Abstract: For dividing an image and recording divided images on a photosensitive film with a plurality of laser beams, an auxiliary scanning speed is reduced in the vicinity of junctions between adjacent ones of the divided images to adjust the intervals between main scanning lines, and each of the main scanning lines is divided into divided main scanning lines in a main scanning direction, and the divided main scanning lines are formed separately in an auxiliary scanning direction. With such a correcting process, a high-quality image free of striped artifacts and inclination differences of main scanning lines can be recorded on the photosensitive film.

Abstract: Stimulating rays produced by a line light source are linearly irradiated onto an area of a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which a radiation image has been stored, the stimulating rays causing the sheet to emit light in proportion to an amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation. Light emitted from the exposed linear area of the sheet is received with a line sensor comprising photoelectric conversion devices arrayed along each of a length direction of the linear area of the stimulable phosphor sheet and a direction normal to the length direction. The sheet is moved with respect to the line light source and the line sensor and in a direction different from the length direction of the linear area of the sheet. Operation processing is performed on outputs of the photoelectric conversion devices, which outputs have been obtained at respective positions of movement and correspond to an identical site on the sheet.

Abstract: Stimulating rays produced by a line light source are linearly irradiated onto an area of a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which a radiation image has been stored, the stimulating rays causing the sheet to emit light in proportion to an amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation. Light emitted from the exposed linear area of the sheet is received with a line sensor comprising photoelectric conversion devices arrayed along each of a length direction of the linear area of the stimulable phosphor sheet and a direction normal to the length direction. The sheet is moved with respect to the line light source and the line sensor and in a direction different from the length direction of the linear area of the sheet. Operation processing is performed on outputs of the photoelectric conversion devices, which outputs have been obtained at respective positions of movement and correspond to an identical site on the sheet.

Abstract: Stimulating rays produced by a line light source are linearly irradiated onto an area of a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which a radiation image-has been stored, the stimulating rays causing the sheet to emit light in proportion to an amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation. Light emitted from the exposed linear area of the sheet is received with a line sensor comprising photoelectric conversion devices arrayed along each of a length direction of the linear area of the stimulable phosphor sheet and a direction normal to the length direction. The sheet is moved with respect to the line light source and the line sensor and in a direction different from the length direction of the linear area of the sheet. Operation processing is performed on outputs of the photoelectric conversion devices, which outputs have been obtained at respective positions of movement and correspond to an identical site on the sheet.

Abstract: Stimulating rays produced by a line light source are linearly irradiated onto an area of a stimulable phosphor sheet, on which a radiation image-has been stored, the stimulating rays causing the sheet to emit light in proportion to an amount of energy stored thereon during its exposure to radiation. Light emitted from the exposed linear area of the sheet is received with a line sensor comprising photoelectric conversion devices arrayed along each of a length direction of the linear area of the stimulable phosphor sheet and a direction normal to the length direction. The sheet is moved with respect to the line light source and the line sensor and in a direction different from the length direction of the linear area of the sheet. Operation processing is performed on outputs of the photoelectric conversion devices, which outputs have been obtained at respective positions of movement and correspond to an identical site on the sheet.

Abstract: Photosensors are inserted as amount-of-light detecting units between light sources and a photosensitive medium by a moving mechanism, and detect amounts of light of light beams emitted from the respective light sources. In order to equalize the detected amounts of light, an amount-of-light control circuit adjusts the light sources to avoid image irregularities which would otherwise be caused by differences between the amounts of light of the light beams emitted from the light sources.

Abstract: A laser beam emitted by a semiconductor laser is applied through a beam shaper optical system to a recording film to produce the image of a near field pattern of the laser beam which is of a narrow width in a main scanning direction of the recording film and which has a wide, substantially rectangular intensity distribution in an auxiliary scanning direction. The image recorded on the recording film is free of image density irregularities in the auxiliary scanning direction.

