Laplace transform For a function f(x), its Laplace transform is the function F(y), which is defined as the integral over x from 0 to ∞ of the function e-yxf(x).
Laplace transform, nilateral Of a function f(t), the quantity that is obtained by performing the operation (see figure) per second. [ANSI/ISA-51.1-1979 (R1993)
lapped-in Mating contact surfaces that have been refined by grinding and/or polishing them together or separately in appropriate fixtures. [ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-2000]
lapping 1. A process of mating contact surfaces by grinding and/or polishing. [ANSI/ISA-75.05.01-2000] 2. Smoothing or polishing a surface by rubbing it with a tool made of cloth, leather, plastic, wood, or metal in the presence of a fine abrasive.
laptop A small, portable computer that usually has a flip-up screen.
lap weld A lap joint that is made by welding.
large core fiber An optical fiber that has a comparatively large core, usually of a step index type. There is no standard definition of “large,” but for the purposes of this definition, diameters of 400 micrometers or more are designated as “large.”
large-scale integration (LSI) 1. The process of fabricating integrated circuits with over 1,000 transistors per chip. 2. A computer chip that contains a large number of digital circuits in a small area.
Laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation)A laser is a source of electromagnetic (EM) radiation generally in the infrared (IR), visible, or ultraviolet (UV) bands. It is characterized by small divergence, coherence, and monochromaticity.
laser diode array A device in which the output of several diode lasers is brought together in one beam. The lasers may be integrated on the same substrate, or consist of discrete devices that are coupled optically and electronically.
laser disk An optical medium that is capable of holding thirty minutes of moving video footage or up to 54,000 individual frames of still video per side. Individual segments of these frames can be accessed by computer.
laser Doppler flowmeter An apparatus for determining flow velocity and velocity profile by measuring the Doppler shift in the laser radiation scattered from particles in the moving fluid stream. Contaminants such as smoke may have to be introduced into a gas stream to provide scattering centers. This technique can be used to measure velocities of 0.01 to 5,000 in./s (0.25 mm/s to 125 m/s).