Abstract: The optical deflector includes a deflector, a vibration detector, a driving signal generator, a modulation timing signal generator, and a deflection detector. The deflector has a vibrational system having a movable body with a light deflecting member, and deflects light from a light source by the movable body. The vibration detector detects the vibration condition of the vibrational system of the deflector. The driving signal generator generates a driving signal for driving the vibrational system of the deflector. The modulation timing signal generator generates a modulation timing signal as the reference time for regulating the amount of light from the light source. The deflection detector detects the deflection condition of light deflected by the deflector.

Abstract: Provided is an angular velocity sensor including: a reference vibrator supported so as to generate reciprocating rotational vibration about a first rotation axis as a center; a detection vibrator supported by the reference vibrator so as to generate reciprocating rotational vibration about a second rotation axis, which is different from the first rotation axis, as a center; a reference vibration generating unit for allowing the reference vibrator to generate reciprocating rotational vibration; and a detection unit for detecting a displacement amount of the detection vibrator with respect to the reference vibrator, which is in association with the reciprocating rotational vibration of the detection vibrator.

Abstract: A sensor includes a movably supported movable element and an opposing member, and sensor detects a relative positional relationship between the movable element and the opposing member which are provided with a spacing therebetween. The opposing member has an impurity-doped portion which is provided at either an opposing portion, which is opposed to the movable element, or an adjoining portion, which adjoins the opposing portion. At least a part of the impurity-doped portion is formed on an opposite surface (that is, opposite to a surface that faces the movable element), from which opposite surface an electrical wiring is led out.

Abstract: There is a case in which a generated acoustic wave is decreased owing to the attenuation of light, whereby a desired output is not obtained from an electromechanical transducer device that receives the acoustic wave. The control apparatus for controlling an electromechanical transducer device of the present invention includes: a conversion unit that converts a current output from a first electrode of the electromechanical transducer device to a voltage; a DC voltage applying unit that applies a DC voltage to a second electrode arranged with a gap between itself and the first electrode; and a generation unit that generates a control signal which makes at least one of the DC voltage and a conversion ratio for converting the current to the voltage be changed, on the basis of information about an elapsed time from a point in time at which an inspection object was irradiated with light.

Abstract: Provided is an electromechanical transducer which is capable of correcting or compensating a fluctuation in the transmission/reception characteristics of an elastic wave transmitting/receiving unit due to applied pressure. The electromechanical transducer (102) which transmits/receives elastic waves such as ultrasound includes the elastic wave transmitting/receiving unit (201) for transmitting/receiving elastic waves, a pressure detecting unit (203) for detecting pressure that is applied to the elastic wave transmitting/receiving unit, and a correcting unit (204). Based on pressure information which is detected by the pressure detecting unit, the correcting unit performs at least one of a correction of elastic wave transmitted/received signals relevant to the elastic wave transmitting/receiving unit and a correction of the transmission/reception characteristics of the elastic wave transmitting/receiving unit.

Abstract: An imprint method includes (i) holding a mold by a first holding portion, (ii) holding, by a second holding portion, a member to be processed so that the member to be processed is capable of bending by its own weight, (iii) supporting, by a support portion, a back surface of the member to be processed in a first area so that an amount of the bending is decreased, (iv) pressing a pattern of the mold against a front surface of the member to be processed, which is supported by the support portion in the first area, (v) supporting, by the support portion, the back surface of the member to be processed in a second area different from the first area, so that the amount of the bending is decreased, by changing a relative position between the member to be processed and the support portion, and (vi) pressing the pattern of the mold against the front surface of the member to be processed, which is supported by the support portion in the second area.

Abstract: Provided is a control apparatus and control method for a capacitive electromechanical transducer with small decrease in transmission/reception efficiency, and with sets of transmission/reception characteristics with different frequency ranges. The apparatus has cells each including first and second electrodes facing each other via a gap; includes a driving/detecting unit and an external stress applying unit. The driving/detecting unit performs at least one of causing the second electrode to vibrate and transmit elastic waves by generating an AC electrostatic attractive force between the electrodes, and detecting a change of capacity between the electrodes, the change being caused by the second electrode vibrating upon receipt of elastic waves. The external stress applying unit changes the external stress applied to the second electrode.

Abstract: An imprint apparatus for imprinting a pattern formed on a mold in a resin material formed on a substrate with accuracy is constituted by a light source for irradiating the resin material with light for curing the resin material; a measuring device for measuring a physical value which reflects a state of the resin material resulting from the irradiation of light from the light source; and a controller for controlling a spatial positional relationship between the mold and the substrate or an amount of light from the light source on the basis of information obtained from the measuring device.

Abstract: An electromechanical transducer includes a plurality of elements each including a first electrode and a second electrode with a gap therebetween, a voltage applying unit configured to apply an AC voltage to the first electrode, and a sensitivity variation computing unit configured to compute a sensitivity variation for each of the elements using a signal output from the second electrode of the element due to the application of the AC voltage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electromechanical transducer capable of arbitrarily varying the amount of deflection of a vibrating membrane for every element. The electromechanical transducer includes a plurality of elements including at least one cell that includes a first electrode and a second electrode opposed to the first electrode with a gap sandwiched therebetween and a direct-current voltage applying unit configured to be provided for each element and to separately apply a direct-current voltage to the first electrodes in each element. The first electrodes and the second electrodes are electrically separated for every element.

