1. Glossary
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This glossary is split into five sections: Symbology, General, Chemistry, Optics, Electronics.
In addition, the Optics section provides subsections on NLOs and Melles Griot optics codes.
Please use your browser to search for an item, or else scroll down through the sections.
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1a Symbology
Greek alphabet and other symbols used on this website:
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α alpha - radiation; flash lamp critical damping factor
β beta - radiation; electrical current gain (hFE)
δ delta - (lower case) math: change/difference
∆ delta - (upper case) math: change/difference
ε epsilon - math: number approaching zero (ε→0)
ζ zeta - math
η eta - math
γ gamma - radiation
θ theta - angle (non-linear optic) (also Θ)
λ lambda - wavelength in nanometres
µ mu - micro; one millionth
ξ xi - math
Ξ ksi - approximately equal to
π pi - math: constant (also ∏)
ρ ro - density; resistivity
Σ sigma - math: summation (also ς)
τ tau - math: arbitrary
φ phi - phase (non-linear optic) (also written with lh top arm open: Wix fonts incompatible)
ψ psi - math
ω omega - (lower case) math
Ω omega - (upper case) ohms
Ø - diameter
â•‘ - parallel to
// - in parallel with
± - plus or minus
< - less than
<< - significantly less than
​≤ - less than or equal to
> - greater than
>> - significantly greater than
≥ - greater than or equal to
√ - square root (also SQRT)
∫ - math: integral
∂ - math: derivative
$ - currency: US dollar unless stated otherwise
£ - currency: British pound sterling
€ - currency: Euro
∞ - infinity
∝ - proportional to
~ - approximately equal to
→ - approaching (a value)
^ - math: power (e.g. 10^4 = 10 raised to the power 4 = 10,000)
∴ - therefore / thus
° - degree
' - arcminute; feet
" - arcsecond; inches; the word 'ditto'
1b General
Abbrev. - Abbreviation
A/C - Air Conditioning
AG - AktienGesellschaft - German company; Aktien (shares), Gesellschaft (corporation)
ACGIH - American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
AFAIK - As Far As I Know
aka - also known as
alt. - alternatively
ANSI - American National Standards Institute
App. - Application (typically a user-interactive software program found on a Pc or mobile)
AQM - Air Quality Monitor
AV - Aloe Vera
asap - as soon as possible
assy - assembly (typically a mechanical structure)
atm - atmosphere (scientific unit of pressure)
AU - Arbitrary Unit (often the vertical scale in atomic plasma intensity curves)
avg - average
AWG - American Wire Gauge
BA - British Airways
BBC - British Broadcasting Corporation
BIN - Buy It Now (e.g. eBay auction)
BIOS - Basic I/O System (the lowest level of operating system software)
BMR - Body Metabolic Rate
BOM - Bill Of Materials (a list of parts, typically for electronic equipment)
BP - Boiling Point
Brexit - British exit from the European Union
B.Sc - Bachelor of Science (UK degree qualification)
BSF - British Standard Fine screw thread
BST - British Summer Time (last Sunday of March to last Sunday of October) see also DST
BSW - British Standard Whitworth screw thread
BTU - British Thermal Unit (heat to raise the temperature of one pound of water by 1°F)
CAS No. - aka CASRN (number assigned by Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) to every chemical substance)
CC - Credit Card
CERN - Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire (European Organisation for Nuclear Research)
CFM - Cubic Feet per Minute (e.g. air flow rate)
ch/chan - channel (abbreviation)
char - character (abbreviation)
CORD - Center For Occupational Research and Development (CORD) in Waco, Texas, USA
combo - combination
cSt - CentiStoke (kinematic viscosity measurement unit. 1 centistoke = 1 cSt = 1 mm²/s)
CW - ClockWise (also see Optics: CW Continuous Wave)
CCW - Counter ClockWise
DHA - Docosahexaenoic acid (contributes to the maintenance of normal vision and brain function)
dimer - a molecule or molecular complex consisting of two identical molecules linked together
divs - divisions
DIY - Do It Yourself (homebuilt)
DLL - Dynamic Link Library file
DNA - DeoxyriboNucleic Acid https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Deoxyribonucleic-Acid
DOD - Department Of Defense (USA)
DOM - Date Of Manufacture
DST - Daylight Saving Time, USA (second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November) see also BST
EBay - Echo Bay (California, USA) auction site
ECU - Engine Control Unit
EFDA - European Fusion Development Agreement
EDX - Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy
EN - EN 'European Norm', European Standard specification
EPA - Eicosapentaenoic acid (DHA and EPA together contribute to the normal function of the heart)
EPR - Electron Paramagnetic Resonance
Est. - Estimated
EU - European Union
FAT - File Access Table (PC file handler)
FEC - Farnell Electronic Components Ltd
FOCI - Fisheries Oceanography Coordinated Investigations
FP - Front Panel
