Abstract: Various structures for variable reflectance rearview mirrors and variable transmittance windows are disclosed. One embodiment pertains to the provision of a polarized reflector in a rearview mirror. Another embodiment pertains to the provision of a switchable cholesteric liquid crystal element in a window. Yet another embodiment pertains to the provision of a plurality of apertures in a reflector layer of a rearview mirror where the apertures are sized and positioned in alignment with light emitting areas of a display positioned behind the reflector layer. In another embodiment, a moveable display or mirror element is attached to a rearview mirror housing.

Abstract: A lens includes a front group including a plurality of lens groups; and a rear group that is provided on an image side of the front group and that includes a negative lens and a positive lens. The positive lens has a flat lens surface on its image side, and is tiltable about a spherical center of its object side lens surface that is convex on the object side. When a lens system is inclined, the positive lens is tilted in relation to the optical axis of the lens system based on: a focal length of the overall lens system; an angle of the optical axis of the lens system after being inclined in relation to the optical axis before being inclined; a distance between the image side lens surface of the positive lens and the image plane; and a refractive index of the positive lens.

Abstract: A light guiding film is provided including a main body, and a light diffusion structure comprising a plurality of micro concave lenses arranged in a first direction and a second direction to form a second dimensional array and the curvature of each concave lens and the junction of the concave lenses are different from zero. Light from a light source passes through the light diffusion structure and is refracted into the main body and then propagates in the main body by total reflection.

Abstract: A sighted device has a sight that includes an objective lens lying on an optical axis of the sight so that an input beam is coincident with the optical axis, an eyepiece lens lying on the optical axis, an imaging detector having a detector output signal, a signal processor that receives the detector output signal from the imaging detector, modifies the detector output signal, and has a processor output signal, and a video display projector that receives the processor output signal and has a video display projector output. An optical beam splitter lies on the optical axis. The beam splitter allows a first split subbeam of the input beam to pass to the eyepiece lens and reflects a second split subbeam of the input beam to the imaging detector. An optical mixer mixes the first split subbeam and the video display projector output prior to the first split subbeam passing through the eyepiece lens.

Abstract: Taught herein is an integragted narrow bandpass filter array and a method of its fabrication. The filter array is a Fabry-Perot type of filter array, wherein the pass band changes with the thickness of the spacer layer. The integrated filter array comprises a substrate, a lower mirror stack, a spacer array, and an upper mirror stack. The spacer array is an array of varied thicknesses formed using a combinatorial deposition technique. The spacer array is used to control the pass band of each mini-size narrow bandpass filter and realizes the integration of narrow bandpass filters with different pass bands on a single substrate. The merit of this technique lies in its fabrication efficiency and finished product rate which are much higher than for conventional methods. The filter array is completely matched with detector arrays and functional in most of the important optical ranges.

Abstract: The invention concerns a security element (11) in the form of a multi-layer film body, a security document having such a security element and a process for the production of such a security element. The film body on a carrier film (10) has a release layer (20), a protective lacquer layer (21), a replication lacquer layer (22) with relief structures (25, 26), a metal layer (23) and an adhesive layer (24). A first relief structure (25) has a depth-to-width ratio of >0.5, whereby the metal layer (23) is more transparent in the region of the first relief structure (25). A second relief structure (26) has a low depth-to-width ratio whereby the metal layer (23) is less transparent or is opaque in the region of the second relief structure (26).

Abstract: An optical device includes an interface between two or more media. The refractive indices, orientations of media, and alignment relative to a propagating wave define a refractive boundary at which reflections may be reduced or eliminated, and at which, for certain incident angles, rays may be refracted on the same side of the normal as the incident ray.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multilayer structure wherein a first layer of a first material having an outer surface and a refracted index between 2 and 4 extends across an outer surface of a second layer having a refractive index between 1 and 3. The multilayer stack has a reflective band of less than 200 nanometers when viewed from angles between 0° and 80° and can be used to reflect a narrow range of electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet, visible and infrared spectrum ranges. In some instances, the reflection band of the multilayer structure is less than 100 nanometers. In addition, the multilayer structure can have a quantity defined as a range to mid-range ratio percentage of less than 2%.

Abstract: A mirror device which can be simultaneously used for display purposes, based on e.g. an LCD display with a polarizing mirror placed in front of it. The reflectivity of such a mirror display is enhanced by providing at its non-viewing side a further polarizing mirror Color absorption in the display is prevented by placing the color filter or a color (sequential) backlight behind this reflective polarizer at the back of the display.

Abstract: An antireflective coating is disclosed having at least one layer of a first material with a first index of refraction and a first thickness, the first index of refraction and first thickness substantially conforming to a refractive index profile matching a reflectionless potential.

