07-05: Laser design: side product or the basis of laser development?
laser diode bars → diode bars
laser diode collimatorsBuyer's Guide
laser diode driversBuyer's Guide
laser diode modulesBuyer's Guide
laser diode packaging → photonic packaging
laser diode stacks → diode stacks
laser diode testingBuyer's Guide
laser diodesBuyer's Guide
laser diodes: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-08-14: Progress on green laser diodes
laser disks → thin-disk lasers
laser distance meters → distance measurements with lasers
laser drillingBuyer's Guide
laser driversBuyer's Guide
laser dyes → dye lasers
laser dynamicsBuyer's Guide
laser energy meters → optical energy meters
laser engraving → laser marking
laser etching → laser surface modification
laser eye protection → laser safety glasses
laser fibers → rare-earth-doped fibers
laser fusion energy → laser-driven nuclear fusion
laser gain → gain
laser gain mediaBuyer's Guide
laser glassesBuyer's Guide
laser goggles → laser safety glasses
laser guide starsBuyer's Guide
laser hardeningBuyer's Guide
laser hazards → laser safety
laser heads
laser lightBuyer's Guide
laser line mirrors → laser mirrors
laser line opticsBuyer's Guide
laser line polarizers → thin-film polarizers
laser lines
laser linewidth → linewidth
laser links → free-space optical communications
laser machining
laser markingBuyer's Guide
laser material processingBuyer's Guide
laser material processing: RP Photonics Spotlight 2022-08-04: Encyclopedia articles on laser material processing
laser media → laser gain media
laser micromachiningBuyer's Guide
laser microscopyBuyer's Guide
laser mirrorsBuyer's Guide
laser mirrors: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-11-02: Reflection spectrum of tilted dielectric mirror
laser mirrors: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-10-26: Residual transmission through highly reflecting mirrors
laser modeling and simulationBuyer's Guide
laser modeling and simulation: Tutorial: Modeling of fiber amplifiers and lasers
laser modeling and simulation: RP Photonics Spotlight 2024-09-16: Education with simulations for active engagement of students: example with pump absorption in an Yb-doped fiber
laser modeling and simulation: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-12-04: Energy levels of solid-state gain media
laser modeling and simulation: RP Photonics Spotlight 2013-09-24: Simulation of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser: numerical beam propagation reveals what happens, analytical reasoning explains it
laser modeling and simulation: RP Photonics Spotlight 2012-02-03: Simulation software: use commercial products or home-made software?
laser modeling and simulation: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-11-16: Laser models – not always useful
laser modeling and simulation: RP Photonics Software News 2016-09-27: Transverse dependencies in fiber amplifier and laser modeling
laser modeling and simulation: RP Photonics Software News 2015-06-01: The transparent laser
laser modeling and simulation: RP Photonics Software News 2014-07-17: What makes a good physics model
laser modules → laser heads
laser noiseBuyer's Guide
laser noise: Noise in laser technology
laser noise: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-10-09: Correct specifications for laser noise – valuable but hard to obtain
laser noise: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-08-20: Lower noise from longer lasers
laser noise: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-08-01: Lasers disturbed by vacuum?
laser opticsBuyer's Guide
laser oscillators → lasers
laser physicsBuyer's Guide
laser physics: RP Photonics Spotlight 2024-09-16: Education with simulations for active engagement of students: example with pump absorption in an Yb-doped fiber
laser physics: RP Photonics Spotlight 2020-03-16: Laser physics helps to understand the corona virus crisis
laser pointersBuyer's Guide
laser pointers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-01-11: Beams of laser pointers: visible in air?
laser pointers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-04-06: Laser pointers in soccer games: not necessarily harmless
laser pointers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-12-16: Dangerous green laser pointers
laser power meters → optical power meters
laser processing headsBuyer's Guide
laser projectors: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-04-17: Miniature laser projectors – The next big laser thing?
laser pulses → light pulses
laser pulses: Field Guide to Laser Pulses
laser pulses: RP Photonics Spotlight 2014-04-02: Lower emission cross-section leads to higher pulse energy?!?
laser pump chambers → pump chambers
laser radar → LIDAR
laser radiation → laser light
laser rangefindersBuyer's Guide
laser refrigeration → optical refrigeration
laser resonator design → resonator design
laser resonatorsBuyer's Guide
laser resonators: RP Photonics Spotlight 2015-05-14: Alignment sensitivity of laser resonators – an important design criterion
laser resonators: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-09-19: Are laser resonators power scalable?
laser resonators: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-04-05: Stability of resonators – an ambiguous term
laser resonators: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-10-01: Stability zones of laser resonators
laser rods
laser safetyBuyer's Guide
laser safety: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-12-18: The role of laser safety goggles
laser safety: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-07-06: Promoting dangerous practices in laser labs
laser safety: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-07-01: Nonsensical regulations undermine laser safety
laser safety: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-12-16: Dangerous green laser pointers
laser safety glassesBuyer's Guide
laser scannersBuyer's Guide
laser solderingBuyer's Guide
laser specificationsBuyer's Guide
laser specifications: RP Photonics Spotlight 2013-12-13: Avoiding trouble with laser specifications
laser speckleBuyer's Guide
laser speckle: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-06-24: The plague of a narrow emission linewidth
laser spectroscopyBuyer's Guide
laser surface modificationBuyer's Guide
laser threshold
laser threshold: RP Photonics Spotlight 2020-03-16: Laser physics helps to understand the corona virus crisis
laser threshold: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-05-10: Fundamental limitation for sigma–tau product, gain efficiency, and laser threshold
laser threshold: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-01-21: Laser operation far above threshold
laser transitions
laser transitions: RP Photonics Spotlight 2011-03-13: What if solid-state laser transitions would be much stronger?
laser transmitters → free-space optical communications
laser trepanning → laser drilling
laser viewing cardsBuyer's Guide
laser weldingBuyer's Guide
laser-active glasses → laser glasses
laser-aided manufacturing → laser material processing
laser-driven nuclear fusion
laser-induced breakdownBuyer's Guide
laser-induced damageBuyer's Guide
laser-induced damage: RP Photonics Spotlight 2025-11-03: Lost factors of 2 around Gaussian beams, peak intensities and effective mode areas
lasersBuyer's Guide
lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2026-05-20: Why Are Lasers Still So Expensive? The Volume–Cost Trap and Other Challenges in Photonics and Automation
lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2023-09-06: Can AI bots like ChatGPT or Bard answer photonics questions?
lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2015-11-28: How to store light – and to understand the laser principle
lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-05-25: Einstein and the laser
lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-08-27: Distant healing of lasers
lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-02-22: Lossy laser cavities
lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-08-23: Lasers with nonlinear input–output characteristics
lasers: RP Photonics Software News 2017-03-28: At which wavelength will a laser emit?
lasers for material processingBuyer's Guide
lasers for quantum photonicsBuyer's Guide
lasers for Raman spectroscopyBuyer's Guide
lasers:: Field Guide to Lasers
lasing without inversion
lateral effect photodiodes → position-sensitive detectors
lateral modes → higher-order modes
launching light into fibers → fiber launch systems
law of Snellius → refraction
leaky modes
LEDs → light-emitting diodes
LEDs: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-09-02: Why LEDs are energy-efficient, and why they could well increase energy consumption
left-handed metamaterials → photonic metamaterials
lens arrays → microlens arrays
lens speed → f-number
lensed fiber ends → fiber lenses
lensesBuyer's Guide
level manifolds → Stark level manifolds
LIDARBuyer's Guide
lifetime broadening → gain bandwidth
light
light absorption → absorption
light beams
light choppers → optical choppers
light detection and ranging → LIDAR
light diffusers → diffusers
light forcesBuyer's Guide
light forces: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-10-22: Lasers attract dust to cavity mirrors
light intensity → optical intensity
light pulsesBuyer's Guide
light pulses: Tutorial: Modeling of pulse amplification
light sources
light sources based on nonlinear optical effects
light-emitting diodesBuyer's Guide
light-emitting diodes: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-09-02: Why LEDs are energy-efficient, and why they could well increase energy consumption
light-induced absorption → photodarkening
lightwave communications → optical data transmission
line lasers → alignment lasers
linear absorption → absorption
linear polarization → polarization of light
linear polarizers → polarizers
linear resonators → standing-wave resonators
linear versus ring resonators → optical resonators
linewidthBuyer's Guide
linewidth: Derivation of the Schawlow–Townes linewidth
linewidth: RP Photonics Spotlight 2015-10-17: The linewidth of single-frequency lasers
linewidth: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-07-26: Beat signals with zero linewidth
linewidth: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-06-24: The plague of a narrow emission linewidth
linewidth enhancement factorBuyer's Guide
liquid crystal displaysBuyer's Guide
liquid crystal modulatorsBuyer's Guide
lithium niobate and tantalate → nonlinear crystal materials
Littrow gratings → diffraction gratings
long-pass gas cells → multipass gas cells
long-period fiber gratings → fiber Bragg gratings
long-wave infrared detectors → infrared detectors
longitudinal pumping → end pumping
loupesBuyer's Guide
low pressure discharge lamps → gas discharge lamps
lower-state lifetime
LP modes
lumen → luminous flux
luminance
luminance: RP Photonics Spotlight 2021-03-08: Luminance – a term which is worth some thoughts
luminescence
luminescence from irradiation with light → fluorescence
luminescence from radioactivity → radioluminescence
luminescence quenching → quenching
luminosity
luminosity functions
luminous efficacy and efficiency
luminous flux
luminous intensity
lux → illuminance
luxmeters → photometers
Lyot depolarizers → depolarizers
Lyot filtersBuyer's Guide

