Abstract: A light guiding plate comprising: a substrate; an incidence diffraction grating for diffracting incident light; and an emission diffraction grating for emitting, from the substrate, light diffracted by the incidence diffraction grating. The emission diffraction grating has a mesh-like grating pattern formed on the substrate. The mesh-like grating pattern is formed from a first parallel straight line group and a second parallel straight line group intersecting the first parallel straight line group. The pitch of the first parallel straight line group and the pitch of the second parallel straight line group are equal. Between the incidence diffraction grating and the mesh-like grating pattern, a line region is provided that consists only of the first parallel straight line group or the second parallel straight line group.

Abstract: An image display element includes an incident diffraction grating which diffracts incident light, and an outgoing diffraction grating from which light that has propagated through the light guide plate after being diffracted by the incident diffraction grating is emitted, the incident diffraction grating and the outgoing diffraction grating being each formed by a pattern of concave-convex formed on a surface of the light guide plate, and the image display element being obtained by joining the light guide plate and a cover glass protecting the pattern of concave-convex or two or more light guide plates with an air layer therebetween by a holding member, and being configured such that the light guide plate and the cover glass are formed by a plastic material, and the holding member has an air vent through which air in the air layer and outside air communicate.

Abstract: To improve brightness of image information visually recognized by a user while using plastic for a light guide plate. An image display element includes: a substrate made of resin; an incident diffraction grating that diffracts incident light; and an exit diffraction grating that emits the light, the incident diffraction grating being formed on a first surface of the substrate, the exit diffraction grating being formed on a second surface on a side opposite to the first surface of the substrate, and the exit diffraction grating being formed on one surface.

Abstract: To improve brightness of an image to be perceived by a user and enhance visibility there is provided a light guide plate including an incident diffraction grating which diffracts incident imaging light, an exit diffraction grating through which the imaging light goes out, and an intermediate diffraction grating existing in optical paths from the incident diffraction grating to the exit diffraction grating. In this light guide plate, a periodic linear corrugated pattern is formed as the incident diffraction grating, and when an imaginary line is established that passes through an incident point of imaging light onto the incident diffraction grating and is parallel with a periodic direction of the corrugated pattern, the intermediate diffraction grating has a first region on one side of the imaginary line and a second region on another side of the imaginary line.

Abstract: To improve luminance of image information visually recognized by a user while using plastic for a light guide plate. An image display element includes: a plastic substrate; an incident diffraction grating integrally formed on a surface of the plastic substrate and configured to diffract incident video light; an emission diffraction grating integrally formed on a surface of the plastic substrate and configured to emit the video light; and a coating layer formed on the emission diffraction grating and having a thickness of 10 nm or more and 1000 nm or less and a refractive index of 1.64 or more and 2.42 or less.

Abstract: The light-guide plate includes a substrate, an incidence diffraction grating that diffracts incident light, and an emission diffraction grating that emits light from the substrate, the light being diffracted by the incidence diffraction grating. The emission diffraction grating is formed of a recessed/projected pattern formed on a substrate surface, the recessed/projected pattern includes a first group of parallel straight lines and a second group of parallel straight lines intersecting the first group of parallel straight lines, and a pitch of the first group of parallel straight lines is equal to a pitch of the second group of parallel straight lines. A relationship between the pitch P of the first group of parallel straight lines and the second group of parallel straight lines and a pattern width W of the recessed/projected pattern is defined as W/P, which is 0.15 or more and 0.85 or less.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an optical measurement technology capable of quantitatively measuring a size distribution of a particle that performs Brownian motion in a sample. A size distribution measurement device according to the present invention measures a reflected light intensity while scanning a focal point position along an optical axis direction of measurement light, and calculates the size distribution of the particle according to the highest reflected light intensity of the measured reflected light intensities (refer to FIG. 9).

Abstract: To provide an electron microscope capable of performing the switching-over between normal illumination and annular illumination, wide-area irradiation, an interference pattern as desired or normal illumination in an expeditious and readily manner or achieving a better S/N ratio, the electron microscope comprises a photocathode 101 with negative electron affinity in use; an excitation optical system to excite the photocathode; and an electron optics system to irradiate an electron beam 13 generated from the photocathode by excitation light 12 irradiated through the excitation optical system onto a sample, the excitation optical system including a light source device 107 for the excitation light; and an optical modulation means 108 which is disposed in an optical path of the excitation light to perform spatial phase modulation to the excitation light.

Abstract: In thickness/depth measurement of a wafer in etching, variation occurs in detected light quantity due to fluctuation of light quantity of a light source or fluctuation of air in a region through which light passes, and measurement accuracy of thickness/depth is reduced, and thus the total light quantity or average light quantity of an arbitrary wavelength is calculated from an optical spectrum measured at each time instant during etching, estimated total light quantity or estimated average light quantity at the present time, which is estimated using total light quantity or average light quantity measured prior to the present time, is calculated, a change rate, as a ratio of the total light quantity at the present time to the estimated total light quantity or a ratio of the average light quantity to the estimated average light quantity, is calculated, the calculated change rate is used to correct light quantity of each wavelength at the present time, and the corrected light quantity of each wavelength is used

Abstract: In a photoexcited electron source, a condenser lens optimally designed on an assumption that excitation light passes through a transparent substrate having a predetermined thickness and a predetermined refractive index cannot focus a focal point of the excitation light well on a photocathode film when the transparent substrate is different. Therefore, an optical spherical aberration correction plate 21 having a refractive index equal to a refractive index of a substrate of a photocathode at a wavelength of the excitation light is disposed between the photocathode 1 and the condenser lens 2. Alternatively, an optical spherical aberration corrector 20 configured to diverge or focus parallel light emitted to the condenser lens is provided. Accordingly, flares of the electron beam can be reduced and brightness of the photoexcited electron source can be increased.

