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glossary
- Multimode fiber optic: fiber optic enabling the propagation of several transverse modes
- Core: central part of a fiber optic in which lightwaves are guided
- Numerical aperture ( fiber optics ): dimensionless number characterizing the acceptance cone angle of an optical fiber
- Waist: position along the propagation axis where a laser beam has the smallest size
- Gaussian beam: beam with a gaussian distribution of intensity in the plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation - fundamental transverse mode of a laser
- Spatial mode: specific spatial distribution of the electromagnetic field in a plane perpendicular to the propagation axis of a light wave possibly emitted by a laser or possibly propagating in a waveguide ( like, for instance, a fiber optic ) - also called transverse mode
- Transmission coefficient: ratio between transmitted radiation power (or intensity or amplitude) and incident radiation power (or intensity or amplitude)
- Wavelength ( of a light wave ): distance between two consecutive identical states of the electric ( or magnetic ) field
- Coupling ratio ( fiber optics ): see « coupling efficiency »
- M square factor (M2): ratio between the divergence of an embedded gaussian beam and that of the fundamental mode of a laser (gaussian mode) with the same waist size and at the same wavelength