Abstract: In a zoom lens including, in order from an object side: a front group including at least one lens unit; a positive lens unit; and a negative lens unit, an interval between the lens units adjacent to each other is changed during zooming, a combined focal length of the front group is negative at a wide angle end, the positive lens unit moves toward the object side during zooming from the wide angle end to a telephoto end, the negative lens unit moves toward the image side during focusing from infinity to proximity at a first zoom position, and during focusing from infinity to proximity at a second zoom position, which is on a telephoto side of the first zoom position, the positive lens unit moves toward the image side, and the negative lens unit moves toward the object side.

Abstract: The zoom lens according to the present invention includes in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens unit; a second lens unit; a third lens unit; an aperture stop; and a fourth lens unit; wherein a partial dispersion ratio ?Lm of a material of a positive lens Lm formed of a material having a highest partial dispersion ratio, which is contained in a rear group, a distance d from the aperture stop to an image plane, a distance dLm from the aperture stop to a positive lens Lm, an average value ?Rfp of Abbe constants of materials of positive lenses contained in a front group, an average value ?Rfp of partial dispersion ratios thereof, an average value ?Rfn of Abbe constants of materials of negative lenses contained in the front group, and an average value ?Rfn of partial dispersion ratios thereof are each appropriately set.

Abstract: A display element for viewing a display such as, for example, a display on an electronic device. The display element comprises a transparent substrate and a scattering anti-glare layer located between a front surface and back surface of the display element, wherein the scattering anti-glare layer comprises a plurality of scattering elements. The scattering anti-glare layer has low reflectivity and provides an anti-glare effect for light reflected by interfaces within the display element.

Abstract: An apparatus including a laser generating a plane wave beam, a first beam splitter splitting the plane wave beam into a first reference laser beam and at least one ideal input beam, at least one second beam splitter, and an angle-magnifying optical element. The at least one second beam splitter reflects the at least one ideal input beam through the angle-magnifying optical element to generate at least one distorted input beam. The apparatus further includes a focal plane array receiving the first reference laser beam and the at least one distorted input beam and recording at least one interference pattern generated by the first reference laser beam and the at least one distorted input beam. The apparatus further includes a spatial light modulator generating the at least one recorded interference pattern, receiving the reference laser beam, and transmitting at least one time-reversed output beam through the angle-magnifying optical element.

Abstract: A procedure and a device for terminating the immersion at a microscope having one or more immersion lenses, or both immersion lenses and dry lenses, comprising a protective sheath around the immersion film area for preventing the escape of immersion media and an immersion media supply unit and an immersion media discharge unit connected with the protective sheath. The immersion media is removed in a controlled manner in particular in an automated microscope. Subsequently, the microscopic testing can be continued without the user having to intervene in the device or the process.

Abstract: There is provided a scanning microscope so configured that when the position of the exit pupil of an imaging optical system and a position conjugate to the exit pupil change, the position of the rotation center of a scanned light flux is moved and follows the changed exit pupil position. A scanning microscope includes a light source, an objective lens, and a scan unit. The scan unit includes first to fourth deflectors, and the deflection angle of illumination light deflected off each of the first to fourth deflectors is so controlled that the pivotal point of the illumination light deflected off each of the first and second deflectors and the pivotal point of the illumination light deflected off each of the third and fourth deflectors substantially coincide with the exit pupil of the objective lens or a position conjugate to the exit pupil.

Abstract: Optical spectrum filtering devices displaying minimal angle dependence or angle insensitivity are provided. The filter comprises a localized plasmonic nanoresonator assembly having a metal material layer defining at least one nanogroove and a dielectric material disposed adjacent to the metal material layer. The dielectric material is disposed within the nanogroove(s). The localized plasmonic nanoresonator assembly is configured to funnel and absorb a portion of an electromagnetic spectrum in the at least one nanogroove via localized plasmonic resonance to generate a filtered output having a predetermined range of wavelengths that displays angle insensitivity. Thus, flexible, high efficiency angle independent color filters having very small diffraction limits are provided that are particularly suitable for use as pixels for various display devices or for use in anti-counterfeiting and cryptography applications.

Abstract: An optical scanner includes: a movable body that is able to oscillate around a first axis; a first shaft member that is connected to the movable body along the first axis; and a drive unit that includes a permanent magnet, a coil that generates a magnetic field by application of voltage, and a voltage applying section that applies a voltage to the coil and oscillates the movable body around the first axis, wherein the movable body includes a light reflecting plate provided with a light reflecting section having light reflectivity, a support frame that surrounds the light reflecting plate and has a thickness that is, ten times or less, larger than the thickness of the light reflecting plate, and a plurality of connecting sections that connects the light reflecting plate and the support frame at a plurality of locations.

Abstract: A single focal length lens system includes a front lens unit and a rear lens unit, and does not include any other lens unit. The front lens unit includes a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, and a third lens unit having a negative refractive power. Each of the first lens unit and the second lens unit includes a positive lens and a negative lens, and the first lens unit and the second lens unit do not move all the time. An aperture stop is disposed on the image side of the second lens unit. Any one of the lens units positioned on the image side of the second lens unit is a focusing lens unit, and the following conditional expression (1) is satisfied: 0.06<|fG3/f|<0.

