Abstract: A counterelectrode for a smart window contains a transparent electrically conductive substrate and a plurality of electrically conductive dots arrayed on the transparent electrically conductive substrate. Each of the electrically conductive dots contains fine particles having capacitance of not less than 1 farad/g or fine particles capable of storing electrical charge of not less than 1 coulomb/g. A smart window contains the aforementioned counterelectrode.

Abstract: An array of M.times.N thin film actuated mirrors includes an active matrix having a substrate, an array of M.times.N connecting terminals and an array of M.times.N transistors, and an array of M.times.N actuating structures. Each of the actuating structures is of a bimorph structure and includes an actuating portion and a light reflecting portion, the actuating portion including a front portion of a second thin film electrode, a lower electrodisplacive member, an intermediate electrode, an upper electrodisplacive member, and a front portion of a first thin film electrode. The front portion of the second thin film electrode is electrically connected to each of the connecting terminals and each of the transistors, and the remaining portion of the first thin film electrode is placed on top of the remaining portion of the second thin film electrode to form the light reflecting portion, allowing the first and the second thin film electrodes to function as a signal electrode.

Abstract: A condenser lens system collects light from a light source to illuminate a sample, which comprises in the named order from the light source side a front group of positive refracting power having at least one lens and a rear group of positive refracting power at least having a positive lens for liquid immersion located closest to the sample and having a flat surface on the sample side.

Abstract: An array of M.times.N thin film actuated mirrors includes an active matrix; an array of M.times.N supporting members; and an array of M.times.N actuating structures, each of the actuating structures being provided with an actuating and a light reflecting portions and including a first thin film electrode, a thin film electrodisplacive member, a second thin film electrode, an elastic member, an insulating member, a temperature compensating member and a conduit.

Abstract: An optically addressed spatial light modulator includes a reflective modulation element, a detector for detecting radiation, a micro-lens focusing a write beam on the detector and a read beam on the modulator element, and a circuit receiving a signal output from the detector generated in response to the write beam. The circuit alters the modulation element in accordance with the signal from the photodetector. The read beam is thus modulated in accordance with the amount of alteration of the modulation element. The read and write beams intercept the micro-lens at different angles and may have the same or differing wavelengths. Including multiple photodetectors on a single pixel allows use of a plurality of write beams. An array of the elements may be used to modulate a plurality of read beams.

Abstract: An optical element having an optical axis, and comprising a plurality of definable adjacent zones of optical material, each zone having a definable refractive index different from the refractive index of an adjacent zone and an Abbe number, the zones of optical materials being arranged parallel to each other to define a profile of refractive indices which is symmetric about a plane of symmetry along the optical axis of the element and parallel to the zones. In one embodiment the optical element is a spectrally invariant lens.

Abstract: Eyepiece lenses of wide visual field, one of which has a field angle of 75.degree. or wider, and another one of which has a field angle of 60.degree. with a smaller number of constituent lenses than the former has. One of these eyepiece lenses comprises, in the order from the light incidence side, a first lens unit of negative refractive power, a second lens unit of positive refractive power in the meniscus form concave toward the light incidence side, a third lens unit of meniscus form concave toward the light incidence side, a fourth lens unit of positive refractive power, and a fifth lens unit of positive refractive power in the meniscus form convex toward the light incidence side. A middle image plane lies within the second lens unit, or in a space between the second and third lens units.

Abstract: A lens for reading an original has first to third lens groups sequentially arranged from an object side toward an image side. The first lens group is constructed by a first lens as a positive meniscus lens having a convex face on the object side. The second lens group is constructed by a second lens as a biconcave lens. The third lens group is constructed by a third lens as a biconvex lens. The first lens is constructed by a refractive index distribution type lens having a refractive index changed in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the original reading lens. Each of the second and third lenses is constructed by a refractive index distribution type lens having a refractive index changed in a direction of the optical axis. Otherwise, at least one of the first, second and third lenses may be constructed by a refractive index distribution type lens.

