Abstract: Provided are an optical correcting system which can form a linear image or illuminating light having a substantially uniform light intensity distribution without reducing the efficiency of use of light, and an exposure head which can perform excellent exposure by using the linear image or the illuminating light. Light flux from a light source is collimated by the function of a collimator lens, and the collimated light flux enters into an optical correcting system for correcting light intensity distribution. The optical correcting system for correcting light intensity distribution changes the width of the light flux at the exit position at which each collimated light flux exits so that the light intensity distribution of a linear image is uniform when the collimated light flux is formed into the linear image.

Abstract: An optical scanning device of a type having a scanning optical system for deflecting scanning beams bearing image information of a common subject image which includes a polygon deflection mirror and an f &thgr; lens comprises a scanning beam separation polygon mirror for separating the scanning beams in different directions and a couple of first and second reflection mirrors provided for each scanning beam, the first and second reflection mirrors for at least one of the scanning beams being disposed on opposite sides of the scanning beam separation polygon mirror, respectively so that the scanning beam travels across an axis of the scanning optical system with an effect of providing a long optical path.

Abstract: An optical fiber of a bundled fiber light source is an optical fiber whose core diameter is uniform but whose emission end cladding diameter is smaller than an incidence end cladding diameter thereof, and a light emission region thereof is made smaller. An angle of luminous flux from this higher luminance bundled fiber light source, which passes through a lens system and is incident on a DMD, is smaller, i.e., an illumination NA is made smaller. Thus, an angle of flux which is incident on a surface that is to be exposed is smaller. That is, a minute image formation beam can be obtained without increasing the image formation NA, focal depth is lengthen.

Abstract: A laser annealer has a laser light source with at least one GaN-type semiconductor laser and is configured so as to form emission points that emit laser beams having a wavelength of 350 to 450 nm, and a scanning device for scanning an annealing surface with the laser beams. The laser annealer may have a spatial light modulator for modulating the laser beams, and in which pixel portions whose light modulating states change in accordance with control signals are arranged on a substrate. The invention is applied to a laser thin-film forming apparatus. The apparatus has a laser source that has at least one semiconductor laser and is configured so as to form emission points, and an optical system for focusing laser beams into a single beam in the width direction of a substrate.

Abstract: Provided are an optical correcting system which can form a linear image or illuminating light having a substantially uniform light intensity distribution without reducing the efficiency of use of light, and an exposure head which can perform excellent exposure by using the linear image or the illuminating light. Light flux from a light source is collimated by the function of a collimator lens, and the collimated light flux enters into an optical correcting system for correcting light intensity distribution. The optical correcting system for correcting light intensity distribution changes the width of the light flux at the exit position at which each collimated light flux exits so that the light intensity distribution of a linear image is uniform when the collimated light flux is formed into the linear image.

Abstract: In an exposure apparatus of the invention, for a spatial light modulator, each of a plurality of pixel portions fewer than the total number of the pixel portions is controlled with a control signal generated according to exposure information. Namely, a part of the pixel portions is controlled without controlling a whole of the pixel portions on the substrate. Thus, the number of pixels in the pixel portions is decreased, and transfer time of the control signal becomes short. This enables modulation speed of the laser beam to be increased and the high-speed exposure to be performed. An incorporated laser light source, in which the laser beams are incorporated and struck on the optical fiber, is preferable to the laser device. By adopting the incorporated laser light source, high brightness and high output can be obtained, and it is preferable to the exposure of the spatial light modulator. Since the fiber array is obtained with few optical fibers, it is low cost.

Abstract: An imaging lens for an image pickup device is formed of only two lens components that are lens elements. An aperture diaphragm is on the object side of the object-side lens component. All four lens component lens surfaces are aspheric. The lens surface configuration near the optical axis of the object-side lens surface of the second lens component is convex. The lens surface configuration near the optical axis of at least one of the other three lens surfaces is concave. In various different embodiments, the lens surface configuration near the optical axis and the lens surface configuration near the periphery of a lens surface are different; the lens surface configuration of the intermediate portion of a lens surface differs from the other lens surface configurations; the Abbe numbers of the two lens elements satisfy a certain relationship; and a diffractive optical surface is used as one lens surface.

