Abstract: The present invention relates to pigments comprising or consisting of a layer made of a material with an index of refraction that is higher than the index of refraction of the adjacent material by at least 0.25; whereas said layer has a zero-order diffractive micro-structure; whereas said layer acts as an optical waveguide and whereas said layer has a thickness between 50 nm and 500 nm; to processes for its manufacture and to its use. These pigments show a color effect upon rotation and/or tilting, and it is believed that this color effect is based on zero-order diffraction.

Abstract: A near-field microscope using one or more diffractive elements placed in the near-field of an object to be imaged. A diffractive covers the entire object, thus signal may thereby be gathered from the entire object, and advantageously increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the resulting image, as well as greatly improve the acquisition speed. Near-field microscopy overcomes the limitation of conventional microscopy in that subwavelength and nanometer-scale features can be imaged and measured without contact.

Abstract: A method for controlling a rearview mirror, in particular for motor vehicles, provided with a reflection part with variable reflectance, includes supplying a control unit assigned to the reflection part with a nominal value for the reflectance. To provide a nominal value which is particularly favorable for the respective driving situation, the nominal value is specified by taking into consideration a first characteristic value characteristic of the sensitivity which adjusts in the viewer's eye due to the light situation, and/or a second characteristic value characteristic of the kind of ambient light.

Abstract: There is provided an antiglare hard-coated film that can maintain antiglare properties and suppress a reduction in the display contrast of a display, when composed of a transparent plastic film substrate and an antiglare hard coat layer formed thereon. The antiglare hard-coated film 4 includes a transparent film substrate 1 and a hard coat layer 2 that is provided on at least one side of the transparent film substrate 1, contains fine particles 2b, and has an irregular surface, wherein the fine particles 2b have an average particle size of 6 ?m to 15 ?m and form irregularities with an average slope angle ?a of 0.4° to 1.5°, and the antiglare hard-coated film satisfies the relation: {(the contrast ratio)/(the contrast ratio of a hard-coated film without the fine particles)}×100?60%.

Abstract: A polarizing glass includes shape-anisotropic metal particles oriented and dispersed in a glass substrate, the concentration of the metal particles having a distribution in which in the travel direction of light in which a polarizing function is exhibited, the concentration is substantially zero near one of the surfaces of the glass substrate and near the other surface, gradually increases from one of the surfaces of the glass substrate to the other surface, becomes a value within a predetermined range in the glass substrate, and then gradually decreases toward the other surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for providing wideband diffraction limited performance in an optical receiver. A first lens is constructed from a first material and has a first surface and a second surface. A second lens is constructed from a second material and having a first surface and a second surface. The second lens is positioned such that a first surface of the second lens faces a second surface of the first lens across a gap of air. A diffraction grating is applied to one of the first and second surfaces of the first and second lenses.

Abstract: A diffractive optical system including a diffractive optical element has a concave lens component having a first diffractive optical surface, and an optical member having a second diffractive optical surface, the concave lens component and the optical member being arranged so that the first diffractive optical surface and the second diffractive optical surface face each other, and the conditional expression 0.003<t/f<0.3 being satisfied, where t is the thickness of the concave lens component on the optical axis, and f is the focal length of the diffractive optical system.

Abstract: A diffusing plate is formed so as to have a surface having a larger surface roughness than a predetermined wavelength and having an aperiodic roughness shape. A plurality of fine concave/convex portions are formed on the surface so as to be regularly arranged within a cycle equal to and smaller than a predetermined wavelength.

Abstract: A transparent solar control film may have a single or multiple layer core that includes at least one layer of an orientated thermoplastic polymer material. Infrared radiation absorbing nanoparticles that preferentially absorb at least about 100 times more infrared radiation than visible radiation may be dispersed within the at least one layer of an oriented thermoplastic polymer layer. The transparent solar control film may have a haze value of less than about 5 percent.

Abstract: There is disclosed an optical filter element that includes a translucent substrate; a laminated film formed by laminating plural thin films including a metal film on the translucent substrate; and a parallel structure in which parallel concave-shaped defective parts are periodically provided at a pitch shorter than a transmitted light wavelength. The parallel structure is formed in at least a part of the laminated film.

Abstract: An apparatus for the focusing of incident light includes a base assembly that is adapted to support a primary mirror. The primary mirror includes an outside circumference and an inside aperture. An upright member is attached to the base assembly at a first end thereof at a first location that is disposed inside the aperture and at a second location that is disposed outside the primary mirror. The upright member includes a second end that is distally disposed with respect to the first end. The second end is adapted to receive a turret that includes a secondary mirror and is adapted to pivot between two positions. An IMU is attached to the base assembly proximate the primary mirror.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for spectral beam combination by applying a spatial chirp to each of a plurality of input beamlets using a respective plurality of dispersive elements and combining the spatially-chirped beamlets into a single collimated output beam using a dispersive element configured to remove the spatial chirp. In an embodiment, each dispersive element is a grating combined with a lens that is confocal to the grating and also confocal to a Fourier plane upon which a transverse distribution of beam spectral components is produced. A final lens-grating pair includes a lens and a grating, where the lens is confocal to the grating and also confocal to the Fourier plane.

