Abstract: The invention provides a wide-angle, low-cost endoscopic objective optical system that is reduced in terms of distortion and field curvature and composed only of spherical lenses, especially a video endoscopic objective optical system. The optical system comprises a first group G1 comprising a negative meniscus lens convex on an object side thereof, an aperture stop S, a second group G2 comprising a positive lens having a plane directed toward an object point side, a third group G3 including at least one concave refractive surface and having a positive refracting power as a whole, and a fourth group G4 comprising a cemented lens comprising a negative meniscus lens and a double-convex lens and having positive refracting power, so that an image is formed at an imaging device I via the first group G1 to the fourth group G4. A chief ray is reflected at the convex surface of the positive lens in the second group in a direction away from an optical axis.

Abstract: An image forming system and lens system configured to simultaneously image light at the short wave infrared region (SWIR) and the near infrared region (NIR).

Abstract: The invention is directed to a microscope objective with axially adjustable correction mounts and is applicable in connection with different cover slips and/or different immersion liquids and/or at different work temperatures. In the microscope objective according to the invention, helical springs which are uniformly distributed along the circumference and act in axial direction are fixed by a first ring which has pins in axial direction on which the helical springs are arranged. The pins engage in bore holes of a second ring. The bore holes are at least deep enough to ensure the required spring path. The two rings with the helical springs arranged therebetween on the pins form a spring retainer which ensures a movement of the parts without play and/or in a springing manner. In principle, the proposed solution can be substituted for all pressure springs in microscope objectives and other objectives and can overcome the disadvantages of using individual springs.

Abstract: A light beam emitted from a light source is focused by an objective lens onto an information recording surface of an optical information recording medium. The objective lens has a substantially truncated-cone-shaped portion on its surface on the side of the optical information recording medium. This makes it possible to prevent interference with a DVD-RAM cartridge and ensure optical compatibility with a BD and a DVD.

Abstract: A microscope objective with high aperture, large object field and apochromatic correction in the wavelength range from ultraviolet to infrared. The microscope objective includes, starting from the object level: a first group of lenses with overall positive refraction power, including a cemented group with positive-negative refraction power effect, made out of one of two lenses, and of a further lens with positive refraction power, a second group of lenses with positive refraction power, including three cemented lenses, a third group of lenses with negative refraction power, including three cemented lenses, in which the side that faces the image plane is convex, a fourth group of lenses, consisting of a lens with positive refraction power and a cemented group of two lenses with positive-negative refraction power, and a fifth group of lenses, including two lenses in a cemented group with negative-positive refraction power.

Abstract: A microscope objective includes an objective sleeve including a first and a second sub-sleeve. A first lens is received in a first mounting ring, a second lens is received in a second mounting ring, a third lens is received in a third mounting ring, and a fourth lens is received in a fourth mounting ring. The first and second mounting rings are received in the first sub-sleeve and the third and fourth mounting rings are received in the second sub-sleeve.

Abstract: An immersion microscope objective lens includes, in the following order from an object side to an image side, a first lens group having positive refractive power as a whole, including a first lens component composed of a first meniscus lens and a second meniscus lens cemented to each other with their concave surfaces facing the object side, a second lens composed of a single lens having positive refractive power and a third lens composed of a negative lens and a positive lens cemented to each other, a second lens group having positive refractive power as a whole, including a fourth lens component composed of a negative lens and a positive lens cemented to each other, and a third lens group having a negative refractive power as a whole. Predetermined conditions are satisfied.

Abstract: A bi-convex solid immersion lens is disclosed, having a top and bottom convex surfaces. The radius of curvature of the bottom surface is larger than that of the top surface. A conical sloped side-wall connects the top and bottom surface.

Abstract: A coupling optical system for coupling light into an optical fiber of an optical communications system includes a liquid that includes a dispersion of microscopic particles and two transparent media that hold the liquid between them along an optical axis. The refractive power of the liquid is variable according to the electromagnetic field applied to the liquid to vary the migration of the microscopic particles of the dispersion within the liquid. The position of a light collecting point of the coupling optical system is adjustable based on the variation in the refractive power of the liquid so that light can be efficiently coupled into optical fibers at different distances along the optical axis from the coupling optical system. At the light collecting point, the end surface of an optical fiber collects light from a light source or another optical fiber. One or more collimator lenses may help converge the light.

