Abstract: Apparatus for generation of broadband vestigial sideband (VSB) signals primarily for transmission over optical fibers in which the carrier frequency is in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The modulating signal is normally a broadband digital signal. The apparatus includes an optical fiber, an optical signal source coupled to a modulator with first and second modulation signals modulating the carrier optical signal, plus a method of adding carrier optical signal to the modulator output optical signal and coupling to an output optical fiber. The modulation signals are selected such that an output optical signal transmitted along the optical fiber from the modulator has a vestigial single sideband. Part of the carrier optical signal is transmitted with the output optical signal through the use of a bypass loop or through an appropriate combination of the first and second modulation signals.

Abstract: An optical pick-up apparatus can be used for recording or reproducing information signals onto/from both a compact disc and a digital versatile disc.

Abstract: A projection lens for use with LCD or DMD panels is provided. The lens has three lens units, the first unit having a negative power and at least one plastic lens element having two aspheric surfaces, a second lens unit having a negative power or a weak positive power and at least one color correcting doublet, and a third lens unit having a positive power and an aspheric surface either on a glass element or on a weak plastic element. The projection lens has a back focal length to focal length ratio of at least 3.0, the ratio being achieved by arranging the first, second, and third lens units so that:D.sub.12 /f.sub.0 >1.0,D.sub.23 /f.sub.0 >0.7, and1.5<(D.sub.12 +D.sub.23 +BFL)/BFL<4.0where: f.sub.0 is the effective focal length of the combination of the first, second, and third lens units; BFL is the back focal length of the combination of the first, second, and third lens units; D.sub.12 is the distance between the first and second lens units; and D.sub.

Abstract: A surface deformation type wavefront phase modulator (36) utilizes a transmissive deformable conductor (30) affixed to a single layer of transmissive deformable media (24). Media (24) is affixed to a substrate (12). A dielectric reflector (18) is affixed to the substrate (12). Conductor (30) is opposite the substrate (12). Electrostatic forces are applied to the conductor (30) to vary the deformation of media (24) and conductor (30) to phase modulate a wavefront which is incident on conductor (30), traverses media 24 and is reflected by reflector (18) to again traverse the media (24). Several advantages are inherent in my invention. Utilizing a transmissive deformable conductor (30) avoids the compromises involving reflectivity and conductor thickness which has plagued prior art devices.

Abstract: To provide an optical unit which can be driven with low electrical power, is controllable in its transmittance in visible light, has satisfactory spectroscopic properties in a light-screening state, and exhibits a life span extended by reducing the over-voltage upon the electrodes; and to provide an electrolytic solution to be used in the optical unit. An optical unit comprising a pair of opposing electrodes 2 and 3, and an electrolytic solution 1 comprising a solvent and a silver bromide dissolved therein, the electrolytic solution further containing a metal salt such as copper bromide to be co-deposited with silver, and the electrolytic solution being disposed between the opposing electrodes such that deposition/dissolution of silver is caused by drive-controlling these electrodes.

Abstract: A photographic lens system which is composed, in order from the object side, of a first lens element having a positive refractive power, a second lens element having a negative refractive power, a third lens element having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens element which has an aspherical surface on the image side and a negative refractive powers. An aperture stop is disposed between the second lens element and the third lens element or between the third lens element and the fourth lens element. This photographic lens system has a large aperture, favorable optical performance within a photographing range from infinite distance to an extremely short distance, a compact size and a simple composition, and can be manufactured at a low cost.

Abstract: An array of thin film actuated mirrors for use in an optical projection system is disclosed. The array includes: a substrate including an array of connecting terminals; an array of actuating structures, each of the actuating structures being provided with 4P+1 number of actuating parts and a light reflecting part, and further including a plurality of dividing slots, wherein odd numbered actuating parts deform in response to an electrical signal, and even numbered actuating parts tilt while remaining planar; and an array of pairs of supporting members, each of the supporting members in each pair being, respectively, located below the first and the (4P+1)th actuating parts in each of the actuating structures, thereby cantilevering the corresponding actuating structure in place. In the inventive array, the light reflecting part in each of the actuating structures, which is connected to the (2P+1)th actuating part, tilts at a larger angle, increasing the tilting efficiency of the array.

