Abstract: The image data generator 1 produces image data for recording into a holographic stereogram. The image data generator 1 combines a stereo image model being at least a part of a three-dimensional object image prepared in advance with a separately captured image to provide a synthetic image and produces a parallax image train from the synthetic image. The three-dimensional object image prepared in advance and stereo image model being the part of the three-dimensional object are supplied from the 3D image source 4 to the image data generator 1. The image data generator 1 is also supplied with a two-dimensional image separately captured from the photographic unit 5 such as a digital still camera for example.

Abstract: An optical display provided with a hologram element and a light source, wherein the hologram is a reflection hologram formed by a light beam which is obtained by utilizing light passing through a slit and has information on an object and a reference light beam which has an incident ligth path different from that of the light having the information on an object, and the reproduced image of the object is displayed using the light from the light source.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element for guiding a light having a color spectrum characterized by a plurality of wavelengths longer than a shortest wavelength, &lgr;B, and shorter than a longest wavelength, &lgr;R, the light striking the diffractive optical element at an angle greater than a first field-of-view angle, &agr;−FOV, and smaller than a second field-of-view angle, &agr;+FOV. The diffractive optical element comprising a linear grating being formed in a light-transmissive substrate. The linear grating is characterized by a pitch, d, selected so as to allow total internal reflection of a light having wavelength of &lgr;B and a striking angle of &agr;−FOV. The light-transmissive substrate is characterized by an index of refraction, ns, larger than a minimal index of refraction, nMIN, which is selected so as to allow total internal reflection of a light having wavelength of &lgr;R and a striking angle of &agr;+FOV.

Abstract: An enhanced volume phase diffraction grating provides high dispersion, uniformly high diffraction efficiency and equal diffraction efficiencies for all polarizations across a wide range of wavelengths. The thickness of the volume phase material and the modulation of its refractive index are jointly established to provide equalization of diffraction efficiencies for all polarizations over a wide range of wavelengths. The equalization occurs where the S and P diffraction efficiencies are both at a maximum.

Abstract: A stereoscopic image pickup system for obtaining parallactic images of an object, the stereoscopic image pickup system includes a pair of, first and second, reflecting members each having a reflecting function, a pair of, first and second, amount-of-light control members arranged to respectively vary amounts of transmission of light fluxes coming from the first and second reflecting members alternately in a time-series manner, an optical member arranged to superpose an optical axis of a light flux having passed through the first reflecting member and the first amount-of-light control member and an optical axis of a light flux having passed through the second reflecting member and the second amount-of-light control member on one and the same optical axis, an image sensor for converting a light flux coming from the optical member into an electrical signal, and a controller for causing, on the basis of information on a distance to the object, an image taking-in area of the image sensor to differ between a first

Abstract: In an optical connection board, a first clad layer is formed on a flat surface of a substrate and a core layer is formed on the first clad layer and is extended in a propagation direction of an optical signal. The core layer is covered with a second clad layer. A termination mirror having a reflection face is so buried in the clad layer as to reflect the optical signal guided in the core layer, to the outside of the optical connection board.

Abstract: A broadband optical retardation device, such as may be used for polarisation encoding of display information or in diffractive optical systems, includes a patterned uniform half wave plate retarder in combination with a non-patterned uniform quarter wave plate retarder having an optic axis oriented at 90° to the xz plane. The patterned retarder consists of alternating first and second regions having first and second optic axes at different orientations to a reference axis, for example at +22.5° and −22.5° to the xz plane. Considering light of wavelength &lgr;° incident on the retarder and linearly polarised in the xy plane, such light is differently polarised by the regions, and the light output by the device includes regions in which the light is right circularly polarised and regions in which the light is left circularly polarised.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing artifacts in an imaging system by directing a stream of air onto the beam deflection assembly of the imaging system. An air displacement system, such as a fan assembly or the like, is oriented to direct, a stream of air onto the rotating deflector element of the beam deflection assembly. The stream of air is positioned to distribute a substantially uniform amount of air around the rotating deflector element.

Abstract: An illuminated interior article system (10) which can be used as a part of a vehicle interior lighting system and which includes a branching optical waveguide (12) and a vehicle interior article (14) positioned relative to waveguide such that the illuminating light exiting the waveguide at its junction (16) illuminates the vehicle interior article. The branching waveguide (12) has a stem (18), first and second branches (20,22), and the junction (16) that couples the stem to each of the branches. The first and second branches (20,22) extend away from the junction (16) at an obtuse angle relative to the stem (18) and the junction includes one or more optical features positioned at the junction such that a portion of the light traveling through one or more of the waveguide sections impinges upon the optical feature(s), with the optical feature(s) redirecting the impinging light out of the waveguide at the junction to thereby provide illuminating light from the junction.

Abstract: A filter for filtering electromagnetic radiation has two polarization selection elements and a birefringent element assembly disposed intermediate polarization selection elements. The birefringent element assembly is configured so as to optimize contributions of a fundamental and at least one odd harmonic of a transmission vs. wavelength curve in a manner which enhances transmission vs. wavelength curve stopband depth and passband flatness, so as to enhance performance and mitigate cross-talk.