Abstract: An inventive method for the manufacture of an array of M.times.N thin film actuated mirrors for use in an optical projection system includes the steps of: providing an active matrix; depositing a thin film sacrificial layer; creating an array of empty cavities in the thin film sacrificial layer; depositing an elastic layer; forming an array of conduits in the elastic layer; depositing a second thin film, a thin film electrodisplacive and a first thin film layers, successively; patterning the first thin film, the thin film electrodisplacive, the second thin film and the elastic layers, thereby forming an array of actuated mirror structures; forming a thin film protection layer completely covering each of the actuated mirror structures; removing the thin film sacrificial layer by using an etchant; rinsing away the etchant by using a rinse; removing the rinse by drying in a vacuum or by using a spin drying method; and removing the thin film protection layer, thereby forming the array of M.times.

Abstract: The unique properties of quadratic lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT) compositions make feasible the development of phased array optical scanners. Two implementations of integrated PLZT phased array scanners as two-port and three-port devices are presented. The three-port offers a significant reduction in the maximum electrode voltage required to effect a specific scan angle. The maximum electrode voltage of the PLZT phased array scanner is characterized in terms of the resolution of the scanner.

Abstract: The invention provides a two-unit zoom lens system comprising a front unit G.sub.F of positive refracting power and a rear unit G.sub.R of negative positive power which achieves a zoom ratio as high as about 3 with the use of a reduced number of lenses, and in which the spacing between both units is varied for zooming, said front unit including on the side proximate to the object a first lens component G.sub.F1 comprising a lens of plastic material having weak power, said first lens component including at least one aspheric surface, said rear unit including at least one positive lens and at least one negative lens, and said zoom lens system conforming to 0.2>.vertline.f.sub.W /f.sub.F1 .vertline. and 1.65<N.sub.RN where f.sub.W is the focal length of the overall system at the wide-angle end, f.sub.F1 is the focal length of said first lens component, and N.sub.RN is the refractive index of the negative lens of said rear unit.

Abstract: A variable focal length optical system includes, in order from an object side, a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power, a third lens group having a positive refractive power, a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power, and a fifth lens group having a negative refractive power. When the lens groups are moved from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, at least the first lens group and the fifth lens group are moved toward the object side. In this case, the air gap along an optical axis between the first lens group and the second lens group, and the air gap along an optical axis between the third lens group and the fourth lens group are increased, respectively. At the same time, the air gap along an optical axis between the fourth lens group and the fifth lens group is decreased. In the variable focal length optical system, at least one lens group among the second to fourth lens groups carries out a focusing operation.

Abstract: An electrochromic system comprising a transparent electrically conducting film (2), a film (3) of a cathodic electrochromic material, which is capable of reversibly inserting M.sup.+ cations of type H.sup.+ or Li.sup.+, an electrolyte film (5), counter-electrode film (7) made of an anodic electrochromic material, and a second electrically conducting film (8), said structure having a barrier film (6) interposed between electrolyte (5) and the counter-electrode (7), which barrier film is open to the diffusion of the M.sup.+ cations and which is constituted of the following materials selected from the group consisting of oxides of metals of Group VB of the Periodic Table, mixtures of these oxides, CeF.sub.3, Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3, HUP (hexauranylphosphate), Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3, ZrO.sub.2, and an ion conductor material of Li.sub.3 N, LiTaO.sub.3, LiAlF.sub.4, Li.sub.3 PO.sub.4, LiBO.sub.2 or LiNbO.sub.3.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator (40,70,80,90,130) operable in the analog mode for light beam steering or scanning applications. A deflectable mirror (42, 72) and which may be hexagonal (92, 132) is supported by a torsion hinge (44,86,94) ends along a torsion axis. A plurality of flexure hinges (48,82,106) are provided to support the ends of the mirror (42,72,92,132) and provide a restoration force. The combination of the torsion hinges and the flexure hinges realizes a deflectable pixel that is operable in the linear range for a large range of address voltages. The flexure hinges also maintain a flat undeflected state when no address voltage is applied, and prevent the pixel from collapsing. The pixel may be reinforced, such as about its perimeter (74) to ensure mirror flatness and prevent warping, even during extreme deflections of the mirror. The pixel is electrostatically deflected by applying an address voltage to an underlying address electrode (60,96,98).