M

M2 factorBuyer's Guide
Mach–Zehnder interferometers → interferometers
magnification
magnifying glassesBuyer's Guide
manufacturing of optics → optical fabrication
Marcuse formula → mode radius
Master equation → Haus Master equation
master laser
master oscillator fiber amplifierBuyer's Guide
master oscillator fiber amplifier: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-03-22: All-in-one concepts versus modular concepts
master oscillator fiber amplifier: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-12-16: Why fiber amplifiers, not fiber lasers?
master oscillator power amplifierBuyer's Guide
master oscillator power amplifier: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-03-22: All-in-one concepts versus modular concepts
material optical properties → optical properties of materials
matrix method for multilayer structures → dielectric mirrors
McCumber theory
mechanical fiber splicesBuyer's Guide
mechanical fiber strippers → fiber strippers
medical lasersBuyer's Guide
meniscus lenses → lenses
mercury vapor lampsBuyer's Guide
metal halide lampsBuyer's Guide
metal vapor lamps
metal vapor lasers
metal-coated mirrorsBuyer's Guide
metalenses → photonic metasurfaces
metal–semiconductor–metal photodetectorsBuyer's Guide
metamaterials → photonic metamaterials
metastable states
metasurfaces → photonic metasurfaces
metrology → optical metrology
Michelson interferometersBuyer's Guide
Michelson–Morley experiment: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-07-13: The simplified history of the Michelson–Morley experiment
micro-opticsBuyer's Guide
microbends of fibers
microcavities → cavities
microchannel plate detectors → photomultipliers
microchannel platesBuyer's Guide
microchip lasersBuyer's Guide
microchip lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-09-28: Resonator modes in microchip lasers
microlens arraysBuyer's Guide
microlensesBuyer's Guide
micromachining → laser micromachining
microscope objectivesBuyer's Guide
microscopesBuyer's Guide
microstructure fibers → photonic crystal fibers
microwave over fiber → radio and microwave over fiber
mid-infrared fibersBuyer's Guide
mid-infrared laser sourcesBuyer's Guide
mid-infrared spectrometersBuyer's Guide
miniature lasers
mirror substratesBuyer's Guide
mirror-like reflection → specular reflection
mirrorsBuyer's Guide
misalignment → alignment sensitivity of optical resonators
misalignment of fibers → fiber joints
misalignment of resonators: RP Photonics Software News 2017-04-26: How to calculate misalignment effects in laser resonators
mm mrad → beam parameter product
modal bandwidth
modal dispersion → intermodal dispersion
modal refractive index → effective refractive index
mode area → effective mode area
mode calculators → mode solvers
mode cleaner cavitiesBuyer's Guide
mode cleanersBuyer's Guide
mode competition
mode competition: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-07-16: Mode competition – increased or decreased by spatial hole burning?
mode coupling
mode coupling: RP Photonics Spotlight 2016-08-11: Mode coupling in optical fibers: selective excitation of a higher-order mode with a fiber Bragg grating
mode coupling: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-07-24: Beam distortions in laser cavities
mode coupling: Software demo: Mode coupling in a fiber Bragg grating
mode cut-off → cut-off wavelength
mode division multiplexingBuyer's Guide
mode field convertersBuyer's Guide
mode field diameter → mode radius
mode hopping
mode instabilities in fibers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2011-05-28: Explanation for the mode instability in high-power fiber amplifiers with few-mode fibers
mode lockers → mode locking devices
mode lockingBuyer's Guide
mode locking: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-08-31: Passive mode locking with slow saturable absorbers: surprisingly stable!
mode locking: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-04-12: Does a saturable absorber in a laser lead to passive Q-switching or mode locking?
mode locking: RP Photonics Software News 2017-10-23: Self starting of passively mode-locked lasers: difficult to model
mode locking devices
mode matchingBuyer's Guide
mode radiusBuyer's Guide
mode radius: RP Photonics Spotlight 2014-07-28: How to define the mode radius of a fiber?
mode solversBuyer's Guide
mode strippers → cladding mode strippers
mode-locked diode lasersBuyer's Guide
mode-locked fiber lasersBuyer's Guide
mode-locked fiber lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-03-22: All-in-one concepts versus modular concepts
mode-locked fiber lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-08-22: Jitter and phase noise of mode-docked fiber lasers
mode-locked fiber lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-01-05: Extremely long mode-locked fiber laser
mode-locked fiber lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-03-17: Ultrafast fiber lasers: re-inventing mode Locking
mode-locked fiber lasers: Software demo: Mode-locked fiber laser
mode-locked fiber lasers: Case study: mode-locked fiber laser
mode-locked lasersBuyer's Guide
mode-locked lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2011-12-23: mode-locked thin-disk laser
mode-locked lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-03-26: Mode-locked lasers: lower average powers in shorter pulses
modeling → laser modeling and simulation
modeling: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-11-16: Laser models – not always useful
modeling: RP Photonics Software News 2014-07-17: What makes a good physics model
modeling: RP Photonics Software News 2016-07-22: Ultrashort pulse simulations with the RP Fiber Power software
modesBuyer's Guide
modes: Tutorial chapter on fiber modes
modes: Case study: Mode structure of a step-index multimode fiber
modes: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-04-15: Abused photonics terms: modes
modes: RP Photonics Software News 2018-09-12: Propagating optical fields in fibers based on modes or with numerical beam propagation
modes of laser operation
modified chemical vapor deposition → fiber fabrication
modulation depth
modulational instability
modulator driversBuyer's Guide
modulators → optical modulators
molecular lasersBuyer's Guide
monochromatic light
monochromatic light: RP Photonics Spotlight 2019-08-26: Can monochromatic light be unpolarized?
monochromaticity → linewidth
monochromatorsBuyer's Guide
monocrystalline fibers → single-crystal fibers
monocrystalline mirrors → crystalline mirrors
monofrequency lasers → single-frequency lasers
monolithic solid-state lasersBuyer's Guide
monomode fibers → single-mode fibers
multi-core fibersBuyer's Guide
multi-line lasersBuyer's Guide
multi-mode fibers → multimode fibers
multi-stage amplifiers → amplifier chains
multi-stage amplifiers: Tutorial chapter on multi-stage fiber amplifiers
multi-stage amplifiers: RP Photonics Software News 2017-11-17: Modeling multi-stage amplifiers with RP Fiber Power
multi-wavelength lasers → multi-line lasers
multilayer coatings → dielectric coatings
multilayer mirrors → dielectric mirrors
multimode beams
multimode fibersBuyer's Guide
multimode fibers: Tutorial chapter on multimode fibers
multimode fibers: Case study: Number of modes of a highly multimode fiber
multimode fibers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2023-01-24: Launching light into step-index multimode fibers
multimode fibers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2013-11-12: Beam quality limit for multimode fibers
multimode pump combiners → fiber-optic pump combiners
multimode waveguides → waveguides
multipass amplifiersBuyer's Guide
multipass amplifiers: Case study: multipass amplifier
multipass gas cellsBuyer's Guide
multiphonon absorption
multiphonon transitions
multiphonon transitions: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-04-06: Laser physics: the essential roles of phonons in solid-state lasers
multiphoton absorption
multiphoton ionization → laser-induced breakdown
multiphoton microscopy → fluorescence microscopy
multiple pulses → double pulses
multispectral imagingBuyer's Guide

