Abstract: An optical fiber includes an endface having a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface. The first reflective surface is formed at a first bias angle with respect to a plane that is normal to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber. The first reflective surface totally internally reflects an optical signal at a first reflection angle with respect to the longitudinal axis. The second reflective surface is coupled to the first reflective surface and formed at a second bias angle with respect to the plane such that the second reflective surface totally internally reflects the optical signal at a selected second reflection angle.

Abstract: A torsional rocker used in an optical scanner comprises a movable element, a pair of torsion spring structures or elastic members for rockably supporting the movable element, and a stationary element which fixes or holds the torsion spring structures. The movable element includes a coil which surrounds its edges and a mirror inside the coil. The opposite ends of the coil are connected individually to electrode pads on the stationary element by means of wires. The torsion spring structure includes a pair of leaf springs which extend parallel to each other, and the torsion spring structure also includes another pair of leaf springs which extend parallel to each other. The four leaf springs have the same thickness.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus for optically scanning a surface to be scanned at a constant velocity includes a light source for emitting a light flux, a first optical lens system for coupling the light flux emitted by the light source to a subsequent optical lens system, a second optical lens system for forming the light flux received from the first optical lens system into a line image extending in a direction corresponding to a main scanning direction for the surface to be scanned, an optical deflector for deflecting the light flux formed as the line image via a deflecting reflective plane thereof, which is located near where the line image is formed, and a third optical lens system for condensing the deflected light flux as an optical beam spot on the surface to be scanned.

Abstract: A polarization luminaire is disclosed having a light source, a system of the optical integrator, a polarized light splitting device for splitting a light emitted from the light source into two kinds of polarized lights whose polarization directions are perpendicular to each other and whose traveling directions are apart from each other by an angle of less than 90 degrees, and a polarization conversion device for causing the two kinds of polarized lights to have the same polarization direction. The polarized light splitting device is placed on one of the entrance side and the outputting side of the first lens plate of the system of the optical integrator or is placed within the second lens plate. A prism beam splitter having a polarized light splitting film constituted by a thermally stable dielectric multi-layer film is suitable for the polarized light splitting device. Most of the polarized lights can be utilized by causing the polarized lights to have the same polarization direction.

Abstract: A design technique minimizes the loss and ripple in the spectral response of an optical filter formed using a pair of gratings connected by an array of optical elements. This filter can be, for example, two waveguide grating routers (WGRs) connected by an array of waveguides. Each WGR includes two star couplers connected by waveguide grating arms. The smoothest spectral response is achieved for a given set of connecting waveguides, by choosing the number of grating arms less than or equal to filling the star coupler central Brillouin zone made by the set of connecting waveguides resulting in the connecting waveguides neither substantially over- or under-sampling the optical spectrum from the waveguide gratings. Exactly filling the Brillouin zone with the grating arms minimizes the loss, and so is the preferred choice.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector element comprises a connector body (10) which receives an optical fiber (12). The connector body (10) is provided with a bayonet coupling (30) to enable two identical connector elements to be mated to connect optically the optical fibers. The bayonet coupling (30) has two diametrically opposed connection arms (50,52), the arms of one connector fitting in the spacing between the arms of another connector to enable a bayonet connection to be established. An alignment feature (60) is positioned such that when the alignment feature (60) of the one connector and of the other connector are aligned, the arms (50,52) of the one connector are inserted into the spaces (54) between the arms of the other connector with the correct relative positioning to enable the bayonet fitting to be established. This facilitates the assembly of the coupling, which may be required in darkness and in adverse weather conditions when gloves are required.

Abstract: An optical connector 21 has sleeves 25 and 25 placed between an optical fiber 40 and reception and transmission modules 26 and 27, wherein the N.A. of each sleeve 25 is larger than the N.A. of the optical fiber 40. A holder 36 forming a part of the sleeve 25 is made of a synthetic resin and can be colored. Further, the sleeve 25 is formed by cutting an optical fiber source line 52, etc.

Abstract: A semiconductor device lead inspection apparatus and method are provided for capturing images of the semiconductor edges and leads along two optical axes which have different directions in a plane perpendicular to the semiconductor device edge. A first image is reflected off an optical surface of a prism to a direction corresponding to the camera optical axis. A second image is reflected by two optical surfaces of the prism to a direction corresponding to the camera optical axis.

Abstract: High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is used as a coating for optical elements operating in transmission in the infrared spectrum, which are made up of a material other than polyethylene, such as hygroscopic salt, semiconductor materials, fluorides, chalcogenides, silver halides, and others, so as to exploit the optical properties of HDPE, at the same time keeping the thickness reduced.

Abstract: An appartus, such as a binocular telescope, with an optical system which includes a long optical path. The binocular telescope includes a first objective lens, a second objective lens, a first prism, a second prism, and a group of eye piece lenses. A body of the second prism has an outer surface on which a film made of aluminum is deposited. A light which passes through the first objective lens is firstly reflected by an outer surface, or an exposed side, of the deposited film, and then reflected by an inner surface, or a side contacting the body of the second prism, of the film after the light passes through the second objective lens, the first prism and the second prism. The light reflected by the inner surface of the film is projected outside through the second prism and the eye piece lenses. The single deposited film serves as a pair of reflection elements within the optical system, so that the long optical path is secured therein.

