The Collaborative International Dictionary
Confocal \Con*fo"cal\, a. (Math.) Having the same foci; as, confocal quadrics.
Wiktionary
a. (context optics mathematics English) Having the same focus
Wikipedia
In geometry, confocal means having the same foci.
- For an optical cavity consisting of two mirrors, confocal means that they share their foci. If they are identical mirrors, their radius of curvature, R, equals L, where L is the distance between the mirrors.
- In conic sections, it is said of two ellipses, two hyperbolas, or an ellipse and a hyperbola which share both foci with each other. If an ellipse and a hyperbola are confocal, they are perpendicular to each other.
- In optics, it means that one focus or image point of one lens is the same as one focus of the next lens.
Usage examples of "confocal".
Since then, he'd used them a total of once—to move the confocal microscope during one of his late-night "rearrange the infirmary" binges—but he remembered distinctly pushing them to the back of a floor-level cabinet when he was finished, briskly reminding himself not to forget where he'd put them in case he ever needed them again.
Since then, he'd used them a total of onceto move the confocal microscope during one of his late-night "rearrange the infirmary" bingesbut he remembered distinctly pushing them to the back of a floor-level cabinet when he was finished, briskly reminding himself not to forget where he'd put them in case he ever needed them again.