Abstract: A quantum well infrared photodetector and modulator are monolithically integrated to one another. The infrared scene impinges on an infrared receiving element such as a phase grating, which couples it to a modulator. The modulator includes asymmetric quantum wells which are shifted by an applied bias. By appropriately adjusting the bias, the modulator can pass a maximum amount of the input information or can pass less. The photodetector and modulator both use the same kinds of materials, preferably GaAs and Al.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x As, so they essentially become a single unit, obtaining better noise and operating characteristics from the combination.

Abstract: An instrument is provided for measuring the temperature of an object from infrared radiation emitted by the object. The instrument includes a radiation detector, a temperature indicating device connected to the detector, and a modulator disposed in a path of a radiation beam from the object for converting the beam into a series of pulses when the modulator is vibrated in and out of the path. The modulator includes a primary piezoelectric element adapted to vibrate when subjected to driving signals at a frequency related to the resonant frequency of the modulator, and a secondary piezoelectric element connected with and driven by the primary piezoelectric element. The secondary piezoelectric element is electrically insulated from the primary piezoelectric element. The modulator also includes a blocking element connected with the secondary piezoelectric element and disposed to move in and out of the path of the beam.

Abstract: An illuminating optical apparatus for performing, e.g., oblique illumination has an arrangement in which an image of a reflecting mirror for reflecting a light beam from a light source is formed while being curved. With this arrangement, an annular secondary source with a light intensity distribution having moderate tails can be obtained.

Abstract: An image display device which is compact on the whole and low in cost, and which uses a plurality of projection lens systems each of which is constituted by five lens groups including a first aspherical lens group, a second aspherical lens group, a third biconvex lens group, a fourth aspherical lens group and a fifth aspherical lens group which are arranged in this order successively from a screen side, the third lens group having refractive power of not lower than 70% of the total power of the projection lens system, the respective peripheral shapes of the first and second aspherical lens groups being set to have a predetermined relation, a low-dispersion high-index glass material being used for a convex lens of a green projection lens system, a high-dispersion high-index glass material being used for convex lenses of blue and red projection lens systems.

Abstract: A modulator and scrambler for utilization in lightwave transmission systems which utilizes an electrically controlled Faraday rotator to modulate the polarization of an optical signal. The modulator rotates the polarization of light by a controlled or time-varying amount due to the application of a variable magnetic field to a Faraday rotator material via an external electric coil. To permit high frequency excitation of the Faraday rotator a non-conducting, non-magnetic material such as glass or a composite is used for the casing of the Faraday rotator. A Faraday rotator material requiring a low intensity magnetic field, such as the Bismuth Iron Garnet films, is preferred. Several films may be stacked to increase the rotation range for a given amplitude of induced magnetic field. The modulator may include one or more optical reflectors to achieve multiple passes through the Faraday rotator to multiply the total rotation with modest additional insertion loss.

Abstract: An electrochromic device for use in the field of optical lenses. The device includes a substrate having an expanse and an edge region. A first electrode layer is coated on the expanse and extends substantially across the expanse and into the edge region. An electrochromic layer is coated on the first electrode so that the first electrode layer physically isolates the electrochromic layer from the substrate. A second electrode layer is coated on the electrochromic layer, so that the electrochromic layer physically isolates the second electrode layer from the first electrode layer. A first contact is electrically connected to the first electrode layer. An isolative barrier is coated on the first electrode layer in the edge region. A second contact is electrically connected to the second electrode layer. Alternatively, an isolative channel is formed in the second electrode layer to electrically isolate the first electrode layer from the second electrode layer.