Patents by Inventor Kentaro Osawa

Kentaro Osawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170059300
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Kentaro OSAWA, Hiroyuki MINEMURA, Yumiko ANZAI
  • Publication number: 20160299080
    Abstract: To measure a surface state, reflective CARS is suitable in terms of the signal intensity. However, with the reflective CARS, it has been difficult to identify the surface position because the shape information is not acquired. Thus, a reflective CARS microscope is combined with a high-resolution phase sensor. The surface position is identified with the phase sensor, and reflected CARS generated from the surface is detected, so that composition analysis is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Manabu SHIOZAWA, Koichi WATANABE, Masataka SHIRAI, Kentaro OSAWA
  • Publication number: 20160265899
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Minemura, Kentaro Osawa
  • Patent number: 9441950
    Abstract: A small and inexpensive optical measurement apparatus is provided in which noise due to optical interference such as inter-layer crosstalk or speckle is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI-LG DATA STORAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Kentaro Osawa, Daisuke Tomita, Masaki Muko
  • Patent number: 9423238
    Abstract: A clear image of a target to be measured is obtained by suppressing influence of a reflected beam from the surface of the target or a measurement target holding unit. A laser beam emitted from a light source is split into a signal beam, reference beam, and control beam. The signal beam is focused onto the target with an objective lens, so the target is irradiated with the signal beam. The amount of defocus of the control beam is controlled with a defocus control unit, and the phase of the control beam is controlled with a phase control unit. A signal beam reflected or scattered by the target is combined with the control beam to generate a controlled signal beam, and the controlled signal beam is combined with the reference beam. A plurality of interference beams with different phases are generated with interference optics, and phase diversity detection is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI-LG DATA STORAGE, INC.
    Inventor: Kentaro Osawa
  • Patent number: 9383188
    Abstract: A beam emitted from a light source is split into a probe beam that irradiates a measurement object and a reference beam that does not irradiate the measurement object. A signal beam obtained by the reflection of the probe beam is split into first and second split signal beams, which are mutually orthogonal polarized components. The first split signal beam and the reference beam are inputted to a first coherence optical system to cause the beams to interfere with each other to generate at least three coherence beams differing in phasic relationship. The second split signal beam and the reference beam are inputted to a second coherence optical system to cause the beams to interfere with each other to generate at least three coherence beams differing in phasic relationship. The coherence beams are then detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI-LG DATA STORAGE, INC.
    Inventors: Kentaro Osawa, Tatsuro Ide, Masaki Mukoh
  • Publication number: 20160153904
    Abstract: There is provided an optical tomographic observation device which has a resolving power which is higher than those of a conventional optical tomographic observation device and a confocal microscope by a simple configuration by applying a homodyne phase diversity detection technology and designing so as to satisfy the following formula when ? is a wavelength of a laser light source, ?? is a wavelength half width at half maximum, NA is a numerical aperture of an objective optical element, S is an effective area of a photodetector, and M is a detection magnification of a detection surface relative to a condensing surface. 1 NA 2 ? k 1 0.886 ? ? ?? ? ( NA ? 1 - NA 2 ) ? 0.901 ? S M 2 0.441 ? k 1 ? 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Masaki MUKOH, Tatsuro IDE, Kentaro OSAWA
  • Publication number: 20160054113
    Abstract: A clear image of a measurement target in optical coherence tomography (OCT) is obtained while suppressing influence of reflected light from a specific portion. Included are a laser beam source, a beam splitter that splits a laser beam into a signal beam and reference beam; an objective lens that focuses the signal beam onto a measurement target in a container, a unit that moves the signal beam focus position, an objective lens that focuses the reference beam, a reflecting mirror, a flat plate arranged between the objective lens and reflecting mirror, and interference optics that combine the signal beam reflected by the measurement target with the reference beam reflected by the reflecting mirror and having passed through the objective lens. Three or more interference beams with different phases, and photodetectors that detect the interference beams are generated, and two of the objective lenses are the same lenses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Kentaro OSAWA, Naoko SENDA, Daisuke TOMITA
  • Publication number: 20150260503
