Abstract: A method for driving a spatial light modulator is disclosed. The spatial light modulator includes a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer, a pair of conductive alignment films sandwiching the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer, a pair of electrodes for applying a voltage to the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer for changing the state of the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer, a photoconductive layer disposed between one of the pair of electrodes and one of the pair of conductive alignment films.

Abstract: A neural network system comprising input, intermediate and output layers interconnected through synapses, respectively is disclosed.Each layer is comprised of a plurality of spatial light modulator units each of which is comprised of a photoconductive layer sandwiched between electrodes and a light modulation layer electrically connected to the photoconductive layer of which the light transmittance varies according to a voltage applied thereto, wherein electric currents induced by light bundles incident to the photoconductive layer are summed to cause a change in the voltage to be applied to the light modulation layer according to which the light transmittance is varied dependently thereon.

Abstract: In a spatial light modulator used in a projection type display, holographic television set or the like and having a configuration of at least a photo-conductive layer with rectification and a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer provided between a pair of transparent electrodes and a side of the photo-conductive layer facing to a CRT, plural units of driving signals including at least an erasing pulse and a writing voltage period are applied between the transparent electrodes in one frame cycle of the CRT.

Abstract: An optical device of this invention includes; a semiconductor laser chip having an emitting end face for emitting laser light; a transparent substrate, allowing the laser light to transmit therethrough, having a first surface, and having a second surface facing the first surface; and a silicon substrate, located above the transparent substrate, having an oblique surface inclined with respect to the second surface, and having a parallel surface parallel to the second surface; wherein the semiconductor laser chip is located on the oblique surface of the silicon substrate; and the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser chip propagates through the transparent substrate in a zigzag manner between the first surface and the second surface.

Abstract: Pixel portions of a photoconductive layer each have a pin structure for providing a rectifying function and are substantially electrically isolated from one another by a highly resistant inter-pixel portion for preventing diffusion of electrical carriers. Data written into a liquid crystal layer by writing light is read out as an optical output by reading light. Reflecting films are provided on the pixel portions, respectively, and an output light blocking film is provided on the inter-pixel portion formed into a groove. The reflecting films and the output light blocking film are partially overlapped on each other so as to sufficiently block the reading light.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device and an optical device is disclosed. The semiconductor laser device includes a semiconductor laser chip, an optical device, and a supporting member for supporting the semiconductor laser chip and the optical device. The optical device includes a reflection diffractive optical lens which diffracts part of the laser light emitted from the emitting end face of the semiconductor laser chip, to form diffracted light beams, and allows a diffracted light beam having a selected wavelength among the diffracted light beams to be incident on the emitting end face, whereby the wavelength of the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser chip can be stabilized. The optical device includes a substrate having a first and a second main faces, a first optical element formed on either one main face, and a second optical element formed on the main face together with the first optical element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a spatial light modulator used for an optical computing system or display, which comprises a photoconductive layer having a rectification function for receiving incident lights to generate charges, an electrode for accumulating the charges and a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer for modulating the incident light according to bias voltage change with the accumulated charges, wherein the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer is arranged between a pair of alignment layers made of polyimide represented by the general formula (I); ##STR1## wherein n is 2 or more, X is S, Se or Te, Y is an aromatic group or a substituted aromatic group, and Z is a group containing an aromatic group. In the spatial light modulator, any charges are not accumulated on the alignment layer with the driving time and thus a bistable memory condition can be realized.

Abstract: An organic light-emitting device having a light-emitting layer contains the polymer comprising a repeating unit of the formula:--Z--(X--Y).sub.n -- (I)wherein n is at least 2; X is O, S, Se or Te; Y is an aromatic or substituted aromatic group; Z is a group containing an imide circle and also having the carrier transport layer and/or the light receiving layer contain the polymer comprising a repeating unit of the following formula:--(X--Y).sub.n -- (II)wherein n is at least 2; X is O, S, Se or Te; Y is an aromatic or substituted aromatic group, which is used for a display or a light spatial modulator or an optical neural network system.

Abstract: A diffractive optical lens of the present invention comprises a grating zone having a plurality of elliptical grooves which are similar in shape to each other so that each major axis is coincided. When light is obliquely incident, it is diffracted by the grating zone and is focused with any astigmatism thereof corrected. The center of each elliptical groove is shifted in one direction of the major axis direction, so that the light which is diffracted is focused with the coma corrected. As a result, even when light is obliquely incident, satisfactory focal characteristics can be obtained without aberrations.

Abstract: In a pyroelectric infrared detector, there is provided a member having a slit positioned in front of an array of pyroelectric elements, which interrupts an infrared image which is incident on the pyroelectric element array, and respective pyroelectric elements forming a row of the pyroelectric element array are wired so that they are connected in series electrically and adjacent pyroelectric element generate counter-electromotive forces. An infrared image irradiated on respective pyroelectric elements is scanned successively by the movement of the slit member along a row of the pyroelectric element array, thus obtaining information relating to an infrared intensity distribution from a heat source which emits IR rays which are being irradiated onto respective pyroelectric elements, from time series signals produced at both ends of the pyroelectric element array.

Abstract: In a thin film integrated device wherein thin film elements, such as thin film condensers, thin film field effect type transistors and thin film electroluminescent elements, which include insulating films (3, 7, 13, 15, 16) as one of their constitution elements, are formed on an insulating substrate; the insulating films are made of sputtered composite oxide films with at least tantalum and aluminum as major constituents. Since this sputtered composite oxide film has characteristics with a large dielectric constant and a breakdown field intensity and a small leakage current, if it is applied in the thin film elements, their operation characteristics can be increased and their reliability can be remarkably improved.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing an ultrafine particle film which has great practical utility when deposited on an appropriate substrate. The particle film is produced from various ultrafine particles of, for example, metals, oxides, nitrides and carbides, and is produced uniformly, effectively and efficiently with a high degree of reproducibility. According to a first method, an atmosphere at a gas of a reduced pressure is formed in a vessel, and a forced flow of the gas is formed unidirectionally from an evaporation source to the substrate, so that the evaporated matters from the evaporation source are forced to move together with the forced flow of the gas, so that ultrafine particles which are formed through interaction between the evaporated matters and the gas deposited on the substrate thereby forming the ultrafine particle film.

Abstract: A gas sensing device comprises a gas sensing element comprising a gas-sensitive resistive film formed of an aggregate of ultrafine particles of a suitable material deposited on the surface of a substrate of an electrical insulator formed with electrodes. In a method of manufacturing such a gas sensing device, a gas-sensitive material is evaporated in a gas atmosphere to provide the gas-sensitive resistive film of ultrafine particles of the material.

Abstract: A gas sensing device comprises a gas sensing element comprising a gas-sensitie resistive film formed of an aggregate of ultrafine particles of a suitable material deposited on the surface of a substrate of an electrical insulator formed with electrodes.