Abstract: A structure fabricating method plastically deforms a target portion of a substrate, to thereby fabricate a structure having an inclined segment that is inclined relative to a principal surface of the substrate. The method includes forming a projection on the target portion to project from the principal surface of the substrate or from an opposing surface of the substrate on the side opposite to the principal surface, and applying a force to the projection to plastically deform the target portion such that the target portion is bent in a direction from one surface of the substrate on the side where the projection is formed, toward another surface on the side opposite to the one surface.

Abstract: A micro-structure fabrication method fabricates a micro-structure including an inclined part inclined to a principal plane of a substrate by plastically deforming a work piece having the substrate with the principal plane. The structure fabrication method includes the steps of providing in the work piece a projection configured to protrude from a first surface and away from the principal plane of the substrate, and bending the work piece toward a second surface opposite to the first surface. The bending is accomplished by applying a force on a block including an inclined pressure plane that is abutted on the projection for plastically deforming the work piece, in which in bending the work piece, the direction of a first force applied on the work piece intersects with the direction of a second force of the inclined pressure plane pushing the projection.

Abstract: Provided is image display apparatus, in which a surface to be scanned is two-dimensionally scanned with a light beam which is modulated based on image information and emitted from a light source means and an image formed on the surface to be scanned is observed through an optical system, wherein a synchronization light detection device to obtain synchronization signal related to a scanning start position on the surface to be scanned is disposed on the surface to be scanned, on the vicinity thereof, or on a surface optically conjugate therewith, so that a synchronization signal can be detected with high precision and a preferable quality image can be displayed for observation, and image taking apparatus including the image display apparatus.

Abstract: A light transmissive mold used for imprinting a pattern onto a material applied on a semiconductor workpiece. The mold includes a first surface having an area of a pattern to be imprinted onto the material, a second surface located opposite from the first surface, and a third surface disposed between the first surface and the second surface, at a position inwardly away from the first surface. The third surface is arranged opposite to an area of the workpiece subjected to dicing. An alignment structure, provided for alignment between the mold and the workpiece, is formed in the third surface.

Abstract: An apparatus is configured to drive a transduction apparatus including a cell with a first electrode and a second electrode disposed so as to oppose each other via a gap. The apparatus includes a timing detection unit and a control unit. The timing detection unit detects a timing of outputting of an electromagnetic wave from an electromagnetic wave source configured to output the electromagnetic wave to irradiate an object to be measured. The control unit drives and controls the transduction apparatus in synchronization with the detected timing such that the capacitive electromechanical transduction apparatus is put in a receiving state only for a period in which an acoustic wave generated in an inside of the object irradiated with the electromagnetic wave is received.

Abstract: Provided is a transducer in which electrodes in a movable region are less likely to affect the mechanical characteristics of the movable region and in which nonuniform electrical potential distribution of the surface of the electrodes in the movable region is suppressed. The transducer includes first electrodes and second electrodes opposing the first electrodes with gaps interposed between therebetween. The resistance per unit area of the first electrodes differs in a movable region relative to the second electrodes and an unmovable region relative to the second electrodes. The first electrodes in the movable region and the first electrodes in the unmovable region have different thicknesses.

Abstract: A capacitive detection type electro-mechanical transducer comprises; a cell formed by a first electrode arranged on a substrate and a second electrode arranged on a vibration film, and a detection circuit for detecting a displacement of the vibration film, based on a capacity change between the first and second electrodes, wherein a plurality of the cells are classified into a plurality of groups, each one includes at least two cells, and the first electrodes or the second electrodes of the cells of the same one group are commonly connected to the same one detection circuit, and an addition circuit for adding, into single information, signals from the plurality of detection circuits corresponding to the plurality of groups, and for outputting the information, and a capacitive load for each one of the detectors are formulated to be dispersedly arranged.

Abstract: In a method of fabricating a structure by plastically deforming a processing portion provided at a movable segment, a restraint segment configured to restrain movement of the movable segment is provided before an external force is applied to the processing portion. After processing of the processing portion is completed, the restraint segment is removed.

Abstract: A deformable mold includes a first surface at which an imprinting pattern is formed. The imprinting pattern (i) is used to imprint a pattern on a substrate and (ii) has a variable size, which varies based on an amount of deformation of the imprinting pattern. A second surface is located opposite from the first surface in a direction of thickness of the mold. A plurality of heat generating members that generate heat have a permeability to ultraviolet light and are disposed at one of (i) the second surface and (ii) between the first surface and the second surface, and the plurality of heat generating members directly contact the mold in order to control the amount of deformation of the imprinting pattern to vary the size of the imprinting pattern. A controller independently controls the plurality of heat generating members and the controller controls at least one of the heat generating members so as to effect anisotropic size correction of the mold in an in-plane direction of the mold.

Abstract: A pattern forming method for forming an imprinted pattern on a coating material disposed on a substrate with a pattern provided to a mold. The method includes preparing a mold provided with a first surface including a pattern area, a second surface located opposite from the first surface, and an alignment mark provided at a position at which the alignment mark is away from the first surface, contacting the pattern area of the mold with the coating material disposed on the substrate, obtaining information about positions of the mold and the substrate by using the alignment mark and a mark provided to the substrate in a state in which the coating material is disposed on the substrate at a portion where the alignment mark and the substrate are opposite to each other, and effecting alignment of the substrate with the mold in an in-plane direction of the pattern area, on the basis of the information in a state in which the pattern area and the coating material contact each other.