N

nanofibersBuyer's Guide
nanoscopy → laser microscopy
nanosecond lasersBuyer's Guide
nanosecond pulse amplifiers: Tutorial chapter on fiber amplifiers for nanosecond pulses
narrow-linewidth lasersBuyer's Guide
Nd:YAG → YAG lasers
Nd:YLF → YLF lasers
Nd:YVO4 → vanadate lasers
near field and far field
negative-index materials → photonic metamaterials
neodymium-doped fibers → rare-earth-doped fibers
neodymium-doped laser gain mediaBuyer's Guide
neon lamps → gas discharge lamps
neutral density filtersBuyer's Guide
neutron detectors → scintillation detectors
night vision devices
Nipkow discs → pinholes
nitrogen lasers → gas lasers
no-cloning theorem → quantum cryptography
nodal points
noise → laser noise
noise eatersBuyer's Guide
noise factor → noise figure
noise figure
noise figure: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-01-27: Noise figure of amplifiers
noise of amplifiers: Tutorial chapter on noise of fiber amplifiers
noise reduction → stabilization of lasers
noise specificationsBuyer's Guide
noise-equivalent powerBuyer's Guide
non-diffracting beams → Bessel beams and Bessel–Gauss beams
non-radiative transitions
nonclassical light
noncritical phase matching
nonlinear absorption
nonlinear amplification → parametric amplification
nonlinear coefficient → effective nonlinear coefficient
nonlinear crystal materialsBuyer's Guide
nonlinear crystals: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-09-21: Optimum crystal length for frequency doubling
nonlinear fiber loop mirrors → fiber loop mirrors
nonlinear frequency conversionBuyer's Guide
nonlinear frequency conversion: RP Photonics Spotlight 2016-10-27: Challenges for nonlinear frequency conversion in extreme wavelength regions
nonlinear frequency conversion: RP Photonics Spotlight 2014-11-14: Correctly designing frequency conversion stages: not easy, but worthwhile!
nonlinear frequency conversion: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-03-05: More efficient frequency doubling with shorter pulses?
nonlinear frequency conversion: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-09-29: Frequency dependence of the conversion efficiency for frequency doubling
nonlinear frequency conversion: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-08-15: The effect of a double pass in a frequency doubler
nonlinear index
nonlinear length
nonlinear light sources → light sources based on nonlinear optical effects
nonlinear mirror mode locking → mode locking
nonlinear optical effects
nonlinear opticsBuyer's Guide
nonlinear polarization
nonlinear polarization rotation
nonlinear polarization waves → polarization waves
nonlinear pulse compression → pulse compression
nonlinear pulse compression: Case study: nonlinear pulse compression
nonlinear pulse distortion
nonlinear refractive index → nonlinear index
nonlinear self-focusing → self-focusing
nonlinear self-focusing: Software demo: Nonlinear self-focusing
nonlinearities
nonlinearities: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-03-09: Nonlinearities in fiber amplifier modeling
nonlinearities: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-05-26: Optical isotropy: nonlinear interactions are different!
nonlinearities of fibers: Tutorial chapter on nonlinearities of optical fibers
nonplanar ring oscillatorsBuyer's Guide
normal dispersion → chromatic dispersion
normalized frequency → V-number
nuclear fusion → laser-driven nuclear fusion
number density of dopant → doping concentration
number states → Fock states
numerical apertureBuyer's Guide
numerical aperture: Case study: The numerical aperture of a fiber: a strict limit for the angular field distribution?
numerical beam propagationBuyer's Guide
numerical beam propagation: RP Photonics Software News 2020-09-10: Simulating non-monochromatic multimode beams
numerical modeling → pulse propagation modeling

O

object and image space
objective lenses → objectives
objectivesBuyer's Guide
objectives for photography → photographic objectives
ocular lensesBuyer's Guide
OEM laser modulesBuyer's Guide
one-atom lasers → single-atom lasers
OP-GaAs → orientation-patterned semiconductors
opacity
operation modes of lasers → modes of laser operation
optical aberrationsBuyer's Guide
optical absorption → absorption
optical activity
optical adhesivesBuyer's Guide
optical amplifiersBuyer's Guide
optical aperturesBuyer's Guide
optical attenuatorsBuyer's Guide
optical bandwidth → bandwidth
optical bomb → superradiance
optical breadboardsBuyer's Guide
optical breakdown → laser-induced breakdown
optical capillaries → hollow-core fibers and capillaries
optical cavities → cavities
optical choppersBuyer's Guide
optical circulators → Faraday circulators
optical clocksBuyer's Guide
optical clockworksBuyer's Guide
optical coatings → dielectric coatings
optical coherence tomographyBuyer's Guide
optical communications → optical data transmission
optical contact
optical contact bondingBuyer's Guide
optical crystalsBuyer's Guide
optical damage → laser-induced damage
optical damage threshold → laser-induced damage
optical data transmissionBuyer's Guide
optical data transmission: Software demo: Data transmission
optical delay linesBuyer's Guide
optical densityBuyer's Guide
optical diffusers → diffusers
optical diodes → optical isolators
optical domesBuyer's Guide
optical effects
optical elements
optical elements for imaging
optical energy metersBuyer's Guide
optical fabricationBuyer's Guide
optical fiber cables → fiber cables
optical fiber communicationsBuyer's Guide
optical fiber communications: Software demo: Data transmission
optical fiber sensors → fiber-optic sensors
optical fiber technology → fiber optics
optical fibers → fibers
optical filtersBuyer's Guide
optical flatsBuyer's Guide
optical fluence → fluence
optical frequency
optical frequency: RP Photonics Spotlight 2021-04-30: Wavelength or optical frequency, what is the better specification?
optical frequency domain reflectometry → fiber-optic sensors
optical frequency metrology → frequency metrology
optical frequency multipliers
optical frequency standardsBuyer's Guide
optical frequency synthesizers → frequency combs
optical gain → gain
optical glassesBuyer's Guide
optical harmonic generators → optical frequency multipliers
optical heterodyne detectionBuyer's Guide
optical images → imaging
optical imaging → imaging
optical intensity
optical interference → interference
optical interference coatings → dielectric coatings
optical isolators
optical isolators: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-06-09: Poor man's isolator
optical isotropy: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-05-26: Optical isotropy: nonlinear interactions are different!
optical lattice clocks → optical frequency standards
optical materialsBuyer's Guide
optical metamaterials → photonic metamaterials
optical metasurfaces → photonic metasurfaces
optical metrologyBuyer's Guide
optical mirrors → mirrors
optical modulatorsBuyer's Guide
optical molasses
optical nanofibers → nanofibers
optical networks → fiber-optic networks
optical parametric amplifiersBuyer's Guide
optical parametric amplifiers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-09-21: Power scaling limits of optical parametric amplifiers
optical parametric chirped-pulse amplificationBuyer's Guide
optical parametric generatorsBuyer's Guide
optical parametric oscillatorsBuyer's Guide
optical parametric oscillators: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-08-23: An OPO without resonator mirrors
optical parametric oscillators: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-09-03: Resolution of conundrum: threshold power for parametric nonlinear interactions
optical path length
optical phase
optical phase: RP Photonics Spotlight 2025-08-18: Do Photons Have an Optical Phase?
optical physics
optical powerBuyer's Guide
optical power metersBuyer's Guide
optical power monitorsBuyer's Guide
optical profilometersBuyer's Guide
optical properties of devices
optical properties of materials
optical pulse generation → pulse generation
optical pulses → light pulses
optical pumping
optical rectificationBuyer's Guide
optical reflectometers → reflectometers
optical refrigeration
optical resonatorsBuyer's Guide
optical resonators: RP Photonics Spotlight 2016-07-05: The round-trip phase shift in an optical resonator
optical resonators: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-04-05: Stability of resonators – an ambiguous term
optical resonators: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-11-28: The role of diffraction in optical resonators
optical resonators: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-11-21: The resonator mystery
optical retardance → retardance
optical return loss → return loss
optical rotation → optical activity
optical rulers → frequency combs
optical samplingBuyer's Guide
optical sensorsBuyer's Guide
optical slitsBuyer's Guide
optical spaces → object and image space
optical spectrumBuyer's Guide
optical spectrum: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-10-11: Understanding Fourier spectra
optical spectrum analyzersBuyer's Guide
optical strain sensorsBuyer's Guide
optical surface characterization equipment → optical profilometers
optical surface profilers → optical profilometers
optical switchesBuyer's Guide
optical tablesBuyer's Guide
optical telegraph → free-space optical communications
optical temperature sensorsBuyer's Guide
optical thickness
optical time-domain reflectometersBuyer's Guide
optical transitions
optical traps → light forces
optical tweezersBuyer's Guide
optical wavelength → wavelength
optical windowsBuyer's Guide
optically pumped semiconductor lasers → vertical external-cavity surface-emitting lasers
optics
optics cleaning → cleaning of optics
optics for lasers → laser optics
opto-isolators
opto-mechanicsBuyer's Guide
optocouplers → opto-isolators
optoelectronicsBuyer's Guide
optoelectronics packaging → photonic packaging
optronics → optoelectronics
orange lasers → yellow and orange lasers
orientation-patterned semiconductors
oscillators
output couplersBuyer's Guide
output coupling efficiencyBuyer's Guide