fps - frames per second (e.g. high speed camera, or video)
GID - Glow In Dark
GIF - Graphics Interchange Format (animated image, MS Windows 3-char filename extension)
gph - gallons per hour
GP - General Purpose
GPS - Global Positioning System
GUI - Graphical User Interface (e.g. coded from Visual C programming language)
hadron - Any particle made from quarks, anti-quarks and gluons
HLP - Windows 3-char filename extension for MS standardised help file
hp - horsepower (1hp = 550 foot-pound/second ~746W imperial, ~735.5W metric)
HPI - Hire Purchase Information (vehicle history check)
HPLC - High Pressure Liquid Chromatography
hr - hour
HGTTG - Douglas Adams' 1978 radio comedy 'The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy'
HSPH - Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (USA)
ID - Inner Diameter
IEC - International Electrotechnical Commission Standard / loose ref to IEC 3-pin mains connectors
IMO - In My Opinion
I/P - InPut
IPSA - Independent Parliament Standards Authority (UK)
IOW - In Other Words
ISBN - International Standard Book Number
ISS - International Space Station
IT - Information Technology
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association
JAN - Joint Army Navy (as in JAN-spec components)
JPG - Joint Photographic experts Group aka JPEG (image, MS Windows 3-char filename extension)
KA - Keine Angabe (German: Not Specified)
LHC - Large Hadron Collider ( Little Hadrian Collider )
lhs - Left Hand Side (also lh, L)
LIDAR - LIght Detection And Ranging (pulsed laser measurement of variable distances to the Earth)
LLLT - Low-Level Laser (light) Therapy
lph - litres per hour
manf - Manufacturer
max - maximum
MDF - Medium Density Fibreboard
MGO - Methylglyoxal (a natural compound found in New Zealand Manuka honey) see also UMF, NPA
mil-spec - Military Specification (a high quality standard of production for components and equipment)
min - minimum (e.g. VIHmin)
MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MOD - Ministry Of Defence (UK)
MP - Member of Parliament (UK)
mpg - miles per gallon
MPG - Motion Picture experts Group aka MPEG (video, MS Windows 3-char filename extension)
mrad - milliradian
MS - MicroSoft Corporation
MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheet
NASA - (US) National Aeronauticcs and Space Administration
NB - Nota Bene (Latin: note well)
NIST - National Institute of Standards and Technology (USA)
NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOL - US Naval Ordnance Laboratory (e.g. NOL TR - Technical Report)
NPA - Non-Peroxide Activity (New Zealand Manuka honey) see also MGO, UMF
N/S - Non-Serviceable (faulty)
NSAID - Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug
NTP - Normal Temperature and Pressure
NV - Dutch phrase Naamloze Vennootschap, meaning Public Company.
OD - Outer Diameter
OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer
OE - Optical Emission
OES - Optical Emission Spectroscopy
OHG - German acronym for Offene HandelsGesellschaft, meaning Open Trading Company
OND - Ordinary National Diploma (UK 1970s A-level equivalent, post-school qualification)
OSHA - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (USA)
OTOH - On The Other Hand (colloquially: alternatively)
OTT - Over The Top (ridiculously excessive)
Oz - Australia
PASC - Point And Shoot camera (a modern digital camera with built-in lens & storage / video out)
PBM - Photobiomodulation
pcd - pitch circle diameter
PCM - Plasma Chemistry Monitor
PCR - Polymerase Chain Reaction https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/probe/docs/techpcr/
PDF - Portable Document Format (Acrobat Acrobat, Windows 3-char filename extension)
PM - Prime Minister
POTUS - President Of The United States (of America)
POW - Prisoner Of War
ppm - parts per million
psi - pounds per square inch
psia - pounds per square inch absolute
psig - pounds per square inch gauge
Qty - Quantity
RDA - Recommended Dietary Allowance
rhs - Right Hand Side (also rh, R)
RI - Refractive Index
RMS - Royal Microscopy Society (RMS thread on microscope objectives)
RNA - RiboNucleic acid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RNA
ROI - Region Of Interest
RTF - Rich Text Format (Windows 3-char filename extension)
rTMS - Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
RTV - Room Temperature Vulcanising (e.g. silicone rubber adhesive)
[sic] - sic erat scriptum, Latin: 'thus it had been written', meaning the text is as it was found
SI - The International System of Units, from French: Système International (d'unités)
[sp?] - Spelling may be incorrect
spec. - specification
SQRT - SQuare RooT
SRM - Standard Reference Material
STP - Standard Temperature and Pressure
SXGA - Super eXtended Graphics Adaptor (native PC screen resolution of 1280 x 1024)
tax​on - a scientifically classified group or entity such as a genus or order of any rank
tbc - to be confirmed
tbd - to be determined
tbs - tablespoon (my own 3-letter variant of tbsp)
TCR - Thermal Coefficient of Resistance (ppm/°C)
