Abstract: A fiber optic seismic sensor includes a central support assembly formed of a metal such as aluminum. A support plate has an inner portion retained within the central support assembly and an outer portion that extends beyond the central support assembly. A pair of hollow cylindrical substrates are mounted in axial alignment on opposite sides of the outer portion of the support plate with the central support assembly extending through the centers of the substrates. The central support assembly comprises a first central support member having a cavity in one end, and a second central support member having a projection extending therefrom and arranged to be received within the cavity in the first central support member. The support plate includes a passage arranged to receive the projection such that the inner portion of the support plate is retained between the first and second central support members.

Abstract: An optical detection scheme for on-chip, high sensitivity refractive index detection is based on micro-interferometry, and allows for picoliter detection volumes and universal analyte sensitivity. The invention employs three main elements: a source of coherent light, such as a VCSEL, laser diode or He—Ne laser; an etched channel of capillary dimensions in a substrate for reception of a sample to be analyzed; and a photodetector for detecting laser light reflected off of the channel. The laser source generates an unfocused laser beam that is incident on the etched channel. A unique multi-pass optical configuration is inherently created by the channel characteristics, and is based on the interaction of the unfocused laser beam and the curved surface of the channel, that allows RI measurements in small volumes at high sensitivity. The entire device, including the laser and the photodetector can be formed on a single microchip.

Abstract: Adsorption of molecules onto a thin metallic surface such as of gold, silver or copper is measured by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) using Fourier Transform (FT) spectroscopy. Reflectance spectra from a prism/metallic film sample surface at a fixed angle of incidence is measured with FT spectroscopy. The reflectance spectrum exhibits a pronounced minimum due to the SPR effect, which can be shifted by changing the angle of incidence or metallic film thickness. The position of the reflectance minimum shifts in wavelength with the adsorption of molecules onto the gold surface due to a change in the index of refraction at the interface. The FT-SPR sensor instrument provides wavelength stability and reproducibility of the resonance wavelength to permit detection of small wavelength shifts, and also substantially increases the spectral range over which the SPR measurements can be made.

Abstract: In an optical rotation angle polarimeter for investigating optical activity of a test object, a two-frequency laser source generates a laser beam with two eigen modes of two different temporal frequencies and two orthogonal linear polarized waves. The laser beam is to be passed through the test object. The polarized beam splitter is adapted to receive and split the laser beam, which exits the test object, into first and second orthogonal optical heterodyne interference X-axis and Y-axis components. Each of first and second photo detectors receives a respective one of the first and second orthogonal optical heterodyne interference X-axis and Y-axis components from the polarized beam splitter, and generates a corresponding optical heterodyne interference signal. A signal processor is connected to the first and second photo detectors, and combines the optical heterodyne interference signals therefrom so as to obtain an optical heterodyne interference output.

Abstract: A method (1) creates charge carriers in a concentration that changes in a periodic manner (also called “modulation”) only with respect to time, and (2) determines the number of charge carriers created in the carrier creation region by measuring an interference signal obtained by interference between a reference beam and a portion of a probe beam that is reflected by charge carriers at various depths of the semiconductor material, and comparing the measurement with corresponding values obtained by simulation (e.g. in graphs of such measurements for different junction depths). Various properties of the reflected portion of the probe beam (such as power and phase) are functions of the depth at which the reflection occurs, and can be measured to determine the depth of the junction, and the profile of active dopants.

Abstract: A fast response etalon based spectrometer for spectral measurement of a pulse laser beam. A portion of the beam is directed through a double pass etalon device which provides angular separation of spectral components of the beam. The spectral components are measured by a fast photodiode array. In a preferred embodiment periodic photodiode data is also collected between pulses to record background dark current values for each photodiode in the array. In a preferred embodiment at least one set of dark current data is collected for each set of laser spectral data embodiments and the dark current data are subtracted from the laser spectral data to provide corrected spectral data at rates of up to 2000 Hz or greater. The spectrometer is very compact producing precise fringe data permitting bandwidth measurements with precision needed for microlithography for both &Dgr;&lgr;FWHM and &Dgr;&lgr;95%.

