Abstract: Optical components may be made with reflectors that increase the reflectivity of the resulting device. Increasing in the reflectivity may reduce the need for higher power light sources. In particular, the use of deposited silver layers may dramatically increase the reflectivity compared to aluminum and copper alloys. In addition, an absorptive layer may be positioned over the reflective layer to reduce the amount of blue light output from the reflector. This blue light absorber may be used to automatically rebalance light sources that produce an excessive proportion of blue light.

Abstract: The invention relates to articles comprising a sheeting having a microstructured surface that reflects light in a moiré-like pattern. The invention further relates to methods of making a master and replicas thereof including tooling that results in sheeting having such pattern. A preferred method comprises forming V-shaped grooves in a substrate (e.g. metal plate) wherein the intersections of three grooves form cube-corner elements. The cube-corner elements are formed in such a manner that adjacent parallel grooves have substantially the same groove spacing and groove depth throughout the array. The master as well as corresponding tooling and sheeting preferably have a groove spacing within the range of about 0.0005 inches (0.0127 mm) to about 0.007 inches (0.1778 mm) throughout the array and more preferably a groove spacing of less than about 0.004 inches (0.1016 mm).

Abstract: A stereoscopic image photographing optical system includes a pair of front optical components of negative refractive power, a combining optical element for superposing respective optical axes of the pair of front optical components on each other, a rear optical component disposed such that the superposed optical axes coincide with an optical axis of the rear optical component, a pair of shutters capable of independently controlling amounts of transmission of light fluxes respectively entering the pair of front optical components from an object, and a pair of deflection mirrors arranged to deflect light fluxes coming from the pair of front optical components and to guide the deflected light fluxes to the combining optical element, wherein the optical system forms parallactic images in a time-series manner by causing the pair of shutters to alternately change the amounts of transmission of light fluxes respectively entering the pair of front optical components from the object.

Abstract: A viewing optical system of an optical apparatus has an objective system for forming an image of an object and an eyepiece system for enlarging and directing the image to the pupil. The viewing optical system also has a hologram combiner comprising holograms of the volume type, phase type, and reflective type and having optical power for constructing a surface which is optically equivalent to the image surface at a different position than the image when viewed from the pupil. The system also includes an information display means for displaying information at the position of the equivalent surface, wherein the hologram combiner transmits light from the image and reflects light from the information display means so as to allow viewing of an image together with the information display overlaid onto the image.

Abstract: An apparatus for channel interleaving comprises a spatial birefringent device assembly and a reflector which is configured so as to direct light from the spatial birefringent device assembly back through the spatial birefringent device assembly. The spatial birefringent device assembly comprises at least one spatial birefringent device. Directing light from the spatial birefringent device assembly back through the spatial birefringent device assembly substantially mitigates cross-talk and/or dispersion of the apparatus for channel interleaving in communications.

Abstract: A description is provided of an optical information recording and reproducing apparatus having a volume holographic memory. The apparatus is capable of recording an interference pattern in the volume holographic memory in high density and can be made small-sized.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for manufacturing multi-layer film reflection mirrors, in which a desirable shape accuracy of a reflected wavefront can be obtained after locally scraping the multi-layer film. In an exemplary method, a multi-layer film (comprising respective alternating layers of at least two types of substances having different respective refractive indices) is superposedly formed on the surface of a mirror substrate. The multi-layer film has a constant period length, and the multi-layer film on the substrate is locally scraped to correct a phase of a reflected wavefront from the reflective surface of the mirror. The multi-layer film has an internal stress of 50 MPa or smaller. Alternatively or in addition, a compensating adjustment in a film formed on a reverse surface of the substrate can be made to cancel the stress perturbation caused by scraping of the multi-layer film on the obverse surface of the substrate.

Abstract: ADSS cable is laid out a length of cable along an aerial route defined by a series of poles, and loops of surplus cable are formed at occasional poles. The cable is raised to a predetermined installation height at each pole, where two dead-ends secure the ends of the loop so that the loop is substantially free of tension. The center of the loop is raised and secured to the pole, thus forming two bights in the loop. A bend radius protector is installed in each of the bights to protect the cable from bending damage. Each bend radius protector is suspended from a cable protecting device placed over the taut cable, so that the cable is not damaged.

Abstract: This invention features a thin film polarization splitter, its manufacture and ophthalmic lens with projection inserts containing it.

Abstract: There is disclosed an optical device in which a first light source for outputting a first wavelength light is apart from a second light source for outputting a second wavelength light by a predetermined distance. An information recording medium is irradiated with the first and second wavelength lights transmitted through a holographic optical element having first and second diffraction areas. The first and second diffraction areas are provided with grating arrangements in which grating axis directions are parallel to each other and grating pitches are different from each other. The first and second wavelength lights reflected by the information recording medium are transmitted through the holographic optical element and diffracted by the first and second diffraction areas.

Abstract: A transflector is described which increases efficiency and brightness under both ambient and supplemental lighting conditions in visual display applications. In one embodiment, the transflector includes a reflective polarizing element that reflects one polarization of light and transmits the other. In an alternate embodiment, the transflector includes a reflective polarizing element and a diffusing element such that the transflector diffusely reflects light of one polarization and transmits the other. The transflector is useful for both reflective and transflective liquid crystal displays.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method of producing, in a solid transparent material (3), a hologram of an object; the method includes the steps of: developing a three-dimensional mathematical model of an electro-magnetic field emanating from the object, the field producing an image of the object; computing a corresponding three-dimensional set of points, light scattered from which reconstructs the field; and focusing a pulsed laser beam into the solid transparent material onto each of the points sequentially, the beam being capable, when focused, of causing optical breakdown in the solid transparent material.