TDS - Total Dissolved Solids (e.g. Extech EC400 TDS meter)
TDS - Technical Data Sheet
TENS - Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
thk - abbreviation of thick (e.g. when specifying the thickness of an optical component)
TIM - Thermal Interface Material
tpi - threads per inch
TR - Technical Report
tsb - teaspoon
TSR - Terminate Stay Resident (a program that runs in the background after you think it's closed)
TTO - Tea Tree Oil
TV - TeleVision
UMF - Unique Manuka Factor (New Zealand Manuka honey) see also MGO, NPA
UNC - UNified Coarse screw thread
UNF - UNified fine screw thread
URL - Uniform Resource Locator (an internet web address)
UK - United Kingdom (Great Britain)
UPF - Ultra Processed Food
US - USA
USB - Universal Serial Bus
var - variable (a variable used in an equation)
VB - Verhandlungsbasis (German, literally: Basis for Negotiation, usage: '[price] negotiable')
VGA - Video Graphics Adaptor / 640 wide x 480 high in pixels, standardised PC screen resolution
vs. - versus (compared to)
WHO - World Health Organization
WIP - Work In Progress
WVGA - Wide VGA / 1024 wide x 600 high in pixels, standardised PC screen resolution
wrt - with respect to
xtal - crystal
X axis - horizontal (left/right)
Y axis - vertical (up/down)
Z axis - 90 degrees to horizontal and vertical (forward/backward)
1c Chemistry
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ABS - Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (plastic)
CDQ - Cerium Doped Quartz (see also SDQ)
CFQ - Clear Fused Quartz
CHX - ChlorHeXadine Gluconate (mouthwash)
CIGS - Copper Indium Gallium Selenium dimer [Cu(In,Ga)Se2] thin film e.g. solar cells
CTH - Chromium Thulium Holmium (aka THC / Tm Ho Cr) (laser)
D2 - Deuterium
DNA - DeoxyriboNucleic Acid encodes life for gene growth, reproduction, mutation & recombination
EGW - Ethylene, Glycol, Water (anti-freeze mix - see also PGW)
FC - FluoroCarbon aka PerFluoroCarbon, PFC
FEP - Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (plastic)
GaAs - Gallium Arsenide
H2O - Water!
HFE - metHoxy-nonaFluorobutanE
IPA - IsoPropyl Alcohol
LN2 - Liquid Nitrogen
MGO - Methylglyoxal (e.g. in New Zealand Manuka honey) see also NPA, UMF
NNA - Non-Nitrosomine (associated with some smoked food carcinogens)
PAH - Polycyclic Acromatic Hydrocarbon (associated with some smoked food carcinogens)
PAO - PolyAlphaOlefin aka poly-a-olefin, a polymer; oil
PEEK - PolyEtherEtherKetone (plastic)
PET - C10H8O4 PolyEthylene-Terephthalate (e.g. plastic capacitor film)
PFC / FC - PerFluoroCarbon, sometimes shortened to Fluorocarbon (e.g. 3M FC-77)
PFIB - PerFluoroIsoButylene
PGW - Propylene, Glycol, Water (anti-freeze mix - see also EGW)
POM - PolyOxyMethylene, aka acetal, polyacetal, polyformaldehyde (thermoplastic)
PTFE - PolyTetraFluoroEthylene aka teflon (plastic)
PU - PolyUrethane (plastic foam)
PVC - PolyVinylChloride (plastic)
SDQ - Samarium Doped Quartz (see also CDQ)
SFQ - Synthetic Fused Quartz
SS - Stainless Steel
UVGSFS - UV Grade Synthetic Fused Silica aka glass (CVI Melles Griot)
YAG - Yttrium Aluminium Garnet (laser)
YIG - Yttrium Iron Garnet (oscillator)
YLF - Yttrium Lanthanum Fluoride (laser)
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Proprietary
Bakelite - one of the first mouldable plastics made from Phenol formaldehyde resin and wood flour
Delrin - PolyOxyMethylene aka acetal, polyformaldehyde (thermoplastic)
Freon - composed in the US in 1932 from Fre(eze) + -on used as an arbitrary suffix ('freezer spray')
Kapton - a polyimide film stable from −269°C to +400°C (−452°F to 752°F; 4K to 673K)
Paxolin - fireproof laminate sheet comprising layers of paper impregnated by Phenol formaldehyde resin
Sugru - (Formerol) adhesive putty that sets as silicone rubber https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugru
Teflon - 1940s: from tetra- ‘four’ + fluoro- + -on on the pattern of words such as nylon and rayon
Velcro - Frome French 'velour' (velvet) and 'crochet' (hook), essentially meaning 'hooked velvet'
1d Optics
111 - YAG rods are grown with the cylindrical axes along the [111] (long) direction
AOI - Angle Of Incidence (the angle at which a beam hits an optical part e.g. mirror)
AOM - Acousto-Optic Modulator: acoustic waves (ultrasound) alters refraction
AR - Anti-Reflective (coating) - matches optics to wavelength to reduce power loss
AT - Angle Tuned (NLO) aka A/T
BB - Broad Band
BBAR - Broad Band Anti-Reflective (coating)
BPP - Beam Parameter Product
BRF - Bi-Refringent Filter (typically used to tune Alexandrite & Ti:Sapphire lasers)
c-axis - Along the length of a rod <---o======o--->
CTD - Cemented (lens doublets etc)
CW - Continuous Wave (dc) (also see General: ClockWise)
DBAR - Dual Band Anti-Reflective coating
DCR - Diffraction Coupled Resonator (see also GCR) [O59 page 18]
DFG - Difference Frequency Generation (output is difference between two other frequencies)
DMRS - Dual Magnetron Reactive Sputtering (e.g. for HE interference filter).