Abstract: A lens having a long focal length that is suitable for photography with a large film size is disclosed having three lens groups of positive, negative, and positive refractive power, in order from the object side, as follows: a first lens group having a positive refractive power and formed of, in order from the object side, one or two positive lens element(s), a negative lens element, and a positive lens element; a second lens group having a negative refractive power and formed of, in order from the object side, a negative lens element and a positive lens element; and a third lens group having a positive refractive power and formed of, in order from the object side, a positive lens element, a negative lens element, and a positive lens element. Focusing is performed by moving the second lens group as one unit along the optical axis.

Abstract: In an image readout apparatus comprising a light source for illuminating an original, a linearly arranged light-receiving device array, and an imaging lens for forming an image of the original illuminated with the light source onto the light-receiving device array; a plurality of light-receiving device arrays having respective pixel pitches different from each other are arranged at an image-forming surface of the imaging lens.

Abstract: A rear conversion lens, for attachment to the rear of a main lens, is formed of only three lens groups of positive, negative, and positive refractive power, respectively, in order from the object side. The first lens group is formed of a first lens element of negative meniscus shape with its convex surface on the object side, and a second lens element of positive refractive power that is biconvex. The second lens group is formed of a third lens element that is biconcave, and a fourth lens element of negative refractive power with a concave surface on the object side. The third lens group is formed of a fifth lens element that is biconvex, and a sixth lens element of negative meniscus shape with its convex surface on the image side. Various conditions are satisfied to facilitate ease of manufacture and to assure good optical performance.

Abstract: Provided is an optical scanning apparatus in which images are formed precisely on the target surface to be scanned with a plurality of beams and low manufacturing cost is realizes. The optical scanning apparatus comprises four light sources, each of which emits a beam, a collimator lens and a polygon mirror. Provided between the polygon mirror and the target surface, cylindrical mirrors to form images with beams on the respective target surfaces. The optical path, from the polygon mirror to the target surface, of the beams emitted from the light sources away from the optical axis of the collimator lens is shorter than the corresponding optical path of the beams emitted from the light sources close to the optical axis. Thus, even though the collimator lens has the curvature of field, all of the image spots formed with the beams are located just on the target surface.

Abstract: A rear conversion lens, for attachment to the rear of a main lens, is formed of only three lens groups of positive, negative, and positive refractive power, respectively, in order from the object side. The first lens group is formed of a first lens element of negative meniscus shape with its convex surface on the object side, and a second lens element of positive refractive power that is biconvex. The second lens group is formed of a third lens element that is biconcave, and a fourth lens element of negative refractive power with a concave surface on the object side. The third lens group is formed of a fifth lens element that is biconvex, and a sixth lens element of negative meniscus shape with its convex surface on the image side. Various conditions are satisfied to facilitate ease of manufacture and to assure good optical performance.

Abstract: An optical scanning device of a type having a scanning optical system for deflecting scanning beams bearing image information of a common subject image which includes a polygon deflection mirror and an f&thgr;lens comprises a scanning beam separation polygon mirror for separating the scanning beams in different directions and a couple of first and second reflection mirrors provided for each scanning beam, the first and second reflection mirrors for at least one of the scanning beams being disposed on opposite sides of the scanning beam separation polygon mirror, respectively so that the scanning beam travels across an axis of the scanning optical system with an effect of providing a long optical path.

Abstract: A lens having a long focal length that is suitable for photography with a large film size is disclosed having three lens groups of positive, negative, and positive refractive power, in order from the object side, as follows: a first lens group having a positive refractive power and formed of, in order from the object side, one or two positive lens element(s), a negative lens element, and a positive lens element; a second lens group having a negative refractive power and formed of, in order from the object side, a negative lens element and a positive lens element; and a third lens group having a positive refractive power and formed of, in order from the object side, a positive lens element, a negative lens element, and a positive lens element. Focusing is performed by moving the second lens group as one unit along the optical axis.