Abstract: A font for generating interconnected alphanumeric electrode characters adapted for use as an image-generating electrode in flat displays such as electrochromic displays. A display message comprising characters of such font be readily applied to flat display films by printers, e.g. ink jet or laser jet printers, capable of applying electrically conductive ink. The characters in the font are defined by two generally parallel and spaced apart lines where a wide first line has apertures defining the general shape of the character and a second narrow line having curvilinear or segmented portions extending into the aperture of said first line.

Abstract: An electrochromic display and a method for making thereof are disclosed. The display has isolated and perforated reflectors separating an electrolyte confined between two electrodes. The front electrode is transparent. The reflector eliminates the need to include pigment particles in the electrolyte to mask the black rear electrode and to provide a desired color background. The pigment free electrolyte is thinner than a pigmented electrolyte. The reflector reflects light back to the transparent electrode thus masking the rear electrode and providing a background color other than black. When the rear electrode is driven by a drive circuit, ions of the electrolyte and current pass through the reflector towards the front electrode, where a coloration reaction occurs to form an image. The electrochromic display is thin, has high resolution, and does not exhibit image spreading and distortion.

Abstract: A tunable spatial light modulator for use with a variable wavelength transmitter having a support surface and a plurality of pixels defining an array thereof upon the support surface. Each pixel has a first conductive element formed to the support surface and a second conductive element spaced away from the first conductive element and movable between first and second portions thereof with respect to the first conductive element, the second conductive element configured to reflect light therefrom.

Abstract: A Faraday rotator capable of maintaining a Faraday rotation angle always constant regardless of temperature variations. The Faraday rotator includes a magneto-optic crystal provided in a light propagation path, a permanent magnet for generating a magnetic field parallel to the light propagation path, and an electromagnet for generating a magnetic field orthogonal to the light propagation path. The strength of a synthetic magnetic field by the permanent magnet and the electromagnet is set to a magnitude large enough to magnetically saturate the magneto-optic crystal. The electromagnet is driven by a drive circuit. The Faraday rotator further includes a temperature sensor provided adjacent to the Faraday rotator, and a controller incorporating data on temperature dependence of a Faraday rotation angle of the magneto-optic crystal to control the drive circuit so that the Faraday rotation angle becomes constant according to a temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

Abstract: An improved method for manufacturing an array of M.times.N thin film actuated mirrors comprises the steps of: providing an active matrix including M.times.N connecting terminals; constructing a thin film sacrificial layer on the top surface of the active matrix; removing portions of the thin film sacrificial layer surrounding each of the connecting terminals; forming a supporting member in each of the removed portions to thereby form a supporting layer; forming an elastic layer on top of the supporting layer; structuring a conduit in each of the supporting members and the elastic layer; depositing a second thin film layer on top of the elastic layer; patterning the second thin film layer into M.times.N second thin film electrodes; forming a thin film electrodisplacive layer on top of the second thin film electrodes and the elastic layer; patterning the thin film electrodisplacive layer into M.times.N thin film electrodisplacive members; patterning the elastic layer into M.times.

Abstract: The dielectric multilayered reflector of the invention is formed on at least one of two emitting surfaces of a semiconductor laser device. The dielectric multilayered reflector includes: a multilayered structure formed by stacking a plurality of layers; and a layer made of magnesium difluoride. In this dielectric multilayered reflector, the multilayered structure includes at least one layer made of an oxide dielectric material and the layer made of magnesium difluoride is formed on a surface of an outermost layer of the multilayered structure.

Abstract: A high-powered zoom lens system comprising at least three lens groups including a first positive lens group, a second positive lens group, and a negative lens group, arranged in this order as viewed from the side of an object to be photographed. The three lens groups are moved toward the object to be photographed during zooming from a wide-angle extremity to a telephoto extremity. The negative lens group satisfies the relationships defined by (1) 3.3<m.sub.Tn <6 and (2) 2.5<m.sub.Tn /m.sub.wn <4, wherein "m.sub.Tn " represents the lateral magnification of the negative lens group at the telephoto extremity, and "m.sub.wn " represents the lateral magnification of the negative lens group at the wide-angle extremity, respectively.

