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Dictionary definition of “femtosecond”

femtosecond

n. 10 to the -15th power or 0.000000000000001 second, equalling a quadrillionth of a second or 0.3 light microns. Subjects: English, Science, Technology

Editorial Note: Commonly used in measurement of light in laser or light-related technologies. Etymological Note: Danish or Norwegian femt, from femten “fifteen” + -o. Femto was established as a standard prefix equalling 10 to the -15th power by the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics in 1961.

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Citations: 1997 Katie Walter Science & Technology (Livermore, California) (Oct.) “A New Precision Cutting Tool: The Femtosecond Laser”: Other major U.S. manufacturers are looking into incorporating femtosecond machining systems into their production lines. In manufacturing, new materials are constantly appearing, and the features on all kinds of devices are becoming smaller and smaller. 2001 Physics Web (Bristol, U.K.) (Feb. 21) “Beating the femtosecond limit”: The shortest visible and infrared laser pulses are typically just a few femtoseconds…in duration and contain just a few cycles of the laser field.

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