DP - Double Pulse (laser), alt. SP single Pulse
DPSS - Diode Pulsed Solid State
DUV - Deep UV (10n - 200nn aka vacuum ultraviolet) [T12]
E||a - Electric field E is parallel with axis a
E||c - Polarisation between Electric field and c axis = <--0====0--> along a rod
EDX - X-Ray Dispersive analysis
Echelle - A Spectrometer with 3-dimensional measurement (French échelle: stairs, ladder)
EOM - Electro-Optic Modulator: electric field alters refraction (e.g. pockels cell Q-Switch)
Excimer - Excited Dimer laser (a dimer is a combination of two molecules)
FAC - Fast Access Collimator lens (e.g. tiny long & thin on C-mount laser lasing end)
FAHM - Full Angle at Half Maximum (NLO acceptance angle)
FAP - Fibre Array Package (a laser diode module that couples to a fibre optic)
FI - Faraday Isolator
FL - Focal Length (aka 'optical diode')
FL - Fluorescence Lifetime (e.g. xenon flashlamp)
FO - Fibre Optic
FPA - Focal Plane Array (e.g. spectrometer linear array detector)
FR - Faraday Rotator
FSR - Free Spectral Range (interferometer: space between two successive optical maxima or minima)
FTIR - Fourier-Transform InfraRed
FWHM - Full Width at Half Maximum (width of waveform at 50% magnitude)
GCR - Gaussian Coupled Resonator (see also DCR) [O59 page 18]
GLM - Green Laser Microchip (twin xtal combination Nd:YVO4 808nm -> 1064nm + KTP -> 532nm)
GRIN - GRaded INdex lens (for optical fibre)
HCL - aka HKL Hollow Cathode Lamp, i.e. hollow cathode element Lamp
HE - High Energy
HG - Harmonic Generator See [NLO FREQUENCY MIXING PROCESSES] below
HR - Highly Reflective (e.g. rear HR end mirror in laser resonator) aka IC
HSURIA - Half Symmetric Unstable Resonator with Intracavity Axicon
HT - Highly Transmissive
HWP - Half Wave Plate
IBS - Ion Beam Sputtering (optics AR coating)
IC - Input Coupler rear end mirror in laser resonator cavity aka HR
ICSHG - Intra-Cavity SHG
IPL - Intense Pulsed Light
IR - InfraRed See Table T12
LASER - Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation
LA-ICP-MS - Laser Ablation, Inductively Coupled Plasma, Mass Spectrometry
LD - Laser Diode
LEOT - Laser Electro-Optics Technology (LEOT) curriculum materials from CORD
LIAS - Laser Induced Abrasion Spectroscopy
LIBS - Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (aka LIPS)
LIDT - Laser Induced Damage Threshold (Melles Griot) = minimum power causing permanent damage
LIPS - Laser Induced Plasma Spectroscopy (aka LIBS)
LP - Laser Pointer [my own invented acronym]
LPG - Long Period Grating
MCA - Multi-Channel analyser (radiation)
MCP - Micro Channel Plate (multi-channel image intensifier)
MISER - Monolithic Isolated Single-Mode End-pumped Ring (aka NPRO) [internal reflection resonator]
MOPA - Master Oscillator Power Amplifier (e.g. for Ruby laser)
MOPO - Master Oscillator / Power Oscillator ([N30] power oscillator seeded from master oscillator)
NA - Numerical Aperture - the higher the value, the greater the acceptance angle of i/p light
NCPM - Non-Critical Phase Matching
NIR - Near InfraRed
NOPA - Non colinearly phase-matched Optical Parametric Amplifier
NPRO - Non-Planar Ring Oscillator (later acronym for MISER) [internal reflection xtal resonator]
NLC - NonLinear Crystal
NLO - NonLinear Optic
OC - Output Coupler / front mirror (partial reflector on output end of laser resonator cavity)
OD - Optical Density - logarithmic scale of transmittance i.e. OD1=10^1=10%, OD2=1%, OD3=0.1%
OG - Opto-Galvanic
OGE - Opto-Galvanic Effect (e.g. laser ionization of plasma in an HCL element Lamp)
OH - Hydroxyl fibre optic chemistry (High OH for UV-VIS, [very] Low OH for VIS-NIR)
OMA - Optical Multi-channel Analyser (e.g. spectrograph xy detector)
OPA - Operational Parametric Amplifier: converts one frequency to two lower ones via NLO
OPG - Operational Parametric Generator: a high gain self-amplifying OPA
OPO - Operational Parametric Oscillator: an OPA inside a resonator
PBS - Polarising Beam Splitter (e.g. cube)
PD - PhotoDiode
PDA - PD Array
PE - PyroElectric
PEW - Peak Emission Wavelength
PI - Population Inversion - redistribution of atomic energy levels that results in laser action
PIN diode - P-region / Intrinsic-region (undoped) / Negative-region construction high speed diode
Plane - A plane mirror ia a straight one. A ROC mirror is one with curvature, often concave.
