Abstract: An illumination device 11 has: a light source 1 for emitting polarized light having a Gaussian beam profile and including a first polarized light component and a second polarized light component orthogonal to each other; and a spiral phase element for imparting a phase modulation amount which increases for each predetermined step amount along a circumferential direction about an optical axis OA to the first polarized light component of transmitted polarized light from the light source 1 and making the beam profile of the first polarized light component a Laguerre-Gaussian beam profile, and forming a composite beam having a top-hat-shaped beam profile in which the second polarized light component of the transmitted polarized light from the light source 1 and the first polarized light component having a Laguerre-Gaussian beam profile are synthesized.

Abstract: An illumination device 11 has: a light source 1 for emitting polarized light having a Gaussian beam profile and including a first polarized light component and a second polarized light component orthogonal to each other; and a spiral phase element for imparting a phase modulation amount which increases for each predetermined step amount along a circumferential direction about an optical axis OA to the first polarized light component of transmitted polarized light from the light source 1 and making the beam profile of the first polarized light component a Laguerre-Gaussian beam profile, and forming a composite beam having a top-hat-shaped beam profile in which the second polarized light component of the transmitted polarized light from the light source 1 and the first polarized light component having a Laguerre-Gaussian beam profile are synthesized.

Abstract: The phase modulation device (3) includes a first phase modulation element (11) which modulates a phase of a light flux in accordance with a voltage applied to each of a plurality of first electrodes in accordance with a first ratio of a second aberration component to a first aberration component of a wave front aberration generated by an optical system including an objective lens (4); a second phase modulation element (12) which modulates a phase of a light flux in accordance with a voltage applied to each of a plurality of second electrodes in accordance with a second ratio of the second aberration component to the first aberration component; and a control circuit (3) which controls voltages applied to each of first electrodes and each of second electrodes in accordance with a distance from the objective lens to a light focusing position of the light flux.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide electronic eyeglass and liquid crystal lens production methods that eliminate the need for forming a liquid crystal injection path in the liquid crystal lens, while making provisions so as to be able to sufficiently maintain a prescribed gap between substrates. The electronic eyeglass and liquid crystal lens production methods includes the steps of placing a sealing agent so as to form a closed planar region on at least one of first and second transparent substrates, dropping a liquid crystal material into an inside space enclosed by the sealing agent, bonding the other of the transparent substrates onto the one transparent substrate on which the liquid crystal material has been dripped, and filling a resin into a space created outside the sealing agent.

Abstract: The phase modulation device 3 includes a first phase modulation element 11 which modulates a phase of a light flux in accordance with a voltage applied to each of a plurality of first electrodes in accordance with a first ratio of a second aberration component to a first aberration component of a wave front aberration generated by an optical system including an objective lens 4; a second phase modulation element 12 which modulates a phase of a light flux in accordance with a voltage applied to each of a plurality of second electrodes in accordance with a second ratio of the second aberration component to the first aberration component; and a control circuit 13 which controls voltages applied to each of first electrodes and each of second electrodes in accordance with a distance from the objective lens to a light focusing position of the light flux.

Abstract: A light modulating device 103 includes: a selective diffraction device (10, 10?) which generates diffracted light beams of a plurality of orders by diffracting illumination light into one of a plurality of directions, the illumination light being linearly polarized light having a polarization plane oriented in a first polarization direction, and which causes a phase difference between the diffracted light beams of the plurality of orders; and a polarization plane rotating device 14 which rotates the polarization plane of the diffracted light beam of each order so as to be oriented in a direction perpendicular to a direction radiating from an optical axis.

Abstract: An aberration correction device (3) corrects wave front aberration arising in an optical system that includes an object lens (4) disposed in an optical path for light beams output by a coherent light source (1). The aberration correction device (3) has a symmetrical aberration correction element (3a) that corrects symmetrical aberrations, which are the wave front aberrations that are symmetrical with respect to the optical axis among the wave front aberrations generated in the optical path, and an asymmetrical aberration correction element (3b) that corrects asymmetrical aberrations, which are wave front aberrations that are asymmetrical with respect to the optical axis, generated in light beams incident obliquely on the object lens (4).

