Abstract: A scoliosis diagnosis assistance device includes: a first shape information acquisition module configured to acquire back shape information representing the three-dimensional shape of a back of a subject; a second shape information acquisition module configured to acquire minor-symmetry information representing a three-dimensional shape having a minor-symmetry relationship with the three-dimensional shape of the back of the subject with respect to a sagittal plane of the three-dimensional shape; a deviation distribution acquisition module configured to acquire a distribution of deviation between the three-dimensional shape represented by the back shape information and the three-dimensional shape represented by the mirror-symmetry information; and an output controller configured to cause a display to display the distribution of deviation, for example.

Abstract: A scoliosis diagnosis assistance device includes: a first shape information acquisition module configured to acquire back shape information representing the three-dimensional shape of a back of a subject; a second shape information acquisition module configured to acquire minor-symmetry information representing a three-dimensional shape having a minor-symmetry relationship with the three-dimensional shape of the back of the subject with respect to a sagittal plane of the three-dimensional shape; a deviation distribution acquisition module configured to acquire a distribution of deviation between the three-dimensional shape represented by the back shape information and the three-dimensional shape represented by the mirror-symmetry information; and an output controller configured to cause a display to display the distribution of deviation, for example.

Abstract: An optical receiver includes interference means 2 for branching the optical signal modulated in a DQPSK manner into two light beams, delaying at least one branched light beam so that two branched light beams have a predetermined phase difference, rotating the polarization plane of at least one branched light beam so that the polarization planes of the two branched light beams are orthogonal to each other, and coupling the two branched light beams, light separation adjusting means 3 to 5 for separating the output light beam from the interference means and adjusting the polarization planes of the separated light beams, and detection means 6 and 6? for detecting light intensities of the separated light beams output from the light separation adjusting means, wherein an I-component signal and a Q-component signal are generated on the basis of detection signals from the detection means.

Abstract: An optical deflection apparatus includes a signal light source configured to emit signal light having one or more wavelengths, a control light source configured to emit control light having a wavelength different from the wavelength of the signal light, a thermal lens forming optical element including a light absorption layer configured to transmit the signal light and selectively absorb the control light, and a beam-condensing unit configured to cause beam-condensation of the control light and the signal light at different convergence points in the light absorption layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical receiver, and particularly, to an optical receiver by which a DQPSK-modulated optical signal is demodulated to a multilevel phase-modulated signal.

Abstract: A high-speed optical amplifier is considered to be an important optical device because of an increasing demand of routing, which is accompanied by an increase in complexity of networks. It is difficult to satisfy a response performance by related-art techniques, and there has been a problem in achieving a high-speed response performance of 10 microseconds or less. An optical amplifier according to the present invention includes: an input monitor means 500; an optical amplification means 310 including an optical amplification medium 300, and a control means 400 for performing feed-forward control. When the optical amplification means is controlled by the feed-forward control in response to a signal of the input monitor means 500, an overshoot signal is applied as a control signal so that a slow response performance specific to the optical amplification medium has been improved, and thereby high-speed response performance has been achieved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical receiver, and particularly, to an optical receiver by which a DQPSK-modulated optical signal is demodulated to a multilevel phase-modulated signal.

Abstract: An optical deflection apparatus includes a signal light source configured to emit signal light having one or more wavelengths, a control light source configured to emit control light having a wavelength different from the wavelength of the signal light, a thermal lens forming optical element including a light absorption layer configured to transmit the signal light and selectively absorb the control light, and a beam-condensing unit configured to cause beam-condensation of the control light and the signal light at different convergence points in the light absorption layer.

Abstract: An optical deflection apparatus includes a signal light source configured to emit signal light having one or more wavelengths, a control light source configured to emit control light having a wavelength different from the wavelength of the signal light, a thermal lens forming optical element including a light absorption layer configured to transmit the signal light and selectively absorb the control light, and a beam-condensing unit configured to cause beam-condensation of the control light and the signal light at different convergence points in the light absorption layer.

Abstract: A high-speed optical amplifier is considered to be an important optical device because of an increasing demand of routing, which is accompanied by an increase in complexity of networks. It is difficult to satisfy a response performance by related-art techniques, and there has been a problem in achieving a high-speed response performance of 10 microseconds or less. An optical amplifier according to the present invention includes: an input monitor means 500; an optical amplification means 310 including an optical amplification medium 300, and a control means 400 for performing feed-forward control. When the optical amplification means is controlled by the feed-forward control in response to a signal of the input monitor means 500, an overshoot signal is applied as a control signal so that a slow response performance specific to the optical amplification medium has been improved, and thereby high-speed response performance has been achieved.

Abstract: An optical device using an electro-optical element is of great utility value to industry, owing to its fast responsiveness and the like. Prior art has problems such as high cost due to a large number of parts, large device size, and high drive voltage, and it has been a challenge to reduce the number of parts to be used, to downsize the device, and to reduce drive voltage. An optical device of the invention has a reflection structure comprising an input fiber 1 and an output fiber 2 which are fastened by a duplex ferrule 3, a collimating lens 6, and a reflector element 9 for reflecting light. The optical device further comprises a cylindrical lens functioning as a condenser lens 7, and an electro-optical element 8, which is placed near a collection point of the condenser lens 7. Electrodes of the electro-optical element 8 are configured such that the interelectrode distance becomes smaller the closer they are to the collection part.

