Abstract: A solid-state laser crystal constituting a laser-diode-excited solid-state laser apparatus or an optical fiber constituting a fiber laser apparatus or fiber laser amplifier is doped with one of Ho3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Dy3+, Er3+, and Tb3+ so that a laser beam is emitted from the solid-state laser crystal or the optical fiber, or incident light of the fiber laser amplifier is amplified, by one of the transitions from 5S2 to 5I7, from 5S2 to 5I8, from 4G5/2 to 6H5/2, from 4G5/2 to 6H7/2, from 4F3/2 to 6H11/2, from 5D0 to 7F2, from 4F9/2 to 6H13/2, from 4F9/2 to 6H11/2, from 4S3/2 to 4I15/2, from 2H9/2 to 4I13/2, and from 5D4 to 7F5. The above solid-state laser crystal or optical fiber is excited with a GaN-based compound laser diode.

Abstract: A solid-state laser crystal constituting a laser-diode-excited solid-state laser apparatus or an optical fiber constituting a fiber laser apparatus or fiber laser amplifier is doped with one of Ho3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Dy3+, Er3+, and Tb3+ so that a laser beam is emitted from the solid-state laser crystal or the optical fiber, or incident light of the fiber laser amplifier is amplified, by one of the transitions from 5S2 to 5I7, from 5S2 to 5I8, from 4G5/2 to 6H5/2, from 4G5/2 to 6H7/2, from 4F3/2 to 6H11/2, from 5D0 to 7F2, from 4F9/2 to 6H13/2, from 4F9/2 to 6H11/2, from 4S3/2 to 4I15/2, from 2H9/2 to 4I13/2, and from 5D4 to 7F5. The above solid-state laser crystal or optical fiber is excited with a GaN-based compound laser diode.

Abstract: A direct drive washing machine is disclosed which is capable of performing a washing operation by efficiently converting electric energy supplied into an electric motor (10) into mechanical energy or with less vibration and noise. When a washing operation is carried out with efficient energy conversion, an acceleration time and a deceleration time of an agitator (8) rotated by the motor (10) are controlled on the basis of a measured value of a vibration sensor (25) or a measured value of clothes weight so that vibration of a water-receiving tub (4) becomes maximum. On the other hand, when a quiet washing operation with less vibration is carried out, the acceleration time and the deceleration time of an agitator (8) rotated by the motor (10) are controlled on the basis of the measured value of the vibration sensor (25) or the measured value of clothes weight so that vibration of the water-receiving tub (4) becomes minimum.

Abstract: An optical tweezer device for capturing minute bodies on a stage in accordance with very fine patterns. A fiber array light source of the device is equipped with a laser module which is structured with a high-luminance, high-power multiplex laser light source. High-intensity laser light which is emitted from this fiber array light source is modulated by a DMD and focused by a microlens array. The focused light enters corresponding optical fiber cores which are arranged in a matrix form at an array head, and is guided in the fibers. The light focused by the microlens array is caused to enter the fiber cores corresponding to the microlenses with high efficiency. The optical fibers are two-dimensionally arrayed to correspond with pixel portions of the DMD. High-intensity laser light is emitted from the array head in accordance with an on-off pattern of the DMD.

Abstract: In a laser light multiplexing apparatus: a collimating optical system collimates light beams emitted from semiconductor lasers so that the slow axes of the light beams become coplanar, and optical axes of the light beams become parallel to each other; a light beam rearrangement optical system constituted by prisms respectively arranged in correspondence with the light beams rearranges the light beams in such a manner that directions of the fast axes of the light beams are changed at different locations along a direction in which the light beams propagate, and the fast axes of the light beams become coplanar; and a convergence optical system converges a bundle of the light beams rearranged by the light beam rearrangement optical system, in directions of the fast axes and the slow axes of the light beams, and makes the converged bundle of the light beams enter an optical fiber.

