Abstract: A method for capacitive detection of nearby objects that may be located in the environment of an equipment provided with a capacitive detection device including a detection step, called discriminative detection step, including the following operations: polarizing a first nearby object at a first alternating potential (V1), different from a ground potential (M), and from the potential of at least one second nearby object, at a first frequency (F1); and determining a first discriminative signal representative of a capacitance, called electrode-object capacitance, seen by the at least one measurement electrode, at said first frequency (F1).

Abstract: A lighting device for an imaging system with an imaging objective lens, including: a sleeve configured to be positioned around the imaging objective lens; at least one optical fibre integral with the sleeve and arranged to guide a light originating from at least one light source; and a directing component configured to orient a light beam emitted by the at least one optical fibre so as to illuminate a field of view of the imaging system along a lighting axis forming an angle with respect to the optical axis of the objective lens larger than the numerical aperture of the imaging system.

Abstract: A system and method for fabricating structures in an optical substrate. An optical element produces first and second write beams that intersect at a first intersection location at the optical substrate. The first intersection location includes a fringe pattern produced by the first and second write beams. The optical element also produces first and second reference beams that intersect and are recombined at a second intersection location in substantially the same plane as the first intersection location. A controller then controls relative positioning between the optical substrate and the fringe pattern based on a signal derived from the recombined first and second reference beams.

Abstract: In accordance with various embodiments, there is an exposure system for writing a pattern on a photosensitive material. The exposure system can include a waveguide array and a light modulator. The waveguide array can include a plurality of optical fibers that focuses light on the radiation sensitive material. The light modulator can modulate the light coupled into the plurality of optical fibers. Exemplary exposure systems can reduce aberrations due to coma and distortion, and provide improved alignment.

Abstract: A method for screening the quality of an optical component including the step of simulating the performance of the optical component. The step of simulating includes the step of measuring the optical phase &phgr; of the optical component, wherein the step of measuring comprises indirectly measuring the optical phase &phgr; of the optical component using a scanning laser having a scanning step size &Dgr;&ohgr; and a modulation frequency &ohgr;m such that &Dgr;&ohgr;/&ohgr;m≦2. The light throughput R of the optical component is then measured. A transfer function H as a function of optical frequency &ohgr; is constructed where H(&ohgr;)=R(&ohgr;)exp[j&phgr;(&ohgr;)], and the performance is simulated using the measured value of the optical phase and the light throughput into the transfer function.