Abstract: A blur compensation device (100) comprises; a movable member (130) which is relatively movable to a fixed member (140); a blur compensation optical member (L3) which is provided with the movable member (130) and compensates an image blur; first drive parts (132, 142) which move the movable member (130) along a first axis (X?) on a drive face crossing an optical axis (L) of the blur compensation optical member (L3); and drive parts (132, 142) which move the movable member (130) along a second axis (Y?) crossing the first axis (X?) on the drive face, wherein an intersection point (M) of the first axis (X?) with the second axis (Y?) is located nearer to the gravity center (G) of the movable member (130) than the center (O) of the blur compensation optical member (L3) on the drive face.

Abstract: A Fresnel zone plate is provided for encountering incident light having a wavelength. The Fresnel zone plate has a focal length and a wafer including alternating transparent and opaque zones, and a mourning surface. A plurality of silicon nanowires extend into opaque zone of the wafer. A mechanically stretchable tuning structure is mounted to the mounting surface such that stretching of the tuning structure varies the focal length of the Fresnel zone plate.

Abstract: Scanning apparatus includes a scanner, which is configured to scan over a field of view falling within a predefined angular range. An interference filter is positioned between the scanner and the field of view and is configured to pass light within a predefined wavelength range that is incident on the interference filter at angles within the predefined angular range, while reflecting the light within the predefined wavelength range that is incident on the interference filter at an angle that is outside the predefined angular range. An ancillary optical element communicates optically with the scanner at a wavelength within the predefined wavelength range via a beam path that reflects from the interference filter at the angle that is outside the predefined angular range.

Abstract: An optical assembly for a point action camera with a wide field of view includes multiple lens elements configured to provide a field of view in excess of 150 degrees. One or more lens elements has an aspheric surface. The optical assembly exhibits a low inward field curvature of less than 75 microns.

Abstract: A plasmonic nano-color coating layer includes a composite layer including a plurality of metal particle layers and a plurality of matrix layers and having a periodic multilayer structure in which the metal particle layers and the matrix layers are alternately arranged, a dielectric buffer layer located below the composite layer, and a mirror layer located below the dielectric buffer layer, wherein the color of the plasmonic nano-color coating layer is determined based on a nominal thickness of the metal particle layer and a separation between the metal particle layers.

Abstract: An apparatus for inhibiting heating of an enclosure is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a covering configured to shade at least a portion of a surface of the enclosure and includes a plurality of retroreflective elements. The plurality of retroreflective elements are configured to retroreflect electromagnetic beams primarily at wavelength in a range between about 380 nm and about 780 nm or sub-range thereof. The plurality of retroreflective elements receive the electromagnetic beams along beam entry paths and reflect the electromagnetic beams along beam exit paths. The beam entry paths and the beam exit paths have substantially the same elevation angle and may also have substantially the same azimuthal angle. Further, the plurality of retroreflective elements may include retroreflective elements configured to diffusively and/or specularly scatter audible sound wavelengths, RF wavelengths, and/or thermal infrared energy.

Abstract: A diffraction optical system comprises a free curve surface prism (14), and a multilayer diffractive optical element in which a plurality of diffractive element members (121, 122) are laminated together and a diffractive optical surface (DM) having a grating structure is formed at the interface thereof. The diffraction optical system further satisfies the following conditional expression: 0.005<(?Ng+?Ns)/2<0.45, where ?Ng denotes a refractive index difference at g-line on the diffractive optical surface (DM), and ?Ns denotes a refractive index difference at s-line on the diffractive optical surface (DM).

Abstract: A telescopic sight for a firearm includes a scope tube, first and second optical lenses, an eyepiece set and a linear power adjustment mechanism. The optical lenses are contained in the scope tube and configured to move along a longitudinal axis of the scope tube. The eyepiece set is coupled to one end of the scope tube. The linear power adjustment mechanism adjusts zooming power of the telescopic sight, and includes a zoom cam tube and a lever that are contained in the zoom cam tube. The lever is coupled to rotate the zoom cam tube. When actuated, the lever moves linearly along a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the scope tube such that a distance between the first and the second optical lenses along the longitudinal axis of the scope tube to change to adjust a zooming power of the telescopic sight.

Abstract: A wavelength tunable interference filter, an optical filter device, an optical module, and an electronic apparatus include a fixed substrate, a movable substrate, a fixed reflective film provided on the fixed substrate, a movable reflective film provided on the movable substrate and facing the fixed reflective film with an inter-reflective film gap interposed therebetween, and an electrostatic actuator that changes the size of the inter-reflective film gap. The movable substrate is curved in a convex shape in a direction away from the fixed substrate in an initial state. The reflective film has reflectance characteristics in which the first reflectance at a predetermined first wavelength in a measurement wavelength range is lower than the second reflectance at a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength.

Abstract: An apparatus for directing thermal infrared energy toward or away from a target is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a covering having a plurality of retroreflective elements. The plurality of retroreflective elements are configured to retroreflect electromagnetic beams primarily at thermal infrared wavelengths, receive the electromagnetic beams from the target along beam reception paths, and reflect the electromagnetic beams back toward the target along beam reflection paths. The beam reflection paths have substantially the same elevation angle and/or azimuth angle as their respective beam reception paths.

Abstract: There is provided a light diffusing element of a thin film, which has high light diffusibility and a small depolarization factor. A light diffusing element according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a first region having a first refractive index; a refractive index modulation region having a substantially spherical shell shape, which surrounds the first region; and a second region having a second refractive index, which is positioned on a side of the refractive index modulation region opposite to the first region. The light diffusing element has a haze of 90% to 99.9% and a depolarization factor of 0.2% or less.