Abstract: A condensing lens is integrally formed with collimator-lens portions which respectively collimate light beams and a condensing lens portion which makes the collimated light beams converge at a common point. In addition, an optically-multiplexed-laser-light source is constituted by semiconductor lasers, a multimode optical fiber, and the above condensing lens, where the collimator-lens portions in the condensing lens are respectively arranged in correspondence with the semiconductor lasers, and the condensing lens portion couples the light beams collimated by the collimator-lens portions, to the multimode optical fiber.

Abstract: A combined-laser-light source includes: a plurality of semiconductor lasers; an optical fiber; and an optical system which converges a bundle of laser beams emitted from the plurality of semiconductor lasers, and makes the converged bundle of the laser beams enter the core of the optical fiber so that the laser beams are combined in the optical fiber when the laser beams pass through the optical fiber. The optical system is aligned with the optical fiber so that the converged bundle of the laser beams is incident on an area of an end face of the core when steady temperature control is performed on the combined-laser-light source, where the area is concentric with the end face of the core, and has a diameter equal to or smaller than half of the diameter of the core.

Abstract: The invention provides an exposure device that can conduct digital exposure with high precision and with a high light-use efficiency using evanescent light. Light that is modulated by a DMD and condensed by a microlens array is incident at corresponding optical fiber cores arranged in a matrix in an evanescent array head, and is guided through the insides of the optical fibers. Because the light condensed by the microlens array is incident at the optical fiber cores corresponding to the microlenses, the light can be efficiently incident. Evanescent light leaks out from micro-openings formed in emission-side end portions of the optical fibers, and a photosensitive material is exposed by this evanescent light.

Abstract: In a laser module, a laser beam which is emitted from a laser element is focused by a condensing optical system and caused to enter an incidence end of an optical fiber. A laser device is provided with a plurality of these laser modules. Emission end portions of the optical fibers are bundled to form a laser emission portion.

Abstract: Laser beams are synthesized by offsetting in different positions in the direction of the fast axis beam bundles radiated from semiconductor lasers, converging the optical axes of the beam bundles in the fast axis view, and introducing the beam bundles into an optical fiber after converging them in the directions of the fast and slow axes. A convergent angle transforming optical system is disposed further upstream of the upstream-most position in the positions where the optical axes of the beam bundles converged in the fast axis view intersect in the fast axis view. The whole beam bundle formed of the beam bundles converged in the fast axis view is passed through the convergent angle transforming optical system so that the angle of convergence of the whole beam bundle or part of the beam bundles is made smaller in the fast axis view, and introduced into the optical fiber.

Abstract: A laser apparatus includes a semiconductor laser element having a first active layer made of a GaN-based compound, and emitting first laser light; and a surface-emitting semiconductor element having a second active layer made of a GaN-based compound, being excited with the first laser light, and emitting second laser light. In addition, the surface-emitting semiconductor element may have a first mirror arranged on one side of the second active layer, and a second mirror may be arranged outside the surface-emitting semiconductor element so that the first and second mirrors form a resonator.

Abstract: A solid-state laser crystal constituting a laser-diode-excited solid-state laser apparatus or an optical fiber constituting a fiber laser apparatus or fiber laser amplifier is doped with one of Ho3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Dy3+, Er3+, and Tb3+ so that a laser beam is emitted from the solid-state laser crystal or the optical fiber, or incident light of the fiber laser amplifier is amplified, by one of the transitions from 5S2 to 5I7, from 5S2 to 5I8, from 4G5/2 to 6H5/2, from 4G5/2 to 6H7/2, from 4F3/2 to 6H11/2, from 5D0 to 7F2, from 4F9/2 to 6H13/2, from 4F9/2 to 6H11/2, from 4S3/2 to 4I15/2, from 2H9/2 to 4I13/2, and from 5D4 to 7F5. The above solid-state laser crystal or optical fiber is excited with a GaN-based compound laser diode.

