beam splitter

noun

: a mirror or prism or a combination of the two that is used to divide a beam of radiation into two or more parts

Examples of beam splitter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In the Rochester setup, laser light was measured and then shunted through a beam splitter. Zeeya Merali, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2023 The light passes through a beam splitter while boosted by an accompanying input laser, and then travels through another mirror while refracted by the spectrometer. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 30 Nov. 2023 The necessary matrix multiplications can be done using three simple kinds of components: optical beam splitters, photodiodes, and capacitors. IEEE Spectrum, 21 June 2019 Quantum computation works with a series of mirrors, beam splitters, and prisms that alter the phase of photons to be mapped to 0s and 1s. Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 15 Feb. 2023 After the split light repeatedly bounces back and forth within each arm, the two beams then pass back through the beam splitter into a photodetector. Caitlyn Buongiorno, Discover Magazine, 9 July 2020 The central chamber houses the beam splitter, which divides an incoming laser into two perpendicular beams. Tim Hornyak, Discover Magazine, 1 May 2016 To do that, put both Jennifer and Brad into a beam splitter. Dan Hurley, Discover Magazine, 3 Oct. 2020 After these alternative causal events have occurred, another beam splitter reunites the two versions of the photon. Quanta Magazine, 11 Mar. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'beam splitter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of beam splitter was in 1935

Dictionary Entries Near beam splitter

Cite this Entry

“Beam splitter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beam%20splitter. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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