P

packaging of photonic devices → photonic packaging
pair-induced quenching → quenching
pair-induced quenching: RP Photonics Software News 2018-02-22: Modeling pair-induced quenching in erbium-doped fiber amplifiers
PANDA fibers → polarization-maintaining fibers
parabolic index fibers → graded-index fibers
parabolic mirrorsBuyer's Guide
parabolic pulses
parametric amplificationBuyer's Guide
parametric amplification: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-12-11: The idler wave – essential for parametric amplification and oscillation
parametric amplifiers → optical parametric amplifiers
parametric fluorescenceBuyer's Guide
parametric generators → optical parametric generators
parametric nonlinearities
parametric oscillation: RP Photonics Spotlight 2013-08-26: Frequency doubling and the reverse process
parametric oscillators → optical parametric oscillators
parasitic absorption → absorption
parasitic lasing
parasitic reflections
paraxial approximation
parfocal lenses → zoom lenses
particle detectors → scintillation detectors
passive fibers
passive fibers: Tutorial: Passive fiber optics
passive mode lockingBuyer's Guide
passive mode locking: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-01-08: Self-starting of passively mode-locked lasers
passive mode locking: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-08-31: Passive mode locking with slow saturable absorbers: surprisingly stable!
passive mode locking: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-04-12: Does a saturable absorber in a laser lead to passive Q-switching or mode locking?
passive mode locking: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-07-02: Stronger focusing avoids SESAM damage
passive mode locking: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-05-13: Easier self-starting passive mode locking for short lasers
passive mode locking: RP Photonics Software News 2017-10-23: Self starting of passively mode-locked lasers: difficult to model
passive mode locking: Case study: passively mode-locked picosecond bulk laser
passive Q-switching → Q-switching
patch cables → fiber patch cables
peak intensity: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-10-03: Peak intensity of Gaussian beam
peak power
percentage of doping → doping concentration
percussion drilling → laser drilling
perfect diffusion → Lambertian emitters and scatterers
periodic polingBuyer's Guide
Pfund cells → multipass gas cells
phase → optical phase
phase coherence → coherence
phase constant → propagation constant
phase corrector platesBuyer's Guide
phase index → refractive index
phase matchingBuyer's Guide
phase matching: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-03-10: Automatic phase matching
phase mismatch → phase matching
phase modulatorsBuyer's Guide
phase noiseBuyer's Guide
phase noise: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-08-22: Jitter and phase noise of mode-docked fiber lasers
phase plates → phase corrector plates
phase shift method for distance measurementsBuyer's Guide
phase synchronization of lasers → synchronization of lasers
phase velocity
phase-matching bandwidth
phase-matching bandwidth: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-11-19: Walk-off and phase-matching bandwidth in nonlinear crystals
phase-sensitive amplification → parametric amplification
phase-squeezed light → squeezed states of light
phonon-terminated lasers → vibronic lasers
phonons
phonons: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-04-06: Laser physics: the essential roles of phonons in solid-state lasers
phosphate glassesBuyer's Guide
phosphorescence
phosphorsBuyer's Guide
photo camerasBuyer's Guide
photo-induced attenuation → photodarkening
photoacoustic spectroscopy → spectroscopy
photocathodes
photochromic damage → photodarkening
photochromic materials
photoconductive detectorsBuyer's Guide
photoconductive samplingBuyer's Guide
photoconductive switches
photocouplers → opto-isolators
photocurrent
photodarkeningBuyer's Guide
photodetection: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-12-13: Johnson-Nyquist noise in photodiode circuits
photodetector arrays → photodiode arrays
photodetector properties → properties of photodetectors
photodetectorsBuyer's Guide
photodetectors: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-11-13: Photodetection: optical and electrical powers
photodiode amplifiersBuyer's Guide
photodiode arraysBuyer's Guide
photodiodesBuyer's Guide
photodiodes: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-12-13: Johnson-Nyquist noise in photodiode circuits
photodiodes: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-10-16: Using a transimpedance amplifier for optical power measurements and recording with a photodiode
photoelectric detectors → photoemissive detectors
photoelectric effect
photoemission → photoelectric effect
photoemissive detectors
photographic objectivesBuyer's Guide
photoinduced losses → photodarkening
photoluminescence
photometersBuyer's Guide
photometry
photometry → optical metrology
photomultipliersBuyer's Guide
photon countingBuyer's Guide
photon counting: RP Photonics Spotlight 2025-08-25: Photon counting terminology: Are we really counting?
photon detection efficiency
photon number states → Fock states
photon pair sourcesBuyer's Guide
photon science → photonics
photon statistics → nonclassical light
photonic bandgap fibersBuyer's Guide
photonic crystal fibersBuyer's Guide
photonic crystal surface-emitting lasersBuyer's Guide
photonic crystals
photonic integrated circuitsBuyer's Guide
photonic lanternsBuyer's Guide
photonic metamaterialsBuyer's Guide
photonic metasurfaces
photonic packagingBuyer's Guide
photonic power → power over fiber
photonics
photonics: RP Photonics Spotlight 2023-09-06: Can AI bots like ChatGPT or Bard answer photonics questions?
photonics for astronomy → astrophotonics
photonics for space → space photonics
photonsBuyer's Guide
photons: RP Photonics Spotlight 2025-08-18: Do Photons Have an Optical Phase?
photons: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-05-05: Length of a photon
photons: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-03-23: Explaining the nature of photons to lay persons
photons: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-02-16: The science of biophotons
photopic vision → scotopic and photopic vision
photoreceivers → photodetectors
photoresistors → photoconductive detectors
photosensitivity → fiber Bragg gratings
phototransistorsBuyer's Guide
phototubesBuyer's Guide
photovoltaic cellsBuyer's Guide
photovoltaic modules → solar modules
physical optics → wave optics
picosecond diode lasersBuyer's Guide
picosecond lasersBuyer's Guide
picosecond pulse amplifiers → ultrafast amplifiers
pigtailed diode lasers → fiber-coupled diode lasers
pigtailing → photonic packaging
pinholesBuyer's Guide
planar lightwave circuits → photonic integrated circuits
planar photonics → photonic metasurfaces
planar waveguidesBuyer's Guide
Planck law → thermal radiation
plane waves
plasma deposition methods → fiber fabrication
plastic optical fibersBuyer's Guide
plastic opticsBuyer's Guide
plate beam splitters → beam splitters
Pockels cell driversBuyer's Guide
Pockels cellsBuyer's Guide
Pockels effect
pointing stability → beam pointing fluctuations
polarimetersBuyer's Guide
polarimetry → polarimeters
polarization: Tutorial chapter on polarization issues in fibers
polarization: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-04-28: Different kinds of polarization
polarization beam combiningBuyer's Guide
polarization beat length
polarization controllers → fiber polarization controllers
polarization coupling → polarization beam combining
polarization extinction ratio → polarization of light
polarization gradient cooling → Sisyphus cooling
polarization mode dispersionBuyer's Guide
polarization of lightBuyer's Guide
polarization of light: RP Photonics Spotlight 2019-08-26: Can monochromatic light be unpolarized?
polarization of light: RP Photonics Spotlight 2012-03-03: Conflicting definitions of s and p polarization
polarization opticsBuyer's Guide
polarization rotators → Faraday rotators
polarization scramblersBuyer's Guide
polarization waves
polarization-maintaining fibersBuyer's Guide
polarization-maintaining fibers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-05-19: Why strong birefringence in fibers helps
polarization-preserving fibers → polarization-maintaining fibers
polarizersBuyer's Guide
polarizers: Case study: thin-film plate polarizer
polarizers: Case study: polarizing cube
polarizing beam splitters → polarizers
polarizing cubes → thin-film polarizers
Polaroid filters → polarizers
polishing of fibersBuyer's Guide
polychromatic light
polychromatic light: RP Photonics Software News 2020-09-10: Simulating non-monochromatic multimode beams
polychromators
polycrystalline fibers → mid-infrared fibers
polyimide fibers → specialty fibers
polymer optical fibers → plastic optical fibers
polymer optics → plastic optics
population inversion
position-sensitive detectorsBuyer's Guide
power amplification factor → amplification factor
power amplifiers → master oscillator power amplifier
power density
power efficiency → wall-plug efficiency
power meters → optical power meters
power monitors → optical power monitors
power over fiberBuyer's Guide
power propagation: Tutorial chapter on power propagation vs. field propagation
power scaling: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-09-19: Are laser resonators power scalable?
power scaling: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-09-21: Power scaling limits of optical parametric amplifiers
power scaling of lasersBuyer's Guide
power scaling of lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-12-03: New paper on power scaling of lasers
power scaling of lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-09-07: Power scaling in downward direction
power spectral density
power splitters → beam splitters
Poynting vector
Poynting vector walk-off → spatial walk-off
PPKTP → nonlinear crystal materials
PPLN → nonlinear crystal materials
PPLT → nonlinear crystal materials
praseodymium-doped fibers → rare-earth-doped fibers
precision fiber cleavers → fiber cleavers
precision laser machining → laser micromachining
preforms → fiber preforms
primary colors → color spaces
principal dispersion
principal points and principal planes
prism pairsBuyer's Guide
prism retroreflectors → prisms
prism-based beam expanders → anamorphic prism pairs
prismsBuyer's Guide
processing heads → laser processing heads
profilometers → optical profilometers
propagation constant
propagation losses
propagation losses in fibers: Tutorial chapter on propagation losses in fibers
properties of fibers → fiber properties
properties of laser gain media
properties of light beams → beam properties
properties of light pulses → pulse properties
properties of photodetectors
protected metal-coated mirrors → first surface mirrors
pseudo-depolarizers → depolarizers
pulse amplifiers: Tutorial chapter on fiber amplifiers for nanosecond pulses
pulse break-up → nonlinear pulse distortion
pulse bursts → pulse trains
pulse characterizationBuyer's Guide
pulse compressionBuyer's Guide
pulse compression: Case study: nonlinear pulse compression
pulse durationBuyer's Guide
pulse duration: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-10-03: Importance of spectral wings on the pulse duration
pulse energyBuyer's Guide
pulse front tilt
pulse generationBuyer's Guide
pulse length → pulse duration
pulse pickersBuyer's Guide
pulse propagation modelingBuyer's Guide
pulse propagation modeling: Tutorial: Modeling of pulse amplification
pulse propagation modeling: RP Photonics Software News 2018-05-22: Numerical representation of ultrashort pulses
pulse propagation modeling: RP Photonics Software News 2016-07-22: Ultrashort pulse simulations with the RP Fiber Power software
pulse properties
pulse repetition rateBuyer's Guide
pulse shape → Gaussian pulses
pulse shapersBuyer's Guide
pulse stretchersBuyer's Guide
pulse trains
pulse width → pulse duration
pulse-to-pulse jitter → timing jitter
pulsed laser depositionBuyer's Guide
pulsed lasersBuyer's Guide
pulses → light pulses
pulses: Field Guide to Laser Pulses
pulses: RP Photonics Spotlight 2020-09-30: Beam radius and beam quality of laser pulses
pulses in fibers: Tutorial chapter on ultrashort pulses and signals fibers
pump absorption
pump absorption: RP Photonics Spotlight 2016-05-12: Measurement of absorption spectra of active fibers: not as easy as one might think!
pump absorption: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-08-22: Saturation of pump absorption – an important issue?
pump absorption: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-11-04: Nd:YVO4 laser with polarization-independent pump absorption
pump absorption: RP Photonics Software News 2021-01-22: Pump absorption in amplifier fibers
pump absorption: Software demo: Pump absorption in a double-clad fiber
pump chambersBuyer's Guide
pump combiners → fiber-optic pump combiners
pump depletion
pump parameter
pump threshold → threshold pump power
pump–probe measurementsBuyer's Guide
pump–probe spectroscopy → time-resolved spectroscopy
pupils → entrance and exit pupil
pyroelectric detectorsBuyer's Guide
p–i–n photodiodesBuyer's Guide

