Abstract: An optical path deflecting element, an optical path deflecting apparatus, an image displaying apparatus, an optical writing apparatus, an optical interconnection apparatus, an optical element, and a fabrication method thereof. The optical path deflecting element includes a pair of transparent substrates, transparent electrode films on the substrates to which a voltage having an inverse polarity is selectively applied, an alignment layer in the inner sides of the substrates, and a liquid crystal layer formed of a chiral smectic C phase between the substrates via the alignment layer and homogeneously aligned by the alignment layer. The optical deflecting element can realize the uniformly-aligned liquid crystal layer more easily than a case in which the liquid crystal is aligned to become in a bistable condition. For this reason, it is possible to improve yield in the fabrication.

Abstract: In a method for displaying a three-dimensional stereo image, a left-eye image defined by multiple left-eye strip pixels and a right-eye image defined by multiple right-eye strip pixels are displayed such that the left-eye pixels and the right-eye pixels are arranged alternately from the left to the right in a width direction. The left-eye image and the right-eye image are guided separately to the left eye and the right eye of an observer. Then, the left-eye image and the right-eye image are shifted by one pixel in an oscillating manner, and the left-eye image and the right-eye image are deflected synchronized with the one-pixel shifting operation.

Abstract: An imaging unit images light on a light receiving element, and includes an optical path shifting element, and a lens arranged on an input side or an output side of the optical path shifting element. The optical path shifting element includes a liquid crystal layer which is applied with an electrical field in a direction approximately parallel to an in-plane direction. The liquid crystal layer is made of a chiral smectic C phase ferroelectric liquid crystal having a homeotropic alignment. The optical path shifting element shifts an optical path of the light input thereto in an optical path shifting direction.

Abstract: An optical deflection device includes an optical deflection element having a pair of transparent boards arranged in a mutually opposing manner. A liquid crystal layer is filled between the boards and forms a chiral smectic C phase. An orientation film orients liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer in a substantially perpendicular direction with respect to the liquid crystal layer. Electrodes generate an electric field in a substantially parallel direction with respect to the liquid crystal layer. A first voltage application part applies, to the electrodes, an ac voltage of a deflection frequency switching the optical deflection direction of the optical deflection element. A second voltage application part applies, to the electrodes, an ac voltage of a higher frequency than the deflection frequency.

Abstract: An optical path deflecting element easily can realize a uniform alignment condition although liquid crystal of a large cone angle is used therein. In the optical path deflecting element, a slope region is formed between two transparent substrates arranged to have a slope angle &thgr;. A liquid crystal layer of a chiral smectic C phase is provided in the slope region. The liquid crystal is aligned in a single-stable condition where a stable condition direction and an unstable condition direction coexist. Here, the stable condition direction is the major axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules aligned in a rubbing direction, and the unstable condition is the major axis direction at time when a voltage is applied between transparent electrode films. In such a single-stable liquid crystal layer, the liquid crystal can be uniformly aligned more easily than in a case where the liquid crystal is aligned in a bistable condition.

Abstract: A light deflection element has a pair of transparent substrates 2, 3; a chiral smectic C phase liquid crystal 5 with a homeotropic alignment filled between the pair of transparent substrates 2, 3; and at least an electric field applying device 6 for activating an electric field in the liquid crystal 5. Because a chiral smectic C phase liquid crystal is used, the problems of the conventional light deflection element, such as high cost, light loss, large size, and optical noise etc. due to its complicated structure, can be greatly improved. The conventional low response time due to the smectic A phase or the nematic liquid crystal is improved, thereby the high-speed response is possible.

Abstract: A light deflection element has a pair of transparent substrates 2, 3; a chiral smectic C phase liquid crystal 5 with a homeotropic alignment filled between the pair of transparent substrates 2, 3; and at least an electric field applying device 6 for activating an electric field in the liquid crystal 5. Because a chiral smectic C phase liquid crystal is used, the problems of the conventional light deflection element, such as high cost, light loss, large size, and optical noise etc. due to its complicated structure, can be greatly improved. The conventional low response time due to the smectic A phase or the nematic liquid crystal is improved, thereby the high-speed response is possible.

Abstract: In a regenerating method and apparatus of a recorded material in which at least a portion of the recorded material in the vicinity of a surface thereof on an image forming side is wet and expands with a liquid, the wet and expanding liquid (also called an image removing accelerating liquid in the following description) is provided to the recorded material so that the portion of the recorded material in the vicinity of the surface thereof is wet and expands with this liquid. A separating member comes in contact with an image forming substance having a film shape and a thermoplastic or thermally melted property and formed in the vicinity of the surface of the recorded material in a state in which joining force between the image forming substance and the recorded material is reduced. An image in the vicinity of the surface of the recorded material is transferred onto the separating member so that the image forming substance on the recorded material is removed therefrom.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium includes a recording layer which is composed of A memory layer comprising a ferromagnetic layer with perpendicular anisotropy, and an auxiliary layer comprising antiferromagnetic layer which exhibits an antimagnetic phase at room temperature, and a ferromagnetic phase at temperatures near the Curie temperature of the memory layer which is higher than room temperature, because of the occurrence of magnetic phase transformation, with the memory layer and the auxiliary layer being overlaid. A magneto-optical recording method using this magneto-optical recording medium is described.

Abstract: A method of recycling an image-deposited recording material having a surface portion which swells in contact with water and bears thereon deposited images containing an image-constituting material, include the steps of: (a) applying a water-containing image removal promoting liquid to the image-deposited surface portion of the recording material, (b) bringing an image release member into contact with the image-deposited surface portion of the recording material to transfer the images to the image release member to remove the images from the image-deposited recording material, and (c) applying heat to the image-deposited recording material at least after the step (a), with substantially retaining the water component of the image removal promoting liquid in the image-deposited surface portion.