Abstract: A fiber module includes: a package having a structure which allows sealing of the inside of the package; and an optical fiber having a predetermined length and being fixed to the package in such a manner that the first end of the optical fiber appears inside the package. The cladding is exposed (bare) in a vicinity of the second end, and the optical fiber other than a portion of the cladding in the vicinity of the second end is coated with at least one of a metal and an inorganic material.

Abstract: A semiconductor-laser-excited solid-state laser apparatus includes a solid-state laser element and a semiconductor laser unit including a resonator. The solid-state laser element is excited by light emitted from the semiconductor laser unit, and emits laser light. The resonator length in the semiconductor laser unit is arranged to be at least 0.8 mm, so as to reduce an amount of wavelength shift in light emitted from the semiconductor laser unit, and achieve a stable, high-power laser output from the semiconductor-laser-excited solid-state laser apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a color laser display that comprises a red laser light source for emitting red laser light, a green laser light source for emitting green laser light, and a blue laser light source for emitting blue laser light. An excitation solid laser unit (which has a solid-state laser crystal doped with Pr3+ and a GaN semiconductor laser element for exciting the solid-state laser crystal), a fiber laser unit (which has a fiber with a Pr3+-doped core and a GaN semiconductor laser element for exciting the fiber), or a semiconductor laser unit (which has a semiconductor laser element, employing a GaN semiconductor, and a surface-emitting semiconductor element), is employed as at least one of the red laser light source, the green laser light source, or the blue laser light source.

Abstract: An optical recording method in which an effective recording sensitivity in the recording of image information on a photosensitive material is raised, whereby a productivity is enhanced owing to lowered energy (laser power) required for the recording or a heightened recording speed. An image is recorded by projecting a light beam onto the photosensitive material formed on a base material backing. The optical recording method includes the steps of: (a) successively outputting pulse light whose duty factor is at most 50%, from a light source; (b) modulating the pulse light output from the light source, in accordance with an image signal, and then projecting the modulated pulse light onto the photosensitive material; and (c) recording the image by causing the pulse light to scan the photosensitive material.

Abstract: Provided are an optical correcting system which can form a linear image or illuminating light having a substantially uniform light intensity distribution without reducing the efficiency of use of light, and an exposure head which can perform excellent exposure by using the linear image or the illuminating light. Light flux from a light source is collimated by the function of a collimator lens, and the collimated light flux enters into an optical correcting system for correcting light intensity distribution. The optical correcting system for correcting light intensity distribution changes the width of the light flux at the exit position at which each collimated light flux exits so that the light intensity distribution of a linear image is uniform when the collimated light flux is formed into the linear image.

Abstract: A laser apparatus includes: a block having a stepped shape formed with a plurality of mount portions which have different heights and are arranged in a first direction parallel to an optical axis in order of height; and a plurality of a collimator-lens array and a plurality of laser diodes, where the collimator-lens array in each of the plurality of sets is constituted by a plurality of collimator lenses which are arranged along a second direction and collimate laser beams emitted from the plurality of laser diodes in the set. The plurality of laser diodes and the collimator-lens array in each of the plurality of sets are fixed to one of the plurality of mount portions so that light-emission points of the plurality of laser diodes in the set are aligned in a third direction.

Abstract: In order to provide a display device by which increasing of number of spatial light modulation elements and increasing of number of pixels can be suppressed, and high definition of a display image is easily realized, in the display device, a DMD is inclined with respect to a sub scanning direction by very small inclining-angle, and this inclining-angle is set in accordance with a scanning density of a light beam in a main scanning direction on the surface to be scanned.

Abstract: In a laser apparatus, a plurality of semiconductor laser elements respectively emit laser beams; a multimode optical fiber has a light-entrance end and a light-emission end; an optical condensing system collects the laser beams emitted from the plurality of semiconductor laser elements, and couples the collected laser beams to the light-entrance end of the multimode optical fiber; and a protection member is arranged at the light-emission end of the multimode optical fiber, protects the light-emission end from the atmosphere, and has a light-emission window located at at least a predetermined distance from the light-emission end.