Abstract: An objective optical system whose outer diameter is reduced, whose overall length is increased, in which chromatic aberrations are well corrected, and which is suitable for in-vivo examination with a high numerical aperture is realized.

Abstract: A method of adjusting a projection objective permits the projection objective to be adjusted between an immersion configuration and a dry configuration. The projection objective includes optical elements arranged along an optical axis thereof, which include a first group of elements following the object plane and a last optical element following the first group, which is arranged near the image plane. The last optical element defines an exit surface of the projection objective, which is arranged at a working distance from the image plane. The last optical element is substantially without refracting power and has no or only slight curvature. The method includes varying the thickness of the last optical element, changing the refractive index of the space between the exit surface and the image plane by introducing or removing an immersion medium, and axially displacing the last optical element to set a working distance.

Abstract: An optical imaging system, for example, for a surgical microscope (100) has a beam deflecting unit in order to cast light rays out of an object region (112) into an image plane (104) with an optical beam path. An optical phase plate (107) is mounted in the optical beam path. In the optical imaging system, a unit for generating a geometric image of the image plane is provided, for example, an ocular unit (105). The optical phase plate (107) is arranged on the end of the objective lens (101) facing away from the object or is arranged in a region of the optical imaging system in which the beam path is parallel.

Abstract: A very high-aperture, purely refractive projection objective having a multiplicity of optical elements has a system diaphragm (5) arranged at a spacing in front of the image plane. The optical element next to the image plane (3) of the projection objective is a planoconvex lens (34) having a substantially spherical entrance surface and a substantially flat exit surface. The planoconvex lens has a diameter that is at least 50% of the diaphragm diameter of the system diaphragm (5). It is preferred to arrange only positive lenses (32, 33, 34) between the system diaphragm (5) and image plane (3). The optical system permits imaging in the case of very high apertures of NA?0.85, if appropriate of NA?1.

Abstract: An apochromat immersion objective lens system for microscope which consists, in order from the object side, of a first lens unit composed of a cemented lens component consisting of a plano-convex lens element having a planar surface on the object side and a meniscus lens element having a concave surface on the object side, a second lens unit composed of a lens component or two lens components, a third lens unit comprising at least two cemented lens components, a fourth lens unit composed of a negative lens component having a strongly concave surface on the image side and a fifth lens unit comprising a meniscus lens component having a concave surface on the object side, and has a large numerical aperture exceeding 1.4 without using special oil or a special cover glass plate as well as favorably corrected spherical aberration and chromatic aberration.

Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a liquid supplying section for supplying a liquid onto a stage for holding a wafer on which a resist film is formed; an exposing section for irradiating the resist film with exposing light through a mask with the liquid provided on the resist film; and a removing part for removing, from the liquid, a gas included in the liquid. Thus, the liquid from which the gas has been removed is provided on the resist film, and therefore, foams included in the liquid or formed during the exposure can be removed. Accordingly, exposure abnormality such as diffraction abnormality can be prevented, resulting in forming a resist pattern in a good shape.

Abstract: An objective lens system for microscope which comprises first and second lens units or first through fourth lens units, and in which the second or third lens unit has a function to correct chromatic aberration within a range from a visible region to a near infrared region and aberrations are favorably corrected within the range from the visible region to the near infrared region.

Abstract: A projection objective has at least five lens groups (G1 to G5) and has several lens surfaces. At least two aspheric lens surfaces are arranged so as to be mutually adjacent. These mutually adjacently arranged lens surfaces are characterized as a double asphere. This at least one double asphere (21) is mounted at a minimum distance from an image plane (0?) which is greater than the maximum lens diameter (D2) of the objective.

Abstract: Using a solid immersion lens (SIL) having a spherical lens surface with a radius of curvature RL from a material having a refractive index nL, an image of a sample is observed. A geometric aberration characteristic caused by the SIL is evaluated by using a predetermined optical system. Using a coefficient k (0<K<1) set to satisfy a condition where the average image surface becomes flat or a condition yielding a favorable chromatic aberration characteristic, the sample is observed with the solid immersion lens while a surface, orthogonal to the optical axis, including a point located downstream of the spherical center C of the lens surface 10 by k×(RL/nL) along the optical axis is employed as a sample observation surface 20. This realizes a sample observation method that can observe the image of the sample favorably with a solid immersion lens, and the solid immersion lens.

