Abstract: A surface-emission laser diode includes a distributed Bragg reflector tuned to wavelength of 1.1 ?m or longer, wherein the distributed Bragg reflector includes an alternate repetition of a low-refractive index layer and a high-refractive index layer, with a heterospike buffer layer having an intermediate refractive index interposed therebetween with a thickness in the range of 5-50 nm.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes an indicating element which modulates or emits light as a pixel in accordance with image information. A displacement unit optically displaces a position of the pixel for each of two or more sub-fields constituting an image field corresponding to the image information. A projection unit enlarges the pixel and projects an enlarged pixel on a screen. A pixel-profile deformation unit changes an optical intensity profile of the pixel.

Abstract: An image display apparatus acquires a high-quality image by suppressing positional fluctuation of projected dots due to a positional offset of an optical path deflecting element. A spatial light modulation element (1) displays an image by projecting a light from an illumination light source. A projection optical system (3) enlarges and projects the image formed on the spatial light modulation element (1). An optical path deflecting element (2) is provided between the spatial light modulation element (1) and the image formed on a screen (4) so as to deflect an optical path in accordance with a screen frame period. The optical path deflecting element (2) shifts the optical path for the image projected on the screen (4) at a high rate so as to apparently increase a number of picture elements. The optical path deflecting element (2) is located within the projection optical system.

Abstract: A surface-emission laser diode includes a distributed Bragg reflector tuned to wavelength of 1.1 ?m or longer, wherein the distributed Bragg reflector includes an alternate repetition of a low-refractive index layer and a high-refractive index layer, with a heterospike buffer layer having an intermediate refractive index interposed therebetween with a thickness in the range of 5–50 nm.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes an indicating element which modulates or emits light as a pixel in accordance with image information. A displacement unit optically displaces a position of the pixel for each of two or more sub-fields constituting an image field corresponding to the image information. A projection unit enlarges the pixel and projects an enlarged pixel on a screen. A pixel-profile deformation unit changes an optical intensity profile of the pixel.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes an indicating element which modulates or emits light as a pixel in accordance with image information. A displacement unit optically displaces a position of the pixel for each of two or more sub-fields constituting an image field corresponding to the image information. A projection unit enlarges the pixel and projects an enlarged pixel on a screen. A pixel-profile deformation unit changes an optical intensity profile of the pixel.

Abstract: A light path shift device is disclosed that is able to divide an effective region of a light path and drive the divided regions independently. The light path shift device includes a liquid crystal layer held between at least two opposite transparent substrates, the liquid crystal layer being homeotropically aligned and being able to form a chiral smectic C phase; and plural electrodes for applying an electric field in the liquid crystal layer in a horizontal direction. An effective region of the liquid crystal layer through which a light path passes is divided into plural sub-regions, plural light path shift elements with the electrodes formed thereon are stacked only at positions corresponding to the sub-regions, and are arranged so that boundary lines of the sub-regions are in agreement when being viewed along the direction of light propagation.

Abstract: An image projection device performing pixel shift in synchronization with sequential updating of image data is disclosed that is able to start and stop pixel shift operations within a period of updating the image frames while maintaining brightness of the image. The image projection device has an intermediate image formation optical system including a light valve able to update an image frame in a line-sequential manner, a pixel shift unit to shift the light path of a light beam from the light valve so as to shift a position of an image formed on the light valve, and an intermediate image formation unit arranged on the light path between the light valve and the pixel shift unit for forming an intermediate image of the image on the light valve at a position of the pixel shift unit.

Abstract: A surface-emission laser diode includes a distributed Bragg reflector tuned to a wavelength of 1.

Abstract: A method of producing a hologram element is disclosed that is able to prevent spread of a polymerization reaction and light leakage during exposure with interference light, and improve productivity in mass production. The hologram element is for transmitting, reflecting, diffracting, or scattering incident light, and includes a pair of substrates, an isolation member between the substrates that forms an isolated region, and a photo-sensitive recording material sealed in the isolated region. The hologram element includes a periodic structure formed by exposing the recording material to interference light. The interference light is generated by two or more light beams, or by using a master hologram. The recording material is formed from a composite material including a polymerized polymer or a polymerized liquid crystal. The periodic structure is formed by exposing the recording material to the interference light to induce the polymerization reaction and phase separation in the composite material.

