Abstract: An electrophoretic display device includes a display layer of a multiplicity of individual microcapsules containing a display medium therein and conductive substrates, at least one of the conductive substrates being transparent, wherein the display layer is located in between the conductive substrates, and wherein the display medium includes one or more set of colored particles in a dielectric fluid and has an electric conductivity of about 10?11 to about 10?15 S/m. The microcapsules may be made by encapsulating the display medium in the wall forming material of the microcapsules, and for example a complex coacervation process may be used.

Abstract: A method of making an optical element including: forming an at least partial coating of an alignment medium to at least a portion of at least one surface of a substrate and at least partially ordering at least a portion of the alignment medium; forming at least one at least partial coating of an alignment transfer material on at least a portion of the coating of the alignment medium and aligning the alignment transfer material with at least a portion of the ordered alignment medium; and forming an at least partial coating including an anisotropic material and at least one photochromic-dichroic compound on the alignment transfer material, aligning at least a portion of the anisotropic material with the at least partially aligned alignment transfer material, and aligning at least a portion of the photochromic-dichroic compound with aligned anisotropic material.

Abstract: A system and method for the modulation of light propagating along an optical path, for example the optical path in a projection display system. As light in the optical path travels from a light source to a display screen, it is shaped and modulated by the various components of the optical path so that the intended visual image appears on the display screen. In accordance with the present invention, a mirror disposed proximate the optical path is operable to be selectively inserted and removed from the optical path to alternately direct the light from one portion of the optical path to another, or to a light dump where it can be absorbed such that the associated heat energy may be properly dissipated. In a preferred embodiment, the mirror is a fold mirror mounted at a stop of the system to fold the light beam approximately 90 degrees when the mirror is inserted in the optical path.

Abstract: A lighting system operating using a digital mirror as its operative device. The digital mirror is used to shape the light which is a passed through advanced optical devices in order to produce an output.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a microlens includes: forming on a transparent substrate an etching stop layer in a lens formation region where a curved lens surface of the microlens is to be formed, the etching stop layer having an island shape as a planar shape thereof; forming an intermediate layer on the etching stop layer; forming an etching mask layer on the intermediate layer, the etching mask layer having an opening at a position facing the etching stop layer; and etching, by means of isotropic etching, the intermediate layer from the opening, and etching the transparent substrate and the intermediate layer from a side of the etching stop layer.

Abstract: An optical modulation device is disclosed which can suppress production of a cause of degradation such as a void or hillock on a light illumination surface thereof and can be incorporated in an image display apparatus of a small size and a high luminance to improve the reliability of the same. The optical modulation device includes first and second surface elements movable relative to each other to form different diffraction gratings to modulate light inputted thereto. Each of the first and second surface elements has a light illumination surface made of an AlCu alloy material. The optical modulation device has an airtight sealed space in which surrounding gas for the first and second surface elements is encapsulated. The surrounding gas contains hydrogen gas or helium gas or both of hydrogen gas and helium gas.

Abstract: A method of making an optical element including: (a) forming an at least partial coating on at least a portion of a substrate; and (b) adapting at least a portion of the at least partial coating to switch from a first state to a second linearly polarizing state in response to actinic radiation and to revert back to the first sate in response to thermal energy.

Abstract: A beam focusing and scanning system using a micromirror array lens (optical system) includes a light source configured to emit light and a micromirror array lens, including at least one micromirror, optically coupled to the light source, configured to reflect the light onto a projection medium (projection plane). The optical system also includes at least one actuating component coupled to the at least one micromirror, configured to move the at least one micromirror to enable the at least one micromirror to focus the light on the projection medium. The advantages of the present invention include high speed variable focusing and scanning, large focal length variation, phase compensation, high reliability and optical efficiency, low power consumption and low cost.

Abstract: An optical element including: a substrate; and an at least partial coating having a first state and a second state on at least a portion of the substrate, the at least partial coating being adapted to be circularly polarizing or elliptically polarizing in at least one state and containing: a chiral nematic or cholesteric liquid crystal material having molecules that are helically arranged through a thickness of the at least partial coating; and at least one photochromic-dichroic compound that is at least partially aligned with the liquid crystal material such that a long axis of a molecule of the photochromic-dichroic compound is generally parallel to the molecules of the liquid crystal material.

Abstract: A microlens substrate for an opposed substrate for use in a liquid crystal panel is provided.

Abstract: A holding system for holding an optical element. The holding system includes a ring-like inner holding member disposed at an outer periphery of the optical element, for supporting the optical element by use of at least a pair of pieces, and a ring-like outer holding member disposed at an outer periphery of the inner holding member and connected to the inner holding member at plural points. The inner holding member has at least a pair of driving units with an actuator, for supporting the optical element through the actuators.