Q

q parameter → Gaussian beams
Q-factorBuyer's Guide
Q-switched lasersBuyer's Guide
Q-switched lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2015-09-24: Q-switched lasers: Nd:YVO4 better suited than Nd:YAG for high pulse repetition rates
Q-switched lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-09-16: Q-switched lasers: YAG versus vanadate
Q-switched mode locking
Q-switched mode locking: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-04-12: Does a saturable absorber in a laser lead to passive Q-switching or mode locking?
Q-switchesBuyer's Guide
Q-switchingBuyer's Guide
Q-switching: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-04-12: Does a saturable absorber in a laser lead to passive Q-switching or mode locking?
Q-switching: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-03-07: Complicated pulse shapes from Q-switched fiber lasers
Q-switching: RP Photonics Spotlight 2014-04-02: Lower Emission Cross-section Leads to Higher Pulse Energy?!?
Q-switching: Software demo: Actively Q-switched Nd:YAG laser
Q-switching: Software demo: Passively Q-switched Nd:YAG laser
Q-switching instabilities
QML threshold → Q-switched mode locking
quadrant photodiodes → position-sensitive detectors
quadrature squeezing → squeezed states of light
quality factor → Q-factor
quantum beat spectroscopy → time-resolved spectroscopy
quantum cascade lasersBuyer's Guide
quantum clocks → optical clocks
quantum communication → quantum photonics
quantum computing → quantum photonics
quantum cryptographyBuyer's Guide
quantum defect
quantum dots
quantum efficiencyBuyer's Guide
quantum electronicsBuyer's Guide
quantum emitters → single-photon sources
quantum information processing
quantum interference → interference
quantum key distributionBuyer's Guide
quantum light sourcesBuyer's Guide
quantum lithography → quantum photonics
quantum noise
quantum noise: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-04-16: Questions and answers on shot noise
quantum opticsBuyer's Guide
quantum optics: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-05-05: Length of a photon
quantum optics: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-09-27: Light plus light = darkness: no energy problem, but quantum weirdness
quantum optics: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-03-23: Explaining the nature of photons to lay persons
quantum photonicsBuyer's Guide
quantum sensing → quantum photonics
quantum wells
quantum yield → quantum efficiency
quarter-wave mirrorsBuyer's Guide
quarter-wave plates → waveplates
quartz tungsten halogen lamps → halogen lamps
quasi-continuous-wave operation
quasi-monochromatic light → monochromatic light
quasi-phase matchingBuyer's Guide
quasi-soliton pulses
quasi-three-level gain media: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-08-22: What is different for quasi-three-level lasers?
quasi-three-level gain media: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-03-15: Interesting features of over-long fiber lasers
quasi-three-level gain media: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-08-12: Understanding quasi-three-level lasers
quasi-three-level laser gain media
quenching
quenching: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-09-06: Quenching degrades the efficiency of some ytterbium-doped gain media
quenching: RP Photonics Software News 2018-02-22: Modeling pair-induced quenching in erbium-doped fiber amplifiers
questions: RP Photonics Spotlight 2020-05-11: Digital and interactive methods of supporting the photonics industry