Abstract: A liquid crystal optical device includes multiple liquid crystal elements arranged along the optical axis. Each liquid crystal element includes two transparent electrodes that are disposed so as to face each other with a liquid crystal layer disposed therebetween. At least one of the two transparent electrodes includes multiple partial electrodes. For each of a predetermined number of levels obtained by dividing, by the predetermined number, difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of a phase modulation amount provided to a luminous flux passing through the liquid crystal layer, at least one of the multiple partial electrodes is disposed on a part of the liquid crystal layer, the part providing the luminous flux with a phase modulation amount corresponding to the level. A position of the boundary between any two adjacent partial electrodes with respect to the luminous flux, is different for each liquid crystal element.

Abstract: A phase modulation device corrects wave front aberrations generated by an optical system including an objective lens disposed on an optical path of a light flux. The phase modulation device includes a phase modulation element which includes a plurality of electrodes, and modulates the phase of the light flux in accordance with a voltage applied to each electrode, and a control circuit which controls the voltage to be applied to each electrode. The control circuit controls the voltage to be applied to each electrode in such a manner that the light flux is imparted with a phase modulation amount in accordance with a phase modulation profile having a polarity opposite to the polarity of a phase distribution to be determined according to a relational equation representing a relationship between a numerical aperture of the objective lens and a ratio between third-order spherical aberration and fifth-order spherical aberration.

Abstract: A polarization conversion element includes a phase reversal element and a polarization plane rotation element including a liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer has a plurality of regions disposed along circumferential direction with the intersection point of the polarization plane rotation element and the optical axis as the center with alignment directions different from each other. When electric voltage in accordance with the wavelength of linear polarization incident on the polarization plane rotation element is applied, each region rotates the polarization plane of the polarization component transmitted by each region, and thereby converts linear polarization to radial polarization. The phase reversal element reverses, among the first and the second annular portions alternately disposed along the radial direction with the optical axis as the center, the phase of light incident on the first annular portion relative to the phase of light incident on the second annular portion.

Abstract: A beam splitting device includes a phase modulating device which provides a phase difference between a first polarization component and second polarization component of incident light that have mutually perpendicular planes of polarization, and at least one birefringent lens which splits the light passed through the phase modulating device into a first beam having the first polarization component and a second beam having the second polarization component, and which causes the first beam and the second beam to emerge along a common optical axis, and converting at least one of the first and second beams into a convergent light.

Abstract: A phase modulation device corrects wave front aberrations generated by an optical system including an objective lens disposed on an optical path of a light flux. The phase modulation device includes a phase modulation element which includes a plurality of electrodes, and modulates the phase of the light flux in accordance with a voltage applied to each electrode, and a control circuit which controls the voltage to be applied to each electrode. The control circuit controls the voltage to be applied to each electrode in such a manner that the light flux is imparted with a phase modulation amount in accordance with a phase modulation profile having a polarity opposite to the polarity of a phase distribution to be determined according to a relational equation representing a relationship between a numerical aperture of the objective lens and a ratio between third-order spherical aberration and fifth-order spherical aberration.

Abstract: A light modulating device 103 includes: a selective diffraction device (10, 10?) which generates diffracted light beams of a plurality of orders by diffracting illumination light into one of a plurality of directions, the illumination light being linearly polarized light having a polarization plane oriented in a first polarization direction, and which causes a phase difference between the diffracted light beams of the plurality of orders; and a polarization plane rotating device 14 which rotates the polarization plane of the diffracted light beam of each order so as to be oriented in a direction perpendicular to a direction radiating from an optical axis.

