Abstract: An actuator includes: a frame; first members at each end of the frame along a first axis making the frame rotatable thereabout; second members supporting each end of a movable plate against the frame along a second axis making the movable plate rotatable thereabout; first magnets with poles interposing the first axis; a second magnet with poles interposing the first axis; a coil generating a magnetic force acting on the first and second magnets; and a voltage source applying a voltage to the coil. The first and second magnets have an angle of 30-60 degrees to the first axis, and identical magnetic pole directions. The voltage source includes first and second voltage generators generating first and second voltages of first and second frequencies, and a voltage superimposer. The movable plate is rotated about the first and second axes at the first and second frequencies by the superimposed voltages.

Abstract: The present invention contemplates a variety of methods and techniques for fabricating a carbon nanotube (CNT) signal modulator for reducing, eliminating, or enhancing the resonance interaction between photonic elements, and a photonic transmission device that may incorporate the signal modulator. The CNT signal modulator comprises a gate CNT on a substrate in a position for receiving an input photonic signal and an input modulation signal; and transmitting an output photonic signal that is reduced, eliminated, or enhanced through the selection of the input modulation signal; and an input modulation signal sender for sending the input modulation signal to the gate CNT and creating the modulated output photonic signal from the gate CNT. The photonic transmission device can contain a plurality of CNTs, each having functional antenna forms that are capable of a resonance interaction of photons between adjacent CNTs when formed as an array on a substrate.

Abstract: A glass polarizer applicable to projection-type liquid crystal displays and the like and having an excellent transmittance and extinction ratio with respect to light in the visible light region (500 nm to 600 nm) using silver halide containing glass as a starting material is provided. A glass polarizer for visible light according to the present invention is a polarizer manufactured by heating and stretching borosilicate glass in which silver halide particles are dispersed and deposited by heat treatment and reducing at least a portion of silver halide particles oriented and stretched in the glass to produce metallic silver particles. An average transmittance (T? % 500 to 600 nm) in a wavelength range of 500 nm to 600 nm of light having a polarization plane perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of metallic silver particles having shape anisotropy that is uniaxially oriented and dispersed is 75% or more and an extinction ratio in the wavelength range is 25 dB or more.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a deflecting unit that deflects a laser beam from a light source in a main-scanning direction; a scanning imaging unit that focuses the laser beam deflected by the deflecting unit on a scanning surface and scans the scanning surface with focused laser beam; and a light receiving unit that detects optical intensity of the laser beam and a synchronous timing in the main-scanning direction and that includes a plurality of photodetecting elements arranged on a substrate in the main-scanning direction.

Abstract: An optical reflection device includes a flexible substrate, an elastic portion connected with an end of the flexible substrate, an optical reflector coupled with the flexible substrate via the elastic portion, a first electrode layer provided on the flexible substrate, and a piezoelectric layer provided on the first electrode layer. The optical reflection device may have a small size.

Abstract: In a refraction lens having an aspheric shape formed thereon and having a positive power, a diffraction grating is formed on at least one of the faces of the refraction lens. In order to reduce the curvature of field and the chromatic aberration in a well-balanced manner, the zonal pitch of the diffraction grating is constituted so as to satisfy the following conditional expression. [ eq . ? 19 ] 0.21 ? ? m 2 ? v d ? ? ? f h max < ? min < 0.30 ? ? m 2 ? v d ? ? ? f h max ( 1 ) Herein, ?min is a minimum zonal pitch 12; m is an order of diffraction; ?d is an Abbe number of the lens substrate material with respect to the d-line; ? is a wavelength; f is an effective focal length; and hmax is an effective radius 13 of the face on which the diffraction grating is formed.

Abstract: An outer mirror includes: a mirror base which is attached to a side surface of a vehicle body of a vehicle; a shaft which is erected on the mirror base; and a mirror housing which is rotatably attached to the shaft and is provided with a mirror for reflecting a rearward of the vehicle body. The shaft is exposed in a gap between a top surface of the mirror base and a bottom surface of the mirror housing. The shaft includes at least one of a concave portion or a convex portion on a part of an outer circumferential surface of the shaft which faces to a front side of the vehicle body.

Abstract: Photoreceptor circuit provided with a component, the photoreceptor surface comprising a first area able to operate in reflex mode and a second area with analog detection of position able to operate in proximity mode. The first area Z1 is a photodiode area with an output Al and the second area Z2 is a PSD type area provided with a close output A2 and a remote output A3, wherein a switch I1 connects either the A1 output in reflex mode or output A2 in proximity mode, to a processing circuit 12.

Abstract: According to an image sensor disclosed, a pixel circuit includes a photo-diode 14 for generating a photo-electric conversion voltage which corresponds to an input optical level, a transistor 11 which is activated in response to a Reset signal RST, to initialize the photo-diode 14 from a power supply VDD, a transistor 12 which, when connected between the power supply VDD and a bit line BL, amplifies a photo-electric conversion voltage and outputs it onto the bit line BL, and a transistor 13 which is activated by a word-line readout control signal WL, to interconnect the transistor 12 and the bit line BL, in which the transistor 11 is of a depletion type.