R

r.m.s. values → power spectral density
Rabi frequency → Rabi oscillations
Rabi oscillations
radiance
radiance scaling of lasers → power scaling of lasers
radiant energy
radiant exitance
radiant flux
radiant intensity
radiant power → radiant flux
radiant sensitivity → responsivity
radiation detectors → scintillation detectors
radiation modes → cladding modes
radiation pressure
radiation-balanced lasers
radiation-induced luminescence → radioluminescence
radiation-resistant fibersBuyer's Guide
radiative lifetime
radio and microwave over fiberBuyer's Guide
radioluminescenceBuyer's Guide
radioluminescence → luminescence
radiometersBuyer's Guide
radiometers → radiometry
radiometry
radius of laser beam → beam radius
Raman amplifiersBuyer's Guide
Raman effect → Raman scattering
Raman fiber lasers → Raman lasers
Raman gainBuyer's Guide
Raman gain mediaBuyer's Guide
Raman lasersBuyer's Guide
Raman lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2012-03-12: New Raman lasers
Raman scatteringBuyer's Guide
Raman scattering: Case study: Soliton self-frequency shift
Raman scattering: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-03-05: Dependence on Raman conversion on the optical bandwidth
Raman scattering: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-03-03: Thresholds for nonlinear effects in fiber amplifiers
Raman scattering: Software demo: Stimulated Raman scattering in a multimode fiber
Raman self-frequency shift → solitons
Raman spectroscopyBuyer's Guide
range finding → distance measurements with lasers
rare earth ions: Tutorial chapter on rare earth ions in fibers
rare-earth-doped fibersBuyer's Guide
rare-earth-doped fibers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2024-09-16: Education with simulations for active engagement of students: example with pump absorption in an Yb-doped fiber
rare-earth-doped fibers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2016-05-12: Measurement of absorption spectra of active fibers: not as easy as one might think!
rare-earth-doped gain media: RP Photonics Spotlight 2014-06-27: Shortages of rare earth materials – a problem for photonics?
rare-earth-doped laser gain mediaBuyer's Guide
rate equation modelingBuyer's Guide
rate equation modeling: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-10-20: Rate equations – an example of stiff sets of differential equations
rational harmonic mode locking → active mode locking
ray optics → geometrical optics
ray transfer matrix → ABCD matrix
Rayleigh length
Rayleigh scattering
reabsorption in laser gain media → four-level and three-level laser gain media
receivers → telecom receivers
reciprocity method
recirculating fiber loops
recoating of fibers → fiber recoaters
recoil limit
red lasersBuyer's Guide
red–green–blue sources → RGB sources
reference cavitiesBuyer's Guide
references surfaces → optical flats
reflectance
reflection
reflection coefficient of an interface → Fresnel equations
reflection gratings → diffraction gratings
reflective optical elements
reflectivity
reflectometersBuyer's Guide
reflectorsBuyer's Guide
refractionBuyer's Guide
refractive indexBuyer's Guide
refractive index: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-10-07: Effective refractive index: correcting a common belief
refractive index fluids → index-matching fluids
refractive optical elements
refractometers
refractometry → refractometers
regenerative amplifiersBuyer's Guide
regenerative amplifiers: Software demo: Regenerative amplifier
regenerative mode locking → active mode locking
regular reflection → specular reflection
relative intensity noiseBuyer's Guide
relative intensity noise: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-06-08: Understanding intensity noise
relaxation oscillations
remote cutting → laser cutting
remote ranging → distance measurements with lasers
remote welding → laser welding
repetition rate → pulse repetition rate
residual absorption → absorption
residual jitter → timing jitter
resonant cavity → optical resonators
resonant frequency doublingBuyer's Guide
resonant second-harmonic generation → resonant frequency doubling
resonator bandwidth → resonator modes
resonator designBuyer's Guide
resonator design: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-11-02: Gaussian apertures in resonator models: not only for exotic lasers, but also for gain guiding
resonator design: RP Photonics Spotlight 2011-06-10: Are compact resonators more stable?
resonator design: Case study: resonator with automatic optimization
resonator mode spacing → free spectral range
resonator modesBuyer's Guide
resonator modes: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-04-15: Abused photonics terms: modes
resonators → optical resonators
responsivityBuyer's Guide
retardance
retarders → retardance
retroreflecting prisms → corner cube prisms
retroreflectorsBuyer's Guide
return lossBuyer's Guide
RGB sourcesBuyer's Guide
ring lasersBuyer's Guide
ring resonators
rod lasersBuyer's Guide
rod lensesBuyer's Guide
rod-in-tube method → fiber fabrication
rotating disc choppers → optical choppers
rotating slit profilers → beam profilers
rubber band model → frequency combs
ruby lasersBuyer's Guide
rugate filtersBuyer's Guide
rugate filters: Case study: rugate filters

S

S band → optical fiber communications
safety → laser safety
safety glasses → laser safety glasses
safety goggles: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-12-18: The role of laser safety goggles
sampled grating lasers → distributed Bragg reflector lasers
sampling → electro-optic sampling
sapphire fibers → single-crystal fibers
satellite communications → free-space optical communications
saturable absorber mirrors → semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors
saturable absorbersBuyer's Guide
saturable absorbers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-01-08: Self-starting of passively mode-locked lasers
saturable absorbers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-08-31: Passive mode locking with slow saturable absorbers: surprisingly stable!
saturable absorbers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-04-12: Does a saturable absorber in a laser lead to passive Q-switching or mode locking?
saturable absorbers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-07-02: Stronger focusing avoids SESAM damage
saturable absorbers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-01-06: Saturation intensity or saturation fluence of a saturable absorber or a laser gain medium: what matters?
saturable Bragg reflectors
saturated output power → saturation power
saturation energy
saturation fluence
saturation fluence → saturation energy
saturation intensity
saturation intensity → saturation power
saturation intensity: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-01-06: Saturation intensity or saturation fluence of a saturable absorber or a laser gain medium: what matters?
saturation of absorption → pump absorption
saturation of gain → gain saturation
saturation of pump absorption: RP Photonics Software News 2021-01-22: Pump absorption in amplifier fibers
saturation parameter → saturable absorbers
saturation power
scalability → power scaling of lasers
scaling procedures → power scaling of lasers
scanning beam profilers → beam profilers
scanning delay lines → optical delay lines
scanning lensesBuyer's Guide
scanning spectrometers → spectrometers
scattering
scattering: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-01-11: Beams of laser pointers: visible in air?
Schawlow-Townes linewidth: Derivation of the Schawlow–Townes linewidth
Schawlow–Townes linewidthBuyer's Guide
scientific lasersBuyer's Guide
scintillation detectorsBuyer's Guide
scintillator materialsBuyer's Guide
scotopic and photopic vision
SDM fibers → space division multiplexing
sech2-shaped pulses
second opinion: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-01-27: Second opinion: a useful tool, also in laser technology!
second-harmonic generation → frequency doubling
second-order dispersion → group delay dispersion
seed lasersBuyer's Guide
selective laser etchingBuyer's Guide
selective laser melting/sintering → laser 3D printing
self-darkening materials → photochromic materials
self-focusingBuyer's Guide
self-focusing: Software demo: Nonlinear self-focusing
self-heterodyne linewidth measurementBuyer's Guide
self-injection locking → injection locking
self-phase modulationBuyer's Guide
self-phase modulation: Effect of self-phase modulation on the pulse bandwidth
self-phase modulation: RP Photonics Spotlight 2015-07-01: Self-phase modulation causes spectral broadening – does it really?
self-phase-stabilized pulses → carrier–envelope offset
self-referenced frequency combs → frequency combs
self-similar pulse propagation → parabolic pulses
self-starting mode locking
self-starting mode locking: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-01-08: Self-starting of passively mode-locked lasers
self-starting mode locking: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-05-13: Easier self-starting passive mode locking for short lasers
self-starting mode locking: RP Photonics Software News 2017-10-23: Self starting of passively mode-locked lasers: difficult to model
self-steepening
self-terminating laser transitions
Sellmeier formula
semiconductor diode lasers → diode lasers
semiconductor disk lasers → vertical external-cavity surface-emitting lasers
semiconductor fiber lasers → fiber lasers
semiconductor lasersBuyer's Guide
semiconductor mirrors → crystalline mirrors
semiconductor optical amplifiersBuyer's Guide
semiconductor saturable absorber mirrorsBuyer's Guide
semiconductors
sensitivity
sensitivity of the eye → scotopic and photopic vision
sensitivity to alignment → alignment sensitivity of optical resonators
sensor cards → laser viewing cards
sensors → fiber-optic sensors
sequential sampling → electro-optic sampling
SESAM mode-locked lasers → mode-locked lasers
Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensorsBuyer's Guide
sheet polarizers → polarizers
short pulses → light pulses
shot noiseBuyer's Guide
shot noise: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-04-16: Questions and answers on shot noise
side pumpingBuyer's Guide
sideband instability → modulational instability
sigma–tau product: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-05-10: Fundamental limitation for sigma–tau product, gain efficiency, and laser threshold
sign conventions in wave optics
signal lampsBuyer's Guide
signal-to-noise ratio
signals in fibers: Tutorial chapter on ultrashort pulses and signals fibers
silica fibersBuyer's Guide
silica glass → fused silica
silicate glasses
silicon photomultipliersBuyer's Guide
silicon photonicsBuyer's Guide
silicone optics → plastic optics
silver mirrors → metal-coated mirrors
similaritons → parabolic pulses
simulation → laser modeling and simulation
single transverse mode operation → single-mode operation
single-atom lasers
single-atom lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-07-23: Single-atom lasers
single-crystal fibersBuyer's Guide
single-emitter laser diodes → broad area laser diodes
single-frequency lasersBuyer's Guide
single-frequency lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2015-10-17: The linewidth of single-frequency lasers
single-frequency lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-09-03: Single-frequency operation stabilized by spatial hole burning
single-frequency operationBuyer's Guide
single-mode cut-off → single-mode fibers
single-mode fibersBuyer's Guide
single-mode fibers: Tutorial chapter on single-mode fibers
single-mode operation
single-photon avalanche diodesBuyer's Guide
single-photon detectorsBuyer's Guide
single-photon sourcesBuyer's Guide
single-polarization fibersBuyer's Guide
single-wavelength lasers → single-frequency lasers
singly resonant cavities → resonant frequency doubling
singly resonant oscillators → optical parametric oscillators
Sisyphus cooling
slab lasersBuyer's Guide
slab waveguides → planar waveguides
slave laserBuyer's Guide
slope efficiency
slope efficiency: RP Photonics Spotlight 2016-12-13: Nonlinear input–output curves for lasers
slow absorbers → saturable absorbers
slow axis → diode bars
slow light → velocity of light
small-signal gain
Snell's law → refraction
soda–lime glasses → silicate glasses
sodium guide stars → laser guide stars
sodium vapor lamps
soft aperture mode locking → Kerr lens mode locking
soft apertures → optical apertures
solar cells → photovoltaic cells
solar modulesBuyer's Guide
solar power generationBuyer's Guide
solar-blind photodetectorsBuyer's Guide
soldering heads → laser processing heads
solid-state lasersBuyer's Guide
solid-state lasers: Solid state lasers for ultrashort pulses – a diverse family
solid-state lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-04-06: Laser physics: the essential roles of phonons in solid-state lasers
solid-state lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-12-04: Energy levels of solid-state gain media
soliton compression → pulse compression
soliton fission → supercontinuum generation
soliton mode lockingBuyer's Guide
soliton mode locking: Case study: soliton mode-locked bulk laser
soliton period
soliton self-frequency shift → solitons
solitons
solitons: Case study: Numerical experiments with soliton pulses in fibers
solitons: Case study: Soliton self-frequency shift
solitons: Case study: Collision of soliton pulses in a fiber
solitons: Case study: Soliton pulses in a fiber amplifier
solitons: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-04-02: Solitons: lower dispersion, stronger dispersive effects!
solitons: Software demo: Higher-order solitons
solution doping → fiber fabrication
space communications → free-space optical communications
space division multiplexingBuyer's Guide
space photonicsBuyer's Guide
space-qualified lasersBuyer's Guide
spatial coherence → coherence
spatial filters → mode cleaners
spatial frequencies → Fourier optics
spatial hole burning
spatial hole burning: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-07-16: Mode competition – increased or decreased by spatial hole burning?
spatial hole burning: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-09-03: Single-frequency operation stabilized by spatial hole burning
spatial walk-off
spatial walk-off: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-11-19: Walk-off and phase-matching bandwidth in nonlinear crystals
spatial walk-off: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-03-15: Spatial walk-off and beam quality in nonlinear frequency conversion
specialty fibersBuyer's Guide
specific detectivity → detectivity
specifications for lasers → laser specifications
specifications of noise and fluctuations → noise specifications
speckle → laser speckle
spectral beam combiningBuyer's Guide
spectral brightness
spectral broadening: RP Photonics Spotlight 2015-07-01: Self-phase modulation causes spectral broadening – does it really?
spectral exitance → radiant exitance
spectral flux → radiant flux
spectral imaging
spectral intensity → radiant intensity
spectral lampsBuyer's Guide
spectral lines
spectral linewidth → linewidth
spectral phaseBuyer's Guide
spectral phase interferometryBuyer's Guide
spectral power density → power spectral density
spectral purity → linewidth
spectral quantities
spectral radiance → radiance
spectral response of a photodetector
spectral sensitivity of the eye → scotopic and photopic vision
spectral width → bandwidth
spectrograms
spectrographsBuyer's Guide
spectrometersBuyer's Guide
spectrometry → spectroscopy
spectrophotometersBuyer's Guide
spectroradiometers → spectrometers
spectroscopyBuyer's Guide
spectrum → optical spectrum
specular reflection
speed of light → velocity of light
spherical aberrations
spiking
splicing → fusion splicing of fibers
split-step Fourier technique → pulse propagation modeling
spontaneous emission
spontaneous emission: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-07-16: Spontaneous emission and amplifier noise
spontaneous emission factor → Schawlow–Townes linewidth
spontaneous Raman scattering → Raman scattering
spot lasers → alignment lasers
spun fibersBuyer's Guide
squeezed states of lightBuyer's Guide
stability of passive mode locking: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-08-31: Passive mode locking with slow saturable absorbers: surprisingly stable!
stability zones: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-10-01: Stability zones of laser resonators
stability zones of optical resonatorsBuyer's Guide
stabilization of lasersBuyer's Guide
stack lasers → diode stacks
standard illuminants → CIE standard illuminants
standard quantum limit
standard spectral lines
standing wave pattern → interference
standing-wave resonators
Stark level manifolds
step-index fibers
stereolithography → laser 3D printing
stimulated Brillouin scattering → Brillouin scattering
stimulated Brillouin scattering: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-03-03: Thresholds for nonlinear effects in fiber amplifiers
stimulated Brillouin scattering: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-09-01: Stimulated Brillouin scattering: lower peak power, stronger effect?
stimulated emission
stimulated emission cross-sections → transition cross-sections
stimulated emission depletion microscopy → fluorescence microscopy
stimulated Raman scattering → Raman scattering
stimulated Raman scattering: Case study: Stimulated Raman scattering in a fiber
stimulated Raman scattering: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-03-05: Dependence on Raman conversion on the optical bandwidth
Stokes shift
strain sensors → optical strain sensors
streak camerasBuyer's Guide
stress rods → polarization-maintaining fibers
stretched-pulse fiber lasers → mode-locked fiber lasers
sum and difference frequency generationBuyer's Guide
super-black coatings → black coatings
supercontinuum generationBuyer's Guide
supercontinuum generation: Case study: Supercontinuum generation in a germanosilicate single-mode telecom fiber
superfluorescence
superluminal transmission
superluminescenceBuyer's Guide
superluminescent diodesBuyer's Guide
superluminescent sourcesBuyer's Guide
superluminescent sources: Software demo: ASE source with automatic spectral optimization
supermirrorsBuyer's Guide
supermodes → harmonic mode locking
superradiance
surface profilers → optical profilometers
surface-emitting LEDs → light-emitting diodes
surface-emitting semiconductor lasersBuyer's Guide
surgical lasers → medical lasers
swept-wavelength lasers → wavelength-swept lasers
symmetrized split-step Fourier method → pulse propagation modeling
sync-pumped parametric oscillators → optical parametric oscillators
synchronization of lasersBuyer's Guide
synchronous pumping

