Abstract: Apparatus and methods relating to microscopes having specific control of the light that contacts a sample and/or a light detector, such as the eye of the user, a charge couple device or a video camera. The improved control includes enhanced, selective control of the angle of illumination, quantity of light and location of light reaching the sample and/or detector. The microscopes comprise one or more spatial light modulators in the illumination and/or detection light path of the microscope at one or both of the conjugate image plane of the aperture diaphragm of the objective lens and the conjugate image plane of the sample.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a technique for creating diffraction gratings on curved surfaces with electron beam lithography. The curved surface can act as an optical element to produce flat and aberration-free images in imaging spectrometers. In addition, the fabrication technique can modify the power structure of the grating orders so that there is more energy in the first order than for a typical grating. The inventors noticed that by using electron-beam lithography techniques, a variety of convex gratings that are well-suited to the requirements of imaging spectrometers can be manufactured.

Abstract: A useful optical device to provide continuously variable rotation of polarization of linearly polarized light in a wavelength-independent manner. This device features a cell of twisted nematic liquid crystal sandwiched between an input window and a rotatable output window, both with surfaces prepared so as to orient the nematic liquid crystal molecules. This optical device has different applications such as: variable-angle polarization rotator; using broad band polarizers as an energy attenuator; working in both cases as a wavelength independent and temporal pulse width independent device. The low cost, the very wide field of view, the wavelength and pulse width independence, the high efficiency, and its mechanical simplicity make of this new optical device a very useful and novel invention.

Abstract: An antireflection film containing a transparent substrate film, a hard coat layer on the substrate film, and first and second refractive index layers on the hard coat layer. The hard coat layer has a refractive index higher than the refractive index of the transparent substrate film; the first refractive index layer has a refractive index higher than the refractive index of the hard coat layer; the second refractive index layer has a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the hard coat layer.

Abstract: An optical system includes a diffractive optical element having a diffraction grating provided, on a lens surface having a curvature, in a concentric-circles shape rotationally-symmetrical with respect to an optical axis. The sign of the curvature of the lens surface having the diffraction grating provided thereon is the same as the sign of a focal length, at a design wavelength, of a system composed of, in the optical system, a surface disposed nearest to an object side to a surface disposed immediately before the lens surface having the diffraction grating provided thereon, and is different from the sign of the distance from the optical axis to a position where the center ray of an off-axial light flux enters the lens surface having the diffraction grating provided thereon. Further, the apex of an imaginary cone formed by extending a non-effective surface of the diffraction grating is located adjacent to the center of curvature of the lens surface having the diffraction grating provided thereon.

Abstract: In the case of a deformable mirror (11) with a mirror plate (13) which is in glass form in particular for high laser frequencies and an axial actuator (20) which concentrically engages the rear side of the mirror surface (17)—with a reduced actuator stroke movement for the same dome-like configuration height—the dome configuration of the convex curvature of the mirror surface (17) is now of larger area and at the same time better approximated to the desirable sphere if, instead of the central application of force, the arrangement provides for decentral application of force at diametrally opposite locations. For that purpose the actuator (20) operates on a ring (25) which is disposed behind the mirror plate 13 and which is preferably integral with the mirror plate (13).

Abstract: A multibeam optical system that employs a laser source emitting a laser beam, a diffractive beam-dividing element that diffracts the laser beam emitted from the laser source to be divided into a plurality of diffracted beams exiting at different diffraction angle, and a compensating optical system. compensating optical system, which is afocal and consists of a first group and a second group, arranged at the position where beams divided by a diffractive beam-dividing element are incident thereon. The compensating optical system has a characteristic such that the angular magnification thereof is inversely proportional to the wavelength of the incident beam. The angular difference among the diffracted beam caused by the wavelength dependence of the diffractive beam-dividing element can be reduced when the beams transmit the compensating optical system.

Abstract: A condenser system for generating a beam of radiation includes a source of radiation light that generates a continuous spectrum of radiation light; a condenser comprising one or more first optical elements for collecting radiation from the source of radiation light and for generating a beam of radiation; and a diffractive spectral filter for separating first radiation light having a particular wavelength from the continuous spectrum of radiation light. Cooling devices can be employed to remove heat generated. The condenser system can be used with a ringfield camera in projection lithography.

Abstract: A deformable curvature mirror capable of controlled deformation by applying electrical voltages to electrode segments on the back of the mirror. Two plates of an electro-restrictive material, such as PZT or PMN, are jointed together with at least one conductive layer sandwiched therebetween. One plate has an outer conductive layer and a mirrored surface on the outer conductive layer. The conductive layers are electrically grounded. The other plate has a pattern of a plurality of electrode segments on the outer surface with each electrode segment having a separate electrical terminal for applying a variable electrical voltage thereto for separately transmitting a variable current through each electrode segment and through at least the other plate for causing variable expansion of the plate and thereby selectively deforming that plate and, in turn, the deformable curvature mirror.

