Abstract: A system for multidirectional electromagnetic wave irradiation of an object to be processed has at least one of a side face irradiation prism system capable of irradiating a top face and one, two or more side faces of the object, and a bottom face irradiation prism system capable of irradiating a bottom face of the object. The side face irradiation prism system has an optical path direction changing prism placed so that each of the optical paths through which electromagnetic waves entering the optical path from above travel extends via the optical path direction changing prism to reach the side face of the object, without being obstructed. In this way, a laser machining apparatus or the like can be implemented which can simultaneously irradiate the faces of the object to be processed with electromagnetic waves with accuracy without moving the object to be processed.

Abstract: A multidirectional simultaneous observation optical system is composed of, as shown in FIG. 2, side image acquiring prism systems (145A, 145B) and so forth for acquiring side images of an object (11) and bottom image acquiring prism system (185F) for acquiring a bottom image. The prism system (145A) and so forth include optical path direction changing prisms (14A, 14B, 18F) and so forth respectively. An open space for acquiring the top image is defined directly above the object (11). The optical paths of the light beams emerging from the prism system (145A) and so forth extend upward from the object (11), and are so disposed as not to be blocked by the other prism systems. As a result, the object can be accurately observed from various directions simultaneously.