Abstract: A projection aligner transfers a pattern image of a reticle by using a light radiated from a light source through a diaphragm to a photo-resist layer, and the position of the light source is automatically regulated on the basis of pieces of illuminance data simultaneously measured on an image forming plane so that the regulation is exact and completed within a short time period.

Abstract: An underwater branching device for branching a plurality of submarine communication cables respectively provided for communication between a plurality of stations respectively located across an ocean. The underwater branching device has a plurality of distributing and coupling unit for branching and coupling transmission signals of the submarine communication cables. A plurality of amplifiers are provided between the distributing and coupling units. A control means is provided for selectively activating the first to third amplifier.

Abstract: An electronic controller having a joystick member, the controller utilizing one or more electrical output circuits characterized by parameters which vary in accordance with the displacement of the joystick member from a "neutral" position in X-axis and Y-axis directions, to control positions on opposite sides of the "neutral" position. The joystick member has a light-reflecting area which traverses a predetermined field of travel as the member is moved between its various positions. A light emitter-sensor circuit including a light source and a light sensor is disposed in the field of travel of the light-reflecting-area of the joystick member. The emitter-sensor circuit generates an electrical signal from a reflected beam of light which is emitted from the light source and is reflected from the reflecting area of the joystick member and onto the light sensor, only when the joystick member is at, or very close to its "neutral" position.

Abstract: According to the process of the invention, optical inspection of a translucent article, in particular optical inspection of a concave bottom of a container, in which the article is positioned between a radiation source and an image recording apparatus and an image of the article is recorded and processed, is improved by placing at least one optical correction element in the paths of rays between the radiation source and the image recording apparatus to correct ray paths causing undesired dark or black spots on the image, so that such dark or black spots are prevented or brightened in order that an adequate image for satisfactory image-analysis is produced.

Abstract: A fracture detecting apparatus for identifying fractures in a metallic workpiece includes a fiber optic element securely affixed to the workpiece with a metallic material, such as a metallic solder. Accordingly, a fracture in the portion of the metallic workpiece to which the fiber optic element is attached will damage the fiber optic element. A light source and a detector are connected to the fiber optic element for transmitting light therethrough and receiving the transmitted light, respectively. The detector determines, based upon the reflection or attenuation of the transmitted light, if the fiber optic element has been damaged. Accordingly, a damaged fiber optic element as well as the fracture in the underlying metallic workpiece which caused the damage to the fiber optic element may be detected and repaired prior to causing additional damage to the metallic workpiece.

Abstract: A wide angle zoom lens system. A first lens group has a positive refractive power, while a second lens group has a negative refractive power. The distance between the first lens group and the second lens group is changed during zooming. The first lens group includes a front group having a negative refractive power and a rear group having a positive refractive power. The front group includes a meniscus lens which is concave toward the object and has a negative refractive power, and the rear group includes at least four lenses which have positive or negative refractive powers, wherein 4.5<.vertline.f.sub.F /f.sub.W .vertline.<13; 0.005<.vertline.K/f.sub.F .vertline.<0.07; and 20<.vertline.(f.sub.bW .multidot.f.sub.F)/f.sub.W .vertline.<100 where f.sub.F is the focal length of the front group of the first lens group, f.sub.

Abstract: A torque sensor, or relative angular movement sensor, capable of measuring the angular displacement of a component in a power-assisted steering system, comprises an input member coupled to one end of a torsion bar, an output member coupled to another end of the torsion bar, LED light sources, a pair of photodetector units adapted to receive light from the LED light sources, and signal processing means adapted to receive output signals from the photodetector units, the output signals of the photodetector units being dependent upon the light signals which they receive, and wherein the signal processing means is adapted to produce a modified output signal which closely matches and is representative of the angular position of a chosen portion of the torsion bar.

Abstract: The surface of a yarn (G) is imaged on a sensor (7) having a plurality of sensor elements of differing structural arrangement. The signals of the individual sensor elements are compared with one another, and the structure of the examined yarn surface is determined on the basis of correspondence with the appropriate sensor element. The structure to be examined is formed both by the actual yarn surface and by the yarn edge, including projecting fibers and possible impurities, such as foreign fibers, included in the yarn.

Abstract: An optical compound eye sensor (100) comprises a plurality of ommatidium sensors (10) disposed in a fixed relationship to form a multifaceted sensing surface. Each of the ommatidium sensors (10) has a conical body (12) of refractive material situated longitudinally along a respective optic axis (14) and has a lens face (16) and an electro-optic element (18), such as an emitter or detector, situated at substantially opposing ends of the conical body (12) along the respective optic axis (14). The lens face (16) and the conical body (12) direct light either to or from the electro-optic element (18). The lens faces (16) of the ommatidium sensors (10) collectively define the multifaceted surface for receiving light from the light source.

Abstract: An apparatus for photo-electric automatic feedback compensation control is used with a charged coupled device (CCD) scanner to efficiently bring the CCD scanner into optimal operating range by controlling the output intensity of a light source based upon output readings from the CCD. A voltage controlled power supply drives a light source to emit light through an optical system to irradiate a CCD scanner. The voltage induced in the CCD scanner is output and manipulated to produce a digital control signal. When the photo-electric conversion rate of the CCD is too high, the light emitting intensity of the light source is reduced based upon the output of the CCD. When the photo-electric conversion rate of the CCD is too low, the output intensity of the light source is increased based upon the output signal of the CCD scanner.

