Abstract: An imaging lens is provided, whose lens characteristics can be switched between e.g. normal imaging and close-up imaging without requiring mechanically movable mechanism or attachment/removal of another lens. Switching of lens function is realized by combining a liquid crystal diffraction lens and a refractive lens and applying a voltage to a liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal lens. The liquid crystal lens is constituted by two liquid crystal lenses that are laminated together so that their polarization directions producing lens functions are perpendicular to each other, which suppresses chromatic aberration and achieves good imaging characteristics by appropriately selecting focal lengths and Abbe numbers.

Abstract: An imaging lens is provided, whose lens characteristics can be switched between e.g. normal imaging and close-up imaging without requiring mechanically movable mechanism or attachment/removal of another lens. Switching of lens function is realized by combining a liquid crystal diffraction lens and a refractive lens and applying a voltage to a liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal lens. The liquid crystal lens is constituted by two liquid crystal lenses that are laminated together so that their polarization directions producing lens functions are perpendicular to each other, which suppresses chromatic aberration and achieves good imaging characteristics by appropriately selecting focal lengths and Abbe numbers.

Abstract: An objective lens in which a first wavelength is used in reading a first optical disk, a second wavelength is used in recording or reading a second optical disk, and a phase shifter provided with annular step portions having a center coincident with an optical axis is formed in a single surface of the objective lens, the phase shifter producing a phase difference with respect to light having the first wavelength and light having the second wavelength, is presented. The objective lens can read well both a CD and a DVD.

Abstract: An objective lens in which a first wavelength is used in reading a first optical disk, a second wavelength is used in recording or reading a second optical disk, and a phase shifter provided with annular step portions having a center coincident with an optical axis is formed in a single surface of the objective lens, the phase shifter producing a phase difference with respect to light having the first wavelength and light having the second wavelength, is presented. The objective lens can read well both a CD and a DVD.

Abstract: An objective lens used in the recording of a CD or a DVD, wherein a ringed step portion is provided in a first surface of an objective lens, the step portion is provided in a first surface of an objective lens, and the step portion producing a phase difference with respect to light having a first wavelength. In addition, a ringed step portion is provided in a second surface of the objective lens. The second step portion produces a phase difference with respect to light having a second wavelength.

Abstract: An objective lens capable of recording well either CD or DVD wherein a ringed step portion 11 to 15 is provided in a first surface of the objective lens 3, the step portion 11 to 15 has function to produce a phase difference with respect to light having a first wavelength, a ringed step portion 21 to 26 is provided in a second surface of the objective lens 3, and the second step portion 21 to 26 has function to produce a phase difference with respect to light having a second wavelength.

Abstract: An optical device for recording or reading two optical disks 6.7 in which the thickness of a transparent substrate of a first optical disk 6 is different from the thickness of a transparent substrate of a second optical disk 7 wherein the optical device has an objective lens 3 for collecting light from a first light source 1 and light from a second light source 4 onto data recording surfaces 6b, 7b by means of respective transparent substrates 6a, 7a of the optical disks 6, 7; an optical material 2 for forwarding the light from the first light surface 1 and the light from the second light source 1 and light from a second light source 4 before the lights reaches the objective lens 3, and an auxiliary lens 5 provided between the second light surface 4 and the optical material 2.

Abstract: An optical device wherein when reading of CD is conducted, light from a first optical light source 1 is passed through a first auxiliary lens 2, an optical material 3 and an objective lens 4 to be converged onto a data recording surface 5a of CD and when reading of DVD is conducted, light from a second light source 6 is passed through a second auxiliary lens 7, the optical material 3 and the objective lens 4 to be converged onto a data recording surface 8a of DVD.

Abstract: An optical pick-up for reading data in the data recording surface of an optical data recording material by collecting light from a light source by means of an objective lens, and shining reflection light from the data recording surface onto a light receiving element through the objective lens, the optical pick-up being adapted to read data in the data recording surface of first and second optical data recording materials wherein the thickness of a protective substrate is different from each other, wherein the objective lens is so determined that the aberration is corrected in response to the thickness of the protective substrate of the first optical data recording material, and in reading data in the data recording surface of the second optical data recording material which has a thickness different from that of the first optical data recording material, the object.image distance is adjustable so as to adjust the aberration.