Abstract: An optical wavelength routing device comprises an arrayed waveguide comprising a plurality of channel waveguides formed on a substrate, a plurality of input waveguides having 12 input ports located on an input side of the arrayed waveguide, a plurality of output waveguides having 16 input ports located on an output side of the arrayed waveguide, an input slab waveguide for coupling the plurality of input waveguides to the arrayed waveguide to provide a first coupling portion on the side of the input waveguide, and an output slab waveguide for coupling the arrayed waveguide to the plurality of output waveguides to provide a second coupling portion on the side of the output waveguide, in which central wavelengths of lights input to the input ports and output from the output ports are controlled such that a difference between a predetermined wavelength and a central wavelength is suppressed within the range of +&dgr;&lgr;/4.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improvement in the separation mechanism to be used in a dense wavelength division multiplexer. The separation mechanism in accordance with the present invention includes an asymmetric pass band interferometer.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for generating data representative of a three-dimensional distribution of the light backscattering potential of a transparent or semi-transparent object such as a human eye. The apparatus includes an interferometer, both the reference beam and measurement beam of which are directed toward the object and reflected by respective reference and measurement sites thereof, such that axial motion of the object during measurement affects both beams equally. The measurement beam is raster scanned transversely across each measurement site for which data is obtained. Also, the frequency of one of the beams is shifted by a non-moving frequency shifter, such that the reflected beams combine and are modulated by a heterodyne heat frequency, which is detected when the object path difference is matched with the interferometer path difference.

Abstract: Apparatus for splitting, imaging, and measuring wavefronts with a reference wavefront and an object wavefront. A wavefront-combining element receives and combines into a combined wavefront an object wavefront from an object and a reference wavefront. A wavefront-splitting element splits the combined wavefront into a plurality of sub-wavefronts in such a way that each of the sub-wavefronts is substantially contiguous with at least one other sub-wavefront. The wavefront-splitting element may shift the relative phase between the reference wavefront and the object wavefront of the sub-wavefronts to yield a respective plurality of phase-shifted sub-wavefronts. The wavefront-splitting element may then interfere the reference and object wavefronts of the phase-shifted sub-wavefronts to yield a respective plurality of phase-shifted interferograms. An imaging element receives and images the phase-shifted interferograms.

Abstract: Interference light occurring between a first laser light of a reference phase and a second laser light of a measuring phase is divided via a light divider into two interference light beams to be directed in two directions. One of the divided interference light beams is received by a polarizing light separator, which separates components of the first and second laser lights from the received interference light beam. First and second light detectors convert respective light energy of the separated components into corresponding electric signals. Adder adds together the converted electric signals. Third light detector converts light energy of the other divided interference light beam into an electric signal. Comparator compares the electric signal from the third light detector with the output of the adder as a reference value, to generate a detection output of a predetermined phase.

Abstract: A dispersion compensation device comprises a chirped grating, and a first optical unit for guiding at least a lightwave signal with a wavelength of &lgr;i that needs a positive dispersion compensation and is applied thereto to one end portion of the chirped grating whose grating pitch is shorter, and for furnishing light reflected by the chirped grating to outside the device. The device further comprises a second optical unit for guiding at least a lightwave signal with a wavelength of &lgr;i that needs a negative dispersion compensation and is applied thereto to another end portion of the chirped grating whose grating pitch is longer, and for furnishing light reflected by the chirped grating to outside the device. Both the first and second optical units can be either optical circulators or optical couplers.

Abstract: An optional transmission system is provided to realize generating a sub-signal without employing an exclusive optical source, determining normality of repeaters, and switching for sub-signal transmission when a failure occurs. The an optical signal transmission system includes first and second optical signal transmission devices connected each other through an optical transmission path. The first optical signal transmission device generates phase conjugation lights having first and second optical wavelengths, which are different each other, according to a main signal light having a first optical wavelength and an exciting light of a second optical wavelength, modulates intensity of the phase conjugation light of the second optical wavelength by a sub-signal, of which speed is lower than that of the main signal light, and concurrently transmits the first phase conjugation light and the second phase conjugation light, of which intensity is modulated by the sub-signal, through the optical transmission path.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system, a barrel supporting member for supporting the projection optical system, a stage being movable relative to the projection optical system, a base for supporting the stage, a base measuring system for measuring at least one of a position and a displacement of the base with respect to the barrel supporting member, and a stage measuring system for measuring at least one of a position and a displacement of the stage with respect to the barrel supporting member.

