Abstract: A microscope having a first mirror located below its stage, such mirror being rotatable and bodily shiftable to selected positions to reflect light at various angles with respect to the optical axis so as to provide for various degrees of dark-field illumination of a specimen on the stage. Said mirror is also shiftable to a position to reflect light coincident with the optical axis to provide for bright-field illumination. This mirror has a mounting which is slidable within a horizontal slot in a side wall of the base of the microscope, the mounting permitting rotation of the mirror at any position along the slot. A second mirror, which may be used to spotlight the specimen being examined, is carried by a mounting block on which the lens body is supported, the block being vertically movable for the purpose of focusing the lens system. The second mirror is pivotal about a horizontally-disposed axis and adapted to reflect rays from a light source onto a specimen on the stage.

Abstract: A positioning device for positioning an element, such as an optical element used to direct a radiation beam with respect to tracks on a carrier, with respect to translation along three mutually perpendicular axes and pivoting about two of those axes. Two sets of coils are disposed one at each end of a permanent magnet structure, each set having at least three coils having axes generally parallel to the structure axis, and arranged to co-act with the external return field of the magnet structure such that selective electrically energizing of two or more of the coils will produce a reaction force in the structure for positioning the structure in one or more of the selected degrees of freedom.

Abstract: An acousto-optic deflector system including first and second transducers for producing acoustic waves for interaction with an optic beam in an acousto-optic device. The transducers are driven by signals of differing frequencies (f.sub.1 +.DELTA.f, f.sub.1) in order to produce two deflected optical beams from an incident optical beam launched from a laser. The two deflected beams are detected by a common photodetector whose output is filtered whereby to separate a component which is dependent on the frequency difference. The phase of this component is the relative optical phase of the two deflected optical beams. By determining the phase of the component for different frequencies (f.sub.1, F.sub.1 =f.sub.T etc.), the optical angle of incidence (.theta..sub.i) may be obtained. Alternatively, by frequency modulating both transducer drive signals and appropriately electronically processing the detector output, a signal whose amplitude varies with the optical angle of incidence can be obtained.

Abstract: An axially movable lens holder sleeve has a drive member or members made of piezoelectric material on one or either side thereof with a bias spring member on the opposite side or in sandwiched relation. When a voltage proportional to the required amount of movement of the lens is applied to the drive member, adjustment in position of the lens is controlled.

Abstract: A telescope system having a main housing and at least two interchangeable viewing assemblies. The main housing contains an objective lens assembly for producing an inverted primary image, a field lens, and a combination power adjusting zoom and image erecting lens assembly for producing an erect secondary image. The interchangeable viewing assemblies are selectively coupled to the main housing to provide either straight through or offset viewing of the erect secondary image. The offset viewing assemblies contain an image-convertor to provide erect offset viewing. The viewing assemblies have bayonet couplers which engage a bayonet receiver on the main housing to provide detachable coupling. The main housing has a retractable lock pin which locks the selected viewing assembly to the main housing while the telescope system is in use.

Abstract: In a microscope possessing an adjustable-inclination viewing tube and optical path system for erecting the image, an optical component forming part of the erecting system can be interchanged with another optical component. It is thus possible to select, at will, either a totally reflecting optical component, or an optical component which splits the beam into two, the latter optical component being usable for the purpose of attaching the microscope to a photographic device or similar accessory.

Abstract: The invention relates to a condenser lens system for microscopes for uniformly illuminating an object field of a microscope objective. The condenser lens system is constituted of at least two individual condenser lenses in a common lens mount, said two lenses having an optical axis each which intersect in a common interspace included by the individual lens members in spaced relation. The point of intersection of the condenser lens system is the point of rotating the entire system to insert the individual condenser lenses required into an illumination beam.

Abstract: An active system for restoring the polarization state of light emerging from a single-mode optical fiber. The system changes the slowly varying elliptical polarization resulting from environmental effects on the long fiber to a linear polarization state of fixed orientation. The elliptically polarized light is converted into two orthogonal linearly polarized beams. One of the beams is used in a feedback circuit to null its intensity thereby restoring all the input light to the other linear polarization state.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for attachment to a microscope which alternately positions a filter in alignment with the objective of the microscope and stowed along the side of the body of the microscope. A stationary post is screwed to an accessory fitting associated with the body of the microscope, and a filter holder, which includes a filter-retaining ring and an extending stem, is mounted for rotation from the end of the end of the post. To register the holder stabilized in its aligned and stowed positions, the stem rotates against a face of the post in which a groove is formed, and the stem is biased against the face by a spring so that it catches in the groove in either of the registered positions.