Abstract: A light modulator element includes a liquid crystal element which has a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules aligned along a first direction, and two transparent electrodes disposed in opposition to each other with the liquid crystal layer sandwiched therebetween, and which controls the phase of linear polarization light and passing through said liquid crystal layer by applying an electric voltage between said two transparent electrodes; a polarizer plate which is disposed between a light source and said liquid crystal element and which has the transmission axis along the first direction or along a direction orthogonal to said first direction; and a rotation mechanism which supports the liquid crystal element and the polarizer plate and which rotates the liquid crystal element and the polarizer plate integrally in one unit with the optical axis of the liquid crystal element as the rotation axis.

Abstract: An aberration correction device (3) corrects wave front aberration arising in an optical system that includes an object lens (4) disposed in an optical path for light beams output by a coherent light source (1). The aberration correction device (3) has a symmetrical aberration correction element (3a) that corrects symmetrical aberrations, which are the wave front aberrations that are symmetrical with respect to the optical axis among the wave front aberrations generated in the optical path, and an asymmetrical aberration correction element (3b) that corrects asymmetrical aberrations, which are wave front aberrations that are asymmetrical with respect to the optical axis, generated in light beams incident obliquely on the object lens (4).

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a pre-edging lens and a method for manufacturing an edged lens, wherein provisions are made to be able to maintain the cell gap of a liquid crystal lens structure constant while, in effect, eliminating the need to incorporate any spacers in the edged lens. More specifically, the invention provides a pre-edging lens and a method for manufacturing an edged lens, wherein the pre-edging lens includes a first transparent substrate, a second transparent substrate, a first sealing material which does not contain any spacer, a liquid crystal layer provided between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate and sealed by the first seal, and a second seal which contains a spacer and which is disposed in a region provided between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate and located outwardly of the first seal, the region being removed during edging.

Abstract: A light modulator element includes a liquid crystal element which has a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules aligned along a first direction, and two transparent electrodes disposed in opposition to each other with the liquid crystal layer sandwiched therebetween, and which controls the phase of linear polarization light and passing through said liquid crystal layer by applying an electric voltage between said two transparent electrodes; a polarizer plate which is disposed between a light source and said liquid crystal element and which has the transmission axis along the first direction or along a direction orthogonal to said first direction; and a rotation mechanism which supports the liquid crystal element and the polarizer plate and which rotates the liquid crystal element and the polarizer plate integrally in one unit with the optical axis of the liquid crystal element as the rotation axis.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a pre-edging lens and a method for manufacturing an edged lens, wherein provisions are made to be able to maintain the cell gap of a liquid crystal lens structure constant while, in effect, eliminating the need to incorporate any spacers in the edged lens. More specifically, the invention provides a pre-edging lens and a method for manufacturing an edged lens, wherein the pre-edging lens includes a first transparent substrate, a second transparent substrate, a first sealing material which does not contain any spacer, a liquid crystal layer provided between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate and sealed by the first seal, and a second seal which contains a spacer and which is disposed in a region provided between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate and located outwardly of the first seal, the region being removed during edging.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide electronic eyeglass and liquid crystal lens production methods that eliminate the need for forming a liquid crystal injection path in the liquid crystal lens, while making provisions so as to be able to sufficiently maintain a prescribed gap between substrates. The electronic eyeglass and liquid crystal lens production methods includes the steps of placing a sealing agent so as to form a closed planar region on at least one of first and second transparent substrates, dropping a liquid crystal material into an inside space enclosed by the sealing agent, bonding the other of the transparent substrates onto the one transparent substrate on which the liquid crystal material has been dripped, and filling a resin into a space created outside the sealing agent.

Abstract: A polarization conversion element includes a phase reversal element and a polarization plane rotation element including a liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer has a plurality of regions disposed along circumferential direction with the intersection point of the polarization lane rotation element and the optical axis as the center with alignment directions different from each other. When electric voltage in accordance with the wavelength of linear polarization incident on the polarization plane rotation element is applied, each region rotates the polarization plane of the polarization component transmitted by each region, and thereby converts linear polarization to radial polarization. The phase reversal element reverses, among the first and the second annular portions alternately disposed along the radial direction with the optical axis as the center, the phase of light incident on the first annular portion relative to the phase of light incident on the second annular portion.