Abstract: An ion gun system includes an ion gun for irradiating an ion beam; an electric power supply unit for supplying electric power to the ion gun; two mass flow regulators for introducing each of two types of gas in the ion gun; a control unit connected to the electric power supply unit for working as ion gun control means for controlling electric power supplied to the ion gun from the electric power supply unit; and a control unit connected to the mass flow regulators for working as mass flow control means for controlling the flow rate of gas introduced from the mass flow regulators in the ion gun. The control unit as mass flow control means is provided with a function of changing the set value for the flow rate of each of the two types of gas to another set value by changing it stepwise within a range where the ion gun is working stably. Accordingly, shortening of film formation time can be attained.

Abstract: An optical component for an optical pick-up for converging a laser beam having a particular wavelength onto a recording layer of an optical disc. The optical component comprises a base material formed of a resin composition, an undercoating which is formed of three layers of thin films having a same main constituent and is formed on a top surface of the base material, and a functional thin film formed on a top surface of the undercoating. In this configuration, each of a first layer and a third layer of the undercoating is a thin film formed without introducing oxygen, and a second layer is a thin film formed while introducing oxygen. A film thickness of the undercoating falls within a range of 160 nm to 270 nm, and film thicknesses of the thin films constituting the undercoating are substantially equal to each other.

Abstract: An optical component for an optical pick-up for converging a laser beam having a particular wavelength onto a recording layer of an optical disc. The optical component comprises a base material formed of a resin composition, an undercoating which is formed of three layers of thin films having a same main constituent and is formed on a top surface of the base material, and a functional thin film formed on a top surface of the undercoating. In this configuration, each of a first layer and a third layer of the undercoating is a thin film formed without introducing oxygen, and a second layer is a thin film formed while introducing oxygen. A film thickness of the undercoating falls within a range of 160 nm to 270 nm, and film thicknesses of the thin films constituting the undercoating are substantially equal to each other.

Abstract: While one side of a lens L is held by a suction-holding member 17 and the suction-holding member 17 is moved by the moving mechanism, a coating process, a drying process, and a curing process are sequentially performed in respective receptacles disposed independently of each other. A suction force applied to the lens L by the suction-holding member 17 is controlled by a control section 22 in accordance with each of the receptacles in which the suction-holding member 17 is positioned.

Abstract: A material for vapor deposition which is obtained by mixing a specific organosilicon compound having an alkyl group substituted with fluorine, a specific silane compound and a specific modified silicone oil, a process for producing an optical member which comprises a step of solidifying the material for vapor deposition described above by heating and a step of vapor depositing the solidified material for vapor deposition on a substrate made of a plastics by heating by a heating means to form a thin film exhibiting a water-repelling property, a process for producing a plastic lens for spectacles which is the above process applied to producing the plastic lens for spectacles, and a plastic lens for spectacles which is produced in accordance with the process.

Abstract: An ion gun system includes an ion gun for irradiating an ion beam; an electric power supply unit for supplying electric power to the ion gun; two mass flow regulators for introducing each of two types of gas in the ion gun; a control unit connected to the electric power supply unit for working as ion gun control means for controlling electric power supplied to the ion gun from the electric power supply unit; and a control unit connected to the mass flow regulators for working as mass flow control means for controlling the flow rate of gas introduced from the mass flow regulators in the ion gun. The control unit as mass flow control means is provided with a function of changing the set value for the flow rate of each of the two types of gas to another set value by changing it stepwise within a range where the ion gun is working stably. Accordingly, shortening of film formation time can be attained.

Abstract: While one side of a lens L is held by a suction-holding member 17 and the suction-holding member 17 is moved by the moving mechanism, a coating process, a drying process, and a curing process are sequentially performed in respective receptacles disposed independently of each other. A suction force applied to the lens L by the suction-holding member 17 is controlled by a control section 22 in accordance with each of the receptacles in which the suction-holding member 17 is positioned.

Abstract: A process for forming a thin film is described that enables automatic formation of thin films having constant optical properties reliably and in large quantities with excellent reproducibility suitable for mass production. An apparatus for performing the process is also described. Generally, a material for vapor deposition is vaporized by an electron gun and an antireflection film forms by vapor deposition on lenses held by a coat dome. The electric power applied to the electron gun is controlled so that the amount of transmitted or reflected light continuously measured by an optical film thickness meter during thin film formation is compared to a reference amount of measured light stored in a means for storing data until the measured and reference amounts of measured light are close to, or the same as, one another.

Abstract: Hybrid films, such as those having good abrasion-resistance and defogging properties, antireflection films including it, optical products, and methods for restoring the defogging property of the hybrid films are disclosed. The hybrid films having a defogging property may be obtained through vapor deposition of an organic compound having a hydrophilic group and a reactive group along with silicon dioxide or with silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide. The antireflection film may be formed on a substrate having the hybrid film as the outermost layer opposite to the substrate. The optical product may comprise a plastic substrate and the antireflection film having the hybrid film. A method for restoring the defogging property of the hybrid film of the optical product may include washing the hybrid film.

