Abstract: An optical module is provided in which recesses are formed in a sol-gel layer applied to a surface of a lens array substrate, each of the recesses having a capability to fit an optical fiber therein. The optical module comprises a planar microlens array substrate having a plurality of microlenses formed in one surface thereof; and an alignment recess array including a plurality of alignment recesses which are formed in a material applied to the other surface of the microlens array substrate by means of a mold with the center of each alignment recess being aligned to the center of a corresponding one of the microlens. The optical module may comprise a plurality of optical fibers each end thereof is adhered to the alignment recesses.

Abstract: A producing method according to the invention of an article having an island structure fundamentally includes a step of coating a forming material having the fluidity on a substrate, a step of facing the substrate and a forming mold with the forming material having the fluidity interposed therebetween to pressurize, a step of applying energy such as heat or light in a pressurized state to cure the forming material in the forming mold, and a step of releasing the forming mold. A producing method of a formed article where a non-forming portion is not remained and only a forming portion is remained is provided. After the step of forming, before the step of curing, a step of removing a forming material having the fluidity outside of the forming mold to clean is inserted. A cleaning solution that dissolves a forming material before curing can remove the forming material.

Abstract: An optical module is provided in which the angles of the optical fibers to be inclined with respect to the planar microlens array may be regulated at the same time when respective optical axes of the microlenses and respective optical fibers are passively aligned. The optical module of the present invention comprises a planar microlens array having a plurality of microlenses formed in one surface thereof, a planar fitting transparent substrate having a plurality of micro fitting recesses formed in one surface thereof, a planar first guide plate having a plurality of micro guide holes opened therethrough, a planar second guide plate having a plurality of micro guide holes opened therethrough, and a plurality of optical fibers each end thereof having a micro fitting convex portion.

Abstract: As a feature of a glass substrate having at least one fine hole according to the invention, a side wall surface of the fine hole is connected to each surface of the glass substrate by a curved surface as a boundary portion between the two. As another feature of the glass substrate, a layer denatured by machining is removed from the inner wall surface of the fine hole and the boundary portion between the wall surface and each surface of the glass substrate. The fine hole is produced by: forming a fine hole in a glass substrate by machining or laser machining; and then applying liquid-phase chemical etching to surfaces of the glass substrate and the fine hole. On this occasion, it is desirable that the etching liquid used for the liquid-phase chemical etching is either of an aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid and an aqueous mixture solution of hydrofluoric acid and ammonium fluoride.

Abstract: The present invention provides an object-sensing device capable of estimating the presence of an object attached on a sensing surface, the kind of the object and the state of the object. An image is formed by a lens with light via the sensing surface, and the light is received by a light-receiving element portion in which a plurality of micro-light-receiving elements are arranged. In the object detection mode, totally reflected light from the sensing surface is received by the light-receiving element portion. The components are arranged at an angle that allows total reflection when there is no object, and does not allow the total reflection condition to be satisfied when there is an object. In the light scattering object detection mode, scattered light from the sensing surface is received by the light-receiving element portion. A signal pattern is obtained by joining detection signal levels of the micro-light-receiving elements in accordance with the arrangement of the micro-light-receiving elements.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for aligning the longitudinal direction of grooves of a diffraction grating to a predetermined direction. The method and apparatus detect a diffracted light pattern sent from the diffraction grating, and displace the diffraction grating such that the direction of an arranging direction obtained from the diffracted light pattern is aligned in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: A deposit detector in which deposit on a detection surface has a surface shape effect, and generation of a flashing phenomenon caused by irregular reflection of the light incident on the deposit from the outside is estimated. In a deposit detection mode, light emitted from a light source (10) for total reflection and total-reflected from the detection surface is received by a light-receiving element unit (50). Each element is disposed at such an angle that the light undergoes total reflection when no deposit is present or the condition of total reflection is not satisfied when deposit is present. Further, in a light-scattering deposit detection mode, light emitted from a scattering light source (20) and scattered by the detection surface is received by the light-receiving element unit (50). In an extraneous light quantity increase detection mode, extraneous light is received by the light-receiving element unit (50).

