Abstract: There is featured a processing method for processing a target body that includes setting a beam area formed by a laser beam on the organic insulating film so as to be larger than an area formed by projecting a target part of an organic insulating film onto a horizontal plane. The method also includes, subsequently moving the organic insulating film toward the irradiated region of the laser beam, and terminating the irradiation with the laser beam when the end part of the target part coincides with the moving end part of the laser beam. This enables the resultant processed target surface to be smooth and free from reaction product including decomposed segments of the target body. Also featured is an optical component including an optical element having a surface that is processed according to the processing methods of the present invention.

Abstract: A two-way optical communication module includes a main waveguide which is optically coupled to an optical fiber and directs light incident from the optical fiber to a light-receiving element and a sub waveguide which is optically coupled to the side of the main waveguide and directs light emitted from a light-emitting element to the optical fiber so as to carry out an efficient two-way optical communication by using one optical fiber without the necessity for an optical branch device. With this arrangement, it is possible to provide an inexpensive and small-sized two-way optical communication module which readily enables an integration with other elements so as to exhibit suitability for a small-scale network, and to provide a two-way optical communication link which uses the two-way optical communication module.

Abstract: A deformable mirror includes a first base plate having a first reference surface, a transparent second base plate having a second reference surface opposed to the first reference surface, a flexible member disposed between the first base plate and the second base plate and having a reflective surface on a surface thereof, the flexible member being adapted to be fitted on the first reference surface or on the second reference surface, and a driver for fitting the flexible member on the first reference surface or on the second reference surface, wherein the flexible member is held between the first base plate and the second base plate, and the light rays to be reflected by the reflective surface are imparted with the first degree of spherical aberration or with the second degree of spherical aberration by fitting the flexible member on the first reference surface or on the second reference surface by the driver.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an optical pickup device includes: a light source for generating a light beam; an objective lens for converging the light beam onto a recording medium; a beam splitter for splitting the light beam reflected from the recording medium into two light beams; an optical waveguide element for detecting an information signal in accordance with one of the two converged light beams; and an optical element, disposed between the beam splitter and the optical waveguide element, for providing the one of the two converged light beams with astigmatism. The optical waveguide element includes a prism coupler, a waveguide layer, and a photodetecting portion. The optical waveguide element an the optical element are arranged to locate a first focal line of the one of the two converged light beams within a plane of the waveguide layer, to locate a first focal point at an edge of the prism coupler, and to locate a second focal point on the photodetecting portion.

Abstract: The optical pickup device according to the present invention, includes: a light emitting diode for emitting a light beam; a collimating lens for collimating the light beam; an objective lens for focusing the collimated light beam from the collimating lens onto a recording medium; a beam splitter for splitting the light beam returned from the recording medium into two light beams; a servo error signal detector for receiving one of the two light beams and detecting a servo error signal; a diffracting element for diffracting the one of the two light beams from the beam splitter to direct the one of the two light beams toward the servo error signal detector; and an optical waveguide element for receiving the other one of the two light beams and detecting a magneto-optical signal, the other one of the two light beams from the beam splitter being incident upon the optical waveguide element without passing through the diffracting element, wherein the beam splitter is disposed between the collimating lens and the dif

Abstract: An optical coupler of the present invention includes: an optical waveguide including a substrate, a first dielectric layer formed on the substrate, a second dielectric layer which is formed on the first dielectric layer and has a refractive index lower than a refractive index of the first dielectric layer, and a third dielectric layer which is formed on a part of the second dielectric layer and has a refractive index equal to or lower than the refractive index of the second dielectric layer; and a light introducing portion made of a transparent material having a refractive index higher than the refractive index of each of the dielectric layers, the light introducing portion being formed on the optical waveguide and introducing converged incident light into the optical waveguide, wherein the light introducing portion is provided across a surface of the second dielectric layer and a surface of the third dielectric layer and has, as a light incident surface, a flat portion allowing the incident light introduced

Abstract: A mode splitter and the magneto-optical pick-up device including the mode splitter. The mode splitter includes a tapered waveguide portion whose thickness gradually becomes thin so that a light of at least one mode can be cut off. An emission position of a light wave can be varied depending on its mode. In this mode splitter, the emission position of the light wave of each mode can be adjusted by changing a thickness of the tapered waveguide, thereby improving the degree of freedom in designing the device.