Abstract: Respective image information data of three colors for forming a color image and a monochrome image information data are obtained from output values of at least three imaging element lines and a computed value based on these output values, whereby the readout speed for monochrome images is made as fast as that in a dedicated apparatus for reading out monochrome images, while using only the imaging element lines used for reading out color images. Three CCD lines 4A, 4B, and 4C are constituted by a (B-reading) CCD line 4A for reading out blue wavelength region, a (monochrome-reading) CCD line 4B for reading out the whole visible wavelength region, and a (R-reading) CCD line 4C for reading out red wavelength region, which yield blue, monochrome, and red outputs, respectively. The arithmetic unit 5 yields a green output.

Abstract: An imaging lens comprises, successively from an object side, a positive first lens L1 having a convex surface directed onto the object side, a negative second lens L2 having a concave surface directed onto an image side, a third lens L3 of a positive meniscus form having a convex surface directed onto the object side, a fourth lens L4 of a positive meniscus form having a convex surface directed onto the image side, a negative fifth lens L5 having a concave surface directed onto the object side, and a positive sixth lens L6 having a convex surface directed onto the image side, the first lens L1 and the second lens L2 being cemented to each other, the imaging lens satisfying the following conditional expressions: 0.51<f34/f<0.72 0.83<f1/f6<1.17 1.17<(v1×v3)½/v2<1.

Abstract: An imaging lens comprises, successively from an object side, a positive first lens L1 having a convex surface directed onto the object side, a negative second lens L2 having a concave surface directed onto an image side, a third lens L3 of a positive meniscus form having a convex surface directed onto the object side, a fourth lens L4 of a positive meniscus form having a convex surface directed onto the image side, a negative fifth lens L5 having a concave surface directed onto the object side, and a positive sixth lens L6 having a convex surface directed onto the image side, the first lens L1 and the second lens L2 being cemented to each other, the fifth lens L5 and the sixth lens L6 being cemented to each other, the imaging lens satisfying the following conditional expressions: 0.01<d6/f<0.17 0.9<f3/f<1.8 −0.4<f/f12<0.4 0.51<f34/f<0.72 1.15<v1/v2<1.

Abstract: In an image readout lens comprising four lens elements having positive, negative, negative, and positive refracting powers, respectively, the glass material for at least one of the second and third lenses is defined in terms of relative partial dispersion and Abbe number, so as to yield an image readout lens which favorably corrects chromatic aberration and is suitable as a color-image readout lens. Disposed successively from the object side are a first lens L1 made of a positive meniscus lens which is convex toward the object, a second lens L2 and a third lens L3 each having a surface on an image side concave toward the image and a negative refracting power, and a fourth lens L4 made of a biconvex lens, wherein a lens glass material of at least one of the second lens L2 and third lens L3 satisfies the following conditional expression (1): &thgr;g·F+0.0019&ugr;d<0.

Abstract: Provided is an optical scanning apparatus in which images are formed precisely on the target surface to be scanned with a plurality of beams and low manufacturing cost is realizes. The optical scanning apparatus comprises four light sources, each of which emits a beam, a collimator lens and a polygon mirror. Provided between the polygon mirror and the target surface, cylindrical mirrors to form images with beams on the respective target surfaces. The optical path, from the polygon mirror to the target surface, of the beams emitted from the light sources away from the optical axis of the collimator lens is shorter than the corresponding optical path of the beams emitted from the light sources close to the optical axis. Thus, even though the collimator lens has the curvature of field, all of the image spots formed with the beams are located just on the target surface.

Abstract: In an image readout apparatus comprising a light source for illuminating an original, a linearly arranged light-receiving device array, and an imaging lens for forming an image of the original illuminated with the light source onto the light-receiving device array; a plurality of light-receiving device arrays having respective pixel pitches different from each other are arranged at an image-forming surface of the imaging lens.