Abstract: To provide an electron microscope capable of performing the switching-over between normal illumination and annular illumination, wide-area irradiation, an interference pattern as desired or normal illumination in an expeditious and readily manner or achieving a better S/N ratio, the electron microscope comprises a photocathode 101 with negative electron affinity in use; an excitation optical system to excite the photocathode; and an electron optics system to irradiate an electron beam 13 generated from the photocathode by excitation light 12 irradiated through the excitation optical system onto a sample, the excitation optical system including a light source device 107 for the excitation light; and an optical modulation means 108 which is disposed in an optical path of the excitation light to perform spatial phase modulation to the excitation light.

Abstract: In thickness/depth measurement of a wafer in etching, variation occurs in detected light quantity due to fluctuation of light quantity of a light source or fluctuation of air in a region through which light passes, and measurement accuracy of thickness/depth is reduced, and thus the total light quantity or average light quantity of an arbitrary wavelength is calculated from an optical spectrum measured at each time instant during etching, estimated total light quantity or estimated average light quantity at the present time, which is estimated using total light quantity or average light quantity measured prior to the present time, is calculated, a change rate, as a ratio of the total light quantity at the present time to the estimated total light quantity or a ratio of the average light quantity to the estimated average light quantity, is calculated, the calculated change rate is used to correct light quantity of each wavelength at the present time, and the corrected light quantity of each wavelength is used

Abstract: To provide an electron microscope capable of performing the switching-over between normal illumination and annular illumination, wide-area irradiation, an interference pattern as desired or normal illumination in an expeditious and readily manner or achieving a better S/N ratio, the electron microscope comprises a photocathode 101 with negative electron affinity in use; an excitation optical system to excite the photocathode; and an electron optics system to irradiate an electron beam 13 generated from the photocathode by excitation light 12 irradiated through the excitation optical system onto a sample, the excitation optical system including a light source device 107 for the excitation light; and an optical modulation means 108 which is disposed in an optical path of the excitation light to perform spatial phase modulation to the excitation light.

Abstract: To improve brightness of an image to be perceived by a user and enhance visibility there is provided a light guide plate including an incident diffraction grating which diffracts incident imaging light, an exit diffraction grating through which the imaging light goes out, and an intermediate diffraction grating existing in optical paths from the incident diffraction grating to the exit diffraction grating. In this light guide plate, a periodic linear corrugated pattern is formed as the incident diffraction grating, and when an imaginary line is established that passes through an incident point of imaging light onto the incident diffraction grating and is parallel with a periodic direction of the corrugated pattern, the intermediate diffraction grating has a first region on one side of the imaginary line and a second region on another side of the imaginary line.

Abstract: In order to improve a characteristic of an optical element, an optical element (polarizing filter) including a substrate 1S having a wire-grid region 1A and a peripheral region 2A positioned on an outer periphery thereof is made to have the following configuration. A wire-grid in which a plurality of line-shaped wires P10 made of Al and extending in a y direction are arranged at spaces S in an x direction is provided in the wire-grid region 1A of the substrate 1S, and a pattern (repetitive pattern) in which a plurality of protruding portions P20 made of Al are arranged is provided in the peripheral region 2A. This pattern is, for example, a checkerboard pattern. According to the above-mentioned configuration, the plurality of wires P10 can be arranged so that their respective ends are spaced apart from an end of the substrate 1S, so that the wires P10 can be prevented from being deformed and nicked.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a technique for reducing measurement errors when measuring specimen using light. An aspect of an optical measurement method according to the present invention: acquires relationship data that describes a relationship between an intensity of reflection light when irradiating light onto a specimen and a size of the specimen; and acquires the size of the specimen using the relationship data and the intensity of the reflection light. Another aspect of an optical measurement method according to the present invention subtracts a component due to an inclination of a vessel of a specimen from a detection signal representing an intensity of reflection light when irradiating light onto the specimen, thereby correcting the inclination of the vessel.

Abstract: By utilizing the fact that the observation object has a three-dimensional shape and the boundary surface can be regarded as a plane surface, phase or intensity distribution is applied into a luminous flux of reference light, thereby selectively attenuating the influence of the reflected light from the boundary surface so as to obtain a high-quality OCT image.

Abstract: Provided are an optical element and an optical device using the optical element to which a manufacturing process for manufacturing a wire-grid structure can be basically applied, and besides, in which a higher polarization contrast ratio than that of a wire-grid element can be obtained. A wobbled wire element in an embodiment has a feature that a periodic structure having a period equal to or larger than a wavelength of an incident light wave is formed in a y direction. In this manner, in a wobbled wire element in a first embodiment, a polarization contrast ratio can be significantly improved.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of easily manufacturing a desired optical device at the inside of a transparent board.

Abstract: Provided is an optical measuring device that can realize a wide measurement region without an increase in the measurement time or a reduction in the measurement region while avoiding damage to a measurement target due to excessive light exposure, using a simple configuration. The device includes a light source, an optical splitting unit configured to split a light beam emitted from the light source into a signal beam and a reference beam, an objective lens configured to focus the signal beam and irradiate a measurement target with the signal beam, a scanning unit configured to move the focus position of the signal beam, an optical element having lower transmissivity in its peripheral portion than in its central portion, interference optics configured to combine the reference beam with the signal beam reflected or scattered by the measurement target, thereby generating interference beams, and photodetectors configured to detect the respective interference beams.