Abstract: An optical arrangement for stereoscopic viewing of objects which is outfitted with an imaging system and with at least one lens group with a fixed focal length which is arranged between the imaging system and a viewed object for changing the imaging scale. This is achieved in that an adjusting device is provided for changing the position of the lens group in the direction of the optical axis and, accordingly, for changing the distance c between the lens group and a reference edge of the imaging system. This makes it possible to adjust different magnification ?? by actuating the adjusting device or changing the distance c and, therefore, to generate virtual intermediate images of objects located at various distances within a working range in the imaging plane of the stationary system. Accordingly, very advantageous applications are possible in restoration work, in dental engineering, and so on, in which the enhanced use value achieved by the invention is desired.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an immersion microscope objective. This microscope objective contains four lens groups. The first lens group has a focal length of 2.6f–3.1f, where f is the total focal length of the microscope objective. The first lens group contains two lens components with a collecting effect. The first lens component has a focal length of 3f–4.5f. One of the lenses in the first lens component is made from a material with n greater than 1.72. A lens of the second lens component is made from a material with a partial dispersion of a first type. The second lens group with a focal length of 8f–10.2f comprises at least two lenses which are cemented together. A collecting lens is made from a material with a partial dispersion of the first type, and a diverging lens is made from a material with a partial dispersion of a second type. There follows a third lens group with a focal length greater than |25f|.

Abstract: A reticle-masking (REMA) objective for imaging an object plane onto an image plane has a condenser portion, an intermediate portion, and a field lens portion. The three portions together have no more than 10 lenses with a combined total of no more than five aspheric lens surfaces. Each of the three portions of the REMA objective has one or two aspheric lens surfaces.

Abstract: A Mireau interference microscope is corrected for spherical and other aberrations induced by the beamsplitter and mirror support windows by incorporating a cover glass correcting-objective lens. The support windows for the beamsplitter and mirror have a combined thickness within the adjustment range of the cover glass correcting-objective lens.

Abstract: A DUV-capable dry objective for microscopes comprises lens groups made of quartz glass, fluorite, and in some cases also lithium fluoride. It possesses a DUV focus for a DUV wavelength region ?DUV±??, where ??=8 nm, and additionally a parfocal IR focus for an IR wavelength ?IR, where 760 nm??IR?920 nm. For that purpose, the penultimate element is of concave configuration on both sides, and its object-side outer radius is much smaller than its image-side outer radius. The DUV objective is IR autofocus-capable.

Abstract: The invention provides a liquid-immersion objective optical system including a first lens group and a second lens group. The first lens group includes a first lens component having positive refractive power, an object side thereof being a flat surface and a convex surface thereof facing an image-plane side; a second lens component having positive refractive power, a convex surface thereof facing the image-plane side; a third lens component having positive refractive power as a whole, formed by cementing a biconvex positive lens and a negative lens; and a fourth lens component formed by cementing a negative lens and a biconvex positive lens. The second lens group includes a fifth lens component formed by cementing a lens having a concave surface facing the object side and a lens having a convex surface facing the image-plane side; a sixth lens component having positive refractive power; and a seventh lens component having negative refractive power.

Abstract: To provide an immersion microscope objective lens capable of making a numerical aperture NA larger than 1.45 even if an ordinary oil is used, the objective lens includes, in order from an object, a first lens group, a second lens group, and a third lens group. The first lens group includes a first cemented lens constructed by a plano-convex lens having a plane surface facing to the object cemented with a meniscus lens having a convex surface facing to an image, and two or more cemented positive lenses disposed to the image side of the first cemented lens. The second lens group includes one or more cemented lens. The third lens group includes, in order from the object, a cemented meniscus lens having a strong concave surface facing to the image, and a cemented meniscus lens having a strong concave surface facing to the object. Given conditional expressions are satisfied.

