Mosaic3
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Version 3.5 rev 8 May 2019
GLOSSARY
APPENDIX B: GLOSSARY
AC
Alternating Current (Mains)
AC/DC
An electronic device that converts AC electricity (usually mains) into a DC voltage (usually a safe
low
voltage)
ADC
Analogue-to-Digital Converter: Converts an analogue voltage to a digital signal.
CLSM
Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy
DC
Direct
Current
DMD
Digital Micro-mirror Device
Electrophysiology
The study of the electrical properties of biological cells and tissues
EMC
Electromagnetic
Compatibility
ESD
Electrostatic
Discharge
EU
European
Union
Fluorophore
A fluorescent chemical compound that can re-emit light upon light excitation. Light energy of a
specific (excitation) wavelength is absorbed and re-emitted at a longer and lower energy
(emission)
wavelength.
fps
frames per second
IO
Input/Output: Generic input and output electrical signal connections
iQ
Andor software used to control microscopy systems
LED
Light Emitting Diode
MEMS
Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems: Devices made up of components between 1 to 100
micrometres/microns in size
Optogenetics
A neuromodulation technique employed in neuroscience that uses a combination of techniques
from optics and genetics to control the activity of individual neurons in living tissue
Optophysiology
The study of the response of biological cells and tissues to light
PCI
Peripheral Component Interconnect: A computer local bus standard for attaching hardware
devices in a computer that can take either the form of integrated circuits fitted onto the
motherboard itself, or expansion cards that fits into slots
PCIe
PCI Express: A high-speed replacement for PCI that has different motherboard add-in slots and
uses different signalling
Photobleaching
The photochemical destruction of a dye or a fluorophore
SMA
Sub-Miniature version A: Coaxial RF connectors with a screw type coupling mechanism, and
available in 50 Ω impedance only.
USB
Universal Serial Bus: A common PC wire-based communications interface with electronic
devices