Abstract: To reduce the size of a polarizing device used for a polarized light illuminator, to cut the costs of the polarizing device and to reduce the size of the entire polarized light illuminator, light from a lamp which is incident on a polarizing device, is subjected to polarization separation, and is then incident on an integrator lens. The polarized light emerging from the integrator lens is converted into parallel light via an aperture and a second planar mirror by means of a collimator and is emitted onto a workpiece. As the polarizing element, a polarizing element formed by a combination of several polarized light beam splitters is used, and it is arranged such that the shadow is projected by the boundary surfaces of the polarized light beam splitters onto the boundary lines of the lenses which form the integrator lens. In this way, the reduction in illuminance and the deterioration of the distribution of the illuminance on the irradiation surface can be prevented.

Abstract: The use of a holographic video screen which appears black, gray or colored in ambient light as the display surface in a vehicle, wherein a driver can view the screen while driving without taking his eyes of the road. Additionally, the display system containing such a video screen permits the projection and viewing of multiple images on a single screen.

Abstract: A number of holes (3) are formed in the outer circumferential wall (2) of a tubular metallic pipe (1) at regulator intervals in both circumferential and axial directions. Each of the holes (3) consists of a polygonal opening (4) and raised pieces (5) formed by bending the material from the peripheral edge surrounding the opening (3). This pipe may be used as an insert pipe in injection molding an article such as a lead screw, an optical fiber ferrule or the like. The raised pieces reinforce the part of the pipe surrounding each hole, and enhances the bonding between the molding material and insert pipe.

Abstract: A system including a first polarization element configured to linearly polarize at least one beam in open space, a processing device configured to receive linearly polarized beams at an input, downline from the first polarization element, a first polarization switch downline from said processing device, wherein the processing device carries out an identical processing on two states of a same input beam. The processing device includes a multiple delay creation device with polarization switches, and the multiple delay creation device includes, on two routes (j=1,2): n polarization switches CPi, (1≦i≦n); n polarization splitters/recombiners SPi j (1≦i≦n); and n delay devices Rij (1≦i≦n).

Abstract: A polygonal mirror fixing device comprising a rotary body, to which a polygonal mirror is adapted to be mounted, has a mounting circumferential surface in a center opening of the polygonal mirror and a mounting bottom surface which projects from the mounting circumferential surface in the radially outward direction. A mirror pressing member which is composed of the same material as the polygonal mirror is positioned to have contact with an axial end surface of the polygonal mirror, the other side from the end surface the contacts the mounting bottom surface. A mirror fixing member and a spring member are attached axially to the other side of the mirror pressing member to press the mirror pressing member in the axial direction. By the pressing force of the mirror fixing member in the axial direction, the mirror pressing member is pressed in the axial direction toward the mounting bottom surface so that the polygonal mirror is fixed.

Abstract: An imaging element includes a diffraction optical element on which an off-axis beam with a field angle is incident and a stop. Of beams having different field angles and incident on the diffraction optical element, beams having incident angles larger than the incident angle of a principal light ray of the beams incident on the grating surface of the diffraction optical element are partially shielded by a light-shielding member, so that the diffraction efficiencies of orders adjacent to a design order are kept low and hence imaging performance almost free from flare can be achieved even if a beam with a field angle is incident.

Abstract: An optical element having a plastic substrate and an antireflection film provided on the plastic substrate, characterized in that the optical element has a basic layer comprising Nb between the plastic substrate and the antireflection film. The optical element has high adhesiveness between the plastic substrate and the antireflection film and is characterized by excellent resistance to heat, impact, alkali, and abrasion.

Abstract: Interleavers are a useful tool in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) to separate a signal with closely spaced channels into two signals, e.g. odd and even ITU channels, each with twice the channel spacing. Alternatively, two signals with a large channel spacing can be combined into a single beam with half the channel spacing. The invention relates to an optical interferometer using rhomb prisms as resonant cavities, which, when properly designed, provide the necessary phase shifts for interleaving or de-interleaving sets of optical wavelength channels. The present invention utilizes the differential phase shift between orthogonally polarized components induced by total internal reflection (TIR) off the surfaces of the rhomb prisms. Dispersion reducing techniques are also disclosed, including multiple rhomb interleavers and multi-pass rhomb interleavers.

Abstract: A low dispersion comb filter or interleaver assembly has a first interleaver element and a second interleaver element. The first interleaver element is configured so as to provide a dispersion vs. wavelength curve wherein each dispersion value thereof is approximately opposite in value to a dispersion value at the same wavelength for the second interleaver element, so as to mitigate net or total dispersion in the interleaver assembly.

Abstract: The invention provides a simple temperature insensitive optical retarder (waveplate) having a first and a second wedge shaped birefringent crystals, and a crystal mount comprising a first material having a low thermal expansion coefficient and a second material having a high thermal expansion coefficient, wherein the first and the second wedge shaped birefringent crystals are attached onto the first and second materials, respectively, so that the total retardance by the first and second birefringent crystals at a first temperature is substantially the same as that at a second different temperature at a given wavelength. Advantageously, the temperature insensitive optical retarder is simple, easy to construct, can be used for any birefringent crystal and does not require the use of different birefringent crystals.