Abstract: When an end surface of a silica optical fiber and another optical element are to be optically coupled to each other, according to the invention, the optical fiber is treated so that a core of the optical fiber is protruded from a clad of the optical fiber at an end portion of the optical fiber to form a protrusion shaped like a truncated cone or like a cone. On this occasion, the refractive index of the surrounding medium is selected to be in a range of from 1.35 to 1.60. Preferably, the area of the top surface of the truncated cone is not larger than ? as large as the area of the bottom surface of the truncated cone. Further preferably, the side surface of the core protrusion is inclined at an angle of 30 degrees to 75 degrees, both inclusively, with respect to the central axis of the core.

Abstract: An object sensor is provided, which has a high object detection rate with respect to an object such as a raindrop adhering to a detection surface, and which is capable of detecting the presence/absence of an object with a high sensitivity. A light source 10, a detection surface 110, a focusing lens 40, and a plurality of photodetecting elements of a photodetecting unit 50 form a focusing system of equal magnification that is capable of catching an image in a size smaller than an object to be detected. Light emitted from the light source 10 is incident on the detection surface 110 via a prism 20 at a predetermined incident angle. Without a raindrop 120, the total internal reflection condition is satisfied as shown by a path 140 of a beam, so that the beam is subjected to the total internal reflection. Then, the beam passes through a prism 30, and is focused on a photodetecting surface of the photodetecting unit 50 by the focusing lens 40.

Abstract: An optical module according to the invention includes an optical fiber, a planar lens, and a flat plate-like transparent member for optically coupling the optical fiber and the planar lens to each other. The transparent member has a nearly spherical concave portion formed in a surface of the transparent member. An end surface of the optical fiber is inserted into the concave portion of the transparent member so as to abut thereon and bonded and fixed thereinto. Further, a surface of the transparent member opposite to the surface in which the concave portion is formed is joined to a surface of the planar lens to make an optical axis of the optical fiber coincident with an optical axis of the planar lens. The concave portion is filled with a filler material having a refractive index higher than that of the transparent member to thereby fix the optical fiber.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for aligning a diffraction grating align the longitudinal direction of grooves of a diffraction grating to a predetermined direction. The method and apparatus detect a diffracted light pattern sent from the diffraction grating, and displace the diffraction grating such that the direction of an arranging direction obtained from the diffracted light pattern is aligned in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: A deposit detector in which deposit on a detection surface has a surface shape effect, and generation of a flashing phenomenon caused by irregular reflection of the light incident on the deposit from the outside is estimated. In a deposit detection mode, light emitted from a light source (10) for total reflection and total-reflected from the detection surface is received by a light-receiving element unit (50). Each element is disposed at such an angle that the light undergoes total reflection when no deposit is present or the condition of total reflection is not satisfied when deposit is present. Further, in a light-scattering deposit detection mode, light emitted from a scattering light source (20) and scattered by the detection surface is received by the light-receiving element unit (50). In an extraneous light quantity increase detection mode, extraneous light is received by the light-receiving element unit (50).

Abstract: An optical module is provided in which the angles of the optical fibers to be inclined with respect to the planar microlens array may be regulated at the same time when respective optical axes of the microlenses and respective optical fibers are passively aligned. The optical module of the present invention comprises a planar microlens array having a plurality of microlenses formed in one surface thereof, a planar fitting transparent substrate having a plurality of micro fitting recesses formed in one surface thereof, a planar first guide plate having a plurality of micro guide holes opened therethrough, a planar second guide plate having a plurality of micro guide holes opened therethrough, and a plurality of optical fibers each end thereof having a micro fitting convex portion.

Abstract: An optical module is provided in which recesses are formed in a sol-gel layer applied to a surface of a lens array substrate, each of the recesses having a capability to fit an optical fiber therein. The optical module comprises a planar microlens array substrate having a plurality of microlenses formed in one surface thereof; and an alignment recess array including a plurality of alignment recesses which are formed in a material applied to the other surface of the microlens array substrate by means of a mold with the center of each alignment recess being aligned to the center of a corresponding one of the microlens. The optical module may comprise a plurality of optical fibers each end thereof is adhered to the alignment recesses.

