Abstract: The high diffraction efficiency regime of binary gratings occurs at periodicities on the order of a wavelength in order to produce grating which diffract radiation with efficiencies of greater than 90%, a fabrication procedure is disclosed which uses halographic and very large scale integration techniques which allow fine control over the periodicity and depth parameters to produce binary planar optical elements having a ratio of .lambda./T greater than one (where .lambda. equals the wavelength of an illuminating wavefront, and T equals the grating periodicity). Additionally, the disclosed process produces high optical quality diffractive elements with phase precision of as high as .lambda./100. These diffractive elements include laser beam multiplexers, beam profile shapers, and binary lenses which are lossless optical transfer functions.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser beam splitting device comprises a beam splitting optical system which is disposed on the optical path of light generated from a semiconductor laser and splits the light in a fixed proportion irrespective of the polarized light components contained therein.

Abstract: An arrangement for modifying an information carrying radiant energy beam array in which occurrences of a first prescribed pattern of radiant energy beams in the array are detected by producing images of said beam array and shifting the images relative to each other responsive to a first prescribed pattern. The shifted images are superimposed and a radiant energy beam array is formed that identifies the occurrences of first prescribed patterns in the superimposed images. A plurality of images of the identifying beam array are produced and shifted relative to each other in accordance with a second prescribed pattern. The shifted images of said occurrence identifying beam array are superimposed to form the modified beam array. The modifications may comprise arithmetic processing, pattern or image processing or Turing machine type processing.

Abstract: A catadioptric optical imaging system comprises a dioptric assembly (20) and a catoptric asembly (21), which are positioned with respect to each other to form an imaging system of long focal length. The dioptric assembly (20) comprises two confocal paraboloidal mirrors (22, 23) arranged to form a telescope of the Mersenne type. The catoptric assembly (21) comprises lens elements arranged in two groups, viz., a field group (25) and a relay group (26), which are coaxially disposed with respect to the dioptric assembly (20). Only two different optical materials, viz., calcium fluoride crystal and Hoya LAC7 glass, are used in making the lens elements of the dioptric assembly (20). The dioptric assembly (20) is color-corrected at five wavelengths and has only negligible secondary and higher-order spectra in a wavelength band extending from the ultraviolet region to the near infrared region of the optical spectrum.

Abstract: A cuspate lens is disclosed having a slope magnitude which decreases from a maximum at a central cusp to a minimum at the periphery. A radially symmetric version of the lens can focus light into a ring, or produce an annular beam. Also disclosed are a fiber optic coupler and an optical slip ring using the cuspated lenses.

Abstract: The disclosed zoom lens employs rear focusing with inclusion of two lens portions, or a varifocal portion and a focusing portion arranged respectively from front (object) to rear (image). The components of the varifocal and focusing portions are arranged such that for a given finite object distance, the position of an image plane of the entire system is maintained constant despite zooming of the varifocal portion.

Abstract: A method of making a corrected plane holographic grating within one band of wavelengths, intended for use in a diffraction apparatus in which light emitted by an entry source (1) is collimated by a spherical mirror (2) to the grating (4), which reflects parallel pencils to another spherical mirror (7), a focusing mirror, is disclosed. An auxiliary holographic grating (25) is created by the interference on a spherical surface (15) of a parallel pencil of light produced by the spherical mirror (7) subsequent to reflection onto a plane mirror (12) and of a divergent pencil deriving from the center of the surface (15). The auxiliary grating, corrected by the interference on a plane surface (22) of a parallel pencil produced by the spherical mirror (2) and of another parallel pencil produced by the auxiliary grating (25) illuminated from the center of the spherical surface, is then recorded.

Abstract: The process comprises introducing the tubes in the form of horizontal layers (the generator can be positioned horizontally for this purpose), installing anti-vibratory bars on the layers, placing weights on the bars and checking the clearances between the tubes and the bars, so that the tubes falling outside the accepted tolerances can be replaced. This is followed by the installation of the layer of tubes immediately above it. This procedure is repeated until all the layers have been installed. The invention is used in the steam generators of nuclear power stations.

Abstract: An optical viewing system for producing a 3-dimensional effect is arranged to project two different and separated views of an object simultaneously along different optical paths onto opposite halves of a retina of a viewer's eye, or onto both eyes of a viewer. The system includes a projecting lens, an image separator for projecting two separate images of the object, and a reflector for reflecting the images separately through at least one eye opening or exit pupil into a viewer's eye.

Abstract: An optical adapter is installed between a standard lens tube and a television camera for inverting the image and for providing focus and intensity control. The adapter is provided with fittings which mate with both the standard lens tube and the camera. The adapter permits one set of lens tubes to be used with both Vidicon black and white television camera systems and solid-state color television camera systems. A motor mounted on the adapter and controlled by the camera controls an iris, thus permitting automatic intensity control.

