Abstract: An optical device has first and second non-parallel optical paths, and a light reflecting surface. The reflecting surface may have a first and second planar portion. The first planar portion receives light from the first path to reflect the light toward the second path. The second planar portion may form an angle ?1 with the first planar portion. Angle ?1 satisfies a condition of 175°??<180° in either clockwise or counterclockwise rotation from the first planar portion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical communication system of a structure permitting the communication carrier side to select a delivery service content to be finally provided from a terminal in a communication network through an optical fiber to a subscriber home. The optical communication system comprises a terminal as a final repeater in a predetermined communication network for delivering signal light with multiple signal channels multiplexed, to a plurality of subscriber homes; and an optical fiber network with one or more branch points installed between the terminal and the subscriber homes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wavelength-selectable device of a smaller structure capable of selecting a wavelength. The wavelength-selectable device has a waveguide substrate in which optical waveguides are built, a wavelength selector, and a movable mirror. The wavelength selector is fixed at a position where light propagating in the optical waveguide arrives, and the movable mirror is arranged to be movable between a first position where the light propagating in the optical waveguide arrives and a second position off the optical waveguide. This configuration achieves the wavelength-selectable device in the smaller structure.

Abstract: A compressor includes a motor driven by a controller and having a rotor and a stator, a compressing unit driven by the motor in a hermetic container in which refrigerant is filled. Driving the motor at a low rpm, the controller practices a feedback control which determines a timing of turning on/off switching elements based on a signal detecting a position of the rotor, and when the motor is driven at a high rpm, the controller practices an open-loop control which outputs a given frequency and drives the motor synchronizing with the given frequency. This structure achieves a compressor working with a fewer noises in PWM driving.

Abstract: An optical switch is provided in which the difference of the optical loss due to the difference of optical path can be reduced. The optical switch comprises the first switching parts 2A–2D and the second switching parts 3A–3D. The first switching parts 2A–2D each comprise: a planar waveguide device 4 in which four coupling optical waveguides 5a–5d and an input optical waveguide 6 are provided; and reflection mirrors 8a–8d for reflecting a light signal incident from the input optical waveguide 6 to the respective coupling optical waveguides 5a–5d, respectively. The second switching parts 3A–3D each comprise: a planar waveguide device 9 in which coupling optical waveguides 10a–10d and an output optical waveguide 11 are provided; and reflection mirrors 13a–13d for reflecting a light signal incident from the respective coupling optical waveguides 10a–10d to the output optical waveguide 11.

Abstract: The optical multiplexer/demultiplexer 100 includes a member 110 on which optical waveguides 111 to 114 and a groove 115 are formed and an optical filter 120 inserted in the groove 115. The member 110 is a planar optical waveguide where the optical waveguides 111 to 114 are formed on one surface thereof, and the groove 115 is formed thereon. Before the groove 115 is formed, the optical wave guide 111 and the optical waveguide 114 are a continuous optical waveguide; and the optical waveguide 112 and the optical waveguide 113 are a continuous optical waveguide. A straight groove 115 is formed so as to go through an intersecting point of the two continuous optical waveguides. The optical waveguides 111 and 114 are formed straightly on the member 110.

Abstract: An optical multiplexer/demultiplexer is provided with a first member, a second member and an optical filter. The first member is a planar waveguide and is formed with an optical waveguide and another optical waveguide. The second member is a planar waveguide and is formed with an optical waveguide and another optical waveguide. The optical filter is a dielectric multi-layered filter and is sandwiched between the end face of the first member and the end face of the second member.

Abstract: An optical switch according to this invention has a planar waveguide in which an optical path is formed. A trench is formed in the upper surface of this planar waveguide. A cantilevered movable member is mounted on the planar waveguide. A comb is formed in the end portion of this movable member. A mirror which intercepts light propagating on the optical path is fixed to the end of the movable member. An electrode opposing the movable member is formed on the planar waveguide. A comb is formed in that portion of this electrode, which opposes the comb of the movable member. The movable member and electrode are connected via a voltage source. When this voltage source generates electrostatic force between the movable member and electrode, the movable member bends, and the mirror moves along the bottom surface of the trench accordingly.

Abstract: Relating to oil feed to a piston portion in a dual support bearing of a hermetic compressor, and a structure for improving efficiency and reliability and accomplishing reduction of noise is disclosed. In this structure, since an auxiliary bearing 119 is provided with an oil feed passage 129 for conducting lubricating oil 108 discharged from an upper end of an oil feed mechanism 114, to a sliding surface of a piston 120, the lubricating oil 108 is fed to the piston 120 and a piston pin 122 from the oil feed passage 129 to make the sealing performance excellent, so that the amount of leakage of refrigerant gas from a compression chamber 117 is reduced to improve the freezing capability or efficiency. Further, lubrication of sliding portions of the piston 120 and the piston pin 122 becomes excellent so that noise caused by sliding is reduced and the reliability is improved.

Abstract: A compressor is operable to compress refrigerant at a variable operation frequency. According to a method of controlling the compressor, the compressor starts operating, and just after that, the compressor operates at a first frequency for a first period of time. Just after that, the compressor operates at a second frequency lower than the first frequency for a second period of time longer than the first period, and after that, the compressor operates at an ordinary operation. This method does not cause the compressor to generate an abnormal noise or obstruction to lubrication.