ppKTP - periodically poled KTP
PRM - Electron Paramagnetic Resonance
PSS - Pulsed Solid State
QWP - Quarter Wave Plate
R<=nnnn - Reflects wavelength nnnn and less (as in beamsplitter)
RAP - Right Angle Prism
RELIBS - Resonance Enhanced Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy
RELIPS - Resonance Enhanced Laser Induced Plasma Spectroscopy
ROC - Radius Of Curvature
SBW - Spectral BandWidth
SESAM - SEmiconductor Saturable Absorber Mirror
SFM - Sum Frequency Mix, e.g. 1/(1/266nm + 1/700nm) or 1/(1/2074nm + 1/213nm) = 193nm
SLD - Continuum SureLite Second HG (532nm) (SL3D-1 = Type I, SL3D-2 = Type II; 3 may be length)
SLT - Continuum SureLite Third HG (355nm)
SLF - Continuum SureLite Fourth HG (266nm)
SLR - Satellite Laser Ranging (measures the round trip time of ultrashort pulses of light)
SMA - Sub-Miniature version A (a small screw FO connector or an electrical coaxial RF connector)
SP - Single Pulse (laser) alt. DP Double Pulse
SPECB - Spectrosil B aka Spectrosil 2000 - UV transmitting fused silica glass
SS - Solid State (laser) meaning lasing through a rod rather than a gas
TE - Transverse Electric (polarized light electric field is perpendicular to plane of incidence)
TEA - Transverse Excited Atmosphere lasers with very high gas pressure e.g. CO2, Excimer
TEM - Transverse Electromagnetic Mode (TEM00 = best focus gaussian spot, TEM01 = 2 spots)
TEPS - Townsend Effect Plasma Spectroscopy (dual pulse Nd:YAG 1064nm + CO2 10640nm LIBS system)
TIR - Total Internal Reflection
TM - Transverse Magnetic (polarized light magnetic field is perpendicular to plane of incidence)
TT - Temperature Tuned (NLO) aka T/T
TYPE I - NLO phase matching Type I: the input beams polarisation is parallel with each other ||
TYPE II - NLO phase matching Type II: the input beams polarisation is perpendicular to each other |_
Tnnnn - Transmits wavelength nnnn (as in beamsplitter)
UV - UltraViolet (100nm - 400nm) [T12]
VPH - Volume Phase Holographic (grating)
VIS - VISible wavelength; visible to humans (400nm - 700nm) See Table T12
NLO FREQUENCY MIXING PROCESSES
FND - FuNDamental (source of harmonics)
2HG - (SHG) Second Harmonic Generation:
Generation of light with a doubled frequency (half the wavelength),
2 photons are destroyed creating a single photon at two times the frequency.
3HG - (THG) Third Harmonic Generation:
Generation of light with a tripled frequency (one-third the wavelength),
3 photons are destroyed creating a single photon at three times the frequency.
4HG - (FHG) Fourth Harmonic Generation
5HG - Fifth Harmonic Generation
HHG - High Harmonic Generation:
Generation of light with frequencies much greater than the original
(typ 100 - 1000 times greater)
SFG - Sum Frequency Generation / SFM - Sum Frequency Mixing:
SFM Generation of light with a frequency that is the sum of two other frequencies
(2HG is a special case of this)
DFG - Difference Frequency Generation:
Generation of light with a frequency that is the difference between two other frequencies OPA - Optical Parametric Amplification:
Amplification of a signal input in the presence of a higher-frequency pump wave, at the same time generating an idler wave (can be considered as DFG)
OPO - Optical Parametric Oscillation:
Generation of a signal and idler wave using a parametric amplifier in a resonator
(with no signal input)
OPG - Optical Parametric Generation:
Like parametric oscillation without a resonator, using a very high gain instead
SPDC - Spontaneous Parametric Down Conversion:
Amplification of Vacuum fluctuations in the low gain regime
OR - Optical Rectification:
Generation of quasi-static electric fields.