Abstract: An improved optical system support and positioning device for use in an optical reading apparatus, for instance, an optical or audio disc reading apparatus, in which the tracking function of the optical system is improved. An electromagnetic positioning structure moves the optical system parallel and perpendicular to the direction of the optical axis of the optical system while the optical system is supported by a support element. The support element includes a pair of cantilevered flexible members, a pair of substantially parallel support members, and an intermediate section joining ends of the flexible members and support members. In accordance with the invention, the distance between fixed ends of the support members is greater than the distance between the free ends thereof.

Abstract: An optical system support construction such as in a compact disc player includes a first pair of leaf springs having one ends fixed, a second pair of leaf springs having one ends fixed to free ends of the first pair of leaf springs, and an optical system component such as an objective lens supported on free ends of the second pair of leaf springs. The ratio of the spring constant of the first pair of leaf springs to the spring constant of the second pair of leaf springs is inversely proportional to the square root of the length of the first pair of leaf springs to the length of the second pair of leaf springs.

Abstract: Flexual pivots are utilized as part of supporting elements in a mechanism requiring a high degree of precision of movement over an extremely small distance. An example illustrated is for a microscope used in viewing micropatterns on an integrated circuit chip wherein a focusing element is supported by such a flexual pivot structure.

Abstract: In a microscope possessing an adjustable-inclination binocular unit and an optical path system for erecting the image, these two subsystems possess a common splitting prism, thus shortening the overall optical path in the microscope, so that the space required for the optical components remains small. This is of particular importance in cases involving microscope objectives which are corrected to infinity.

Abstract: A device for holding optical lenses wherein an inserting member is inserted in a guide member secured on an optical apparatus, a bolt having a tapered seat is inserted into a cone-shaped hole bored on the inserting member to generate a force, the tip end of the inserting member abuts on a stopper of the guide member with a component of the generated force for positioning, and the inserting member is equipped with a lens mounting mechanism which can hold a plural number of lenses and can select an arbitrary lens for use.

Abstract: The invention relates to an acousto-optical device comprising a laser source, positioned in the vicinity of the center of curvature of a spherical cap, formed from an elasto-optical, piezoelectric substrate. A piezoelectric transducer deposited on this substrate makes it possible to generate a surface sound wave, which propagates on the outer surface of the spherical cap. The signal diffracted by the substrate is collected on a line of detectors, placed in a plane close to the center of curvature of the cap.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a lens assembly which includes a lens element having a front face and a back face and a peripheral edge; a lens cell having an axial bore and a radially inwardly extending lens seat, the lens seat having a radially seating surface for engaging one of the lens faces, the peripheral edge of the lens element being radially spaced from the inner wall of the lens cell; a retainer ring mounted removably, adjustably, rigidly in the seating surface substantially equal to the thickness of the element, the retaining ring having a plurality of radially inwardly directed fingers which are disposed closely adjacent the other of the lens faces; and an adhesive disposed axially between the retainer ring fingers and the other lens face for tying the lens to the retainer after alignment of the lens whereby the lens and the retainer ring are removable from the lens cell as a single integral unit.

Abstract: This is a static photometric polarimeter for use with a sample S upon which a beam passed through a beam splitter (which reflects the beam to a detector D.sub.o) and which beam is 45.degree. polarized. The reflection of the beam from the surface of sample S is passed to a polarizing beam splitter with one portion of the reflected beam going to a detector D.sub.s which measures the perpendicular polarization component of the beam and the other portion of the beam going to the detector D.sub.p which measures the parallel polarized portion of the reflected beam.

Abstract: A brightfield/darkfield microscope illuminator has two axicon mirrors and a third plane mirror for use with two light beams from different sources. An open shutter positioned in the path of one beam provides brightfield illumination. An open shutter positioned in the path of the other beam provides darkfield illumination. This illuminator easily switches between operation in the darkfield and brightfield modes, uses substantially all the light in one beam for darkfield illumination and easily balances the illumination between the two light sources.

Abstract: A full solid type electrochromic element of an improved construction, having a sequential lamination of a substrate, a first electrode, a first electrochromic layer as a color forming layer at the cathode side, an insulation layer made of a dielectric film, a second electrochromic layer as a color forming layer at the anode side, and a second electrode, wherein the second electrochromic layer is made of cobalt hydroxide (Co(OH).sub.2).

Abstract: A picture taking optical system for a color video camera of the frequency dividing type in which a half mirror for automatic focus detection and a double refraction plate for use as an optical low pass filter are in proper relation to prevent a reduction in the performance of the low pass filter.