Glossary
- Interference: superposition of light waves whose resulting intensity depends on the phase shifts between them
- Wavelength ( of a light wave ): distance between two consecutive identical states of the electric ( or magnetic ) field
- Spectral width: difference between the largest and smallest wavelengths (frequencies) of the spectrum emitted by a light source, transmitted by an optical system or detected by a photodetector, etc.; the largest and smallest wavelengths (frequencies) are often defined at Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM)
- Coherence time: time interval characterizing the maximum delay between the emission of two photons by a single light source so that they can interfere