    Abstract: An optical measurement apparatus has a light source that emits a laser beam that is branched into signal light and reference light. An objective lens condenses the signal light on a measurement target to cause the measurement target to be irradiated; and a condensing position of the signal light is scanned in an optical axis direction. An interference optical system combines the signal light reflected or scattered from the measurement target with the reference light, and generates a plurality of interfering light beams having phase relationships different from one another that are detected by photodetectors. The detection signals are output as electrical signals; and a signal processing unit performs a predetermined arithmetic operation on the plurality of detection signals. The signal processing unit subtracts reflection light components from a predetermined portion of the measurement target from the plurality of detection signals or signals generated using the detection signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Kentaro Osawa, Naoko Senda, Daisuke Tomita
  • Patent number: 9008521
    Abstract: Provided is an optical receiver including a first delay interferometer, a second delay interferometer, and an input light splitting portion for inputting modulated light. The first delay interferometer includes a first light splitting portion for splitting the input light into first light and second light, a first reflecting portion and a second reflecting portion for causing the first light and the second light to return to the first light splitting portion. The second delay interferometer includes a second light splitting portion for splitting the input light into third light and fourth light, a third reflecting portion and a fourth reflecting portion for causing the third light and the fourth light to return to the second light splitting portion. A region between the first light splitting portion and the second reflecting portion intersects with a region between the second light splitting portion and the fourth reflecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Oclaro Japan, Inc
    Inventors: Koki Iemura, Takuma Ban, Hideharu Mikami, Kentaro Osawa
  • Publication number: 20150092196
    Abstract: A clear image of a target to be measured is obtained by suppressing influence of a reflected beam from the surface of the target or a measurement target holding unit. A laser beam emitted from a light source is split into a signal beam, reference beam, and control beam. The signal beam is focused onto the target with an objective lens, so the target is irradiated with the signal beam. The amount of defocus of the control beam is controlled with a defocus control unit, and the phase of the control beam is controlled with a phase control unit. A signal beam reflected or scattered by the target is combined with the control beam to generate a controlled signal beam, and the controlled signal beam is combined with the reference beam. A plurality of interference beams with different phases are generated with interference optics, and phase diversity detection is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventor: Kentaro OSAWA
  • Publication number: 20150062589
    Abstract: A small and inexpensive optical measurement apparatus is provided in which noise due to optical interference such as inter-layer crosstalk or speckle is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: Hitachi Media Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kentaro OSAWA, Daisuke TOMITA, Masaki MUKO
  • Publication number: 20140204388
    Abstract: Provided is a compact, low-cost optical measuring apparatus capable of acquiring an image of a target to be measured without moving a mirror or using a wavelength-scanning light source or beam splitter. A laser beam emitted from a light source is split into first and second beams, and the first beam is focused as a signal beam onto the target by a lens for irradiation purposes, while the second beam is reflected as a reference beam by a mirror without irradiating the target. Then, a signal beam reflected by or scattered by the target is multiplexed with the reference beam and then enters interference optics, whereby three or more interference beams with different phases are generated and detected by photodetectors. Then, the detection signals are operated by a signal processing unit. During the measurement, the focus position of the first beam is moved at least in the optical axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI MEDIA ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kentaro OSAWA, Koichi WATANABE, Daisuke TOMITA
  • Publication number: 20140204389
    Abstract: A luminous flux including laser light of different wavelengths outgoing from a light source unit is split into two luminous fluxes, the first luminous flux is focused on a sample with an objective lens, and the second luminous flux functions as reference light without radiating it onto the sample. Signal light reflected from the sample and the reference light are multiplexed by a polarized beam splitter and are made to interfere on four photodetectors out of phase in a photodetection unit. A signal processing unit acquires the optical axis distribution of an object of examination in the sample by operating using the outputs of the plural photodetectors for input every wavelength, acquiring a detection signal and calculating the ratio of detection signals of different wavelengths every position in the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI MEDIA ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki MUKOH, Kentaro OSAWA, Tatsuro IDE