Abstract: A particle component analyzing apparatus and method using a microwave induced plasma to perform element analysis of particles, such as particles existing in a clean room; wherein an aspirator scans a filter to draw particles collected on the filter, and using the microwaves to excite the drawn particles to cause generation of an emission spectrum having a plurality of wavelengths indicative of the elements of the particle, which are measured by a plurality of monochrometers, and converted by an optoelectric converter into electrical signals to identify the different elements in the particle. The invention uses means for obtaining the cube roots of the outputs from the optoelectric converter.

Abstract: The invention is a Method and Apparatus for detecting the application of a liquid drop into a transparent reaction chamber or other reflecting surface in the presence of ambient light and transient motion of the chamber. A light source is modulated into two or more discrete levels at a fixed or variable modulation rate. These levels include an off level where there is no light from the optical source. Light from the source is specularly reflected into an optical detector which is sampled at least once for each modulated light level. Differences between modulated levels and the off level represent the amount of reflectivity of the surface or chamber. When liquid enters the chamber or is applied to the surface, the reflectivity changes. This leads to detectable changes between the modulated levels and the off level. Ambient light simply shifts the absolute values of the levels.

Abstract: In a scanning type probe microscope, a semiconductor laser LD is driven by a current having a value not more than an oscillation threshold value using a constant current circuit for weak light, and weak light is used to perform positional adjustment of the position of the laser beam on a cantilever.

Abstract: A photodiode amplifier includes an input stage having a first pair of transistors connected as a differential pair to have a low input impedance and a current source connected into the input stage to bias the pair of transistors. A photodiode is connected into the input stage across the transistors so as to provide differential effect to current flowing through the transistors. By means of such connection, the photodiode is presented with low input impedance, its time constant is accordingly lowered, and the system response of the photodiode amplifier is extended into higher frequencies. The photodiode amplifier is of particular use in an illuminant discriminator capable of distinguishing a range of separate illuminants, including high efficiency fluorescent lighting within the passband of the photodiode amplifier.

Abstract: Provided is an active range detection optical system which can measure a distance with high accuracy independent of the position of an object over the far-to-near range.

Abstract: A passive broadband sensor protection and enhancement system and technique. ncident light is focused with a cylindrical lens on the optical axis into an intense light strip onto the input face of a photorefractive crystal which may include optional anti-reflection coatings on the input and output face. A broadband high reflection coating proximate to the input face reflects all radiation from approximately 0.68 out to at least 1.5 micrometers wavelength and light exiting includes a transmitted beam and beam fan. A weak holographic grating is used to seed the beam fan, such that is fanned out of the optical path in a direction determined by the c-axis, dominant electro-optic coefficient, and charge carriers participating in the photorefractive process. The transmitted beam contains only incoherent radiation as input to a sensitive detector resulting in broadband multiline protection from the visible spectrum for substantially all pulsewidths and cw lasers, with enhanced time response and interaction length.

Abstract: A fiber optic transducer includes a fiber optic cable or ribbon, a sensor, fluid material for coupling the fiber optic medium to the sensor and an affixing material to optionally affix the position of the sensor position relative to the fiber optic ribbon by affixing only one end of the sensor to the fiber optic ribbon. The sensor can be made from either magnetostrictive or electrostrictive materials. The coupling fluid enables the transducers to be manufactured with substantially similar frequency responses across a range of frequencies.

Abstract: An improved X-ray and gamma ray sensitive Vidicon tube having a photoconductor deposited substrate cooled by means of an internal thermoelectric coolers and a heat sink. The cooled photoconductor has a higher resistivity and lower conductivity and hence the device exhibits less dark current.

Abstract: A single photodetecting element, in front of which a knife edge is placed, is disposed in front of a scanning surface and outside a laser beam scanning region for the scanning surface. Two mirrors or a single half mirror is disposed outside the scanning region on the side opposite to the side where the photodetecting means is disposed, and directs the light beam to the photodetecting element along two optical paths. The photodetecting element and the two mirrors or single half mirror is so disposed that lengths of the two optical paths are equal to respective lengths of two imaginary optical paths to predetermined positions spaced from the scanning surface perpendicularly in opposite directions.

Abstract: The invention described herein is an alignment system used in semiconductor manufacturing. It is the core component used to align a mask containing a circuit pattern to a wafer during a scanning sequence. The alignment system images an alignment reticle pattern onto a wafer which contains alignment marks. During scanning, the light from the alignment reticle image is reflected and scattered by the wafer and its alignment marks. Multiple detectors are placed at a pupil plane of the alignment system to collect the reflected and scattered light in the bright-field and dark-field regions. The resulting signals and their analysis results in determination of accurate alignment of a wafer. The alignment system does not use or "look through" the projection optics of the scanning photolithographic device. The broadband spectrum used for alignment illumination cannot be used in the projection optics designed for the deep UV wavelengths without undesirable results.