T

t-waves → terahertz radiation
tandem OPOs → optical parametric oscillators
tandem pumping → optical pumping
tapered amplifiersBuyer's Guide
tapered fibersBuyer's Guide
tapered fibers: Software demo: Light propagation in a tapered fiber
tapered laser diodesBuyer's Guide
technical consulting: RP Photonics Spotlight 2020-05-11: Digital and interactive methods of supporting the photonics industry
technical optics → optics
telecentric lensesBuyer's Guide
telecom fibersBuyer's Guide
telecom receiversBuyer's Guide
telecom transceiversBuyer's Guide
telecom transmittersBuyer's Guide
telecom windows → optical fiber communications
telecommunications → optical data transmission
telescopesBuyer's Guide
TEM modes → resonator modes
temperature phase matching → noncritical phase matching
temperature sensors → optical temperature sensors
temperature-stabilized ovens → crystal ovens
temporal coherence → coherence
temporal walk-off
terahertz detectorsBuyer's Guide
terahertz radiationBuyer's Guide
terahertz sourcesBuyer's Guide
terahertz spectroscopy → optical sampling
testing of laser diodes → laser diode testing
thermal blooming
thermal depolarization → depolarization loss
thermal detectors
thermal fiber strippers → fiber strippers
thermal imagingBuyer's Guide
thermal lensing
thermal lensing: RP Photonics Spotlight 2018-07-16: Thoughts on thermal lensing
thermal lensing: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-07-25: Higher heat generation density, stronger thermal effects?
thermal lensing: RP Photonics Spotlight 2007-01-15: Origins of heating in laser crystals
thermal lensing: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-07-10: Strength of thermal lensing effects
thermal lensing: RP Photonics Software News 2018-04-20: How to treat thermal lensing in simulations
thermal power meters → optical power meters
thermal radiation
thermo-optic effect
thermophotovoltaic generators → photovoltaic cells
thin-disk lasersBuyer's Guide
thin-disk lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2011-12-23: mode-locked thin-disk laser
thin-film characterizationBuyer's Guide
thin-film coatings → dielectric coatings
thin-film mirrors → dielectric mirrors
thin-film polarizersBuyer's Guide
thin-film polarizers: Case study: thin-film plate polarizer
third-harmonic generation → frequency tripling
third-order dispersion
three-level laser gain media → four-level and three-level laser gain media
threshold pump power
thresholdless lasers
through-glass vias → selective laser etching
thulium-doped fibers → thulium-doped laser gain media
thulium-doped laser gain mediaBuyer's Guide
tilt of pulse fronts → pulse front tilt
tilted fiber Bragg gratings → fiber Bragg gratings
time delay compensation plates → group velocity delay compensation plates
time division multiplexingBuyer's Guide
time domain spectroscopy → Fourier transform spectroscopy
time-bandwidth product: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-05-13: The minimum time–bandwidth product
time-of-flight measurementsBuyer's Guide
time-resolved spectroscopyBuyer's Guide
time–bandwidth product
timing electronics for photonicsBuyer's Guide
timing jitterBuyer's Guide
timing jitter: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-08-22: Jitter and phase noise of mode-docked fiber lasers
timing noise → timing jitter
timing phase
timing synchronization → synchronization of lasers
titanium-doped laser gain mediaBuyer's Guide
titanium–sapphire lasersBuyer's Guide
tolerances for fiber coupling → fiber joints
top-hat beams → flat-top beams
top-hat beams: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-04-08: Creating a top-hat laser beam focus
total internal reflection
training courses: RP Photonics Spotlight 2020-05-11: Digital and interactive methods of supporting the photonics industry
transceivers → telecom transceivers
transform limit
transform limit: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-06-13: Heisenberg's uncertainty principle and the transform limit
transient absorption spectroscopy → time-resolved spectroscopy
transition cross sections: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-12-04: Energy levels of solid-state gain media
transition cross sections: RP Photonics Spotlight 2014-04-02: Lower emission cross-section leads to higher pulse energy?!?
transition cross sections: RP Photonics Spotlight 2014-04-02: Lower Emission Cross-section Leads to Higher Pulse Energy?!?
transition cross-sections
transition-metal-doped laser gain mediaBuyer's Guide
transitions → laser transitions
transmission gratingsBuyer's Guide
transmission loss → insertion loss
transmissivity
transmittance
transmitters → telecom transmitters
transparency
transparency intensity → four-level and three-level laser gain media
transparent media → transparency
transversal filters → electronic dispersion compensation
transverse modes → higher-order modes
traveling-wave photodetectors → velocity-matched photodetectors
triangulationBuyer's Guide
trihedral prisms → corner cube prisms
triple-clad fibersBuyer's Guide
tunable lasersBuyer's Guide
tunable light sources → wavelength-tunable light sources
tunable optical filtersBuyer's Guide
tunable retarders → Babinet–Soleil compensators
tungstate lasersBuyer's Guide
tuning fork choppers → optical choppers
tunneling modes → leaky modes
tweezers → optical tweezers
twisted-mode technique
two-mirror beam shapers → beam shapers
two-photon absorption
two-photon microscopy → fluorescence microscopy
Twyman–Green interferometersBuyer's Guide
type I or type II phase matching → phase matching

