Abstract: A hologram recording/reproducing apparatus includes: a coherent light source; a spatial light modulator which spatially modulates light from the coherent light source; a Fourier transform lens which concentrates light modulated by the spatial light modulator upon a hologram medium; and a two-dimensional light-receiving element array which receives light from the hologram medium. The spatial light modulator is divided into a reference light area and a signal light area, and the divergence angle of reference light emitted from the reference light area is wider than the divergence angle of signal light emitted from the signal light area.

Abstract: It is aimed to make optical characteristics of a photon mode optical information recording medium difficult to easily degrade with a simple construction. A disc cartridge accommodating a photon mode optical information recording medium is provided with a disc case having an opening section, and a shutter movably disposed between a closing position to close the opening section and an opening position to open the opening section. The disc case includes a light path bending portion for bending a clearance between the shutter at the closing position and the disc case at least at two points. Stray lights propagating in the clearance between the disc case and shutter is bent at least at two points.

Abstract: A two-dimensional image formation device of the present invention is provided with a spatial light modulation element (7) for modulating light having a linear polarization and emitted from a laser light source (1), and a depolarization means (21) for depolarizing the modulated light before it is incident on an image display surface. The light having a linear polarization is used before and after incidence of irradiated light to the spatial light modulation element (7), and the linear polarization of the irradiated light is depolarized after the modulation, whereby randomly polarized light is projected on a screen (11). Thereby, speckle noise is significantly reduced, and a high-definition image can be formed.

Abstract: A holographic optical information recording/reproducing device is provided with a laser light source 1 and a polarizing beam splitter 8 for splitting a light from the laser light source 1. At the time of recording information, one of light beams split by the polarizing beam splitter 8 is modulated by a spatial light modulating element 2 to form a beam array, which becomes a signal light 25, whereas the other split light beam becomes a reference light 22. Interference fringes generated by the signal light 25 and the reference light 22 are recorded as holograms in a holographic disc 5. At the time of reproducing the information, only the reference light 22 is irradiated to the holographic disc 5 and its diffracted light is detected.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to prevent lowering of a dynamic range of a hologram recording medium without lowering an average data transfer rate, and to provide stabilized recording sensitivity. A scheduler determines a recording interval time from the point of time when light is irradiated to record a certain hologram of holograms to be multiplex-recorded to the point of time when light is irradiated to record a succeeding hologram in such a manner that at least parts of the holograms are recorded one over the other in a certain recording area. A recording interval time controller controls a light source to irradiate the light depending on the recording interval time determined by the scheduler.

Abstract: The present invention provides a two-dimensional image forming apparatus which also functions as an illumination apparatus at a low cost, and enlarges the utilization range f a two-dimensional image forming apparatus to a great extent. In a two-dimensional image forming apparatus (10) which includes a light source (1), two-dimensional image forming parts (5a) to (5c), and an enlarging and projection part (6), a rotation mechanism (11) for rotating the light source so that the light emission direction is changed is provided, and the light emitted from the light source is taken out as an illumination light by changing the light emission direction of the light source.

Abstract: An optical element is provided that includes a base substrate, a waveguide substrate, and a thin film layer that is provided between the base substrate and the waveguide substrate and that has a single-layer structure of a multilayer structure including a film containing Ta2O5 or Nb2O5 as a principal component.

Abstract: An electric switch includes a ferroelectric substrate to which metal is added, a pair of electrodes provided on the ferroelectric substrate, and an electric field applying portion for changing the direction of polarization in part of the ferroelectric substrate.

Abstract: An optical element is provided that includes a base substrate, a waveguide substrate, and a thin film layer that is provided between the base substrate and the waveguide substrate and that has a single-layer structure of a multilayer structure including a film containing Ta2O5 or Nb2O5 as a principal component.

Abstract: There is provided a stable optical element having a fine, uniform, and wide-ranging domain inversion structure in a ferroelectric crystal. This includes a plurality of domain inversions (101) formed on an MgO:LiNbO3 substrate (100), and a groove (102) formed on the substrate surface between the domain inversions (101). The depth T? of substantially all of the domain inversions (101) satisfies the relation T?<T with respect to the substrate thickness T.

Abstract: A laser light source (10) of the present invention is provided with plural semiconductor lasers (1), and a waveguide (3) in which light beams emitted from the respective semiconductor lasers (1) propagate, and the plural semiconductor lasers are disposed at an upper end of an incident end face (31) of the waveguide so that the light beams (4) emitted from the respective semiconductor lasers enter the waveguide from the end face (31) of the waveguide and are emitted from another end face (32) of the waveguide. Thereby, it is possible to realize a high-power and compact laser light source which is able to output a light beam having a uniform light intensity distribution.

Abstract: An optical element (10) according to the present invention is provided with a plurality of waveguides (11)˜(13) and a plurality of light path coupling parts (21), (22) coupling adjacent waveguides so as to optically couple said plural waveguides serially, wherein the paths for transmitting lights through the plural waveguides are curved at the optical path coupling parts, thereby the optical elements which is converted the incident laser light into the emitted light having uniform cross-sectional light intensity distribution can give a compact structure, further a laser light source that employs the optical element, and a two-dimensional image forming apparatus that employs the laser light source can also give a compact structure.

Abstract: A method for forming a domain-inverted structure includes the following: using a ferroelectric substrate (1) having a principal surface substantially perpendicular to the Z axis of crystals; providing a first electrode (3) on the principal surface of the ferroelectric substrate, the first electrode having a pattern of a plurality of electrode fingers (5) that are arranged periodically; providing a counter electrode (6) on the other side of the ferroelectric substrate so as to be opposite from the first electrode; and applying an electric field to the ferroelectric substrate with the first electrode and the counter electrode, thereby forming domain-inverted regions corresponding to the pattern of the first electrode in the ferroelectric substrate. Each of the electrode fingers of the first electrode is located so that a direction from a base to a tip (5a) of the electrode finger is aligned with the Y-axis direction of the crystals of the ferroelectric substrate.

Abstract: An electric switch includes a ferroelectric substrate to which metal is added, a pair of electrodes provided on the ferroelectric substrate, and an electric field applying portion for changing the direction of polarization in part of the ferroelectric substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for laminating substrates, including the steps of locating a surface of a first substrate and a surface of a second substrate at positions close to each other or partially bringing them in contact with each other; supplying a volatile liquid between the surface of said first substrate and the surface of said second substrate; and evaporating said volatile liquid so as to laminate the substrates with each other.

Abstract: A method for forming a domain-inverted structure includes the following: using a ferroelectric substrate (1) having a principal surface substantially perpendicular to the Z axis of crystals; providing a first electrode (3) on the principal surface of the ferroelectric substrate, the first electrode having a pattern of a plurality of electrode fingers (5) that are arranged periodically; providing a counter electrode (6) on the other side of the ferroelectric substrate so as to be opposite from the first electrode; and applying an electric field to the ferroelectric substrate with the first electrode and the counter electrode, thereby forming domain-inverted regions corresponding to the pattern of the first electrode in the ferroelectric substrate. Each of the electrode fingers of the first electrode is located so that a direction from a base to a tip (5a) of the electrode finger is aligned with the Y-axis direction of the crystals of the ferroelectric substrate.

Abstract: An optical element is provided that includes a base substrate, a waveguide substrate, and a thin film layer that is provided between the base substrate and the waveguide substrate and that has a single-layer structure of a multilayer structure including a film containing Ta2O5 or Nb2O5 as a principal component.