Abstract: A spectrophotometer and spectrophotometry method, using a precision drive at a photodiode array which precisely moves the photodiode array by a distance equal to the physical interval between the photodiodes of the photodiode array so that the spectrophotometer and spectrophotometry method primarily measures light intensities of incident light by the photodiode array, and when precisely moves the photodiode array using the drive by the distance equal to the physical interval between photodiodes of the photodiode array, measures the light intensities of the incident light at desired positions corresponding to the intervals.

Abstract: A first diffractive optical element pattern with a pattern pitch that is no greater than a wavelength of incident light is formed on a first main surface of substrate such as a glass plate. Second diffractive optical element patterns are formed at positions that are respectively incident to positive first-order diffracted light and negative first-order diffracted light produced by the first diffractive optical element pattern. Negative first-order diffracted light produced by each second diffractive optical element pattern is incident upon a boundary face of the substrate at an angle that is smaller than the critical angle, and so exits the substrate.

Abstract: An optical low-pass filter used in association with an imaging element which has a plurality of pixels arranged in vertical and horizontal direction with regularity, is provided with first through third birefringent plates arranged in the order from a light incident side. The low-pass filter separates an incident ray into four rays, a separation width of the rays in the vertical direction being &dgr;v, and a separation width of the rays in the horizontal direction being &dgr;h. A separation angles of the first through third birefringent plates are &thgr;, (&thgr;−90°) and 0°, respectively, and separation widths of the first through third birefringent plates are (&dgr;v×sin &thgr;), (&dgr;v×cos &thgr;) and &dgr;h, respectively.

Abstract: The use of light scattering particles in the design, manufacturing, and quality control of microscale devices and process, and the analysis of solid substrate and porous substrate characteristics is described.

Abstract: A wire grid polarizer (100) for polarizing an incident light beam (130), comprising a substrate (505) having a first surface (410) and a second surface (510); and a first array of parallel, elongated wires disposed on the first surface (410). Each of the wires are spaced apart at a grid period less than a wavelength of the incident light; and a second array of parallel, elongated wires disposed on said second surface (420) where the second array of wires are oriented parallel to the first array of wires.

Abstract: A mechanical optic switch is disclosed that is of high mirror quality, high in the accuracy of opto-axial alignment between a mirror and a fiber aligning structure and yet of low insertion loss, permitting fiber optic switching by an electromagnetic force. It is made by a crystallographically oriented face dependent etching process, which simultaneously forms in a Si (100) crystallographically faced single crystal substrate (1), V-grooves (3) for fixing optical fibers (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) with the V-groove's longitudinal axes oriented in the <110> crystallographic direction or in a direction equivalent thereto; and a resilient support beam (5) and a mirror (4, 6) with the longitudinal axis of the resilient support beam and the mirror surface of the mirror oriented in the <100> direction or in a direction equivalent thereto. Slitting into the substrate from a rear surface thereof by etching renders the support beam resilient and flexible.

Abstract: A holographic recording material coupled to a plastic substrate can be exposed to an interference pattern formed by at least one coherent light source, and subsequently processed, thereby eliminating the need to transfer the holographic recording material from a glass substrate to the plastic substrate. Additionally, by performing a post-exposure heating step in a liquid bath, the formation of unwanted bubbles between the plastic substrate and the holographic recording material is at least in part prevented.

Abstract: This invention provides a stereoscopic display without using eyeglasses which does not require a means to switch images for left and right eyes and by which each viewer can observe a stereoscopic image even when many persons observe an image. The display includes a projector for a left eye 1L, a projector for a right eye 1R, and lenticular lens on a light incident side 2a which forms images for left and right eyes projected from each projector on a diffusing plate 2b alternately. A shutter means 4L, 4R include a plurality of shutter regions which can switch between light transmission and light shading and are placed laterally, and form a narrow-width image light reaching region, of which width is less than that of the shutter region, in each image forming region on the diffusing plate.

Abstract: In a device and method, the optical path length through an optical element is adjustable with high precision. The optical element has a first segment formed from a first optical material, the first segment having a first face at a first end and a second face at a second end opposing the first face, the second face being non-parallel with the first. The first and second faces are disposed on a beam path. The element also includes a second segment formed from a second optical material, having a third face at a third end and a fourth face at a fourth end opposing the third face, the third face being non-parallel with the fourth face. At least one of the first and second segments is translatable across the beam path so as to change an optical path length through the optical element.

Abstract: In order to improve a structure arrangement comprising a plurality of portions having a relief structure with an optical-diffraction effect, in particular for visually identifiable optical security elements for value-bearing documents, for example banknotes, credit cards, passes or cheque documents, or other articles to be safeguarded, in such a way that it can give a viewer an image impression which in particular is more homogenous and more brilliant than is possible with known structure arrangements, it is proposed that a predominant number of the portions is of strip or band configuration.