Abstract: A method for producing a tapered waveguide layer is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: forming a resist pattern on a substrate; setting the substrate in an apparatus for forming a film such that particles constituting the film reach the substrate from a direction which is oblique relative to the substrate; forming the film on a region of a surface of the substrate which is not covered by the resist pattern, the film having a thickness distribution corresponding to a shadow which the resist pattern creates on the substrate in accordance with an angle between the substrate and the direction; and removing the resist pattern, thereby forming the tapered waveguide layer consisting of the film on the substrate.

Abstract: A mode splitter and the magneto-optical pick-up device including the mode splitter are provided. The mode splitter includes a tapered waveguide portion whose thickness gradually becomes thin so that a light of at least one mode can be cut off. An emission position of a light wave can be varied depending on its mode. In this mode splitter, the emission position of the light wave of each mode can be adjusted by changing a thickness of the tapered waveguide, thereby improving the degree of freedom in designing the device.

Abstract: An optical information reproducing device includes a light source for generating a light beam, an optical system for converging the light beam generated by the light source on a magneto-optical recording medium on which recording information is recorded and for converging a return light beam reflected from the magneto-optical recording medium, beam splitting means for splitting the return light beam into split light beams, first detecting means for receiving one of the split light beams to detect the intensity of the one of the split light beams, servo signal generating means for generating a tracking error signal and a focusing error signal based on the output of the first detecting means, an optical waveguide disposed between the beam splitting means and the first detecting means, the optical waveguide crossing an optical axis of the one of the split light beams, an optical coupler disposed on the optical waveguide for separating part of the one of the split light beams from the one of the split beams to fo

Abstract: An optical integrated circuit is disclosed. The optical integrated circuit includes: a dielectric waveguide having at least a waveguide layer for transmitting light in a first direction; a first reflector for reflecting the light in a substantially opposite direction to the first direction, the first reflector being formed on an end face of the waveguide layer; a grating coupler having a grating for diffracting at least a part of the light in a second direction which is different from the first direction, the grating coupler being formed at a surface of the waveguide layer; and a light detector for detecting the diffracted light, the light detector being optically connected with the dielectric waveguide.

Abstract: An optical device includes: a first dielectric slab waveguide having an effective refractive index N.sub.1 ; a second dielectric slab waveguide having an effective refractive index N.sub.2 ; and a third dielectric slab waveguide having a length 1 and an effective refractive index N.sub.3, the third dielectric slab waveguide being formed between the first dielectric slab waveguide and the second dielectric slab waveguide so as to connect the first dielectric slab waveguide with the second dielectric slab waveguides optically; wherein the length I and the effective refractive index N.sub.3 substantially satisfy following equations; ##EQU1## where .lambda. is a free-space wavelength of light traveling in the optical device and the light travels from the first dielectric slab waveguide to the third dielectric slab waveguide at an incident angle .THETA. in a single mode.

Abstract: A method for producing, from metal strip, a cold roll formed shape strip, curved longitudinally a predetermined amount and having its edge portions on the concave side of the curvature and its web on the convex side thereof to inhibit elongation deformation of portions of the metal strip which constitute the edge portions of the shape strip.

Abstract: A fin pass roll for use as a single roll or as pairs of mating forming rolls for bending a flat metal strip into a desired tubular shape or a tube form. The fin pass roll is split into three sections; that is, a fin roll having a fin and fin side rolls in such a way that the fin roll may have arcuate caliber profile which are extended to both sides from the fin and merge with the arcuate caliber profile of the adjacent fin side rolls. The fin side rolls are rotatable in unison with a drive shaft, but the fin roll is so constructed and arranged as to be rotatable independently of the drive shaft and hence the fin side rolls.