Abstract: An optical element manufacturing method includes: disposing a light-shielding layer (14) that includes at least an Si layer as an uppermost layer, on a substrate (12) used as a base member, forming an optical aperture (14a) at the light-shielding layer (14) and forming a fine recession/projection structure (MR) at a surface of the uppermost layer through dry etching.

Abstract: An optical element manufacturing method includes: disposing a light-shielding layer (14) that includes at least an Si layer as an uppermost layer, on a substrate (12) used as a base member, forming an optical aperture (14a) at the light-shielding layer (14) and forming a fine recession/projection structure (MR) at a surface of the uppermost layer through dry etching.

Abstract: Optically readable radiation-displacement conversion devices and image-rendering apparatus that incorporate same are disclosed. Also disclosed are related methods for detecting images and rendering images using such devices and apparatus. Such devices, apparatus and methods allow improved accuracy and sensitivity of radiation detection without having to use a cooler. A representative conversion device includes a substrate and a suspended portion attached to the substrate via a leg portion. The conversion device includes a radiation-absorbing film that receives and absorbs and incident invisible radiation (e.g., UV, IR, or X-rays) and generates heat from the absorbed radiation. The suspended portion includes a displaceable member that exhibits a displacement with respect to the substrate. The displacement also imparts a change to an incident readout light flux in accordance with the magnitude of the displacement. The change to the readout light is detected and used to form an image.

Abstract: Provided is a microscope objective including a plurality of meniscus lenses disposed along a predetermined optical axis; a plurality of first doublets aligned along the optical axis and disposed behind the plurality of meniscus lenses; and a plurality of second doublets aligned along the optical axis and disposed behind the plurality of first doublets, wherein a distance between a rearmost one of the first doublets and a front one of the second doublets is larger than a distance between any two adjacent ones of the first doublets and a distance between any two adjacent ones of the second doublets.

Abstract: This invention has as its object to eliminate flare light as a cause of low contrast. A microscope objective lens has, in the following order from the object side, a front group having positive refracting power to convert a beam from an object into a convergent beam, and having a positive meniscus lens element with a concave surface facing the object side, and a cemented lens component disposed at the image side of the positive meniscus lens, and a rear group having negative refracting power, constituted by cementing a negative lens element and a positive lens element, and disposed at the image side of the front group. A last cemented lens component, disposed nearest to the image side, of the cemented lens component in the front group satisfies:.vertline.R.sub.1 .vertline./f>100 (1).vertline.R.sub.2 .vertline./f>20 (2)where R.sub.1 is the radius of curvature of a lens surface on the object side of the last cemented lens component, R.sub.