U

Ulbricht spheres → integrating spheres
ultrafast amplifiersBuyer's Guide
ultrafast amplifiers: RP Photonics Software News 2017-09-22: Pulse amplification in the steady state
ultrafast diode lasers → mode-locked diode lasers
ultrafast fiber lasers → mode-locked fiber lasers
ultrafast laser physics
ultrafast lasersBuyer's Guide
ultrafast lasers: Solid state lasers for ultrashort pulses – a diverse family
ultrafast lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2010-03-22: All-in-one concepts versus modular concepts
ultrafast opticsBuyer's Guide
ultrafast pulse shapers → pulse shapers
ultrafast spectroscopy → time-resolved spectroscopy
ultrashort pulse amplifiers: Tutorial chapter on fiber amplifiers for ultrashort pulses
ultrashort pulse amplifiers: Case study: Parabolic pulses in a fiber amplifier
ultrashort pulse generation → ultrafast lasers
ultrashort pulsesBuyer's Guide
ultrashort pulses: Tutorial chapter on ultrashort pulse propagation in optical fibers
ultrashort pulses: Tutorial chapter on fiber amplifiers for ultrashort pulses
ultrashort pulses: Tutorial chapter on modeling ultrashort pulse propagation
ultrashort pulses: Tutorial: Modeling of pulse amplification
ultrashort pulses: RP Photonics Spotlight 2017-10-03: Importance of spectral wings on the pulse duration
ultrashort pulses: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-05-13: The minimum time–bandwidth product
ultrashort pulses: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-02-03: Quantifying the chirp of ultrashort pulses
ultrashort pulses: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-09-22: Coherence length of ultrashort pulses
ultrashort pulses: RP Photonics Software News 2018-05-22: Numerical representation of ultrashort pulses
ultrashort pulses: RP Photonics Software News 2016-07-22: Ultrashort pulse simulations with the RP Fiber Power software
ultraviolet absorption → absorption
ultraviolet lasersBuyer's Guide
ultraviolet lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2016-10-27: Challenges for nonlinear frequency conversion in extreme wavelength regions
ultraviolet lightBuyer's Guide
ultraviolet opticsBuyer's Guide
uncertainty principle: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-06-13: Heisenberg's uncertainty principle and the transform limit
unchirped pulses → chirp
unidirectional ring lasers → ring lasers
unpolarized light
unpolarized light: RP Photonics Spotlight 2025-07-30: More on the question: Can monochromatic light be unpolarized?
unstable resonatorsBuyer's Guide
unwanted reflections → parasitic reflections
upconversionBuyer's Guide
upconversion lasersBuyer's Guide
upconversion lasers: Software demo: Thulium-doped blue upconversion laser
upconversion quenching → quenching
upper-state lifetime
upper-state lifetime: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-09-27: Lasers with short upper-state lifetime
uses of lasers → laser applications
UV-enhanced aluminum mirrors → first surface mirrors

V

V coatings → anti-reflection coatings
V-numberBuyer's Guide
V-number of a dispersive material → Abbe number
vacuum beam delivery → laser beam delivery
vacuum noise
vacuum noise: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-08-01: Lasers disturbed by vacuum?
vacuum photodiodes → phototubes
vacuum tube photodetectors → phototubes
vacuum velocity of light → velocity of light
vacuum wavelength → wavelength
vacuum windows → optical windows
vanadate lasersBuyer's Guide
vanadate lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2015-09-24: Q-switched lasers: Nd:YVO4 better suited than Nd:YAG for high pulse repetition rates
vanadate lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-11-04: Nd:YVO4 laser with polarization-independent pump absorption
vanadate lasers: RP Photonics Spotlight 2006-09-16: Q-switched lasers: YAG versus vanadate
vapor cells → multipass gas cells
vapor deposition methods → fiber fabrication
vapor lasers → gas lasers
variable optical attenuatorsBuyer's Guide
variable reflectivity mirrorsBuyer's Guide
variable waveplates → Babinet–Soleil compensators
VCSEL arraysBuyer's Guide
velocity of light
velocity of light: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-11-25: The Gouy phase shift speeds up light
velocity-matched photodetectorsBuyer's Guide
Verdet constant → Faraday effect
vertical cavity surface-emitting lasersBuyer's Guide
vertical external-cavity surface-emitting lasersBuyer's Guide
vibronic lasersBuyer's Guide
vignetting
violet lasers → blue lasers
visible lasersBuyer's Guide
visible light → light
visible-blind detectors → solar-blind photodetectors
vitreous silica → fused silica
volume Bragg gratingsBuyer's Guide
volume holographic gratings → volume Bragg gratings

W

waist radius → beam waist
walk-off angle → spatial walk-off
walk-off compensation → spatial walk-off
wall-plug efficiency
wave breaking → nonlinear pulse distortion
wave equations → wave optics
wave optics
wave optics: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-05-22: Interference effects with imbalanced intensity levels
wave vector
wavefront corrections → adaptive optics
wavefront distortions → beam quality
wavefronts
waveguide dispersion
waveguide lasersBuyer's Guide
waveguide modes → modes
waveguidesBuyer's Guide
waveguides: Tutorial chapter on guided light
wavelength
wavelength: RP Photonics Spotlight 2021-04-30: Wavelength or optical frequency - what is the better specification?
wavelength: RP Photonics Software News 2017-03-28: At which wavelength will a laser emit?
wavelength beam combining → spectral beam combining
wavelength calibration lamps → spectral lamps
wavelength division multiplexingBuyer's Guide
wavelength meters → wavemeters
wavelength tuningBuyer's Guide
wavelength tuning: RP Photonics Spotlight 2009-12-08: Increased output power of a laser with forced tuning
wavelength tuning: RP Photonics Spotlight 2008-10-03: Wavelength-tunable lasers: does the tuner degrade the power efficiency?
wavelength-stabilized lasers → frequency-stabilized lasers
wavelength-swept lasersBuyer's Guide
wavelength-tunable lasers → tunable lasers
wavelength-tunable light sourcesBuyer's Guide
wavemetersBuyer's Guide
wavenumber
waveplatesBuyer's Guide
weakly allowed transitions → forbidden transitions
wedge depolarizers → depolarizers
wedge prismsBuyer's Guide
welding heads → laser processing heads
White cells → multipass gas cells
white light
white-light interferometersBuyer's Guide
white-light sourcesBuyer's Guide
Wiener–Khinchin theorem → power spectral density
wire grid polarizers → polarizers
working distance