Abstract: A scanning lens for an imaging optical system converges a beam emitted by a light source and deflected by a deflector on a target surface to form a beam spot scanning in a main scanning direction thereon. The scanning lens includes a plastic lens formed by injection molding, which has a diffractive lens structure on at least one surface thereof. The diffractive lens structure has a plurality of annular zones arranged concentrically about a rotational axis. Each annular zone has a diffracting surface that diffracts the light beam passing therethrough. The diffractive lens structure has stepped surfaces each connecting adjoining diffracting surfaces. In a plane including the rotational axis and parallel with the main scanning direction, the stepped surfaces are inclined with respect to the rotational axis so that stress working between a metallic molding for the plastic lens and each of the stepped surfaces in demolding is reduced.

Abstract: An objective for imaging specimens is disclosed. The objective receives light energy from a light energy source configured to provide light energy in a wavelength range of approximately 480 to 660 nanometers, employs a Mangin mirror arrangement in conjunction with an immersion liquid to provide a numerical aperture in excess of 1.0 and a field size in excess of 0.05 millimeters, where every element in the objective has a diameter of less than approximately 40 millimeters.

Abstract: An apparatus for imaging cells including a culture chamber, in which a cultivation sub-structure is placed, imaging optics, and actuators for providing the relative movement of the cultivation substructure and the imaging optics in such a way that the imaging optics is used to image different sites in the substructure. The cultivation substructure is isolated as a subchamber of its own that is separate from the culture chamber, and imaging is carried out by moving the imaging optics and the subchamber in relation to each other.

Abstract: An optical sight includes an optical train having an optical path therethrough, an entrance, and an exit. A reticle is visible through the exit of the optical path. An unpowered reticle illumination source has a first light source that illuminates the reticle responsive to the level of ambient light, and a second light source that illuminates the reticle with an unpowered light source. The reticle illumination source preferably has a light filter positioned so that ambient light entering the ambient-light receiver is incident upon the light filter, whereupon the light filter transmits filtered light, a light-gathering prism that receives the filtered light and has a diffusing surface disposed to illuminate the reticle using the filtered light, and an unpowered light source positioned to emit light through the diffusing surface to be incident upon the reticle. The unpowered light source may be a tritium light source.

Abstract: An asymmetric mirror is composed of a dielectric substrate [500] and a coating [502] on the dielectric substrate. Within an operational wavelength range ??, the mirror has a transmission symmetry ?T=0% and a reflection asymmetry ?R>10%, where the reflection asymmetry ?R varies by less than 5% within the operational wavelength range ??. In addition, the wavelength range ?? is substantially broad, i.e., satisfies ??/?max>10%. The coating [502] is a metamaterial having structural features smaller than the smallest operational wavelength, e.g., a nano-structured metamaterial such as a photonic crystal or a disordered nano-composite of a metal and a dielectric. In a preferred embodiment, the coating [502] is semi-continuous with a filling factor p between 70% and 75%. The dielectric may be, for example, air, vacuum, an electro-optic polymer, an optical gain material, an electro-active material, or a semiconductor.

Abstract: Device for controlling light radiation, which is excited in a specimen and/or which is backscattered and/or reflected and which contains one or more wavelengths, at a plurality of light outlets, wherein a separation of the light radiation into differently polarized components is carried out; and the components of the excitation radiation and/or detection radiation are affected in their polarization by means of a preferably birefringent, preferably acousto-optic or electro-optic medium, which changes the ordinary and extraordinary refractive index.

Abstract: A method, element and system are provide for efficiently, accurately and without significant contribution of noise, splitting a beam of radiation or combining beams of radiation. In one embodiment of the invention, a beamsplitter front surface partially reflects incident radiation and refracts the rest of the radiation. The refracted radiation is completely reflected at a back surface of the beamsplitter and is completely refracted producing a parallel beam without creating any stray radiation or optical noise. This is accomplished using a p-polarized input beam and a Brewster angle geometry.

Abstract: A method to stabilize planar nanostructures, for example grating and zone plate lenses that are typically used for directing or focusing x-ray radiation, includes the deposition of a top, stabilizing layer. The structures are typically made on a flat substrate, and therefore are only fixed at the bottom. At high aspect ratio, the stability can be poor since small forces such as electrostatic forces and van de Waals forces that are often present can alter the structure. The top coating of a metallic material such as titanium constrains the nanostructures at the top and at the same time eliminates electrostatic forces and reduces any thermal gradient that may be present across the device.

Abstract: An optical recognition device is provided. The optical recognition device includes a transparent substrate, a patterned infrared reflective film formed thereon, and an infrared anti-reflective film sheltering a gap in a recognition pattern of the patterned infrared reflective film, wherein the patterned infrared reflective film reflects the recognition pattern by reflection of infrared light and transmission of visible light. The invention also provides a display incorporating the optical recognition device.

Abstract: One or more zero-order diffractive pigments (ZOP) having both a particle distribution matrix material, and a layer of material in or on such a matrix material and having an index of refraction higher than that of the matrix material, and having a diffractive grating structure with a period in the range of 100 to 600 nm, which is smaller than the wavelength of light reflectable thereby in the zeroth reflection order. In such ZOPs the index of refraction of the matrix material is usually at least 0.25 less than that of the material of the layer, and the layer is typically of a thickness between 30 and 500 nm.