Glossary
Photonic devices - Bas parameters

BLIP Photonic Sensor

A sensor (infrared in most cases) whose noise level is determined by the noise in the incident photon flux.

Thermal detector

An optical detector whose temperature varies as a function of the incident flux.

Quantum or Photonic Detector

A detector that directly converts incident photons into electrons.

LED

Light-Emitting Diode (LED).

Illuminance

The flux density received per unit area of the receiving surface.

LASER effect or source

The effect of light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (or a light source based on this effect).

Collimated beam

A beam consisting of rays that are nearly parallel to one another.

Flux

The rate of optical radiation.

FEB or NEP

Noise-Equivalent Power (NEP): the value of the input power to a system that produces a unit...