Abstract: Using a solid immersion lens (SIL) having a spherical lens surface with a radius of curvature RL from a material having a refractive index nL, an image of a sample is observed. A geometric aberration characteristic caused by the SIL is evaluated by using a predetermined optical system. Using a coefficient k (0>k>1) set to satisfy a condition where the average image surface becomes flat or a condition yielding a favorabl chromatic aberration characteristic, the sample is observed with the solid immersion lens while a surface, orthogonal to the optical axis, including a point located downstream of the spherical center c of the lens surface 10 by (k×(RL/nL) along the optical axis, is employed as a sample observation surface 20. This realizes a sample observation method that can observe the image of the sample favorably with a solid immersion lens, and the solid immersion lens.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus is provided for imaging tissue samples substantially beneath the surface of the tissue sample. The apparatus includes an objective lens and a window defining a tissue contacting surface in pressure contacting relationship with the surface of the tissue sample when the tissue sample is imaged by the objective lens to view tissue structures for pathological applications. The objective lens focuses an illumination beam through the window to the tissue sample and receives returned reflected light of the beam representative of one or more sections of the tissue sample. The apparatus enables a method for in vivo observation of tissue for diagnosis of conditions substantially beneath the surface of the tissue sample. Both two and three-dimensional imaging may be provided for diagnosis and location of basal cell carcinomas and melanomas, and so as to enable visualization of tumor borders prior to excision.

Abstract: Soft lithography with surface tension control is used to microfabricate extremely efficient solid immersion lenses (SILs) out of rubber elastomeric material for use in microscope type applications. In order to counteract the surface tension of the mold material in a negative mold that causes creep on a positive mold, material such as RTV is partially cured before use in order to allow the reticulation of polymer chains to change the viscosity of the uncured material in a controllable manner. In a specific embodiment, the techniques of soft lithography with surface tension control are used to make molded SILs out of the elastomer polydimethylsiloxane. The lenses achieve an NA in the range of 1.25. The principle of compound lens design is used to make the first compound solid immersion lens, which is corrected for higher light gathering ability and has a calculated NA=1.32.

Abstract: A tip optical element for immersion microscope objectives is constructed so that a first optical element and a second optical element are cemented to each other, and has an annular light-blocking area on a surface of one of the first optical element and the second optical element to be cemented. The tip optical element is fabricated in such a way that a beam restricting device is placed on a surface of one of the first optical element and the second optical element; a light-transmitting area transmitting an effective beam and the light-blocking area formed around the light-transmitting area are provided to the beam restricting device; and the first optical element and the second optical element are cemented to each other, with the beam restricting device sandwiched between them.

Abstract: An inspection microscope (1) having a light source (3) that emits light of a first wavelength below 400 nm for illumination of a specimen (13) to be inspected, and having an objective (11) that is composed of multiple optical components and has a numerical aperture and a focal length, and having a tube optical system (21) and an autofocus device (25) that directs light of a second wavelength onto the specimen (13), is disclosed. The inspection microscope (1) is characterized by the objective (11), which has an optical correction that eliminates the longitudinal chromatic aberrations with respect to the first and the second wavelength and whose optical components are assembled in cement-free fashion, the second wavelength being greater than 400 nm.

Abstract: The laser scanning microscope system includes a microscope unit including at least one laser source, at least a microscope main body, a stage on which a sample is laid, an objective lens which converges a light from a sample to form a parallel light, and a first image formation lens which converges the parallel light from the objective lens, and at least one light detector which detects light from the sample through a confocal pinhole, and a scanning unit disposed attachably/detachably with respect to the microscope main body, the scanning unit includes a optical scanning device which scans a laser light from the laser source, a pupil projection lens and a second image formation lens arranged so that the optical scanning device and a pupil position of the objective lens are optically conjugated, and at least one photodetector which detects light from the optical scanning device through a confocal pinhole, and the scanning unit is attached to the microscope main body so that an optical axis of an optical path

Abstract: Objective (1, 601), in particular a projection objective for a microlithography projection apparatus, with first birefringent lenses (L108, L109, L129, L130) and with second birefringent lenses (L101–L107, L110–L128). The first lenses (L108, L109, L129, L130) are distinguished from the second lenses (L101–L107, L110–L128) by the lens material used or by the material orientation. After passing through the first lenses (L108, L109, L129, L130) and the second lenses (L101–L107, L110–L128), an outer aperture ray (5, 7) and a principal ray (9) are subject to optical path differences for two mutually orthogonal states of polarization. The difference between these optical path differences is smaller than 25% of the working wavelength. In at least one first lens (L129, L130), the aperture angle of the outer aperture ray (5, 7) is at least 70% of the largest aperture angle occurring for said aperture ray in all of the first lenses (L108, L109, L129, L130) and second lenses (L101–L107, L110–L128).

