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glossary

Laser: acronym of : « light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation » ; device emitting spatially and temporally coherent light radiation based on the stimulated emission
Gaussian beam: beam with a gaussian distribution of intensity in the plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation - fundamental transverse mode of a laser
Waist: position along the propagation axis where a laser beam has the smallest size
Wavelength ( of a light wave ): distance between two consecutive identical states of the electric ( or magnetic ) field
Fabry Perot cavity: resonating cavity made of two reflecting surfaces
Confocal cavity: cavity formed by two coaxial mirrors whose focal points are coinciding
Optical length of a cavity: optical length corresponding to a single round trip in the cavity