Abstract: A connecting member is provided with a first, a second and a third arm which radially extend. A first hole is formed at an end of the first arm, and a second hole is formed at an end of the second arm. The centers of the first and second holes respectively coincide with optical axes of objective lenses. A pair of eyepiece groups are held by a pair of holders. The holders are rotatably held by the first and second holes, so that an interpupillary adjustment is carried out. A rotation ring axle is threadably engaged with a third hole formed at an end of the third arm. A guide shaft passes through a junction of the first, second and third arms. The connecting member is movable along optical axes of the eyepieces, so that a focusing operation is carried out.

Abstract: The quality of image produced by confocal microscopy, and especially scanning laser confocal microscopy, is enhanced especially for images obtained in turbid mediums such as many biological tissues specimens, by reducing speckle from scatterers that exist outside (above and below) the section which is being imaged by utilizing reduced coherence illumination, such as provided by a multi-mode laser. The laser beam is focused to provide its intensity in lobes forming offset spots in opposite (180°) amplitude phase relationship. The lobes are combined in the return light from the section and detected after passing through the confocal aperture of the confocal microscope. Images can be formed from the detected return light. Light from scatterers outside the section of interest, which are illuminated by both of the lobes beams overlap outside the section and interfere, thereby reducing speckle due to such scatterers, and particularly scatters which are adjacent to the section being imaged.

Abstract: A deformable mirror assembly is provided employing a pressure differential across the mirror element to flex the mirror into a configuration. The configuration is determined by an array of positioning members, each having a fixed back end and a movable front end. The invention employs long-stroke electromagnet actuators with built-in position sensing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reflective prism device, which comprises a prism unit and a data communication unit, and communication light being irradiated from a survey instrument toward said prism unit, whereby there is provided a light guide for guiding a part of said communication light entering said prism unit toward said data communication unit.

Abstract: A prism system for image inversion in a visual observation beam path, which uses a roof prism and a reflecting prism. The roof prism has a roof edge inclined with respect to a bottom face, and a gable face which is placed at an angle with respect to the bottom face and which acts as a beam splitter. The reflecting prism has a beam-pass face parallel to the bottom face of the roof prism. The bottom face of the roof prism and the beam-pass face of the reflecting prism have areas separated geometrically from one another for the passage of observation beams and for the passage of a further beam path which reflects a measured-value display into an exit-side observation beam path and/or reflects a rangefinder measuring beam path into an entry-side observation beam path.

Abstract: Thin multilayer signature control films having a large differential between the indices of refraction of adjoining layers are characterized by the use as the low index layer or layers of a material having a high coefficient of extinction and a very low index of refraction. The enhanced differential between the indices of refraction results in signature control materials which, in one embodiment, may be comprised of just a substrate and a coating and, in another embodiment, may be a supported or unsupported multilayer film comprised of as few as three layers that have performance characteristics equal to or exceeding prior art films comprised of 15-30 layers. Both continuous films and pigmented liquid coating compositions for signature control are provided. Improved pigments for liquid coating compositions are comprised of appropriately coated microspheres and microballoons.

Abstract: A holographic projection screen for large screen projection and back projection with a liquid crystal projector. The screen includes at least one layer made of a photosensitive material in which at least one index grating may be recorded by an interference of an optical recording wave with an optical object wave. The thickness of the layer is equal to or greater than n0&Lgr;2/2&pgr;, where n0 is the average index of the photosensitive material, &Lgr; is the average spacing of the index grating and &lgr; is the recording wavelength.

Abstract: A viewing optical instrument includes an objective optical system and an eyepiece optical system such that an object image formed through the objective optical system is magnified and observed through the eyepiece optical system. The viewing optical instrument includes an eyepiece adjusting device which allows the eyepiece optical system to rotate relative to the objective optical system about a rotational axis at which an optical axis of the objective optical system intersects a focal plane formed by the objective optical system. A detector detects an inclination of a surface of a sighting object relative to a plane which is normal to the optical axis of the objective optical system, and a controller control the eyepiece optical system to rotate about the rotational axis in accordance with the inclination detected by the detector.

Abstract: Herein provided is an optical isolator which permits the reduction of the production cost and which is excellent in the thermal shock resistance. The optical isolator of the present invention is that the Farady rotator be adhered to the birefringent crystals or glass polarizers through adhesive layers and that the glass transition point of the adhesive be not more than −40° C.

Abstract: A safety mirror system includes a housing mounted to a rear surface of a truck, the housing including an electrically operated drive train therein. A bracket includes a first end coupled to the drive train and a second end having the mirror mounted thereto. The drive train includes a motor which is operable by a driver operable switch in the electrical circuit. Upon switch operation the drive train will pivot the mirror between a position in which the mirror is behind the truck to a position at which the mirror is displaced from the side of the truck and angled towards the blind spot behind the rear of the truck. At this displaced position the driver can view the image of the dead space in the displaced rear mirror. The displaced mirror can be pivoted to a storage position adjacent the truck when not in use. Stop lugs within the drive train physically preclude movement of the mirror beyond the storage or displaced positions as well as cease current delivery to the drive train at these positions.