Abstract: [Problem] To reduce optical feedback to an optical path. [Solution] Variable optical attenuator 100 includes optical path 26 having optical axis 16, optical path 27 having optical axis 17, and mirror 21 arranged to move in directions 32, 33 across bisector 18 of an angle between optical axes 16 and 17. Mirror 21 has a surface including reflecting portion 21a for reflecting light from optical path 11 toward optical path 12. Reflecting portion 21a has an edge 21b including a linear portion placed on a plane substantially perpendicular to bisector 18. The linear portion is inclined relative to the normal to a plane including optical axes 16, 17.

Abstract: An optical device according to an embodiment of the present invention has an actuator structure. The actuator structure has a substrate, a stationary electrode, a movable electrode, an optical element, and a hole portion. The stationary electrode is provided on a surface of the substrate. The movable electrode is provided on the surface of the substrate. The optical element is provided on the movable electrode. The substrate faces the movable electrode. The hole portion is formed in a part of the substrate. A region near the movable electrode where the optical element is provided is immersed in a matching oil.

Abstract: An optical switch 1 has a plane waveguide 2 provided with optical waveguide 3, and an actuator structure 5 including a beamlike member 6 supported in a doubly supported manner on the plane waveguide 2. A mirror 10 for shutting out light passing on the optical waveguide 3 is provided in the central region of the beamlike member 6. Interconnecting members 12 extending in the longitudinal direction of the beamlike member 6 are coupled to the both ends of the beamlike member 6. The interconnecting members 12 preliminarily exert a compressive force on the beamlike member 6 so as to deflect the beamlike member 6 with compression stress in an initial state in which the mirror 10 is located at a position where the mirror allows the light passing on the optical waveguide 3 to pass or at a position where the mirror shuts out the light passing on the optical waveguide 3.

Abstract: A refrigerant compressor includes a compressor section, driver, a first contact section and a second contact section. The compressor section is accommodated in a closed container for compressing refrigerant gas. The driver drives the compressor section. The first and second contact sections are brought into contact with each other or they slide with each other by driving the compressor section. On the surface of each one of the contact sections, at least one of plural recesses uniformly placed or a mixed layer, to which molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is bound, is formed. The foregoing structure allows increasing the abrasion resistance of the first and second contact sections.

Abstract: An optical device has first and second non-parallel optical paths, and a light reflecting surface. The reflecting surface may have a first and second planar portion. The first planar portion receives light from the first path to reflect the light toward the second path. The second planar portion may form an angle ?1 with the first planar portion. Angle ?1 satisfies a condition of 175°??<180° in either clockwise or counterclockwise rotation from the first planar portion.

Abstract: A small optical device which has low power consumption and which is excellent for integration, and which has a variable optical attenuation function which features proper polarization dependence over the entire wide variable optical attenuation range is provided. In the optical device, an optical circuit including a core and a cladding that covers the core is formed on a substrate. An optical element is movably disposed inside a groove provided in the substrate so as to traverse the core, and includes a plurality of optical attenuation elements having different light attenuation amounts. By moving the optical element by an actuation function portion provided on the optical circuit, the attenuation amount of signal light that propagates through the optical circuit is changed.

Abstract: An optical variable attenuator 1 has a planar waveguide 2 and an actuator structure 3. The planar waveguide 2 is provided with an input optical waveguide core 4A for input of an optical signal, an output optical waveguide core 4B for outputting an optical signal from the optical waveguide core 4A, and an a movable mirror optical waveguide core 4C for guiding light that does not enter the optical waveguide core 4B, out of the optical signal from the optical waveguide core 4A. The actuator structure 3 has a movable mirror 7 for reflecting the optical signal emerging from the input optical waveguide core 4A, toward the output optical waveguide core 4B. A light receiving device 10 for receiving light passing the optical waveguide core 4C is provided at one end face of the planar waveguide 2.

Abstract: An optical signal, which is to become the subject of dispersion compensation, is split by optical combining/splitting unit 2, and each frequency component of the optical signal that is split is reflected by the corresponding reflective mirror 30 included in reflective mirror group 3 to apply a predetermined phase shift to the respective frequency components Each reflected frequency component is then combined using optical combining/splitting unit 2, to give dispersion compensated optical signal Furthermore, in regards to reflective mirror group 3, which is used to apply phase shift to each frequency component of an optical signal, each of the respective plurality of reflective mirrors 30 is made a movable mirror having a movable reflection position that reflects the frequency components. Through this, dispersion that develops in an optical signal may be compensated with favorable controllability and high accuracy.

Abstract: There is disclosed an optical switch for switching between a plurality of main light emitters respectively emitting light components having wavelengths different from each other and a backup light emitter adapted to replace any of the main light emitters, a light emitter switching method for switching from one failed main light emitter to a backup light emitter by using the optical switch the above switch and a light receiver switching method for switching from one failed main light receiver to a backup light receiver by using the above.

Abstract: A movable mirror device has a plurality of reflecting mirrors and a plurality of mirror drivers. The plurality of reflecting mirrors are reflecting mirrors to reflect signal light and are arranged in a one-dimensional direction along a predetermined plane. The plurality of mirror drivers are arranged two-dimensionally relative to the one-dimensional direction and individually drive the respective reflecting mirrors.