NLO ORIENTATION PARAMETERS
θ theta - NLO orientation angle, e.g. 58.0°, 71.0°, 29.2°, 44.3°
φ phi - NLO beam phase match, e.g. 0°, 45°, 90°
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MELLES GRIOT OPTICS TYPE CODES
LLC - Limited Liability Company NOT A LENS TYPE! eg Melles Griot LLC
ABS - cemented continually variable beamsplitter eg ABS-12.7-1064 (1J/cm²)
ABSO - air spaced ABS eg ABSO-12.7-1064 (5J/cm²)
BFPL - bestform positive lens eg BFPL-12.7-38.1-UV-532.0
BICC - bi-concave eg BICC-25.4-26.1-UV-755
BICX - bi-convex eg BICX-38.1-49.3-C-1064 BICX-UV
BSR - harmonic beamsplitter eg BSR-51-0525 (HE 12.7dia R532 T1064 45AOI)
ELW - elliptical window eg ELW-25.4-6.35-UV
EUV - Excimer (DUV) UV FS (213nm and below) eg PLCX-15.0-103.0-EUV
LW3 - Large wedge window eg LW3-1037 UV (LW3=3deg,1037-1"dia)
PBS - laser line polarising beam splitter eg PBS-1064-040 (1J/cm² cemented, 040=10mm)
PLCC - plano concave eg PLCC-10.0-10.3-UV-532 (10.0mm dia, ROC 10.3mm)
PLCX - plano convex eg PLCX-25.4-51.5-C-1319 (25.4mm dia, ROC 51.5mm)
PLCR - Polarcor polariser Lens eg PLCR-8.0-800 971576
PR - partial reflecting mirror eg PR1-1064-50-1025 (50% 6.35mm thk 25mm dia)
PM - plain round mirror blank eg PM-1025-C
QWPM - quartz wave plate multi-order eg QWPM-1064-05-2 (10J/cm² 05=0.5 inch, 2= ½ wave)
QWPO - quartz wave plate zero order eg QWPO-532-10-4 (10J/cm² 10=1.0 inch, 4= ¼ wave)
RCX - rectangular convex lens for line to spot eg RXC-10.0-9.8-203.4-UV-355 (10.0x9.8mm)
SMCC - concave spherical mirror blank eg SMCC-0525-1.00
SMCCUV - concave spherical mirror blank FS eg SMCC-0525-1.00-UV
TLM - tunable laser line mirror eg TLM1-800-0-0537-5.00CC-C
TFP - thin film Brewster plate polariser 20J/cm eg TFP-1064-RW-28.6 14.3-3.2 (28.6x14.3x3.2mm thk)
eg TFP-1064-PW-0508-UV (0.5" dia x 0.08" = 2mm thk)
W1 - anti-reflection one surface coated window eg W1-PW-0725-UV-1064-0
W2 - anti-reflection two surfaces coated window eg W2-PW-0725-UV-1064-0
Wn-IF - interference flat window eg W2-IF-1012-UV-670-1064-45UNP
OLDER CVI OPTICS TYPE CODES
0508 - 0.5" (12.7mm) dia x 0.080" (2.032mm) thick
0525 - 0.5" (12.7mm) dia x 0.250" (6.350mm) thick
1025 - 1.0" (25.4mm) dia x 0.250" (6.350mm) thick
1525 - 1.5" (38.1mm) dia x 0.250" (6.350mm) thick
2037 - 2.0" (50.8mm) dia x 0.375" (9.525mm) thick
0924 - 25mm x 6mm
1940 - 50mm x 100mm thick
APM - Aplanatic Meniscus lens (shortens the combined FL without adding coma or spherical aberration)
ARF - Argon Fluoride i.e. 193nm
KRF - Krypton Fluoride i.e. 248nm
BS1 - beamsplitter
GLC - diode laser collimating & focusing lens
HM - dual wavelength HE mirror eg HM-0537-45 eg 1064 & 532
LAL - laser grade visible cemented achromat
LAN - visible laser achromat (negative)
LAO - standard cemented achromat
LAP - visible laser achromat (positive)
LAPQ - HE/UV laser achromat
LQF - FS plano convex lens eg 01-LQF-078/074 (074=300-500nm AR)
LQP - UVFS plano convex lens eg 01-LQP-007
LLS - flat field Laser Scan Lens eg 59-LLS-393 / 09-LLS-270
LM - line mirror (reflects a narrow width laser fundamental wavelength)
PBB - broadband polarising beam splitter cube eg 03-PBB-011 650-850nm (011=10mm,015=25.4mm)
PRT - right angle prism eg 01-PRT-011
UNP - unpolarised
Y1 - 1064nm single bandpass HE mirror eg Y1-2037-45-UNP line mirror
Y2 - 532nm
Y3 - 355nm
Y4 - 266nm
Y5 - 213nm
Y13 - 1319nm
YH - dual bandpass HE mirror eg YH-0737-45 eg 1064 & 532
LHP - Laser Head Power assembly eg 05-LHP-151 (05-LHP-151-249 has 249 PSU)
1e - Electronics
ADC - Analogue to Digital Converter
AF - Audio Frequency https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_frequency
APD - Avalanche PhotoDiode
ATA - Advanced Technology Attachment (a computer peripheral bus)
AWB - Auto White Balance (electronic camera)
AWG - American Wire Gauge
AWG - Arbitrary Waveform Generator
BCD - Binary Coded Decimal base-10 (i.e. 0...9)
BIOS - Basic I/O System (e.g. the ROM-based firmware on a PC motherboard)
BITE - Built In Test Equipment (e.g. hardware used by software to verify equipment functionality)
BNC - Bayonet Neill-Concelman coaxial connector (<500V, <4GHz)
Cal lab - Calibration laboratory
CC - Constant Current
CCD - Charge Coupled Device