Abstract: A method for measuring a physical distance in a camera between a first reference surface on the camera and a second reference surface on the camera wherein the first reference surface is substantially parallel to the second reference surface. An optical probe assembly is used in the method and includes a housing removably lockable to the camera in a predetermined orientation relative to the first reference surface. The method includes the steps of determining a distance LP from the first reference surface to an optically transparent material disposed intermediate the first and second reference surfaces. An optical probe assembly is removably mounted to the camera, and an optically flat plate is mounted at the second reference surface. Non-coherent light interferometry is used to determine a distance PF between the optically transparent material and the second reference surface. The distances of LP and PF are used to determine a distance between the first reference surface and the second reference surface.

Abstract: A system for monitoring an optical signal includes an optical heterodyne detection system in which an input. signal and a swept local oscillator signal are combined to generate a combined optical signal. At least two beams of the combined optical signal are filtered by a filter that passes a wavelength band which tracks the wavelength of the swept local oscillator signal. As the local oscillator signal sweeps across a wavelength range, filtering of the beams is adjusted to track the wavelength of the local oscillator signal. Filtering the beams to pass a wavelength band corresponding to the wavelength of the swept local oscillator signal reduces the intensity noise contributed from light sources having wavelengths that are not near the wavelength of the local oscillator signal.

Abstract: A system for monitoring an optical signal includes an optical heterodyne detection system in which an input signal and a swept local oscillator signal are combined to generate a combined optical signal. At least two beams of the combined optical signal are filtered by a filter that passes a wavelength band which tracks the wavelength of the swept local oscillator signal. As the local oscillator signal sweeps across a wavelength range, filtering of the beams is adjusted to track the wavelength of the local oscillator signal. Filtering the beams to pass a wavelength band corresponding to the wavelength of the swept local oscillator signal reduces the intensity noise contributed from light sources having wavelengths that are not near the wavelength of the local oscillator signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a Bragg grating using a high intensity light includes a pair of focussed writing beams 26,34 that simultaneously intersect and interfere with each other at a region 30 of a photosensitive optical fiber 28. The beams 26,34 have a high intensity (e.g., at least about 500 mjoules/cm2) and pass through an interface medium 50 that is substantially transparent to the wavelength of the writing beams 26,34. The medium has a thickness T set such that the intensity of the beams at the surface 56 of the medium 50 is below an surface damage intensity such that no ablations occur on the fiber 28 or the surface 56 when the fiber 28 is exposed to the beams 26,34.

Abstract: The invention concerns a microscope comprising an optical part for generating interference figures between a reference light wave and a light wave diffracted by the observed object, sensors for digitising these interference figures, actuators for operating the optical system, and a computer for receiving the digitised interference figures, controlling the actuators, and provided with a memory and computing means for computing the three dimensional images from the interference figures, based on a principle analogous to holography. The optical part enables the recording on a sensing surface (116) interference figures generated by a reference beam (Fr) and a beam (Fe) passing through a sample (109). The interference figures can differ from one another by the reference wave phase controlled by the piezoelectric actuator (120) or the spatial distribution of the illuminating beam controlled by the positioning device (106). This microscope can be used in biology or metrology.

Abstract: The intensities of backscattering light generated by predetermined interfaces of an eyeball when a laser beam emitted from a semiconductor laser is projected onto the eyeball in a predetermined position are detected. The absorbance or refractive index of the aqueous humor in the anterior chamber of the eyeball is determined on the basis of the intensities of the backscattering light, and the glucose concentration in the aqueous humor is determined on the basis of the absorbance or refractive index of the aqueous humor in the anterior chamber thus determined. An extinction filter is disposed on the optical path of the laser beam between the semiconductor laser and the eyeball so that the intensity of the laser beam entering the eyeball is reduced not higher than a predetermined value of MPE.