Collimator vs. Collimation

Collimatornoun

(physics) An optical device that generates a parallel beam of light. Often used to compensate for laser beam divergence.

Collimationnoun

the act of collimating or something collimated

Collimatornoun

(physics) A similar device that produces a parallel beam of particles such as neutrons.

Collimationnoun

aligning lenses along line of sight to minimize aberrations

Collimatornoun

(astronomy) A small telescope attached to a larger one, used to point it in the correct general direction.

Collimationnoun

The act of collimating; the adjustment of the line of the sights, as the axial line of the telescope of an instrument, into its proper position relative to the other parts of the instrument.

Collimatornoun

A telescope arranged and used to determine errors of collimation, both vertical and horizontal.

Collimationnoun

the accurate adjustment of the line of sight of a telescope

Collimatornoun

A tube having a convex lens at one end and at the other a small opening or slit which is at the principal focus of the lens, used for producing a beam of parallel rays; also, a lens so used.

Collimatornoun

a small telescope attached to a large telescope to use in setting the line of the larger one

Collimatornoun

optical device consisting of a tube containing a convex achromatic lens at one end and a slit at the other with the slit at the focus of the lens; light rays leave the slit as a parallel beam

Collimator

A collimator is a device which narrows a beam of particles or waves. To narrow can mean either to cause the directions of motion to become more aligned in a specific direction (i.e., make collimated light or parallel rays), or to cause the spatial cross section of the beam to become smaller (beam limiting device).