CCL - Cold Cathode Lamp (typically used as an LCD backlight)
cct - Circuit
CMOS - Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (an electronics chip fabrication process)
CPR - Cycles Per Revolution (e.g. shaft encoder)
CRT - Cathode Ray Tube
CPU - Central Processing Unit
CV - Constant Voltage
CVR - Current Viewing Resistor
DAC - Digital to Analogue Converter
DAT - Digital Audio Transmission
dB - deciBel (one tenth of a Bel) [T13]
DIL/DIP - Dual In Line/ DIL Package (an electronic component with two parallel rows of pins)
DIN - Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V. (German Institute for Standardisation) [D32]
DIN_41612 - a DIN standard for electrical connectors widely used in rack based electrical systems [D33]
DRAM - Dynamic Random Access Memory
DTL - Diode Transistor Logic (circa 1962)
DMM - Digital MultiMeter
DOS - Disk Operating System
DPAK - Decawatt PAcKage, aka TO-252, an SMD semiconductor package developed by Motorola
DPO - Digital Phosphor Oscilloscope
DPCO - Dual Pole ChangeOver (a common switch / relay contacts configuration)
DPDT - Dual Pole Dual Throw (a common switch / relay contacts configuration)
DSO - Digital Storage Oscilloscope / Digital Sampling Oscilloscope
DVR - Digital Video Recorder
EAPROM - Electrically Alterable PROM (predecessor to EEPROM & Flash)
EDN - Electrical Design News (magazine) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EDN_(magazine)
EEPROM - Electrically Erasable PROM
EIA - Electronic Industries Association
E-IDE - Enhanced IDE (a computer peripheral bus)
EFT - Electrical Fast Transient
EHT - Extra High Tension (usually kilovolts)
EMC - Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (e.g. shielding from RF fields)
EMF - Electro-Motive Force (energy in volts provided per coulomb of charge)
EMI - Electro-Magnetic Interference aka RFI (e.g. RF fields)
EPROM - UV Erasable PROM
ESD - Electro-Static Discharge
ESR - Equivalent Series Resistance (of a capacitor)
ESU - Energy Storage Unit (such as a capacitor bank)
F - Female (e.g. connector socket)
FDD - Floppy Disc Drive (computer mass storage comprising a motorised flexible magnetic disc)
FET - Field Effect Transistor
FIFO - First In First Out (a specialised memory chip)
FWHM - Full Width at Half Maximum (width of waveform at 50% magnitude)
GPIB - General Purpose Interface Bus (a communications interface often used for instruments)
GPU - Graphical Processing Unit
HAD - Hole-Accumulation Diode (enhanced IR camera sensor e.g. Sony XC-75 Super HAD CCD camera)
HDD - Hard Disk Drive (a computer mass storage comprising a motorised solid magnetic disc)
HEX - Hexadecimal base-16 (i.e. 0..9,A,B,C,D,E,F)
HF - High Frequency https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_frequency
hFE - hybrid parameter Forward current gain, common Emitter (dc gain of a junction transistor)
HiPOT - High POTential (i.e. high voltage)
HS - Heatsink
HSF - Heatsink with a Fan
HV - High Voltage
IC - Integrated Circuit
ICE - In Circuit Emulator
ICP - In Circuit Programmer
IDE - Integrated Drive Electronics (a computer peripheral bus)
IFSM - Maximum forward surge current, (normally 10ms/50Hz, sometimes 8.3ms/60Hz half-sine-wave)
I/O - Input / Output (i.e. both)
I/P - Input
IP - Internet Protocol (set of rules defining data sent via the internet or a local network)
IPC - Institute for Printed Circuits ( later: Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging)
ISA - Industry Standard Architecture (PC peripheral bus)
IT - Information Technology
JEDEC - Joint Electron Tube Engineering Council (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JEDEC)
KVD - Kelvin-Varley Divider (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelvin%E2%80%93Varley_divider)
LA - Logic Analyser
LCD - Liquid Crystal Display
LCR - Inductor, Capacitor, Resistor (e.g. LCR tester)
LDR - Light Dependent Resistor
LED - Light Emitting Diode
LF - Low Frequency
LV - Low Voltage
M - Male (e.g. connector plug or pin)
MCP - Micro-Channel Plate (typically, CRT, PDA and CCD image enhancer)
MCU - MicroController Unit (also abbrev. µC)
MHV - Miniature High Voltage (5kV 3A BNC connector)
MLC - Multi-Layer Ceramic capacitor often <<1µF for decoupling HF noise from power supplies.