Abstract: High speed optical scanner systems and methods using optical multiplexing of wavelengths and spatial codes. In one form, a wavelength multiplexed optical scanner (W-MOS) is disclosed, wherein tuning the wavelength or selection of wavelength accomplishes a high speed, no-moving, parts scanner coupled with a wavelength dispersive element, such as a grating or a thin-film interference filter. In another form, a W-MOS employs beam expansion optics and a freespace-coupled wavelength dispersive element. In another embodiment, the invention includes a fiber-based W-MOS using an optical fiber coupled with a fiber-based wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) device to form a spatially distributed scanner for wide angular coverage in three-dimensional beam scanning. The invention also includes a code multiplexed optical scanner (C-MOS) that uses the principle of holography and spatial code multiple access optical communications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid state filter used in sequentially illuminating an image display, directly or indirectly, with first, second, and third bandwidth light. The solid state filter includes at least one hologram that is switchable between active and inactive states. While in the active state, the at least one switchable hologram diffracts a first bandwidth light. In contrast, the switchable hologram transmits the first bandwidth light without substantial alteration when operating in the inactive state. In one embodiment, the diffracted first bandwidth light is used to illuminate a monochrome image presented on a display device. In another embodiment, the transmitted first bandwidth light is used to illuminate the monochrome image presented on the image display.

Abstract: A holographic optical element (HOE) device is mounted in wireless optical telecommunication system transceiver. The HOE device includes a developed emulsion material having an interference pattern recorded thereon, sandwiched between a pair of elements, such as a pair of clear glass plates. In operation, the HOE device uses the recorded interference pattern to diffract received light rays towards an optical processing unit of the system receiver. A transmitter unit can be positioned at least in part behind the HOE device. An opening in the emulsion material allows a light signal transmitted from the transmitter unit to be substantially unaffected by the recorded interference pattern. The transceiver can also include a spotting scope and an alignment beacon.

Abstract: Optical elements comprise stacked, optically matched and optically coupled etalons, at least one of the optically coupled etalons comprising first and second selectively transparent thin film mirror coatings on opposite surfaces of a bulk optic. The bulk optic defines the cavity spacing of the etalon and may, for example be formed of a monolithic body of silica or other optically transparent glass diced from a glass wafer. The bulk optic may further comprise a wedge coating of progressively increasing thickness overlying the monolithic glass body and compensating for, or offsetting non-parallelism of the bulk optic. The bulk optic may further comprise a thickness-adjustment layer of substantially uniform thickness. The disclosed optical elements optionally comprise other devices optically coupled to the stacked etalons. Novel methods are disclosed for producing the stacked etalons.

Abstract: Use of a filter in lieu of a secondary reflector in a reflective telescope provides compact design that eliminates the obstruction caused by the secondary reflector. The filter is selectively reflective to either the angle of incidence of radiation striking the filter or to the polarization exhibited by the radiation. An angularly sensitive filter may be constructed to either a bandpass filter or a short pass filter. A filter that is sensitive to polarization is constructed from a cholesteric liquid crystal. The filter is disposed in front of a primary reflector that comprises an aperture for collecting radiation observed by the telescope.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making holograms includes a technique for exposing a film substrate or other light-sensitive medium to consecutive two dimensional images, together representative of a physical three-dimensional system, to generate a three dimensional hologram of the physical system. Low beam ratios are employed to superimpose multiple (20-300) images on the substrate. Each image is relatively weak, but the combination of the series of weak images ultimately appears as a single clearly defined hologram.

Abstract: A reflective measuring scale graduation, as well as a method for manufacturing the same are described. The reflective measuring scale graduation includes first and second subdivisions having different reflection properties, which extend in at least one first direction on a reflecting substrate. The highly reflecting first subdivisions are made of a plurality of partial layers having different indices of refraction and function as an interference filter. The low reflecting second subdivisions are composed of at least one absorber layer on the substrate.

Abstract: A method of preparing a composite micro relief element. The micro relief element comprises a first layer of a first substrate and a second layer of a relief forming polymer comprising an overlay and at least one relief feature portion. The method includes the steps of forming a line of contact between the receptive surface and at least one mold feature formed in a flexible dispensing layer, applying a quantity of resin to fill the mold feature along the line of contact. Moving the line of contact across the receptive surface whereby sufficient resin is captured by the mold feature and a quantity of resin passes the line of contact to form the overlay portion. The resin is then cured and the flexible dispensing layer is released.

Abstract: A solid state laser beam scanning system having a single crystal silicon deflection and scanning mirror integrated with a laser diode. By combining the techniques of deep reactive ion etching of silicon with solder bump bonding techniques, completed and tested laser diodes are integrated with silicon substrates supporting micro-electro-mechanical systems layers.

Abstract: An solid state scanning system having a single crystal silicon deflection mirror and scanning mirror is integrated with a light source. Separation of the micro-electro-mechanical systems and light emitters on separate substrates allows the use of flip-chip and solder bump bonding techniques for mounting of the light sources. The separate substrates are subsequently full wafer bonded together to create an integrated solid state scanning system.