Abstract: A variable focus lens is constructed by making small changes in the equatorial diameter of an elastically deformable lens. The lens may be deformed by radial tension exerted in a plane generally perpendicular to the optical axis. The radial tension may be exerted by radially acting mechanical apparatus or by means of rings embedded or attached at the equator of the lens, whose diameter can be altered by heating, or by imposition of electrical or magnetic fields.

Abstract: A dynamic optical path length modulator for optical interferometry, holography and tomography is disclosed. The optical path length in a beam path is changed in that the light beam in question is guided through a double mirror arrangement which is formed of two plane mirrors which are parallel to one another and are rotatable about a common axis. A path length-dependent dispersion of any desired magnitude can be introduced into the beam path by the arrangement of plane plates and prisms.

Abstract: In an optical element (B1) prepared by integrally forming, on surfaces of a transparent member, a refracting surface (R2) for receiving a light beam, a plurality of reflecting surfaces (R3, R4, R5) with curvatures, and a refracting surface (R6) for outputting the light beam reflected by the plurality of reflecting surfaces, a reference portion (7) for defining the position of the optical element in a predetermined direction with respect to a Y′-Z′ plane including an incident reference axis (5) and an exit reference axis (5) of at least one reflecting surface of the optical element (B1) is formed on the optical element.

Abstract: A telecentric zoom lens having telecentric forming aperture optically and preferably mechanically intermediate an objective lens and a zoom group. The aperture is fixed along an optical axis and selected to provide a constant speed on an image side of the lens system. The location of the aperture relative to the zoom group maintains telecentricity of the lens in object space.

Abstract: An optical device and a viewing method having a higher magnification viewing area located substantially centrally in a lower magnification area, whereby the structure facilitates locating viewing object within in higher magnification viewing area.

Abstract: In an image-forming lens, an inclined slope or section is provided at a marginal annular region on a surface of an optical member and a light shield is provided on this inclined slope or section. The optical member is mounted longitudinally so that the inclined slope or section is located near where off-field fight (i.e, fight from outside the designed field of view of the lens) reflects off an inner surface of a holding member or at the periphery of an optical member. Thus, the inclined slope or section with light shield acts to shield the reflected off-field light from passing to the image. The invention finds particular advantage in very small lenses that include optical members less than 3 mm in diameter.

Abstract: Assembly of an optical element and a mount, in which the optical element is coupled by means of numerous lugs to a rigid intermediate ring, which itself is coupled by adjusting members or passive decouplers to the mount for connection to a housing and/or to a further mount.

Abstract: A zoom lens system has, from the object side, a first lens unit, a second lens unit and a third lens unit. The first lens unit has a negative optical power as a whole. The second and third lens units have a positive optical power as a whole. In the zoom lens system, zooming is achieved by varying the distance between the first and second lens units, and at least one of the lens elements is a plastic lens element.

Abstract: A laser beam mixer combines two or more input laser beams in a coaxial manner to provide an output beam. At least one of the input beams is altered in cross-sectional profile, for example, to an annular cross-sectional shape. Another input beam is placed within the altered beam by a beam combining element having a transmissive portion and a reflective portion to respectively reflect and transmit the two input beams. The beams are combined with minimal beam losses and without diverging a beam profile.

Abstract: An optical reader for reading optical indicia which includes an imaging element for forming an image of the optical indicia at an image plane. The optical reader further includes an aperture positioned at the image plane and having a width smaller than the width of a smallest element in the image to be discerned by the optical reader, the aperture permitting illumination from a portion of the image to impinge upon a photodetector. The optical reader further includes a displacement system which produces relative movement between the image and the aperture to produce an output of the photodetector indicative of the optical indicia.

Abstract: An optical member for transmitting light of a wavelength less than about 200 nm including crystalline calcium fluoride with a potassium content less than about 0.5 ppm, wherein a degradation in a transmissivity of the optical member after an irradiation for a fixed period of time with the light of the wavelength of less than about 200 nm is less than about 5% of a transmissivity of the optical member before the irradiation.

Abstract: The invention relates to an opto-electric module, comprising a printed circuit board (L) which as an electrical interface has a number of plug-in contacts (SK) running parallel in the area of a first face for directly plugging the module into an assembly. As an optical interface, said printed circuit board is also connected to an optical element (OE) in the area of a second face. The component side and the back of said printed circuit board are also covered at least partly by a housing part (GK, KK).

