Abstract: A light source unit includes a cylindrical transparent substrate capable of being controlled to rotate; plural segment regions provided at a cylinder portion of a side surface of the cylindrical transparent substrate; layers of different phosphors arranged on at least two of the plural segment regions, the different phosphors being configured to emit light of prescribed wavelength bands upon receiving excitation light; and an excitation light source provided inside or outside of the transparent substrate, the excitation light source being configured to apply the excitation light to the phosphors.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus has a plurality of fine particles forming an array on a plane in close proximity of each other, each of the plural particles including a ferromagnetic metal, a light-emitting device for exciting a near-field light, and a photo-electric conversion element for detecting a near-field light traveled along the fine particles. Summary information may be recorded for plural information recording parts.

Abstract: A disclosed optical recording medium includes multiple recording layer units in each of which one or more recording layers and one or more middle layers are stacked alternately; and one or more spacer layers. In the disclosed optical recording medium, the recording layer units and the spacer layers are stacked alternately in a depth direction of the optical recording medium.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus comprises a plurality of fine particles forming an array on a plane in close proximity of each other, each of the plural particles including a ferromagnetic metal, a light-emitting device for exciting a near-field light, and a photo-electric conversion element for detecting a near-field light traveled along the fine particles.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus comprises a plurality of fine particles forming an array on a plane in close proximity of each other, each of the plural particles including a ferromagnetic metal, a light-emitting device for exciting a near-field light, and a photo-electric conversion element for detecting a near-field light traveled along the fine particles.

Abstract: A disclosed optical recording medium includes multiple recording layer units in each of which one or more recording layers and one or more middle layers are stacked alternately; and one or more spacer layers. In the disclosed optical recording medium, the recording layer units and the spacer layers are stacked alternately in a depth direction of the optical recording medium.

Abstract: To provide a dye material containing fine particles and a multiphoton absorbent material, wherein the fine particles are fine metal particles that generate enhanced surface plasmon field or fine particles partially coated with a metal that generates enhanced surface plasmon field. Also provided is a multiphoton absorbent material which can obtain the irradiation effect more intense than the irradiation light using the dye material.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus comprises a plurality of fine particles forming an array on a plane in close proximity of each other, each of the plural particles including a ferromagnetic metal, a light-emitting device for exciting a near-field light, and a photo-electric conversion element for detecting a near-field light traveled along the fine particles.

Abstract: An optical frequency comb generator includes an oscillator (117) for oscillating modulating signals of a preset frequency, and an optical resonator (110) formed by an incident side reflecting mirror (112) and an outgoing side reflecting mirror (113), arranged parallel to each other. The optical resonator causes resonation in light incident via the incident side reflecting mirror (112). The optical frequency comb generator also includes an optical phase modulation unit (111) arranged between the incident side reflecting mirror (112) and the outgoing side reflecting mirror (113) for phase modulating the light, resonated by the optical resonator (110), by the modulating signals supplied from the oscillator (117), and for generating a plurality of sidebands centered about the frequency of the incident light at a frequency interval of the modulating signal. The outgoing side reflecting mirror (113) sets the transmittance from one frequency to another responsive to the light intensity of the generated sidebands.

Abstract: An optical frequency comb generator includes an oscillator (117) for oscillating modulating signals of a preset frequency, and an optical resonator (110) formed by an incident side reflecting mirror (112) and an outgoing side reflecting mirror (113), arranged parallel to each other. The optical resonator causes resonation in light incident via the incident side reflecting mirror (112). The optical frequency comb generator also includes an optical phase modulation unit (111) arranged between the incident side reflecting mirror (112) and the outgoing side reflecting mirror (113) for phase modulating the light, resonated by the optical resonator (110), by the modulating signals supplied from the oscillator (117), and for generating a plurality of sidebands centered about the frequency of the incident light at a frequency interval of the modulating signal. The outgoing side reflecting mirror (113) sets the transmittance from one frequency to another responsive to the light intensity of the generated sidebands.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a first focusing element on which rays from an object are incident, a second focusing element from which the rays are emitted toward an imaging surface, and a roof mirror having surfaces which are connected to each other at an angle of 90.degree. so that a ridge line is formed, the roof mirror being arranged so that the ridge line intersects optical axes of the first focusing element and the second focusing element at a position on a plane including the optical axes.

Abstract: A wavelength conversion element includes a substrate made of LiTaO.sub.3 of non-linear medium, a three-dimensional waveguide formed in the substrate and a second harmonic generation portion for defining a change in refractive index in the waveguide with a period .LAMBDA. and generating a second harmonic of a fundamental wave introduced into the wave guide, where .LAMBDA.=2 m.pi./{.beta.(2.omega.)-2.beta.(.omega.)}, m is a natural number, .omega. is a frequency of fundamental harmonic, .beta.(.omega.) is a propagation constant of the fundamental wave, and .beta.(2.omega.) is a propagation constant of second harmonic.