mobo - motherboard (abbrev.) the mainboard in a PC
MOV - Metal Oxide Varistor (a resistor whose value rapidly drops when a voltage is exceeded)
MSO - Mixed Signal Oscilloscope (typically analogue channels combined with digital LA)
NEMA - National Electrical Manufacturers Association (e.g. stepper motor sizes)
Nixie - Nixie was derived by Burroughs from abbrev. 'NIX I': 'Numeric Indicator eXperimental No. 1'
NMOSFET - Negatively doped Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (vs PMOSFET)
N.O. - Normally open (e.g. relay contacts)
NTSC - National Television System Committee (American 60Hz analogue TV display system)
OCT - Octal base-8 (i.e. 0...7)
OCXO - Oven Controlled Xtal Oscillator
Oe. - Oersted (a unit of magnetic field strength similar to amperes/metre)
O/P - Output
PAL - Phase Alternate Line (UK 50Hz analogue TV display system)
PAL - Programmable Array Logic
PC - Personal Computer
PC/AT - PC Advanced Technology
PC/XT - PC eXtended Technology
PCB - Printed Circuit Board
PD - PhotoDiode
PDA - PhotoDiode Array (typically a long line of individual PDs, or a matrix of PDs)
PDP - Programmed Data Processor (a range of computers from Digital Equipment Corp., e.g. PDP-8)
PEF - Pulsed Electrical Field
Peltola - Push-in RF connector named after inventor http://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/Peltola_connector
PFN - Pulse Forming Network
PIC - Peripheral Interface Controller (a microcontroller family from Microchip Technology Inc)
PIN diode - P-region / Intrinsic-region (undoped) / Negative-region (high speed diode construction)
PLL - Phase Locked Loop (a means of synchronising different pulse trains)
PMC - PIC Master Controller (LHC Project electronics)
PMSM - Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Motor
PMT - Photo-Multiplier Tube
pot - potentiometer (variable resistor)
PROM - Programmable Read Only Memory
PSC - PIC Slave Controller (LHC Project electronics)
PSU - Power Supply Unit
PT - Vacuum PhotoTube (e.g. Hamamatsu R1193U-02) aka VPT, VPD
PWM - Pulse Width Modulated
Radar - Created in 1940 by the United States Navy as an acronym for RAdio Detection And Ranging
RAM - Random Access Memory
RF - Radio Frequency (electro-magnetic waves between 3kHz - 300GHz)
RFI - RF Interference
RG - Radio Guide (e.g. RG402, a coaxial cable with a copper outer conductor [E49])
Rigol - Chinese manf of my DS1102CD 100MHz 0.4Gs/s 2-channel DSO with 16-bit Logic analyser
RLC - Resistor, Inductor, Capacitor
RMA - Rosin, Mildly Activated (rosin solder flux)
RMS - Root Mean Square
ROM - Read Only Memory
Rosin - A solid form of resin with many uses including soldering flux (origin: French for resin)
RS-232C - EIA RS-232-C serial communications physical interface standard (e.g. for PC serial port)
RTD - Resistance Temperature Detector
RTL - Resistor Transistor Logic (Fairchild 1961)
Rx - Receive (e.g. serial communications)
SA - Spectrum Analyser
Scope - Oscilloscope
SCSI - Small Computer Systems Interface (a computer bus)
SIL/SIP - Single In Line/SIL Package (an electronic component with a line of pins in series)
SHV - Safe High Voltage (e.g. 5kV 5A BNC connector - up to 20kV later models)
SMA - Sub-Miniature version A (a small screw coaxial RF connector or a fibre optic connector)
SMD - Surface Mount Device
SMPSU - Switch Mode PSU
SN - Semiconductor Network (Texas Instruments SN5400, SN6400, SN7400 logic IC series)
SOT - Small Outline Transistor
SOT-23 - A standardised plastic SMD package for electronic devices, typically 3 leads
SPAD - Single Photon Avalanche Device (e.g. APD: Avalanche Photo Diode)
SPDT - Single Pole Dual Throw (a common switch / relay contacts configuration)
SPI - Serial Peripheral Interface
SPICE - Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (an electronic circuit simulator)
SSD - Static Sensitive Device
SSD - Solid State Drive (a semiconductor-based computer mass storage device)
SOT - Small Outline Transistor (a surface mount device)
tant - tantalum capacitor
TCXO - Temperature Compensated Xtal oscillator
TD - Tunnel Diode / Transient Digitiser
TDR - Time Domain Reflectometer
TEC - ThermoElectric Cooler (aka Peltier cell)
Tf - signal / Pulse edge fall time
TG - Tracking Generator (typically for a Spectrum Analyser)
TO-92 - A standardised plastic leaded package for electronic devices, typically 3 leads
Tr - Signal / Pulse edge rise time
transzorb - Transient voltage absorber (aka xorb, TVS)
TV - TeleVision
TVS - Transient Voltage Suppressor (aka transzorb, xorb)
Tx - Transmit (e.g. serial communications)
TTL - Transistor Transistor Logic (Silvania 1963, Texas Instruments 5400 series 1964)
UART - Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (a basic electronic serial interface)
µC - Microcontroller (also MCU)
µP - Microprocessor
USB - Universal Serial Bus (a PC serial communications interface)
VF - Forward Voltage (e.g. diode, LED)
VIH - High level Input Voltage (i.e. logic '1')
VIL - Low level Input Voltage (i.e. logic '0')
VPT - Vacuum planar PhotoTube aka PT (e.g. Hamamatsu R1193U-02)
VPD - vacuum planar PhotoDiode aka PT (e.g. FEK-09 [O34])
VR - Reverse Voltage (e.g. diode, LED)
WB - Wide Band
xformer - Transformer
xorb - Transient voltage absorber (aka transzorb, or TVS)
XT - eXtended Technology (IBM PC XT aka PC/XT)
xtal - Crystal
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