Abstract: Zoom lens system having a high zoom ratio including, in order from the object end: a first lens group having a positive refractive power; a second lens group having a negative refractive power; a third lens group having a positive refractive power; a fourth lens group having a negative refractive power; and a fifth lens group having a positive refractive power. When the zoom lens system is operated from its maximum wide-angle state to its maximum telephoto state, the air-space separation between the first lens group and the second lens group is increased, the air-space separation between the second lens group and the third lens group is decreased, the air-space separation between the third lens group and the fourth lens group is increased, and the air-space separation between the fourth lens group and the fifth lens group is decreased, and the following condition (1) is satisfied:2.3<D.sub.IT -D.sub.IW /fw<10 (1)where D.sub.

Abstract: A digital micromirror device ("DMD") is used to alter the shape of light that is projected onto a stage. The DMD selectively reflects some light, thereby shaping the light that is projected onto the stage. The control for the alteration is controlled by an image. That image can be processed, thereby carrying out image processing effects on the shape of the light that is displayed. One preferred application follows the shape of the performer and illuminates the performer using a shape that adaptively follows the performer's image. This results in a shadowless follow spot.

Abstract: A lens control device for an inner focus lens system has a first lens group for zooming; a second lens group for focusing; a first zooming unit for controlling the second lens group for correcting the displacement of the focal plane resulting from the movement of the first lens group; a memory for memorizing the relative position of the second lens group to the first lens group in a zooming operation by the first zooming unit; a calculation unit for calculating the moving speed of the second lens group based on the memorized data, in order to maintain the focused in the course of movement of the first lens group; and a second zooming unit for controlling the second lens group according to the result of calculation.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for producing an original plate for optical discs, which is allowed to produce original plates for a plurality of kinds of optical discs satisfying various standards. The apparatus includes a laser light generator for generating laser light; a diaphragm mechanism for limiting laser light generated by the laser light generator; and an objective lens for refracting the laser light limited by the diaphragm mechanism in such a manner that the laser light is focussed on a photosensitive layer or a surface layer formed on the original plate; wherein a spot diameter of a beam of the laser light is changed by varying a diaphragm diameter of the diaphragm mechanism.

Abstract: A light intercepting mechanism of a zoom lens barrel includes a movable lens frame which holds a frontmost lens group, and a drive ring which is fitted on an outer peripheral surface of the movable lens frame to relatively rotate, so that when the relative rotation of the drive ring occurs, the movable lens frame is moved in the optical axis direction. The movable lens frame has a dual-cylinder structure having a closed front end and an open rear end. The drive ring has a dual-cylinder structure having a closed rear end and an open front end. The movable lens frame having the dual-cylinder structure and the drive ring having the dual-cylinder structure are fitted one inside the each other.

Abstract: An image display apparatus which enables observation of a clear image at a wide field angle with substantially no reduction in the brightness of the observation image, and which is extremely small in size and light in weight and hence unlikely to cause the observer to be fatigued. The image display apparatus includes an image display device (6) for displaying an image, and an ocular optical system (7) for projecting the image displayed by the image display device (6) and for leading the projected image to an observer's eyeball (1). The ocular optical system (7) has at least three surfaces, and a space formed by the at least three surfaces is filled with a medium having a refractive index larger than 1.

Abstract: A channel counter that can count the number of given wavelength channels in a specific wavelength range in a simplified system. A channel counter comprises an acousto-optic deflector, an optical fiber for transmitting light to the acousto-optic deflector, an optical receiver for receiving light transmitted from the optical fiber and diffracted by the acousto-optic deflector, an oscillator for driving the acousto-optic deflector, a scanning circuit for time-scanning the oscillation frequency of the oscillator, and a count circuit for counting the number of peaks of an electric signal output from the optical receiver per scanning duration of the scanning circuit.

Abstract: Each of first and second lenses, which are in meniscus forms with concave surfaces opposing each other, is made as a plastic lens having at least one aspheric surface, and the whole lens system has a three-sheet lens configuration, thereby achieving a smaller size and a lower cost, while making it easy to restrain focus from fluctuating upon changes in temperature. Disposed successively from the object side are a first lens L.sub.1 in a low-power meniscus form made of a plastic having a convex surface directed onto the object side, whose both surfaces are aspherical; a second lens L.sub.2 in a low-power meniscus form made of a plastic having a concave surface directed onto the object side, whose both surfaces are aspherical; and a third lens L.sub.3 in a meniscus form made of a glass with a positive refracting power having a convex surface directed onto the object side.

Abstract: An objective lens for a pickup optical system for optically reading out information recorded in a recording medium , includes a first lens body and a second lens body integrally attached to a surface of the first lens body and having a micro Fresnel portion for focusing light to a predetermined position of the recording medium. When the objective lens is used for a pickup optical system, the micro Fresnel portion faces away from an accommodation region for accommodating the recording medium to prevent dust from attaching to the micro Fresnel portion.

Abstract: A magneto-optical switch having three or more ports and two or more lenses, in which at least two ports share a common lens. In one embodiment, the switch has three ports and two lenses, where two of the ports share one of the lenses. In another embodiment, the switch has four ports and two lenses, where two of the ports share one lens and the other two ports share the other lens. A magnet generates a magnetic field in either of two directions to select one of two operating modes for the switch. Walk-off plates separate light energy into two polarized beams and rotators rotate the polarization states of those beams as a function of the magnetic field. Depending on the direction of the rotation, another walk-off plate is used either to recombine the two polarized beams or to further separate them. Further separated beams are reflected from a mirror, while converged beams are transmitted through the light-transmitting center of the mirror.