Abstract: Binoculars, one form of telescope, in accordance with the present invention have a lens frame drive responsive to manipulating a focusing ring. Lens frames are driven to advance or withdrawn by means of the lens frame drive. The lens frames are driven to thrust from their positions of collapse to other positions, at which they enable observation, by manipulating the focusing ring. At this time, lens barriers covering the front surfaces of the lens frames are pressed by means of projections, and thus driven from positions at which they block objectives to other positions at which they free the objectives. Withdrawal of the lens barriers and thrusting of the lens frames can be achieved merely by manipulating the focusing ring. Changing the lens barriers from their positions of protection to their positions of withdrawal can be achieved with the simple manipulation.

Abstract: A compact digital imaging microscope includes a stage for holding a specimen, a lens assembly for collecting a beam of light transmitted through the specimen, and an adjustable beamsplitter assembly for splitting the beam between an eyepiece for viewing an image of the specimen and a CCD image detector to provide both a digital and an analog signal representing an image of the specimen. The use of a lens positioned along an optical path between the lens assembly and the image detector allows the image detector to be integrated compactly within the microscope and also allows the image detector to capture an image whose viewable area is roughly the same as that viewable through the eyepiece. Furthermore, all electrical connections (other than output and power supply connections which are located at the base of the microscope) are internalized within the microscope.

Abstract: An optical filter has little variation in chromatic dispersion over its passband, the filter being constituted by a Bragg grating whose pitch varies as a function of distance along the filter with a change in the sense of its concavity. The filter also presents apodization, e.g. apodization by a super-Gaussian function or Blackman apodization. The filter of the invention is adapted to high data rate dense WDM transmission systems.

Abstract: An optical fiber is stressed along its axis with a strain of at least 1% while light is introduced transversely to write a grating. The strain increases the photosensitivity of the fiber and reduces the time required to write the grating. Alternatively, the fiber can be compressed radially and inwardly, or compressed along its axis.

Abstract: An optical prism (1) for reflecting incident light from an incidence surface (2) suited for incidence of light from an LCD (20) or the like for at least twice before emitting the reflected light as emission light from a predetermined emission surface (4). The optical prism has side surfaces (6L and 6R) crossing the incidence and emission surfaces (2 and 4) and including receded surfaces 7L and 7R) formed such as not to impede an optical path of an effective size, the incident light being led along the optical. path from the incidence surface to the emission surface.

Abstract: An optical interleaver apparatus and method are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a first birefringent element, a first waveplate, a second birefringent element, a polarization rotation device and a retro-reflector. The first birefringent element separates an input optical signal into first and second beams having complementary polarizations. The first waveplate rotates a polarization of light in a first wavelength range, but not a second wavelength range. The second birefringent element splits the first and second beams into third, fourth, fifth and sixth beams. The polarization rotation device and retro-reflector are configured such that, on a reverse path, the second birefringent element combines the third beam with the sixth beam and the fourth beam with the fifth beam. The inventive apparatus may operate as either a demultiplexer or multiplexer. In an alternative embodiment, the apparatus includes a switchable polarization rotator disposed between the first birefringent element and the first waveplate.

Abstract: A display system has a directional reflection screen with a triangularly-shaped mirror sheet as horizontal focusing for observers and stereoscopic image projecting means. The directional reflection screen has a triangularly-shaped mirror sheet with included angles at least some of which are non-right angles. This enables a plurality of observers to simultaneously obtain a stereoscopic view using a binocular parallax without wearing special glasses and without having to position themselves in a very limited number of positions relative to the screen. Vertical diffusion can also be provided by using a lens sheet. The screen can be made concave in the horizontal or vertical directions, or both.

Abstract: A cable organizer having amounting mechanism suitable for mounting the cable organizer on a structure, at least one compartment for retaining at least one cable and a snap mechanism for use in installing the cable within the compartment.

Abstract: The objective changing-over apparatus of the present invention mounted on a microscope, for changing over two objectives on the microscope optical axis by electric power using a driving source comprises a rotation member to fit the two objectives, and two abutting members for limiting the rotation range of the rotation member, a transmission mechanism having a rotation area including a transmission area for transmitting the force and larger than the rotation range of the rotation member limited by the abutting member, for transmitting the force from the driving source to the rotation member by the transmission area.

Abstract: An optical waveguide is formed in an integrated optics chip that includes a substrate formed of an electrooptically active material. The optical waveguide network has an input facet where optical signals may be input to the optical waveguide network and an output facet where optical signals may be output from the optical waveguide network. A structure is located in an upper layer of the substrate to prevent surface waves that propagate in the substrate from cross coupling into the output facet.