Abstract: A focal point position detector has a light source for emitting light; an optical system for converging light from the light source to an optical recording medium; a coupler for coupling light from the optical recording medium thereto; a waveguide concave mirror for converging light from the coupler; a waveguide convex mirror for slightly reducing a converging degree of light from the waveguide concave mirror; and photodetectors for receiving light from the waveguide convex mirror, The coupler, the waveguide concave and convex mirrors and the photodetectors are integrally formed on a substrate, An apparatus for recording and reproducing optical information has a light source; an optical system for converging light emitted from the light source; an optical waveguide; a coupler for coupling the converged light to the optical waveguide; two waveguide mirrors arranged such that reflected light from the coupler is continuously reflected on the waveguide mirrors; and a photodetector for detecting the light reflecte

Abstract: A wavelength conversion element includes a substrate made of LiTaO.sub.3 of non-linear medium, a three-dimensional waveguide formed in the substrate and a second harmonic generation portion for defining a change in refractive index in the waveguide with a period .LAMBDA. and generating a second harmonic of a fundamental wave introduced into the wave guide, where .LAMBDA.=2m.pi./{.beta.(2.omega.)-2.beta.(.omega.)}, m is a natural number, .omega. is a frequency of fundamental harmonic, .beta.(.omega.) is a propagation constant of the fundamental wave, and .beta.(2.omega.) is a propagation constant of second harmonic.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording and reproducing optical information includes an optical integration detecting element arranged on an optical path of light from a laser beam source to an optical information recording medium.

Abstract: A magneto-optical signal detection device comprising a thin film type optical waveguide unit having a substrate on which a waveguide is formed. The unit has a coupling portion for coupling two polarization components simultaneously in a same plane of the waveguide as a TE mode and a TM mode. The modes TE and TM are included in reflection light reflected from a magneto-optical recording medium and perpendicular to each other. The unit also has a TE-TM mode separating portion having a taper boundary. A waveguide layer is gradually thinned in the taper boundary toward an outer end thereof.

Abstract: An optical head for detecting defocuses of a target comprises a waveguide element having a substrate and an optical waveguide layer formed thereon. An optical coupler and one or more pairs of photodetectors are integrated with the waveguide layer. Light reflected back from the target is coupled with the waveguide layer through the coupler and then waveguided toward the photodetectors while being collected. Each of the photodetectors can detect the waveguided light so that a focus error signal can be obtained from the difference of the outputs of the photodetectors. The photodetectors of each pair are spaced from each other in a propagation direction of the waveguide layer so that one of the photodetectors can block off a fraction of the waveguided light from the other photodetector when the target surface is in focus.

Abstract: A high efficiency prism coupling device that comprises a substrate, an optical waveguide layer disposed on the substrate, a gap adjuster layer disposed on the waveguide layer and a prism secured to the gap adjuster layer through a dielectric adhesive agent. The gap adjuster layer has a refractive index which is lower than that of the waveguide layer. The gap adjuster layer has a recess formed therein for guiding an incident beam to the waveguide layer through a bottom portion thereof. The adhesive agent is disposed in and around the recess and has a refractive index which is higher than that of the waveguide layer. The prism is made from a dielectric material and disposed above the recess of the gap adjuster layer through the adhesive agent. The prism has a refractive index which is higher than that of the waveguide layer. The incident beam is introduced from outside through the prism, the adhesive agent and the bottom portion of the recess to the waveguide layer.

Abstract: A waveguide type optical detection apparatus which is provided on an optical integrated circuit that has a waveguide for transmitting a light from point to point through the waveguide, one or more sets of two adjacent photodetectors provided on the waveguide, and one or more light-insensitive areas existing between the two adjacent photodetectors of each set. The waveguide type optical detection apparatus includes a waveguide focusing part and one or more reflection parts, the waveguide focusing part being provided on the waveguide for allowing a light beam passing through the waveguide to be focused on each of the two adjacent photodetectors of each set, and the reflection parts provided adjacent to each of the light-insensitive areas for reflecting each of light beams sent from the waveguide focusing means forward each of the two adjacent photodetectors of each set so that the light beams are received by the photodetectors.

Abstract: An optical information record/read apparatus comprises a light source for emitting light, a converging optical system for converging the emitted light from the light source on the optical record medium so that the converged light is reflected by the optical record medium, and an optical waveguide element having a waveguide layer. A light coupling system is provided for coupling the reflected light from the optical record medium with the waveguide layer so that the light coupled with the waveguide layer is then propagated, as a guided light, within the waveguide layer. At least a part of the light coupling system is integrally formed with the optical waveguide element. A light detecting system for detecting the guided light propagated within the waveguide layer is integrally formed with the optical waveguide element.