Abstract: A variable lens having an optical axis is described. The lens comprises a plurality of annuli located around the optical axis. Each annulus has respective side walls defining a chamber containing a first fluid and a second fluid in contact over a meniscus. The fluids are substantially immiscible and have different refractive indices. At least one of the annuli comprises at least one electrode for altering the configuration of the meniscus.

Abstract: A variable focus lens comprises a chamber containing a conductive liquid (5) and an insulating liquid (4) of different refractive indices, the surface of contact between the two liquids forming a deformable refractive surface (6) whose periphery is caused to move along the walls of a housing under the effect of an electric voltage (V). The housing comprises an upper portion (16) inclined relative to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis (?) of the lens, a lower portion (34, 48, 52) more inclined than the upper portion and a zone of junction (B?) between the upper and lower portions, playing the role of a stop for the deformable refractive interface.

Abstract: A lens unit in which at least one of a subject side lens group and an image side lens group is moved toward an image side to be retracted along an optical axial direction, including a subject side lens group supporting frame to support the subject side lens group, an image side lens group supporting frame to support the image side lens group, a guide member to guide the image side lens group supporting frame from a predetermined position on the subject side to the image side by a predetermined length in parallel to an optical axis, and a moving and displacing device to move the image side lens group supporting frame from the predetermined position on the subject side to the image side by length longer than the predetermined length in parallel to the optical axis, and displace the image side lens group supporting frame from an optical path.

Abstract: Method and structure for mounting a torsional hinged device, such as a mirror, having a first TCE (thermal coefficient of expansion) on a substrate having a second TCE different than said first TCE. The structure comprising a plurality of compliant support posts between the substrate and the torsional hinged device that deform when the contraction and/or expansion of the torsional hinged device is different than the corresponding contraction and expansion of the substrate.

Abstract: A light irradiation apparatus includes a light modulation element which modulates a phase of an incident light beam to obtain a V-shaped light intensity distribution having a bottom portion of a minimum light intensity, and an image formation optical system which applies the modulated light beam from the light modulation element to an irradiation target surface in such a manner that the V-shaped light intensity distribution is provided on the irradiation target surface. The light modulation element has such a complex amplitude transmittance distribution that a secondary derivative of a phase value of a complex amplitude distribution becomes substantially zero at the bottom portion of the V-shaped light intensity distribution in an image space of the image formation optical system.

Abstract: An eye image taking device comprises: an imaging unit for taking the eye of a person to be authenticated, as an eye image; an illumination unit for illuminating the eye of the person to be authenticated; an eyeglass reflection detecting unit for detecting an eyeglass reflection from the eye image; and an instruction unit for instructing the person to be authenticated the movement of the imaging unit or the direction of the face of the person to be authenticated, in case an eyeglass reflection detecting portion detects the eyeglass reflection.

Abstract: An optical apparatus is disclosed which can well maintain a surface contact state between a vibrator and a contact member of a vibration type linear actuator to perform a stable lens drive. The optical apparatus comprises a vibration type linear actuator driving a lens in an optical axis direction. The vibration type linear actuator includes a vibrator on which vibration is produced through an electromechanical energy conversion action and a contact member which is in press contact with the vibrator. The apparatus comprises a holding mechanism which holds one member of the vibrator and the contact member so as to change at least one of the position and inclination of the one member in response to a force smaller than a press contact force between the vibrator and the contact member.

Abstract: An electron beam actuated light modulator, including an actuatable mirror element carried by a pedestal and hinge portion, having an electrostatically more neutral first position and an electrostatically more charged second position, the mirror being actuatable in a first direction from the first position to the second position by charge accumulation, and is actuatable in a second direction from the second position to the first position by dissipation of the charge accumulation and a stop element positioned adjacent the mirror element in the first position, configured to limit movement of the mirror element in the second direction after the mirror reaches the first position traveling in the second direction.

Abstract: A single focus wide-angle lens includes, in order from the object side: a first lens component of positive refractive power, having a meniscus shape, and having a convex object-side surface; a stop; a second lens component of positive refractive power, having a meniscus shape, having at least one aspheric surface, having a concave object-side surface, and being made of plastic; and a third lens component of negative refractive power, having a meniscus shape, having both surfaces of aspheric shape, having an image-side surface that is concave on the optical axis, and being made of plastic. The single focus wide-angle lens may include only three lens elements. Specified on-axis conditions are satisfied in order to reduce aberrations and to make the single focus wide-angle lens compact. Additionally, satisfying a condition related to the half-field angle at the maximum image height helps reduce aberrations.