Abstract: A liquid immersion photolithography system includes an exposure system that exposes a substrate with electromagnetic radiation, and also includes a projection optical system that focuses the electromagnetic radiation on the substrate. A liquid supply system provides a liquid between the projection optical system and the substrate. The projection optical system is positioned below the substrate.

Abstract: In a lithographic projection apparatus, a structure surrounds a space between the projection system and a substrate table of the lithographic projection apparatus. A gas seal is formed between said structure and the surface of said substrate to contain liquid in the space.

Abstract: This invention relates to a microscope having an infinity-corrected objective and providing a flat field of view.

Abstract: A microscope objective that comprises an objective housing and contains several lens elements, at least one lens element being arranged displaceably in motor-driven fashion within the objective housing, is disclosed. A microscope and a method for imaging a specimen are additionally disclosed.

Abstract: An arrangement of lenses for a 100×, oil immersion microscope objective is presented. The new configuration gives a flat field of view with diffraction limited performance over all the field. The new optical arrangement broadly includes eight lens elements including a positive power seventh lens element with the radius of curvature of the surface proximate to the object plane less than or approximately equal to the radius of curvature of the surface distal to the object plane, with the optical arrangement arrayed such that the distance from the first lens element to the second lens element is sufficient to reduce a ray height of a light ray and, in addition, arrayed such that the distance from the fifth lens element to the sixth lens element is sufficient to increase the ray height of the light ray entering the sixth lens element from the ray height of the light ray entering the first lens element.

Abstract: The object is to provide an optical system with a wavelength selecting device. According to one aspect of the present invention, an optical system with a wavelength selecting device includes, in order from an object along an optical axis, an objective optical system composed of optical elements having refractive power and an aperture stop, a no-power optical group composed of optical elements having no refractive power, and an imaging device. The no-power optical group includes the wavelength selecting device for making short wavelength light be selectively substantially non-transparent. The wavelength selecting device preferably satisfies the predetermined conditional expressions.

Abstract: An objective has lens units, each of which is constructed with single lenses, and a numerical aperture of 0.7 or more, comprising, in order from the image side, a first lens unit including a positive meniscus lens with a convex surface facing the image side, at least two negative lenses, and at least two positive lenses, and having negative power as a whole; a second lens unit including a negative lens and a positive lens so that the radius of curvature of the surface of the negative lens, adjacent to the positive lens, is smaller than that of the opposite surface thereof; a third lens unit including biconvex positive lenses and biconcave negative lenses which have different media, so that two of the biconvex positive lenses are arranged on the object side and the image side, and having positive power as a whole; and a fourth lens unit including a negative meniscus lens and at least one positive meniscus lens, and having positive power as a whole.

Abstract: This invention provides a relay imaging optical system which is composed of a small number of lenses and can be miniaturized and reduced in weight with maintaining required optical characteristics. This relay imaging optical system is provided for forming an image of a first plane (10) on a second plane (M), and comprises a first lens group G1 which is constructed so that an image plane thereof is positioned within a limited range, a second lens group G2, and a third lens group G3, from the first plane side. At least two lens groups of the first lens group through the third lens group have at least one aspheric surface respectively; and the total number of lenses which constitute this optical system are ten or fewer.

Abstract: A high performance objective having very small central obscuration, an external pupil for apertureing and Fourier filtering, loose manufacturing tolerances, large numerical aperture, long working distance, and a large field of view is presented. The objective is preferably telecentric. The design is ideally suited for both broad-band bright-field and laser dark field imaging and inspection at wavelengths in the UV to VUV spectral range.

Abstract: An objective lens includes a diffractive optical element constructed of a medium having an internal transmittance of at least 50% at a wavelength of 300 nm when the thickness is 10 mm and a cemented doublet made up of two lenses having media of different refractive indices and Abbe's numbers. The diffractive optical element is optimized to take advantage of a fluorescent wavelength.