Abstract: A method for producing an optical element having a multi-layered antireflection film formed on a synthetic resin substrate, in which the antireflection film formed has good heat resistance, and its heat resistance lowers little with time. At least one high-refraction layer of the multi-layered anti-reflection film contains niobium oxide, zirconium oxide, yttrium oxide, and optionally aluminum oxide. High-refraction layers can be formed within a shorter period of time while not detracting from the good physical properties intrinsic to the layers.

Abstract: Hybrid films, such as those having good abrasion-resistance and defogging properties, antireflection films including it, optical products, and methods for restoring the defogging property of the hybrid films are disclosed. The hybrid films having a defogging property may be obtained through vapor deposition of an organic compound having a hydrophilic group and a reactive group along with silicon dioxide or with silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide. The antireflection film may be formed on a substrate having the hybrid film as the outermost layer opposite to the substrate. The optical product may comprise a plastic substrate and the antireflection film having the hybrid film. A method for restoring the defogging property of the hybrid film of the optical product may include washing the hybrid film.

Abstract: Hybrid films, such as those having good abrasion-resistance and defogging properties, antireflection films including it, optical products, and methods for restoring the defogging property of the hybrid films are disclosed. The hybrid films having a defogging property may be obtained through vapor deposition of an organic compound having a hydrophilic group and a reactive group along with silicon dioxide or with silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide. The antireflection film may be formed on a substrate having the hybrid film as the outermost layer opposite to the substrate. The optical product may comprise a plastic substrate and the antireflection film having the hybrid film. A method for restoring the defogging property of the hybrid film of the optical product may include washing the hybrid film.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an optical element having an antireflection film formed on a plastic substrate, wherein the reflectance of the antireflection film is low while the transmittance thereof is high. The impact resistance, the adhesiveness, the heat resistance, the abrasion resistance and the alkali resistance of the antireflection film on the plastic substrate are superior. The optical element having an antireflection film has at least one layer of the antireflection film that is a hybrid layer made of an inorganic substance and an organic substance.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an optical element having an antireflection film formed on a plastic substrate, wherein the reflectance of the antireflection film is low while the transmittance thereof is high. The impact resistance, the adhesiveness, the heat resistance, the abrasion resistance and the alkali resistance of the antireflection film on the plastic substrate are superior.

Abstract: An optical element having a plastic substrate and an antireflection film provided on the plastic substrate, characterized in that the optical element has a basic layer comprising Nb between the plastic substrate and the antireflection film. The optical element has high adhesiveness between the plastic substrate and the antireflection film and is characterized by excellent resistance to heat, impact, alkali, and abrasion.

Abstract: To provide a thin film forming method and apparatus that can automatically form thin films having constant optical properties with high reproducibility Antireflection films are deposited on lenses 2a that are held by a coating dome 2 by vaporizing an evaporation material 4 by using an electron gun 3 The power to be applied to the electron gun 3 is controlled so that a transmission or reflection light quantity value that is measured at each time point by an optical film thickness meter 10 becomes equal or approximately equal to a standard light quantity value stored in a standard light quantity value data storing means

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an optical element having an antireflection film formed on a plastic substrate, wherein the reflectance of the antireflection film is low while the transmittance thereof is high. The impact resistance, the adhesiveness, the heat resistance, the abrasion resistance and the alkali resistance of the antireflection film on the plastic substrate are superior.

Abstract: An optical element having a plastic substrate and an antireflection film provided on the plastic substrate, characterized in that the optical element has a basic layer comprising Nb between the plastic substrate and the antireflection film. The optical element has high adhesiveness between the plastic substrate and the antireflection film and is characterized by excellent resistance to heat, impact, alkali, and abrasion.

Abstract: A method for producing a composition for vapor deposition comprising sintering a vapor source mixture prepared by mixing vapor sources that contain titanium dioxide and niobium pentoxide. The method is capable of forming a high-refraction layer even in low-temperature vapor deposition on a substrate. An antireflection film is formed having good scratch resistance, good chemical resistance and good heat resistance, of which the heat resistance decreases little with time, that is useful in a variety of optical elements.

Abstract: An optical element having a plastic substrate and an antireflection film of a &lgr;/4-&lgr;/2-&lgr;/4 or &lgr;/4-&lgr;/4-&lgr;/2-&lgr;/4 type (&lgr;=500 nm) provided in that order on the plastic substrate, wherein the layer of &lgr;/2 is a high-refraction equivalent film containing at least three layers and having a refractive index of from 1.80 to 2.40, and the even-numbered layer(s) of the equivalent film is an SiO2 layer or a layer in which SiO2 is a main component.