Abstract: An optical module is provided in which any conjugate ratio in an optical axis direction may be easily realized, the time duration for alignment may be shortened by using a passive alignment technique, and a large degree of may be obtained for any optical design. The optical module comprises a planar microlens array, a transparent substrate for adjusting a conjugate ratio of the optical module, and a guide substrate for optical fibers. The planar microlens array consists of a planar transparent substrate, in one surface thereof a plurality of circular microlenses are formed and arrayed. The transparent substrate includes a plurality of micro fitting recesses formed and arrayed in one surface thereof. The guide plate includes a plurality of micro guide holes opened therethrough.

Abstract: According to the invention, there is provided an optical fiber array including a plurality of through-hole array boards each made of a plate-like board having a plurality of through-holes provided at regular intervals in a direction substantially perpendicular to a board surface of the plate-like board, and a plurality of optical fibers having end portions inserted and held in the plurality of through-hole array boards. In order to solve the problem, the plurality of through-hole array boards are laminated so as to be in contact with one another, and the plurality of through-hole array boards are positioned in such a manner that center axes of corresponding through-holes formed in the boards are relatively displaced from a coaxial position so that each optical fiber inserted in the corresponding through-holes comes into contact with inner walls of the corresponding through-holes at a plurality of points.

Abstract: An optical module according to the invention includes an optical fiber, a planar lens, and a flat plate-like transparent member for optically coupling the optical fiber and the planar lens to each other. The transparent member has a nearly spherical concave portion formed in a surface of the transparent member. An end surface of the optical fiber is inserted into the concave portion of the transparent member so as to abut thereon and bonded and fixed thereinto. Further, a surface of the transparent member opposite to the surface in which the concave portion is formed is joined to a surface of the planar lens to make an optical axis of the optical fiber coincident with an optical axis of the planar lens. The concave portion is filled with a filler material having a refractive index higher than that of the transparent member to thereby fix the optical fiber.

Abstract: The present invention provides an object-sensing device capable of estimating the presence of an object attached on a sensing surface, the kind of the object and the state of the object. An image is formed by a lens with light via the sensing surface, and the light is received by a light-receiving element portion in which a plurality of micro-light-receiving elements are arranged. In the object detection mode, totally reflected light from the sensing surface is received by the light-receiving element portion. The components are arranged at an angle that allows total reflection when there is no object, and does not allow the total reflection condition to be satisfied when there is an object. In the light scattering object detection mode, scattered light from the sensing surface is received by the light-receiving element portion. A signal pattern is obtained by joining detection signal levels of the micro-light-receiving elements in accordance with the arrangement of the micro-light-receiving elements.

Abstract: An object sensor is provided, which has a high object detection rate with respect to an object such as a raindrop adhering to a detection surface, and which is capable of detecting the presence/absence of an object with a high sensitivity. A light source 10, a detection surface 110, a focusing lens 40, and a plurality of photodetecting elements of a photodetecting unit 50 form a focusing system of equal magnification that is capable of catching an image in a size smaller than an object to be detected. Light emitted from the light source 10 is incident on the detection surface 110 via a prism 20 at a predetermined incident angle. Without a raindrop 120, the total internal reflection condition is satisfied as shown by a path 140 of a beam, so that the beam is subjected to the total internal reflection. Then, the beam passes through a prism 30, and is focused on a photodetecting surface of the photodetecting unit 50 by the focusing lens 40.

Abstract: As a feature of a glass substrate having at least one fine hole according to the invention, a side wall surface of the fine hole is connected to each surface of the glass substrate by a curved surface as a boundary portion between the two. As another feature of the glass substrate, a layer denatured by machining is removed from the inner wall surface of the fine hole and the boundary portion between the wall surface and each surface of the glass substrate. The fine hole is produced by: forming a fine hole in a glass substrate by machining or laser machining; and then applying liquid-phase chemical etching to surfaces of the glass substrate and the fine hole. On this occasion, it is desirable that the etching liquid used for the liquid-phase chemical etching is either of an aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid and an aqueous mixture solution of hydrofluoric acid and ammonium fluoride.