Abstract: An optical element, an optical device, and a display device are disclosed that are able to change a polarization state in time order and to produce polarized light with little wavelength dependence and superior in polarization purity, and able to perform pixel shift easily and accurately to realize high resolution image display. The optical element has a translucent surface parallel to the rotational axis of the optical element, and at least a portion of the translucent surface is formed from an optically anisotropic medium. A polarization state of a light beam transmitting through the translucent surface is switched in time order along with rotation of the optical element.

Abstract: A surface-emission laser diode includes a distributed Bragg reflector tuned to wavelength of 1.1 ?m or longer, wherein the distributed Bragg reflector includes an alternate repetition of a low-refractive index layer and a high-refractive index layer, with a heterospike buffer layer having an intermediate refractive index interposed therebetween with a thickness in the range of 5-50 nm.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator is disclosed that can be fabricated easily and is able to prevent degradation of a contrast ratio by suppressing a fringe effect. The spatial light modulator includes a light transmission substrate, a liquid crystal layer, a pixel array, and a phase difference generation unit provided between the light transmission substrate and the liquid crystal layer. A lens array is formed on the light transmission substrate, and the lens array has the same pitch as that of the pixel array.

Abstract: In a diffraction grating used in an optical head device leading light, diffracted light exiting from each of the plurality of areas is lead to a corresponding particular photo-detecting area of the photodetector. Each of the plurality of areas of the diffraction grating is produced either by first two-beam interference exposure to interference fringes from first divergent light from a position equivalent to a light emitting point on the light source of the optical head device and second divergent light form a position equivalent to a light receiving point corresponding to each photo-detecting area, or by second two-beam interference exposure to interference fringes from first convergent light converging at the position equivalent to the light emitting point on the light source and second convergent light converging at the point equivalent to the light receiving point corresponding to each photo-detecting area.

Abstract: An image display apparatus includes an indicating element which modulates or emits light as a pixel in accordance with image information. A displacement unit optically displaces a position of the pixel for each of two or more sub-fields constituting an image field corresponding to the image information. A projection unit enlarges the pixel and projects an enlarged pixel on a screen. A pixel-profile deformation unit changes an optical intensity profile of the pixel.

Abstract: A surface-emission laser diode includes a distributed Bragg reflector tuned to wavelength of 1.1 &mgr;m or longer, wherein the distributed Bragg reflector includes an alternate repetition of a low-refractive index layer and a high-refractive index layer, with a heterospike buffer layer having an intermediate refractive index interposed therebetween with a thickness in the range of 5-50 nm.

Abstract: An illumination system having a light-emitting unit and a reflecting mirror for condensing light is described. The illumination system includes a lens plate having a plurality of approximately identical lens elements. The lens plate is disposed away from the light-emitting unit and the plurality of lens elements are arranged two-dimensionally and approximately perpendicular to a main optical axis of a projection lens system and an object to be projected. The illumination system further includes first and second lenticules, and at least one convex lens disposed so as to refract a light path of the light flux formed by each of the plurality of lens elements such that the light flux illuminates a surface of the object to be projected after passing through the first and second lenticules.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display cell having a layer of a twisted-nematic liquid crystal material with a positive dielectric anisotropy constant and constructed such that a plurality of voltage potentials applied to the liquid crystal cell may firstly induce a Freedricksz transition of the liquid crystal material and then select either one of first and second metastable states caused by relaxation of the liquid crystal material succeeding the Freedricksz transition. A first voltage potential is adjusted higher than a threshold voltage necessary to cause changes from an initial state to the metastable states, a second voltage potential to select one of the metastable states is adjusted in comparison with a voltage potential necessary to switch between the metastable states, and a third voltage potential is applied as a modulation voltage during or succeeding the application of the second voltage potential.

Abstract: An SHG element has a semiconductor laser, and a laser resonator for exciting an oscillation line having a predetermined wavelength by making a light beam emitted from the semiconductor laser incident to the laser resonator. The laser resonator converts the wavelength on the oscillation line by a nonlinear optical crystal and emits SHG light having a converted wavelength. The laser resonator uses Nd:YVO.sub.4 as a laser medium for exciting the oscillation line having the predetermined wavelength. The semiconductor laser emits a light beam having power required to obtain the SHG light having predetermined power from the laser resonator when Nd:YVO.sub.4 is used as the laser medium of the laser resonator.