Abstract: A method of cross-connecting or reorganizing individual optical fibers of a plurality of fiber optic ribbons include the steps of providing a substrate having an adhesive thereon with a mixing zone within the boundaries thereof. A plurality of individual optical fibers are routed onto the substrate to form a plurality of fiber optic input ribbons, reorganizing the fibers in the mixing zone, and forming a plurality of fiber optic output ribbons. At least some of the output ribbons have fibers from more than one of the input ribbons. The input and output ribbons are coated on the substrate outside the mixing zone to hold the routed fibers in ribbon form, leaving at least portions of the fibers in the mixing zone uncoated. The coated ribbons are stripped from the substrate with the uncoated fibers from the mixing zone being loose. A holding device is placed about at least the uncoated loose fibers between the input and output ribbons.

Abstract: Transmission and reflection type holograms may be formed utilizing a novel polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) material and its unique switching characteristics to form optical elements. Applications for these switchable holograms include communications switches and switchable transmission, and reflection red, green, and blue lenses. The PDLC material of the present invention offers all of the features of holographic photopolymers with the added advantage that the hologram can be switched on and off with the application of an electric field. The material is a mixture of a polymerizable monomer and liquid crystal, along with other ingredients, including a photoinitiator dye. Upon irradiation, the liquid crystal separates as a distinct phase of nanometer-size droplets aligned in periodic channels forming the hologram. The material is called a holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (H-PDLC).

Abstract: A stereoscopic image pickup system for obtaining parallactic images includes a pair of front optical components, the pair of front optical components respectively including a pair of reflecting members capable of rotating around respective predetermined axes and having a reflecting function, and a pair of amount-of-light control members arranged to respectively vary amounts of transmission of light fluxes coming from the pair of reflecting members alternately in a time-series manner, an optical member arranged to superpose respective optical axes of the pair of front optical components on each other, a rear optical component having an optical axis coinciding with the superposed optical axes of the pair of front optical components and having a magnification varying function, and a controller for controlling an amount of parallax of parallactic images by using the pair of reflecting members in accordance with a magnification varying operation of the rear optical component.

Abstract: An optical polarization beam splitter comprises a first optical fiber having an end defining a first optical axis, a second optical fiber having an end defining a second optical axis, and a third optical fiber having an end defining a third optical axis parallel to and spaced apart from the second optical axis. A collimating lens is disposed along the first optical axis positioned to form a collimated optical beam from the first optical fiber. A focussing lens is disposed along a path of the collimated optical beam. A birefringent walk-off crystal has a first face adjacent to the focussing lens and a second face located at a focal plane of the focussing lens and in contact with the ends of the second and third optical fibers.

Abstract: An optical scanning lens used in a multi-beam scanning optical apparatus including a first mechanism reforming the light beams into line images, a deflecting mechanism reforming the light beams into multiple scanning beams, and a second mechanism reforming the multiple scanning beams into scanning light spots running on a recording surface. The optical scanning lens has a refractive index profile and is included in the second optical mechanism, and satisfies a formula (m?1)×PLs×V/WLs?2.3×10?6, where m is a number of light emission points, PLs is a pitch of the multiple beams, V represents the refractive index profile, W [mm] represents an effective recording width of the recording surface, and WLs represents an effective range of the optical scanning lens in the sub-scanning direction corresponding to the effective recording width W. An optical scanning apparatus or image forming apparatus may use the optical scanning apparatus.

Abstract: An optical device includes: a first polarization beam splitter (PBS); a first set of optical rotators optically coupled to the first PBS; a second PBS optically coupled to the first set of optical rotators; a first reflection interferometer (RI) optically coupled to the second PBS; a second RI optically coupled to the first PBS; a second set of optical rotators optically coupled to the second PBS; a third PBS optically coupled to the second set of optical rotators; and a third RI optically coupled to the third PBS. Preferably, the optical device is an Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer and may further comprise an Input Port optically coupled to the first PBS, an Output Port optically coupled to the second PBS, and an Add Port optically coupled to the third PBS.

Abstract: An optical device that can be used in a range of telecommunications applications including optical multiplexers/demultiplexers and optical routers. The optical device includes an optical processing loop which allows multi-stage performance characteristics to be achieved with a single physical filtration stage. Optical processing on the first leg and second legs of the loop is asymmetrical thereby improving the integrity of the optical signals by effecting complementary chromatic dispersion on the first and second legs. In an embodiment of the invention the optical device includes a fundamental filter cell, a retro reflector and a splitter/combiner. The fundamental filter cell filters optical signals propagating on each of two legs of an optical loop which intersects the fundamental filter cell.

Abstract: A system for compensating for heating effects in a mirror. Different areas of the mirror are associated with buried temperature sensors. Each temperature sensor is monitored, and used to create a map of current temperatures. The map of current temperatures may be corrected according to baseline values, and then is used to compensate for temperature differences.