Abstract: A two-dimensional light valve array comprising a pattern of reduced electrode spacing solid state light valves formed using semiconductor processing techniques, and a method of making same. The electrodes are recessed into channels in an electro-optic substrate, such as lanthanum modified lead zirconate-titanate (PLZT). A first set of electrodes are deposited in a comb-shaped configuration into parallel and orthogonal channels etched into the PLZT substrate. A second set of deposited electrodes are bands running in alternating channels between the teeth of the first set of electrodes. An insulating material isolates the two sets of electrodes. An applied voltage between the electrodes induces bi-refringence in the PLZT and affects light transmissivity through the light valve at that location. The array is activated electronically by means of matrix addressing and controlled by means of a microcomputer and appropriate software.

Abstract: A zoom lens for primary use with a projection screen television system is disclosed having five lens groups, in sequential order from the enlarging side, of negative, positive, positive, negative, and positive refractive power. The first lens group and the fifth lens group are fixed, and the axial positions of the second lens group, the third lens group, and the fourth lens group vary when zooming so as to provide a change in magnification and to correct for shifting of the image surface which otherwise would occur with zooming. Specified conditions are satisfied in order to provide a zoom lens that is compact, is well-corrected for aberrations over the entire range of zoom, has a sufficient back focus on the reducing side for insertion of lens components needed for projecting color images, is nearly telecentric on its reducing side, and provides a sufficiently bright image with a wide-angle of view.

Abstract: Determinations of velocity and navigation of an imaging device relative to a region of interest are based on double correlation processing. A time series of images of detectable features within the region of interest is acquired and correlated with previously stored location information for uniquely distinguishing locations within the region of interest. Thus, one correlation step is to compare the positions of features within the time series with the previously stored location information. The other correlation step is to track the variations in positions of the features within the time series. Preferably, the imaged features that are used for correlation are randomly distributed. However, in some applications, a known systematic distribution of features may be used. The processing is applicable to hand scanning, robotic control, and similar operations.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for stepper exposure control by utilizing a shutter assembly formed of electro-optic crystal materials in a photolithographic process are disclosed. In the apparatus, a series of control panels are stacked together to form a shutter assembly. Each of the control panel is formed by depositing a multiplicity of parallel, spaced-apart lines of electro-optic crystal material on a polarizer sheet. Two of such polarizer sheets are then stacked together with the lines parallel to each other and the lines on the top panel overlapping the spacing on the bottom panel. Two bottom panels are formed similarly however, positioned with the lines perpendicular to the lines in the first and second control panel when assembled together in the shutter assembly. A suitable electro-optic crystal material used should withstand a high temperature environment. One of such suitable material is LiNbO3.

Abstract: A device and technique to sample an analog signal by optical pulses at a high sampling rate. Parallel analog-to-digital conversion channels can be implemented to achieve high-speed analog-to-digital conversion.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing improved high power laser beams. An elongated reflector with a highly-reflective inner surface is utilized with a laser beam emitter, such as a broad area diode laser, a diode laser bar, or a diode laser array. The laser beams disperse and reflect off of the highly-reflective inner surface which is curved substantially parabolically. The inner surface is coated with a highly reflective material such as aluminum or nickel. The reflected beams are collimated, and can be shaped and/or coupled by manipulation of the size and shape of the elongated reflector and the placement of the laser beam emitter in association therewith. A system of lenses and/or mirrors in conjunction with a non-linear crystal can also be utilized with the present invention.

Abstract: A zoom lens is composed of a plurality of lens units. The plurality of lens units includes a movable lens unit having a negative refractive power lying closest to an image side. The movable lens unit has, in order from an object side, a first diffractive optical element and a second diffractive optical element. Where C2a is a phase coefficient in the second order in an equation for phase shape of the first diffractive optical element and C2b is a phase coefficient in the second order in an equation for phase shape of the second diffractive optical element, the following condition is satisfied: 0.7<|C2b|/|C2a|<3.0, and the equation for phase shape is expressed by &phgr;(h)=(2&pgr;/&lgr;)(C2·h2+C4·h4+ . . . +Cn·hn) where h is a height from an optical axis, &lgr; is a reference wavelength, Cn is a phase coefficient in the n-th order, and &phgr;(h) is the phase shape.

Abstract: A zoom lens which includes, in order from an object side, a first lens unit of positive refractive power, a second lens unit of positive refractive power and a third lens unit of negative refractive power, wherein the first, second and third lens units are moved such that, during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, a separation between the first lens unit and the second lens unit increases and a separation between the second lens unit and the third lens unit decreases, and wherein the zoom lens has a diffractive optical element.