Abstract: Microscopes, including viewing and other microscopic systems, employ a hinged, tiltable plane to adjust focus on an object such as a microscope slide. A scanning microscope under computer control, employing such a focusing action, enables unattended scanning of biochips with a simple and economical instrument. Also shown are flexure-mounting of a support plate to define the hinge axis, techniques for automatically determining position and focus, and a rotatably oscillating flying micro-objective scanner combined with the tilting plane focus system. Construction and control techniques are shown that realize simple and accurate focusing. Methods of examination of biological materials are disclosed. Simple and efficient focused scanning with a flying micro-objective of ordered arrays of nucleotides and nucleic acid fragments carried upon a microscope slide or other substrate is discovered.

Abstract: A polarizing layer H1, comprising a large number of particles having morphological anisotropy dispersed in a dielectric, is sandwiched between major surfaces of two dielectric substrates 1, 2 having transparency, and the two dielectric substrates are jointed. The jointed two dielectric substrates are given thermal plastic deformation in a certain direction to give the metal particles of a laminated layer 7 morphological anisotropy and orientation to turn it into the polarizing layer H1.

Abstract: A phosphate glass doped with copper in an amount of less than 2% by weight is formed to produce a lens for use on external aircraft lights. The glass attenuates infra red radiation to a degree where it does not pose a danger of temporarily blinding a pilot wearing night vision goggles yet remains visible. The glass has little appreciable effect on light transmission in the visible spectrum. Conveniently, the glass can be formed by slumping at a softening temperature against a mold to produce intricate lens shapes. In addition, the glass is able to withstand conventional toughening processes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a slimmed-down, well weight-balanced image display apparatus which, while a wide angle of view is presented, ensures high resolving power and a large pupil diameter, and comprises a viewing optical system for viewing an image displayed on an image display device 3 and having generally positive refracting power. The viewing optical system comprises a relay optical element for forming a relay image 6 and an ocular optical element for forming an exit pupil 2 for guiding relay image 6 to an observer. The relay optical element comprises a prism member 5. The prism member 5 comprises an entrance surface 11, at least one reflecting surface 12 or 13, and an exit surface 14. The reflecting surface is constructed of a rotationally asymmetric surface capable of imparting power to a light beam and making correction for aberrations produced by decentration.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for delivery of high peak power pulse through an optical fiber to an optical device includes an ultrashort pulsed laser source which produces ultrashort optical pulses having high peak power. Prior to transmitting the optical pulses through a delivery optical fiber, the pulse width of the optical pulses is stretched, forming chirped optical pulses having a lower peak power. The stretched pulses are transmitted through an optical fiber which delivers the pulse to an optical device requiring ultrashort, high peak power optical pulses. The optical fiber and/or an output unit coupled to the end of the optical fiber introduces a dispersion which compensates for the dispersion introduced by the pulsed laser source and the stretcher, and delivers a recompressed optical pulse to an optical device.

Abstract: An image-forming optical system including a compact and high-performance prism optical system. The image-forming optical system has a prism member formed from a medium having a refractive index larger than 1. The prism member has a first transmitting surface, first to third reflecting surfaces, and a second transmitting surface. The second and third reflecting surfaces are arranged so that the path of the axial principal ray in the prism is folded in a triangular shape, and the axial principal ray incident on the second reflecting surface and the axial principal ray reflected from the third reflecting surface form intersecting optical paths. At least one of the first to third reflecting surfaces has a curved surface configuration that gives a power to a light beam. The curved surface configuration has a rotationally asymmetric surface configuration that corrects aberrations due to decentration.

Abstract: A fiber optic package and methods for varying the tension within a fiber Bragg grating or other fiber-based optical device subjects a fiber (having the fiber Bragg grating written therein) to a controlled strain. The resulting strain in the fiber produces a desired and predetermined change in the grating wavelength.

Abstract: A method is designed to adjust the distance between the central axes of two ocular lenses of an optical instrument. The method involves the use of a link mechanism to actuate two movable prisms and the two ocular lenses of the optical instrument to move respectively along a base surface such that the optical axes of effective diameters of the two movable prisms are coaxial with the optical axes of the corresponding ocular lenses.

Abstract: The present invention includes maintaining the region of the proximal lens of a laparoscope at greater than ambient temperature in order to prevent fogging during use. Heating is accomplished using commercially available chemical heat packs generally used for heating boots or gloves. The invention differs from other anti-fogging devices, which either immerse the distal lens region of the laparoscope in a warm fluid or treat this lens with anti-fogging solutions, in that above-ambient temperature is continuously maintained throughout the laparoscope, since it is known that a cool laparoscope fogs when placed in the vicinity of warm, wet tissue.

Abstract: A holographic optical element comprising at least two sets of regions, the regions of each set being different from the regions of the other set(s) and being interleaved or overlapping with the regions of the other set(s) and being constructed such that light incident on each set of regions is directed to a respective one of a plurality of viewing zones. The holographic optical element is typically incorporated in a display device such as a stereoscopic display device.