Abstract: A diffractive lens constructed in accordance with the invention comprises a set of bands such that the diffractive gratings in each band are modified. This is done to ensure that even if the lens is tilted (e.g. to prevent light from reflecting off the lens and, introducing distortion into an optical system), the lens continues to focus light onto a small point on a target surface. (The target surface is typically an optical or magneto-optic data recording medium.

Abstract: Optical systems employing stepped diffractive surfaces (13) are provided. Ray tracing through such systems is performed using the grating equation to represent the stepped diffractive surface (SDS). In this way, the SDS can be used to correct a variety of monochromatic and chromatic aberrations by balancing the aberrations of the SDS against the aberrations of non-stepped optical surfaces in the system.

Abstract: A polarizing beam splitter is described that is optimised not for the maximum possible extinction ratio, but to provide a wide acceptance angle over substantially the whole visible range while still providing an adequate extinction ratio for use in specific applications such as a LCD projector display.

Abstract: A single-crystal polygonal polarization prism has at least two pairs of mutually parallel prism planes. The prism is characterized by the fact that the e-beam is reflected within the prism with even number of reflections, whereby after the exit from the prism the angular position of the e-beam does not depend on the wavelength. The o-beam is subjected to at least one reflection, and the angular position of o-beam also does not depend on the wavelength. The prism of the invention does not distort the cross sections of the beams and is characterized by minimal optical losses.

Abstract: A thermally stable etalon filter includes a pair of spaced apart mirrors defining a Fabry-Perot cavity and an optical medium disposed in the cavity. The optical medium is comprised two optically transparent materials, one having a coefficient of thermal expansion that is countervailing to the coefficient of thermal change of refractive index of the other. The thicknesses of the two materials are selected so that the thermal expansion of the optical medium offsets the thermal change in the refractive index, resulting in an etalon filter that is substantially immune to variations caused by temperature. In a further embodiment, the optical medium is comprised of a single material having having a coefficient of thermal expansion and a coefficient of thermal change in refractive index that are functionally opposite. These material properties lead to a beam insertion angle at which the beam refraction is not affected by temperature fluctuations in the material.

Abstract: Transparent and semitransparent diffractive elements, particularly holograms with a diffractive pattern created at least in one of two following layers with different index of refraction: a transparent bearing layer (1) from polymer or copolymer having index of refraction n<1.7, and a holographic effect-enhancing, high refraction index layer (2) formed by chalcogenide based substances comprising at least one element from the group sulphur selenium, tellurium, said layer (2) has n>1.7 and its melting temperature is lower than 900° C. The diffractive element can further contain a protective layer (6) and/or an adhesive layer (7) and/or a fragile layer (8) and/or an anchoring layer (9).

Abstract: An optical system including a diffraction optical element and for forming an image of an object by light having a given wavelength width includes at least one diffraction optical element and a diffraction light selection element for transmitting a diffraction light of given order to an output side of the diffraction optical element and for attenuating the diffraction light of orders other than the given order.

Abstract: A fiber optic cable comprising an optical ribbon (20), a jacket (40), and a buffer material (30) between the optical ribbon (20) and the jacket (40). Buffer material (30) includes at least one volume of buffer material defining a stress-cushioning zone (32) between optical ribbon (20) and jacket (40), the stress-cushioning zone being operative to substantially decouple jacket (40) from ribbon (20) in the region of the stress-cushioning zone (32) thereby inhibiting the application of stress to optical ribbon (20). Buffer material (30) includes at least one volume of material at an intermediate buffer zone (35) held substantially tight against an intermediate portion (25) of optical ribbon (20) for inhibiting the twisting of optical ribbon (20). The volume of material at the stress-cushioning zone (32) is substantially larger than the volume of the buffer material of the intermediate buffer zone (35).

Abstract: An improved diffraction grating for wavelength division multiplexing/demultiplexing devices is disclosed. The improved diffraction grating has a glass substrate, a polymer grating layer located adjacent to the glass substrate, and a metal coating layer located adjacent to the polymer grating layer. The improvement comprises a polymer coating layer located adjacent to the metal coating layer, and a glass cover located adjacent to the polymer coating layer, wherein the polymer coating layer and the glass cover compensate for thermal characteristics associated with the polymer grating layer and the glass substrate, respectively.

Abstract: An oscillatory micromirror having a cantilevered mirror surface is joined using at least one torsion axis formed by at least one torsion beam mounted on the mirror surface, to a support member that surrounds at least portions of the mirror surface. There is located between at least one of the torsion beams and the support member a flexural beam that performs a flexural oscillation which induces a torsional oscillation of the mirror surface about the torsion axis. At a suitable frequency, large amplitudes of the torsional oscillation may be provided by small amplitudes of the flexural oscillation.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, an apparatus operable to provide optical signal processing includes an inner conductive layer including an at least substantially conductive material and a plurality of at least partially reflective mirror strips disposed outwardly from the inner conductive layer and operable to receive an input optical signal, wherein none of the plurality of strips has a width greater than 40 microns. At least some of the strips are operable to undergo a partial rotation in response to a control signal, the partial rotation resulting in a diffraction of the input optical signal wherein a majority of the diffracted input signal is communicated in one direction.