Abstract: An ophthalmic surgical microscope system (100) includes a surgical microscope (101). The surgical microscope (101) is accommodated on a carrier unit (109) so as to be adjustable in elevation in order to be able to adjust a work distance (124) between the surgical microscope (101) and a patient eye (120). A first drive (112) is provided for adjusting the elevation of the surgical microscope (101). The ophthalmic surgical microscope system (100) includes an ophthalmic ancillary module (114) having an adjustable ophthalmic magnifier lens (116). The work distance (125) between the ophthalmic magnifier lens (116) and the patient eye (120) can be adjusted with a second drive (117). A drive coupling (123) is provided which couples the first drive for adjusting elevation of the surgical microscope (101) to the second drive (117) for adjusting the ophthalmic magnifier lens (116).

Abstract: A laser light source device may include a laser diode, first and second optical elements, a diffraction grating, and a detector. The first optical element may collimate laser light emitted from the laser diode. The diffraction grating may reflect zero-order light in the collimated laser light in a predetermined direction other than a direction toward the laser diode and may reflect first-order light in the collimated laser light toward the laser diode. The second optical element may reflect the zero-order light reflected by the diffraction grating in a predetermined direction while transmitting a part of the zero-order light reflected by the diffraction grating. The detector may detect at least one of a wavelength and an intensity of the light that passes through the second optical element.

Abstract: A dichroic, light refracting resin panel comprises one or more dichroic/refracting films that have been embedded and/or laminated between a plurality of resin substrates, such as copolyester, polycarbonate, and/or acrylic substrates. The dichroic resin panel can be manufactured with a variety of different materials, and with autoclave or hot press methods in a manner that ensures structural and aesthetic integrity. Specifically, a dichroic resin panel in accordance with the present invention can be created in such a way as to avoid delamination despite a variety of end-uses and formations (e.g., curved panel, embossed/textured surfaces). In addition, the dichroic resin panels can be handled, transported, and installed in a variety of exterior or interior applications, even where certain building code requirements may be relatively stringent. The dichroic resin panels can be used in a variety of structural and/or aesthetic applications.

Abstract: A diffraction grating recording medium including a waveguide layer and a grating structure layer is provided. The waveguide layer has a reflective surface and a light incident surface, in which a thickness of the waveguide layer is between 100 nanometers and 2 micrometers, and the reflective surface reflects a light that enters the waveguide layer from the light incident layer. The grating structure layer is disposed on the light incident surface of the waveguide layer, in which the grating structure layer has a plurality of diffractive elements, and the arranging period of the diffractive elements is between 50 nanometers and 900 nanometers.

Abstract: A microscope device comprising a microscope objective and a plate-like body limited by a flat top face and a flat lower face essentially parallel thereto, with the microscope objective being connected to the plate-like body, and with a portion of a beam path of the microscope device extending above and/or below the plate-like body, wherein another portion of the beam path of the microscope device extends, essentially parallel to the top face and the lower face, within a recess within the plate-like body.

Abstract: The camera or periscope system may include a taking lens, a beam steering device, a relay device, and an image rotation device. The camera or periscope system can be used to image in situations where the camera is not easily redirected to view a desired object of interest. The camera or periscope system is designed to be fixed to a mounting platform where the taking lens can be configured to point to the desired object of interest.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reflector for an infrared radiating element. The reflector comprises a metal foil coated with—a first oxide layer deposited on the metal foil; —an infrared reflecting metal layer deposited on said first oxide layer; and—a second oxide layer deposited on said infrared reflecting layer. The first oxide layer is functioning as a diffusion barrier layer and is preventing the diffusion of the metal of the infrared reflecting layer in the substrate. The second oxide layer is functioning as a protective layer for the infrared reflecting layer giving the infrared reflecting layer the required thermal stability.

Abstract: A surgical microscope (100) is especially suited for use in neurosurgery. The surgical microscope has an illuminating arrangement (101) for making available illuminating light in an operating region (117) to be examined with the surgical microscope (100). The illuminating arrangement (101) contains a high-power light source (102) which includes an intensity adjusting device (112). The intensity adjusting device (112) makes possible to adjust the intensity of the illuminating light (116), which is guided to the object region (117), between a maximum value and a minimum value. The surgical microscope (100) has a control unit (170) for the illuminating arrangement (101) which includes an operator-controlled module (172) via which the illuminating arrangement (101) can be activated and controlled. For adjusting the intensity of the illuminating light (116) guided to the operating region (117), the control unit coacts with the adjustable filter unit (112).