Abstract: A hed-up display comprises a light source and a liquid crystal display device for displaying an image, and a hologram arranged on a windshield glass of a vehicle to diffract the light to an observer, wherein the hologram has the half width of the diffraction spectrum so that a white light entering into the vehicle from the outside is diffracted as substantially a white light.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus has a model eye for measuring a distance from a first objective surface to a second objective surface, an observation optical system for observing an interference between reflected light flux from the model eye and reflected light flux from the object eye, and a light flux split member for splitting light flux and guiding coherent split light flux to both the object eye and the model eye. The model eye is provided with at least a first surface corresponding to the first objective surface and a second surface corresponding to the second objective surface. The interference fringe between the first surface and the first objective surface being observed, and the interference fringe between the second surface and the second objective surface is in order to measure the length of a visual line as a distance from the first objective surface to the second objective surface (eye axial length), the depth of the anterior chamber, the thickness of a crystal lens, etc.

Abstract: A light wave range finder has a range finding optical system in which the intensity of a coherent beam of light emitted from a coherent light source is modulated and delivered to an object and a reflecting beam of light reflected on the object is received by an light receiving element. A distance to the object is measured based on a phase detection of the reflecting beam of light.

Abstract: A range finder for finding a distance to an object comprising an outgoing light guiding wave path, a reference light guiding wave path, and an incoming light guiding wave path. The finder further comprises wavelength changing means for changing the wavelength of the beam of light emitted from the light source, wavelength detecting means for detecting the wavelength of the beam of light emitted from the light source, and calculating means for detecting at least two peaks of the signal coming from the light receiving element when the wavelength of the light source is changed by the wavelength changing means, finding the wavelengths of the light source, respectively, from the wavelength detecting means at the time when the signal exhibits the two peaks, and calculating the distance to the object according to an operation expression memorized beforehand with reference to such obtained two wavelengths.

Abstract: An integrated-photocircuit interferometer (20) comprises a substrate (21) in which coherent light for measurement emitted from a light source (23) is directed through an exit waveguide (22) toward a corner cube prism (34) which can be movable with an object to be measured. The light reflected back from the prism (34) can enter an inlet waveguide (33) having branch waveguides (35, 36) which split the incident measurement light. Part of the light transmitted through the exit waveguide (22) is transferred to reference waveguides (26, 27) which provide different optical path lengths for the light propagated therethrough. The "reference beams of light" which has been transmitted through the different lengths of optical paths provided by the reference waveguides (26, 27) are introduced into the branch waveguides (35, 36) where interference occurs between the reference beams and the split beams of incident light from the corner cube prism (34).

Abstract: A light interferometer has an interferometer portion for interfering a measuring light and a reference light, and a light signal processing portion for processing a signal according to an interference signal which changes according to the change of an optical path length of the measuring light. The interferometer portion has a first light source for generating a coherent light, a light interference portion for dividing the coherent light emitted by the first light source into a reference light and a measuring light in order to introduce the measuring light to an object, making the measuring light reflected by the object and the reference light interfered with each other and introducing thereof to a photo detector, and an optical path length periodically changing means for periodically changing the difference of an optical path length of the reference light with respect to the optical path length of the measuring light relatively at a constant amplitude.

Abstract: According to this invention, a method and apparatus for setting a gap to a predetermined distance between a mask and a wafer facing each other, are arranged as follows. First and second diffraction grating are formed on a mask and a wafer. The first diffraction grating is one-dimensional type and has parallel bars extending in a predetermined direction. The second diffraction grating is one-dimensional type and has parallel bars extending in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction. The second diffraction grating may be two-dimensional type having cross-bars. Laser beam is radiated from a light source onto the first diffraction grating. The light beams diffracted and transmitted through the first diffraction grating are transferred to the second diffraction grating. The light beams diffracted and reflected by the second diffraction grating are transferred to the first diffraction grating. The light beams are diffracted and transmitted through the first diffraction grating.

Abstract: In a method for aligning first and second objects relative to each other, according to this invention, the first and second objects are arranged opposite to each other, and are aligned in a direction perpendicular to their opposing direction. A grating pattern is formed, as an alignment mark, on the first object, and a checkerboard-like grating pattern is formed, also as an alignment mark, on the second object. A light beam emitted from an alignment light source is radiated onto the checkerboard-like grating pattern of the second object. The light beam diffracted by the checkerboard-like grating pattern is guided onto the grating pattern of the first object. The light beam diffracted by the grating pattern of the first object is detected by a detector. Since the light beam emitted from the light source is diffracted by the checkerboard-like grating pattern, a relative position of the first and second objects can be detected, irrespective of the distance therebetween.