Abstract: A low coherence light beam is irradiated to the eyeball. A backward scattered light beam, which is reflected from each depth position in the eyeball, and a reference light beam, which is reflected from a mirror capable of moving, are caused to interfere with each other. A first backward scattered light beam, which comes from the interface between the cornea and the anterior aqueous chamber, and a second backward scattered light beam, which comes from the interface between the anterior aqueous chamber and the crystalline lens, are thus separated accurately from each other. An optical absorbance of the anterior aqueous chamber (the aqueous humor) is calculated from the intensities of the two backward scattered light beams. Each of a plurality of low coherence light beams having different wavelengths is irradiated to the eyeball, and the aforesaid operation is repeated. The concentration of glucose in the aqueous humor is measured by utilizing near-infrared spectroscopy.

Abstract: A low coherence light beam is irradiated to the eyeball. A backward scattered light beam, which is reflected from each depth position in the eyeball, and a reference light beam, which is reflected from a mirror capable of moving, are caused to interfere with each other. A first backward scattered light beam, which comes from the interface between the cornea and the anterior aqueous chamber, and a second backward scattered light beam, which comes from the interface between the anterior aqueous chamber and the crystalline lens, are thus separated accurately from each other. An optical absorbance of the anterior aqueous chamber (the aqueous humor) is calculated from the intensities of the two backward scattered light beams. Each of a plurality of low coherence light beams having different wavelengths is irradiated to the eyeball, and the aforesaid operation is repeated. The concentration of glucose in the aqueous humor is measured by utilizing near-infrared spectroscopy.

Abstract: A low coherence light beam is irradiated to the eyeball. A backward scattered light beam, which is reflected from each depth position in the eyeball, and a reference light beam, which is reflected from a mirror capable of moving, are caused to interfere with each other. A first backward scattered light beam, which comes from the interface between the cornea and the anterior aqueous chamber, and a second backward scattered light beam, which comes from the interface between the anterior aqueous chamber and the crystalline lens, are thus separated accurately from each other. An optical absorbance of the anterior aqueous chamber (the aqueous humor) is calculated from the intensities of the two backward scattered light beams. Each of a plurality of low coherence light beams having different wavelengths is irradiated to the eyeball, and the aforesaid operation is repeated. The concentration of glucose in the aqueous humor is measured by utilizing near-infrared spectroscopy.

Abstract: A low coherence light beam is split into first and second light beams, and the frequency of the first light beam is shifted. The first and second light beams are then combined with each other at a position at which the optical path difference between the two light beams is larger than the coherence length of the low coherence light beam. The combined light beam is guided to a position in the vicinity of a medium having light scattering properties and split into a third light beam, which travels reversely to the direction of travel of the combined light beam, and a fourth light beam, which is irradiated to the medium. A light beam scattered backwardly from a predetermined depth in the medium is caused to interfere with the third light beam, and the intensity of the resulting interference light beam is detected.

Abstract: A superheterodyne split-beam system is used to measure the refractive index distribution associated with a light scattering medium. Initially, a coherent light beam is split into a first reference light beam and a second light beam. The second light beam is passed through a light scattering medium. Scattered and unscattered portions of the second light beam are separated using the characteristic that the scattered light travels by a longer optical path length than the unscattered light. The first light beam is recombined with the unscattered light beam, and the associated optical path difference is measured. Using the difference between the calculated path difference and a predetermined reference path difference, as well as the thickness of the scattering medium, refractive indices are measured. The use of a photodetector array allows for determining a distribution of the refractive indexes of the inclusions at various portions of the medium.

Abstract: An image read-out and reproducing apparatus comprises a sub-scanning device for supporting an image storage sheet, on which image information has been recorded, and a recording material, on which an image is to be reproduced during its exposure to a light beam, such that the image storage sheet and the recording material may stand side by side with each other. The sub-scanning device conveys the image storage sheet and the recording material in the same direction or in directions opposite to each other. A single main scanning device causes a light beam to scan the image storage sheet and the recording material in a direction, which is approximately normal to the direction or directions along which the image storage sheet and the recording material are conveyed, and with a scanning width that covers both the image storage sheet and the recording material.

Abstract: A photo detecting apparatus comprises a photodetector for detecting light emitted or reflected by a scanning surface scanned with a light beam in main scanning and sub-scanning directions, and a light guide member, which has a light input end face extending along a main scanning line and propagates the emitted or reflected light to a light receiving face of the photodetector. When a point on the scanning surface, which point is being scanned with the light beam, is represented by O in a side view state taken from the main scanning direction, and an arbitrary point of incidence of the emitted or reflected light upon the light input end face is represented by A in the side view state, conditions .alpha./2.gtoreq..beta. and .theta..gtoreq.15.degree. are satisfied, where .alpha. represents the angle made between a line OA and the scanning surface, .beta.