Abstract: A zoom lens system is provided having a first lens group with a positive refractive power; a second lens group with a negative refractive power; a third lens group with a positive refractive power; a fourth lens group with a negative refractive power; and a fifth lens group with a positive refractive power. The focal length at the wide-angle end is shorter than the diagonal line of the field of view. The fifth lens group is moved toward the object end of the system and the lens separation of each of the lens groups is changed for zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end. At the same time, the system fulfills the following conditions:2.0<bf.sub.w /f.sub.w <8.0 (1)4.5<L.sub.w /y<20.0 (2)where bf.sub.w is the back focus at the wide-angle end; L.sub.w is the length at the wide-angle end from the first lens surface to the last lens surface; f.sub.w is the overall focal length at the wide-angle end; and y is the maximum image height.

Abstract: An inventive array of M.times.N thin film actuated mirrors includes an active matrix and an array of M.times.N actuating structures. Each of the actuating structures includes a first thin film electrode, a thin film electrodisplacive member, a second thin film electrode, an elastic member, a conduit and an insulating member. In the array, the insulating member is made of an insulating material, e.g., oxide or nitride, and is formed between top of the conduit and bottom of the first thin film electrode, thereby reducing the possibility of an electrical contact forming between the first and the second thin film electrodes.

Abstract: A unitary, at least partially dielectric, element having formed thereon plural electromagnetic radiation reflecting surfaces, at least one of which is a total internal reflection surface.

Abstract: A laser printer (10) is comprised of a laser diode array (11), a cross array illumination optics (21), a laser lenslet array (24), a spatial light modulator (40), and a fly's eye integrator (23) which illuminates the spatial light modulator with flooded uniform light.In another embodiment the angular spectrum of the light incident to the spatial light modulator is tailored to enhance the quality of modulation. The spatial light modulator (40), is illuminated uniformly by laser diode emitters (12) comprising laser diode array (11), and the spatial light modulator (40) break up the light into image elements, which are subsequently imaged to a media plane (60), to form a desired pattern of spots.

Abstract: This invention relates to an acousto-optic time-integrating correlator for rocessing broadband Doppler-shifted signals. The present invention uses a conical lens telescope to compensate, in one dimension, for the differences in the absolute values of Doppler shift occurring in broadband signals. A laser light beam is expanded to a sheet beam using a conventional beam expander. The sheet beam is split and redirected using a modified Koster's prism. The two sheet beams are them directed toward a SAW device. The SAW device contains two tilted transducers. The inputs to the SAW device are counterpropagating A Doppler-shifted sheet beam and an undiffracted sheet beam are processed by respective conical lens telescopes. The outputs of the conical lens telescopes are combined with associated unprocessed sheet beams and combined by respective modified Koster's prisms and imaged onto respective two-dimensional photodetectors. The output of one photodetector is subtracted from the other to reduce offsets.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an optomechanical microdevice comprising:a stationary section (2) defining a plane (x, y) of the microdevice,at least one primary lens (4) capable of moving in the plane of the microdevice and of deflecting a beam of light in the same plane,at least one fastening arm (6) joining the primary lens to the stationary section, one part of the arm being capable of moving and of moving the movable lens in the plane of the microdevice.

Abstract: A convex lens assembly including a back board holding a convex lens, a mounting frame fastened to a support of a building, a ball socket fastened to the back board, a socket cover fastened to the back board to hold down the ball socket, and a ball head connecting rod having a ball head at one end coupled to the ball socket and a threaded rod at an opposite end fixedly connected to the mounting frame, wherein the back board is integrally molded from impart resisting plastic and mounted around the ball head connecting rod, having an annular groove at a front side near the border which receives a flanged border area of the convex lens, a plurality of locating rods pressed at the flanged border area of the convex lens to hold down the convex lens, a circular mounting hole at the center of its back side which receives the ball socket, and a plurality of locating notches equiangularly spaced around the circular mounting hole; the socket cover has a plurality of threaded locating strips perpendiculary raised from th

Abstract: An xyz coordinate system is determined so that a z-axis may coincide with an incident direction of an incident light, an x-axis may coincide with a polarizing direction of the incident light and a y-axis may be defined as the right-handed system from the z-axis and x-axis. An acousto-optic element is rotated around the z-axis, around the axis in a direction of propagation of an ultrasonic wave and around an axis B perpendicular to a plane formed by the z-axis and the direction of propagation of the ultrasonic wave, so that the attitude of the acousto-optic element to the incident light is adjusted.

Abstract: A description is given of a switching device (1) comprising a transparent substrate (3), a switching film (5) including hydrides of gadolinium or other trivalent metal, and magnesium, covered with a palladium layer (7). By exchange of hydrogen, the switching film can be reversibly switched from a transparent state to a mirror-like state with zero transmission via an intermediate black absorbing state. The conversion between both states is reversible, and this phenomenon can be used, for example, in an optical switching element or sun roof.

Abstract: A plasma addressed electro-optical display device having a plasma cell comprising an anode electrode and a cathode electrode arranged in parallel in a plasma chamber in which a discharge is performed and a liquid crystal cell arranged near the plasma chamber and driven through a virtual electrode formed in the region discharged in the plasma cell, wherein as the discharge gas sealed in the plasma chamber, use is made of one of the group of approximately 100 percent by volume of xenon (Xe); approximately 100 percent by volume of krypton (Kr); a mixed gas of xenon (Xe) and an inert gas other than xenon (Xe) or a stable gas; and a mixed gas of krypton (Kr) and an inert gas other than krypton (Kr) or a stable gas.