  • Publication number: 20140152996
    Abstract: A beam emitted from a light source is split into a probe beam that irradiates a measurement object and a reference beam that does not irradiate the measurement object. A signal beam obtained by the reflection of the probe beam is split into first and second split signal beams, which are mutually orthogonal polarized components. The first split signal beam and the reference beam are inputted to a first coherence optical system to cause the beams to interfere with each other to generate at least three coherence beams differing in phasic relationship. The second split signal beam and the reference beam are inputted to a second coherence optical system to cause the beams to interfere with each other to generate at least three coherence beams differing in phasic relationship. The coherence beams are then detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI MEDIA ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kentaro OSAWA, Tatsuro IDE, Masaki MUKOH
  • Patent number: 8743370
    Abstract: A delay interferometer includes a half beam splitter and two pentagonal prisms disposed on a substrate. The half beam splitter branches light to be measured which travels substantially in parallel with the substrate into two branched light beams. The pentagonal prisms respectively reflect the respective branched light beams such that the optical axes of the branched light beams are moved in parallel in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate by reflection. The half beam splitter combines the branched light beams reflected by the pentagonal prisms to generate interference light beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Oclaro Japan, Inc.
    Inventors: Kentaro Osawa, Hideharu Mikami
  • Patent number: 8655192
    Abstract: A polarization diversity optical system device includes: a polarization split unit that splits a first coherent light into a first split light and a second split light whose polarization components are orthogonal to each other, and splits a second coherent light into a third split light and a fourth split light whose polarization components are orthogonal to each other; and a light combining unit that combines the first split light with one of the third split light and the fourth split light, and combines the second split light with the other of the third split light and the fourth split light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Oclaro Japan, Inc.
    Inventors: Kentaro Osawa, Hideharu Mikami
  • Publication number: 20140016948
    Abstract: Provided is an optical receiver including a first delay interferometer, a second delay interferometer, and an input light splitting portion for inputting modulated light. The first delay interferometer includes a first light splitting portion for splitting the input light into first light and second light, a first reflecting portion and a second reflecting portion for causing the first light and the second light to return to the first light splitting portion. The second delay interferometer includes a second light splitting portion for splitting the input light into third light and fourth light, a third reflecting portion and a fourth reflecting portion for causing the third light and the fourth light to return to the second light splitting portion. A region between the first light splitting portion and the second reflecting portion intersects with a region between the second light splitting portion and the fourth reflecting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Koki IEMURA, Takuma BAN, Hideharu MIKAMI, Kentaro OSAWA
  • Publication number: 20120182559
    Abstract: A delay interferometer includes a half beam splitter and two pentagonal prisms disposed on a substrate. The half beam splitter branches light to be measured which travels substantially in parallel with the substrate into two branched light beams. The pentagonal prisms respectively reflect the respective branched light beams such that the optical axes of the branched light beams are moved in parallel in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate by reflection. The half beam splitter combines the branched light beams reflected by the pentagonal prisms to generate interference light beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: OPNEXT JAPAN, INC.
    Inventors: Kentaro OSAWA, Hideharu MIKAMI
  • Publication number: 20110249976
    Abstract: A polarization diversity optical system device includes: a polarization split unit that splits a first coherent light into a first split light and a second split light whose polarization components are orthogonal to each other, and splits a second coherent light into a third split light and a fourth split light whose polarization components are orthogonal to each other; and alight combining unit that combines the first split light with one of the third split light and the fourth split light, and combines the second split light with the other of the third split light and the fourth split light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: Kentaro Osawa, Hideharu Mikami