Abstract: A flip-flop circuit of the present invention includes a first switch and a second switch which are connected in series to each other. The first switch includes: two input ports upon which light source light and signal light are incident; two output ports for outputting an optical output; and a thermal lens forming element for forming a thermal lens in a predetermined optical inputting condition. Although the second switch is composed in the same manner as that of the first switch, a relation between the wave-lengths to be utilized is inverted. When a state is changed from OFF to ON, a pulse signal is inputted for setting and one of the rays of output light of the second switch is fed-back to the first switch so as to maintain the state of ON. When the state is changed from ON to OFF, a pulse of additional signal light is inputted. Due to the foregoing, the two states of ON and OFF can be stably maintained.

Abstract: An optical deflection apparatus includes a signal light source configured to emit signal light having one or more wavelengths, a control light source configured to emit control light having a wavelength different from the wavelength of the signal light, a thermal lens forming optical element including a light absorption layer configured to transmit the signal light and selectively absorb the control light, and a beam-condensing unit configured to cause beam-condensation of the control light and the signal light at different convergence points in the light absorption layer.

Abstract: An optical device using an electro-optical element is of great utility value to industry, owing to its fast responsiveness and the like. Prior art has problems such as high cost due to a large number of parts, large device size, and high drive voltage, and it has been a challenge to reduce the number of parts to be used, to downsize the device, and to reduce drive voltage. An optical device of the invention has a reflection structure comprising an input fiber 1 and an output fiber 2 which are fastened by a duplex ferrule 3, a collimating lens 6, and a reflector element 9 for reflecting light. The optical device further comprises a cylindrical lens functioning as a condenser lens 7, and an electro-optical element 8, which is placed near a collection point of the condenser lens 7. Electrodes of the electro-optical element 8 are configured such that the interelectrode distance becomes smaller the closer they are to the collection part.

Abstract: A spectroscopic apparatus which is compact in size and performs high-precision light-splitting with a large angular dispersion. An optical input-processing section outputs a filtered transmitted light, using a bandpass filter that transmits only wavelength bands at one period of an input light, and collects the filtered transmitted light to generate a collected beam. An optic includes a first reflection surface and a second reflection surface which are high but asymmetric in reflectivity, and causes the collected beam incident thereon to undergo multiple reflections within an inner region between the first reflection surface and the second reflection surface, to thereby cause split beams to be emitted via the second reflection surface. A received light-processing section performs received light processing of the beams emitted from the optic. A control section variably controls at least one of a filter characteristic of the bandpass filter and an optical length through the optic.

Abstract: A flip-flop circuit of the present invention includes a first switch and a second switch which are connected in series to each other. The first switch includes: two input ports upon which light source light and signal light are incident; two output ports for outputting an optical output; and a thermal lens forming element for forming a thermal lens in a predetermined optical inputting condition. Although the second switch is composed in the same manner as that of the first switch, a relation between the wave-lengths to be utilized is inverted. When a state is changed from OFF to ON, a pulse signal is inputted for setting and one of the rays of output light of the second switch is fed-back to the first switch so as to maintain the state of ON. When the state is changed from ON to OFF, a pulse of additional signal light is inputted. Due to the foregoing, the two states of ON and OFF can be stably maintained.

Abstract: The optical deflector includes the electro-optical element to deflect light by utilizing its refractive index variation, and it also includes a reflective adjustable optical deflector element with a reflective element to reflect the deflected light. This arrangement provides down-sized optical devices, such as variable optical attenuators, optical shutters, and optical switches, with high response speed and low insertion loss.

Abstract: The intensity of signals in optical networks can be controlled using a variable optical attenuator (VOA). The present invention is a VOA that is particularly well suited for optical networks, for example to provide channel-by-channel normalization of gain control of wavelength division multiplexed signals. The inventive VOA includes a waveguide having a cladding that includes an electro-optical material and electrodes that produce an electric field within the electro-optical material when a voltage difference is applied to the electrodes. The VOA also includes a layer that is parallel to the core of the waveguide and that optically couples to the core to receive light from the attenuated signal. A power meter receives light from the layer as an indication of the amount of light attenuated from the signal and for controlling the voltage to the electrodes.

Abstract: An optical device includes a small and low-cost variable polarization plane rotator that can control a rotation angle of the polarization plane easily. A variable polarization plane rotator is provided with a ?/4 phase plate having an optical axis in the same direction as, or at a 90 degree angle relative to, a polarization direction of an input light beam. A phase difference variable element has an optical axis at a ±45 degree angle relative to the optical axis of the ?/4 phase plate, to apply a variable phase difference between the polarization components parallel to and perpendicular to the optical axis thereof. A phase difference adjustment section adjusts the variable phase difference of the phase difference variable element, wherein the input light beam after being transmitted through the phase difference variable element to form elliptically polarized light or circularly polarized light, is transmitted through the ?/4 phase plate to form linearly polarized light.

Abstract: The intensity of signals in optical networks can be controlled using a variable optical attenuator (VOA). The present invention is a VOA that is particularly well suited for optical networks, for example to provide channel-by-channel normalization of gain control of wavelength division multiplexed signals. The inventive VOA includes a waveguide having a cladding that includes an electro-optical material and electrodes that produce an electric field within the electro-optical material when a voltage difference is applied to the electrodes. The VOA also includes a layer that is parallel to the core of the waveguide and that optically couples to the core to receive light from the attenuated signal. A power meter receives light from the layer as an indication of the amount of light attenuated from the signal and for controlling the voltage to the electrodes.