Abstract: A long focal length, super-large aperture ratio reflecting/refractive optical system employing easily workable spherical surfaces and which is suitable for use in an astrocamera or a super-telephoto lens system. The lens system includes four optical units arranged along the optical path, including a first optical unit composed of a meniscus lens having a weak negative power, a second optical unit composed of a reflecting surface having a positive power, a third optical unit for deflecting light reflected from the second optical unit, and a fourth optical unit including at least one negative lens element.

Abstract: A system for locating an object in latitude and longitude is disclosed. A rotating and oscillating mirror makes a laser beam deflect. A sensor fixed to the object indicates the locating instant. A screen that scatters and/or reflects towards a second sensor, on which are stretched reflecting and/or scattering cords, provides latitudinal and longitudinal position-identification of the deflection of the beam. The invention can be applied to robotics.

Abstract: The specification teaches a method of applying contact lenses to human eyes by sensitizing the fingers and applying the lenses to the eyes by sense of touch. Also taught are several preferred embodiments of means for sensitizing and cleaning the fingers with water only and without a cleaning chemical or doing a thorough job with only the use of minimal chemical solvents, such as soap, wherein a base having two faces provided with abrasion means, e.g., brush bristles or nylon fiber pod, preferably trough shaped and with means for gripping the base, are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rear view mirror for a motor vehicle which is automatically adjustable to prevent the effects of dazzle e.g. by a vehicle approaching from behind at night. The mirror comprises an adjustable mirror surface (2) housed in a casing (3) and connected in an adjustable manner to an actuator (8) which engages an annular cam formation (26) having various cam profile heights whereby the mirror surface (2) can be adjusted by tilting. The cam formation (26) is part of a toothed wheel (11) driven by a small electric motor (21) the control circuit of which is actuated by a photosensor (38) so that mirror tilting is dependent on light intensity thresholds. The arrangement enables the various mirror adjustments to be achieved using uni-directional rotation of the motor and the toothed wheel (11) and this has the advantage of providing more reliable operation with less noise. The present adjusting mirror is also relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Abstract: The invention provides a display device with dissociable structure, making t possible for a user to observe a synthetic light image superimposed in his natural field of vision, said device being formed as two dissociable modules, namely: an image generating module having, inside a case, at least one part of the image generating members and a removable optical module including a support element to which is fixed a curved mixer type optical mount including, in a dihedral configuration, a flat semitransparent mirror and a curved semitransparent mirror.

Abstract: A zoom lens system having a short total length and a small outside diameter, comprising a front lens group having positive refractive power and a rear lens group having negative refractive power, and so designed as to change focal length by varying an airspace reserved between said lens groups; said front lens group consisting, in the order from the object side, of a positive meniscus lens, a negative lens and at least one positive lens, and said rear lens group consisting of a positive lens, a biconcave lens and a negative meniscus lens.

Abstract: A liquid crystal light shutter having means for stabilizing molecular orientation of a liquid crystal material is provided. In one embodiment of the invention, isolation electrodes are provided parallel to and between adjacent common electrodes on a substrate. In an alternate embodiment, the effective gap distance between adjacent common electrodes is at least ten times greater than the distance between opposing substrates.

Abstract: A system for directing successive beam pulses of a pulsed laser into different optical fibers, for transmission therethrough, is disclosed. The system comprises at least one lens, a plurality of optical fibers with the tips thereof positioned proximate a focal point of the lens, and at least one galvanometer driven mirror for directing a laser beam through the lens for focusing separately onto each fiber tip. The galvanometer, driven by computer generated position addresses, moves the mirror, between laser pulses, to predetermined positions each effective to direct the laser beam, through the lens, into one of the fiber tips for transmission via the fiber to a remote workstation location. In a first illustrated embodiment, a single mirror is mounted to direct the laser beam into fiber tips positioned substantially in the same plane and proximate the focal points of eight lenses.

Abstract: An optical device for use in forming a holographic record, comprising a polarizing beam splitter and a spatial light modulator arranged to derive from an incident beam a focussed image beam and a collimated reference beam, the device being of unitary construction and providing substantially equal path-lengths for the image and reference beams.

Abstract: A zoom lens for a compact camera having a small degree of constraint on back focus and which can be manufactured at a low cost. The inventive lens system is divided into a first lens group having a positive focal length and a second lens group having a negative focal length, zooming being achieved by varying the distance between the first and second groups. The first group is composed of a front lens unit having a nagative focal length inclusive of at least one positive lens element and at least one negative lens element, a rear lens unit having a positive focal length positioned on the image side of the front lens unit and which includes at least one negative lens element and at least one positive lens element, and a middle lens unit positioned between the front and rear lens units and which includes at least one positive lens element having a convex surface directed toward the image side.