Abstract: An improved optical cell (light valve) of the type which includes a liquid suspension of particles orientable by an electrical field to vary the amount of luminous transmission is described. The cell comprises two adjacent plates held apart by a spacer to define a space occupied by the suspension. The cell further includes a first opening which passes through the spacer into the space to permit introduction of the suspension into the cell and a second opening which passes through the spacer at or near the furthest possible distance permitted by the configuration of the cell from the first opening, whereby the introduction of the suspension displaces through the second opening any fluid such as air which is initially present in the space.

Abstract: In a configuration constituted by two lens sheets, the ranges of levels of refractive index n and Abbe number .nu. of the image-side lens made of a biconvex lens are specified in order to realize an imaging lens constituted by two lens sheets which can attain a long back focus, a relatively wide angle of view, a high brightness, a small size, and a lower manufacturing cost. The imaging lens comprises, successively disposed from the object side to the image side, a concave lens and a biconvex lens, while at least one surface of the concave lens is an aspheric surface. Also, assuming that the refractive index and Abbe number of the biconvex lens are respectively n and .nu., the following conditional expressions (1) and (2):1.55.ltoreq.n (1)35.ltoreq..nu. (2)are satisfied.

Abstract: A mounting assembly (50) for an electro-optic modulator array (10) is disclosed. Electro-optic modulator array (10) is mounted on a ledge (52) of wiring board (53). A recess (51) in wiring board (53) allows electrical connection of electrodes (14,15) from both a first surface of electro-optic modulator array (10) to a first side of wiring board (53), and from a second surface of electro-optic modulator array (10) to a second side of wiring board (53). A resilient adhesive (54) is used to attach electro-optic modulator array (10) to board (53). Wiring electro-optic modulator array (10) to both sides of wiring board (53) allows full utilization of the PLZT substrate and hence, higher light beam density per unit length.

Abstract: Light in the visible spectrum is modulated using an array of modulation elements, and control circuitry connected to the array for controlling each of the modulation elements independently, each of the modulation elements having a surface which is caused to exhibit a predetermined impedance characteristic to particular frequencies of light. The amplitude of light delivered by each of the modulation elements is controlled independently by pulse code modulation. Each modulation element has a deformable portion held under tensile stress, and the control circuitry controls the deformation of the deformable portion. Each deformable element has a deformation mechanism and an optical portion, the deformation mechanism and the optical portion independently imparting to the element respectively a controlled deformation characteristic and a controlled modulation characteristic. The deformable modulation element may be a non-metal.

Abstract: An electrochromic device and a method for manufacturing the same, which device at least comprises a pair of opposed transparent substrates provided with a pair of opposed transparent electrodes therebetween; and an oxidative coloring electrochromic layer, a layer comprising an oxidative coloring electrochromic material and a metal oxide, a transparent ion conductive layer, and a reductive coloring electrochromic layer provided between the pair of transparent electrodes. Thereby, an electrochromic device can be provided, which device exhibits high optical transmittance during discoloring and shows excellent response speed and repeated-durability when being driven at high contrast ratio.

Abstract: A long focal length microlens system that controls the variation of the aberration from the infinite object distance to shooting at equal magnification. The long focal length microlens system includes a first lens group G1 of positive refractive power a second lens group G2 of positive refractive power and a third lens group G3 of negative refractive power. When focusing from a infinite object distance to a close shooting distance, a value of D1 is reduced while a value of D2 is increased and a condition of 0.16<.vertline..DELTA.D1 .vertline./.DELTA.D2<0.5 is satisfied where D1 is a gap of lens apexes between said first group G1 and the second group G2. D2 is a gap of lens apexes between said second group G2 and the third group G3, .DELTA.D1 is (D1 at any object distance)-(D1 in the infinite object distance) and .DELTA.D2 is (D2 at any shooting distance)-(D2 in the infinite object distance).