Abstract: A positioning stage system for precise and accurate movement of an article in an electron beam lithography system. The positioning stage system includes a support platform for supporting the article, an X-direction linear motor coupled to an X-member, a Y-direction linear motor coupled a Y-member, and a slide attached to the support platform and slidably engaged to the X-member and the Y-member. The X-member and Y-member, upon actuation of the X-direction and Y-direction linear motors, cause the support platform to move in an X-direction and a Y-direction, respectively.

Abstract: A movement sequence determining method of obtaining a preferred solution of movement sequence within a predetermined time and an apparatus for realizing it, includes at least an arithmetic step of generating a group including plural movement sequences that can be carried out, out of a group of movement sequence candidates, each indicating a visit order of plural process areas as well as scan directions of local areas in the plural process areas, and selecting a movement sequence in which a movement operation between plural process areas is completed in a shortest time, from the group generated, and a prestep of producing a movement time management table storing movement times, each from a movement start position to a movement end position, in unit lengths between process areas.

Abstract: A camera has a data imprinting device having an optical system focussing light from an LED array on a photographic film at first and second positions corresponding to full-size and panorama-size picture formats. In a first embodiment the optical system has two lens elements, at differing distances from the LED array, each aligned to imprint data at one of the two positions. In a second embodiment the optical system has a single lens element which moves from a first lens position to a second lens position at differing distances from the LED array. Amounts of light emitted by the LED array are modulated by a control system to produce correctly exposed imprinted data at both position. The control system compensates for differing numerical apertures of associated with the first and second positions. The control system also compensates for film speed. One embodiment of the invention modulates the amount of emitted light by adjusting a current level driving the LED array.

Abstract: An automatic focus adjustment device is provided for focusing on a moving object with precision. The automatic focus adjustment device includes a photographic lens driver assembly to vary the forwarding amount of the phototaking lens assembly. A focus detection assembly detects the defocus amount of the subject image plane. An image plane velocity computation assembly computes the moving velocity of the subject image plane based on the defocus amount. A lens drive control assembly controls the photographic lens driver assembly based on the moving velocity of the subject image plane and the defocus amount. An adaptive controller reduces an instruction amount corresponding to the defocus amount for controlling focus adjustment when the detected defocus amount and the computed moving velocity have opposite arithmetic signs.

Abstract: An amplification-type solid state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion devices each adapted to receive incident light to produce a signal charge and a plurality of signal reading devices to read a signal charge produced from one of the photoelectric conversion devices. The photoelectric conversion device includes a photodiode and the signal reading device includes an amplifying transistor for amplifying the signal charge so that the signal charge generated by the photodiode is transferred to the amplifying transistor by one of a plurality of transfer devices.

Abstract: A zoom lens system including, in order from the object side, a first lens unit having a negative refractive power and a second lens unit having a positive refractive power, in which zooming is effective by varying the spacing between the first lens unit and the second lens unit. The first lens unit has, in order from the object side, a negative meniscus lens element having a convex surface directed toward the object side, a negative lens element and a positive lens element. The second lens unit has, in order from the object side, a positive lens element having a convex surface directed toward the object side, a positive lens element, a cemented negative lens element composed of a positive lens element and a negative lens element, which are cemented together and a positive lens element. The first and second lens units and the elements thereof are positioned and arranged in prescribed relative positions.