Abstract: A surface examining apparatus irradiates an examinatorial light from a projector on a examined body that runs in a Z-direction. The projector is arranged at a distance from the surface of the examined body in a Y-direction orthogonal to the surface thereof and arranged inwardly of outer ends of the examined body in the width direction thereof in the X-direction orthogonal to the Z-direction and the Y-direction, and which detects the light that has passed through the examined body thereby to examine surface defects of the examined body. A light shielding unit is provided, which includes a light shielding member arranged between the projector and the examined body and shields the examinatorial light that is going to travel outwards from the outer end in the width direction of the examined body, and a moving unit that moves the light shielding member in the X-direction and in the Y-direction.

Abstract: A tilt sensing device and method for its operation, the device being of the type comprising a) a housing, b) a radiation transmitter and a radiation receiver arranged in or at the housing to form a beam path therebetween, c) a radiation obstructing or deflecting body movable in relation to the beam path and d) a rest surface for the body defining at least two possible rest positions for the body relative the beam path between which rest positions the body can move by gravity at defined tilt angles for the device and which rest positions are selected to give a detectable output difference from the radiation receiver depending on which of the rest positions is occupied by the body. The size of the movable body, expressed as the diameter of a sphere of corresponding volume, is less than 10 mm. Operation of the device includes monitoring the output from the receiver to obtain an amplitude versus time function and processing data from the function to obtain a modified signal.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to read a high-quality image by detecting and correcting dirt, a scratch, or a watermark present on an original in an image reading apparatus for reading an original. To achieve this object, an original illumination unit in the image reading apparatus for reading an original includes a first light source for emitting light in at least the visible region, a second light source for emitting light in only the invisible region, and a light guide plate which has these light sources at an end face and distributes incident light from the end face to the entire flat surface.

Abstract: This CMOS imager represents illuminance in the time domain. Once per frame, each pixel outputs a pulse after a time proportional to the illuminance on that pixel. Therefore, the illuminance on that pixel is related to the time difference between its pulse event and global reset of the imager. A counter reports the times of these pulse events in a digital format. Thus no analog to digital converter is necessary. This imager enables easy computation of pixel intensity histograms. Frame data is stored in pixel intensity order using row and column arbiters to produce a pixel address. Because each pixel has its own exposure time, the imager has a wide dynamic range of 120 dB. This imager has low power dissipation and avoids the noise and mismatch problems of prior complicated analog readout circuits.

Abstract: A low light level image directed to a photocathode in a vacuum causes release of electron which bombard a CMOS imager including passive pixel sensors which in turn generates an electronic image which is fed out of the vacuum and is used to create useful images corresponding to the low level input image. A camera and other low light imaging devices are described.

Abstract: A focus detecting device includes a multi-beam producing member for emitting a plurality of light beams; a light-blocking member for blocking a part of the plurality of light beams; a beam splitting member having a surface for reflecting or transmitting an incident light beam; a light-condensing optical system for condensing the incident light beam; and a photodetector having at least two light-receiving sections. The multi-beam producing member and the light-blocking member are placed on a first optical path, and the light-condensing optical system and the photodetector are placed on a second optical path. The beam splitting member is located at the intersection of the optical axis of the first optical path with the optical axis of the second optical path, and the photodetector is located at a position where the light beam is condensed by the light-condensing optical system.

Abstract: An optical module includes a window having an interior, e.g., first, surface. The interior surface includes a central region and a peripheral region. A first electronic component is coupled to the peripheral region. The optical module further includes a substrate and an image sensor coupled to the substrate. The window is coupled to the substrate such that the image sensor is aligned with the central region of the window.

Abstract: A thin image sensor package includes an image sensor having an active area which is responsive to radiation. The image sensor is mounted to a substrate which is transparent to the radiation. The image sensor is mounted such that the active area of the image sensor faces the substrate. Of importance, the substrate serves a dual function. In particular, the substrate is the window which covers the active area of the image sensor. Further, the substrate is the platform upon which the image sensor package is fabricated. As a result, the image sensor package is thin, lightweight and inexpensive to manufacture.

Abstract: An encoder including a light source for emitting light, a photodetector for detecting at least part of the light emitted by the light source, and an encoder film including a plurality of alternating bars and windows and being located between the light source and the photodetector. The encoder includes a mask including a plurality of alternating bars and windows, the mask being located between the light source and the photodetector. The encoder further includes a spacer located between the mask and the encoder film, the encoder film contacting the spacer to maintain a predetermined spacing between the mask and the encoder film.

Abstract: An optical code reader for reading optical codes in any orientation with a preferred depth of field (DOF), the optical code reader including imaging sensor arrays arranged at angles to one another and tilted in accordance with the Scheimpflug principle to allow for omni-directional reading and a preferred DOF. In addition, an optical code reader may also include an optical device to rotate an image as it is projected upon a stationary tilted image sensor array. Still further, an optical code reader may include a rotating imaging sensor array tilted in accordance with the Scheimpflug principle to allow for omni-directional reading with a preferred DOF.

Abstract: The invention refers to an optical measurement arrangement, in particular for layer thickness measurement and for ascertaining optical material properties such as refractive index, extinction factor, etc. of a specimen (P), having an illumination device (1) for emitting a measurement light beam (6), a beam splitter (8) for dividing the measurement light beam (6) into a specimen light beam (10) and a reference light beam (9), a measurement objective for directing the specimen light beam (10) onto a measurement location (M) on the surface of the specimen (P) and for acquiring the light reflected from the measurement location (M), and an analysis device (11) into which the reference light beam (9) and the specimen light beam (10) reflected from the specimen (P) are coupled in order to obtain information about the specimen (P), in particular about layer thicknesses present thereon.