Abstract: The reference objective lens includes an objective lens and an index member provided with an index that indicates a reference position. The index member is disposed on the front-side focal position of the objective lens or in its vicinity. Upon the reference objective lens thus configured being mounted on an apparatus having an image sensor, an image of the index that indicates a reference position is captured with the image sensor, and a position of the index in the captured image is calculated out and stored. Then, upon a predetermined optical system being mounted on the apparatus having the image sensor in place of the reference objective lens, aberrations of the optical system are measured, and the optical system is adjusted so that aberrations at a position that corresponds to the stored position satisfy a predetermined condition.

Abstract: A solid immersion lens device and method of making. A solid immersion lens device is provided having a plurality of solid immersion lenses. The solid immersion lenses are provided in a predetermined pattern and secured so as to cause them to be in a fixed position with respect to each other.

Abstract: A novel apparatus for storing a microscope tool is presented. A magnetic tool holder comprises a block or other device having at least one borehole having a magnet attached to the bottom of the borehole. A block is defined as a article or item having sufficient mass to maintain stability when at least one borehole is formed in it. The apparatus may further comprise an insert configured to line the wall or walls of the borehole. A microscope assembly is also shown having at least one borehole formed into the microscope and including a magnet attached to the bottom of the borehole. Also shown is in combination, a magnetic tool holder and a microscope objective tool comprising a block having at least one borehole, a magnet securely attached to the bottom of the borehole and at least one microscope objective tool fabricated at least partly from ferromagnetic material.

Abstract: A bi-convex solid immersion lens is disclosed, having a top and bottom convex surfaces. The radius of curvature of the bottom surface is larger than that of the top surface. A conical sloped side-wall connects the top and bottom surface.

Abstract: A light emission microscope includes a low temperature detector array which receives light through a room temperature projection optics system from a device under test. A cold aperture including a movable cold stop and a cryogenic filter absorbs unwanted thermal radiation emitted by the optics system. In one embodiment, a high resolution CCD camera can be used with the low temperature detector array and camera with a computer-controlled mirror providing emitted light to both cameras.

Abstract: An objective lens includes a first lens group, a second lens group having a lens pair, a third lens group having a lens pair, a fourth lens group having a lens pair, a fifth lens group having a lens pair, and a sixth lens group. The objective lens is configured so as to satisfy the following conditional expressions: d/L<0.025 0.58<Rp/Rn<1.65 where L(mm) is the overall length of the objective lens; d(mm) is the air gap of each of the lens pair; Rp is the radius of curvature of each of positive refractive power surfaces opposing each other with the air gap therebetween; and Rn is the radius of curvature of a negative refractive power surface. Whereby, chromatic aberration can be corrected and resolution is exponentially improved without using a cemented lens, providing a deep ultra-violet objective lens with a high NA capable of auto focussing instantaneously.

Abstract: A two-wavelength antireflection film to prevent light in two-wavelength regions of a deep-ultraviolet region and a region from a visible region to the near-infrared region on a surface of a substrate by coating the two-wavelength antireflection film on the surface of the substrate which penetrates light from the deep-ultraviolet region to the near-infrared region, comprising a first thin film which is formed on the substrate, and has a refractive index of 1.6 to 2.0 and optical film thickness of 0.4&lgr; to 0.7&lgr; for design main wavelength (&lgr;), a second thin film which is formed on the first thin film, and has a refractive index of 1.35 to 1.55 and an optical film thickness of 0.05&lgr; to 0.6&lgr; for the design main wavelength &lgr;, a third thin film which is formed on the second thin film, and has a refractive index of 1.6 to 2.0 and an optical film thickness of 0.1&lgr; to 0.

Abstract: A two-wavelength antireflection film to prevent light in two-wavelength regions of a deep-ultraviolet region and a region from a visible region to the near-infrared region on a surface of a substrate by coating the two-wavelength antireflection film on the surface of the substrate which penetrates light from the deep-ultraviolet region to the near-infrared region, comprising a first thin film which is formed on the substrate, and has a refractive index of 1.6 to 2.0 and optical film thickness of 0.4&lgr; to 0.7&lgr; for design main wavelength (&lgr;), a second thin film which is formed on the first thin film, and has a refractive index of 1.35 to 1.55 and an optical film thickness of 0.05&lgr; to 0.6&lgr; for the design main wavelength &lgr;, a third thin film which is formed on the second thin film, and has a refractive index of 1.6 to 2.0 and an optical film thickness of 0.1&lgr; to 0.