Abstract: A beam-combining laser beam source device comprising an airtight housing and a laser beam source unit housed in the housing. The laser beam source unit comprises laser beam sources and collimator optical systems respectively positioned in optical paths of laser beams, which are radiated from the laser beam sources, in order to collimate the laser beams. Optical path adjusting elements are respectively positioned in the optical paths of the laser beams in order to radiate the laser beams along optical paths parallel and close to one another. The laser beam sources, the collimator optical systems, and the optical path adjusting elements are supported on a single support. The housing is provided with a temperature sensor, which detects the temperature in the housing, and temperature adjusting elements which heat or chill the housing on the basis of control of the temperature sensor so that the temperature in the housing is kept constant.

Abstract: A beam-combining laser beam source device comprising an airtight housing and a laser beam source unit housed in the housing. The laser beam source unit comprises laser beam sources and collimator optical systems respectively positioned in optical paths of laser beams, which are radiated from the laser beam sources, in order to collimate the laser beams. Optical path adjusting elements are respectively positioned in the optical paths of the laser beams in order to radiate the laser beams along optical paths parallel and close to one another. The laser beam sources, the collimator optical systems, and the optical path adjusting elements are supported on a single support. The housing is provided with a temperature sensor, which detects the temperature in the housing, and temperature adjusting elements which heat or chill the housing on the basis of control of the temperature sensor so that the temperature in the housing is kept constant.

Abstract: The improved apparatus for reading radiation image information uses a scanning optical unit to scan excitation light two-dimensionally over the surface of a stimulable phosphor sheet having radiation image information stored and recorded therein, so that stimulated emission is produced in accordance with the recorded radiation image information and collected by means of a light collecting unit that is composed of a condenser mirror and an optical guide and that is located along and close to the main scanning of said excitation light, which stimulated emission is thereafter read photoelectrically with a photodetector.

Abstract: A composite light source unit including a plurality of semiconductor lasers disposed in a housing, a plurality of collimator optical systems for converting the laser beams to parallel laser beams, respectively, and a combining optical system for combining all the laser beams except one as a group of laser beams having close, parallel optical axes, respectively, extending in a direction different from the direction of said one laser beam, whereby said one laser beam and the group of laser beams are emitted from the housing in different directions. Alternatively, the combining optical system combines the laser beams as a group of laser beams having close, parallel optical axes, respectively, and emits the group of laser beams out of the housing, one of the laser beams emitted out of the housing having a different optical property than that of the other laser beams. Said one laser beam can easily be separated from the other laser beams, and will be used as a synchronizing beam in a scanning device.

Abstract: A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprises a belt feed device for positioning and moving a flexible, endless stimulable phosphor belt in its longitudinal direction, so that two desired portions of the stimulable phosphor belt, which have support sides that face each other, may be positioned for exposure to radiation in such a way that the support sides are in close, face-to-face contact with each other or are approximately parallel to and slightly spaced apart from each other. In an image recording section, radiation carrying image information is irradiated onto two portions of the stimulable phosphor belt, which have support sides that face each other and which have been positioned so as to be exposed to the radiation, and radiation images are thereby stored on the two portions. In a single image read-out section, the radiation images are read out from the two portions. The two portions are then erased in an erasing section.

Abstract: A radiation image recording and read-out apparatus comprises an endless recording belt provided with a stimulable phosphor layer; a group of rollers, around which the recording belt is applied, including two roller sections spaced from each other by a predetermined distance, for circulating the recording belt between the two roller sections along the predetermined distance; an image recording section for exposing the stimulable phosphor layer to radiation; an image read-out section for scanning the stimulable phosphor layer carrying a radiation image stored thereon with stimulating rays; and an erasing section. The predetermined distance between the roller sections is 1-1.5 times as long as the length of the largest single image recordable in the image recording section. The image recording section faces the recording belt moving between the roller sections.