Abstract: A device for removing a film-like image forming substance from a recording medium for thereby regenerating the medium. A supply section supplies to the medium a water-containing removal accelerating liquid which causes a swelling layer of the medium to swell more than the substance provided on the medium. A separating section presses, after the liquid has been supplied to the medium, a separating member against the medium with or without heating to thereby transfer the substance from the medium to the separating member and thereby regenerates the medium. A cleaning section removes impurities deposited on the separating member.

Abstract: In a device for recycling a recording medium by removing a film-like image forming substance from the medium, a separating member contacts one side of the medium carrying the substance. The separating member is durable because its surface contacting the medium is provided with a measure against deterioration. Anticorrosion means reduces the deterioration rate of the separating member.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording method for recording information in an overwrite mode in a magneto-optical recording medium by the application of a laser beam is disclosed. The magneto-optical recording medium includes a substrate, and at least two magnetic recording layers overlaid thereon, with an exchange force working at least between the two magnetic recording layers, and the Curie temperature of each of the two magnetic recording layers being substantially the same.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording method is capable of carrying out overwriting on a magneto-optical recording medium including a single perpendicular magnetic layer serving as a recording layer, by applying laser beams thereto, thereby controlling the formation and erasure of magnetic domains, in which a magnetic domain with a desired length can be formed or erased by the application of a plurality of laser beams during the formation and erasure of the magnetic domains.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording method capable of overwriting on a magneto-optical recording medium is disclosed. The magneto-optical recording medium includes a recording layer comprising a single magnetic layer with magnetic anisotropy and the magneto-optical recording methods includes the step of applying a laser beam with a light power level P.sub.1 to the recording layer when a binary coded signal "1" is written therein under a fixed external magnetic field; and the steps of applying a laser beam with a light power level Poh to the recording layer and successively applying a laser beam with a light power level Pol to said recording layer when a binary coded signal "0" is written therein under a fixed external magnetic field, wherein Pol, P.sub.1 and Poh are in the relationship of O<Pol<P.sub.1 <Poh.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium is composed of a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer, which are overlaid, each having a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, and the first magnetic layer having a Curie temperature of Tc.sub.1, a saturation magnetization of Ms.sub.1, a coercive force of Hc.sub.1, and a thickness of t.sub.1, the second magnetic layer having a compensation temperature of Tcomp.sub.2, a Curie temperature Tc.sub.2, and a coercive force of Hc.sub.2, and which satisfies the relationships:Troom<Tc.sub.1 <Tcomp.sub.2 <Tc.sub.2Hc.sub.1 >Hc.sub.2Hc.sub.1 >.sigma.w/2Ms.sub.1 t.sub.1wherein Troom is room temperature, and .sigma.w is the interface wall energy between the first magnetic wall and the second magnetic wall, and a magneto-optical recording method using this magneto-optical recording medium is provided, in which the application of a magnetic field for initialization of the magneto-optical recording medium is not required.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording method for recording information in an overwrite mode in a magneto-optical recording medium by the application of a laser beam is disclosed. The magneto-optical recording medium includes a substrate, and at least two magnetic recording layers overlaid thereon, with an exchange force working at least between the two magnetic recording layers, and the Curie temperature of each of the two magnetic recording layers being substantially the same.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording method capable of overwriting on a magneto-optical recording medium is disclosed. The magneto-optical recording medium includes a recording layer comprising a single magnetic layer with magnetic anisotropy and the magneto-optical recording methods includes the step of applying a laser beam with a light power level P.sub.1 to the recording layer when a binary coded signal "1" is written therein under a fixed external magnetic field; and the steps of applying a laser beam with a light power level Poh to the recording layer and successively applying a laser beam with a light power level Pol to said recording layer when a binary coded signal "0" is written therein under a fixed external magnetic field, wherein Pol, P.sub.1 and Poh are in the relationship of 0<Pol<P.sub.1 <Poh.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording method is disclosed, by which a magnetic recording pattern is formed in an overwriting mode, utilizing demagnetizing field, by directing a light beam onto a perpendicularly magnetized film layer of a magneto-optical recording medium, wherein when recording is being carried out by the application of a light beam onto the perpendicularly magnetized film layer, on switching the direction of magnetization for recording from downward to upward or from upward to downward, when required, with respect to the surface of the magnetized film layer, a light beam application mode for a light-beam applied portion in the magnetized film layer to which the light beam has been applied, and a light beam application mode in a portion in the magnetized film layer immediately after the light-beam applied portion to which the light beam is yet to be applied, are changed.

Abstract: A three-dimensional magnetic memory medium which comprises a substrate, a plurality of magnetic layers and a plurality of nonmagnetic layers. The magnetic layers and the nonmagnetic layers are alternately stacked one above the other on the substrate. Each magnetic layer comprises a transfer area, wherein assuming that n is a positive even whole number, the (n-1)th magnetic layer (the 3rd layer, the 5th layer, the 7th layer, . . .) has a transfer pattern different from that of the nth magnetic layer (the 2nd layer, the 4th layer, the 6th layer, . . .). An uppermost magnetic layer is used as a signal writing area and as a signal reading area. A position corresponding to a signal "1" and a position corresponding to a signal "0" are arranged in the signal writing area at a position superposed on a position of "1" and on a position of "0" in a transfer pattern of the (n-1)th magnetic layer, respectively.