Abstract: Disclosed herein, according to an aspect of some embodiments, is a dipping refractometer. The dipping refractometer includes a prism and a casing, housing a light source and a light sensor. The prism is mounted in/on the casing such as to allow dipping the prism in a fluid such that two surfaces of the prism and the fluid forming two respective direct prism-fluid interfaces. The prism, the light source, and the light sensor are configured such that for a continuous range of values of fluid refractive indices, most of the light incident on the light sensor, originating from the light source, undergoes total internal reflection off of each of the two direct prism-fluid interfaces.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes: an array of optical emitters to provide a plurality of optical beams; a plurality of corresponding microlenses to receive the optical beams; and a variable collimator to receive the plurality of optical beams from the microlenses. The microlenses and variable collimator are arranged to decouple the illumination spot size of the optical beams from the illumination spot separation of the optical beams such that the illumination spot size and the illumination spot separation at a scanning surface are independently controllable.

Abstract: A stereoscopic endoscope pupil configuration for embedding in a stereoscopic endoscope, the shape of the cross section of the stereoscopic endoscope is a predetermined closed two-dimensional shape, the stereoscopic endoscope pupil configuration including at least two pupils, each of the at least two pupils having a shape covering a different unique portion of the two-dimensional closed shape, and together the at least two pupils substantially fully forming the two-dimensional closed shape.

Abstract: Rotatable, oblique-viewing stereoendoscope including a dual-pupil aperture divided to a first pupil and a second pupil, a proximal objective assembly positioned proximally to the dual-pupil aperture, a first image sensor configured to detect a first image focused by the proximal objective assembly and a second image sensor configured to detect a second image focused by the proximal objective assembly, a relay system positioned distally to the dual-pupil aperture and a front optical system positioned distally to the relay system, the front optical system including a folding prism, wherein the front optical system is configured to reimage the dual-pupil aperture at a distal end thereof, thereby producing an image of the first pupil and an image of the second pupil at a distal pupil plane and wherein the stereoendoscope does not include a negative power lens positioned distally to the folding prism.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus, a system and a method of optical scanning independently determine illumination spot size and spacing. The apparatus includes an array of optical emitters to provide a plurality of optical beams and a plurality of microlenses to receive the optical beams. The microlenses form an intermediate image of the array at substantially unity array magnification. The apparatus further includes an adjustable collimator to receive the plurality of optical beams from the intermediate image, a beam scanner to scan the optical beams in an in-scan direction, and a scan lens to focus the scanned optical beams. An arrangement of illumination spots forms an image of the array.

Abstract: Rotatable, oblique-viewing stereoendoscope including a dual-pupil aperture divided to a first pupil and a second pupil, a proximal objective assembly positioned proximally to the dual-pupil aperture, a first image sensor configured to detect a first image focused by the proximal objective assembly and a second image sensor configured to detect a second image focused by the proximal objective assembly, a relay system positioned distally to the dual-pupil aperture and a front optical system positioned distally to the relay system, the front optical system including a folding prism, wherein the front optical system is configured to reimage the dual-pupil aperture at a distal end thereof, thereby producing an image of the first pupil and an image of the second pupil at a distal pupil plane and wherein the stereoendoscope does not include a negative power lens positioned distally to the folding prism.

Abstract: A stereoscopic endoscope pupil configuration for embedding in a stereoscopic endoscope, the shape of the cross section of the stereoscopic endoscope is a predetermined closed two-dimensional shape, the stereoscopic endoscope pupil configuration including at least two pupils, each of the at least two pupils having a shape covering a different unique portion of the two-dimensional closed shape, and together the at least two pupils substantially fully forming the two-dimensional closed shape.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus, a system and a method of optical scanning independently determine illumination spot size and spacing. The apparatus includes an array of optical emitters to provide a plurality of optical beams and a plurality of microlenses to receive the optical beams. The microlenses form an intermediate image of the array at substantially unity array magnification. The apparatus further includes an adjustable collimator to receive the plurality of optical beams from the intermediate image, a beam scanner to scan the optical beams in an in-scan direction, and a scan lens to focus the scanned optical beams. An arrangement of illumination spots forms an image of the array.

Abstract: A device for linear scanning including a mirror roof structure. The mirror roof structure includes a roof prism with at least two reflecting surfaces or at least two mirror surfaces. The reflecting surfaces of the roof prism or the two mirror surfaces are mutually perpendicular reflecting surfaces intersecting in a line of intersection. A scanning mechanism moves the mirror roof structure in a direction perpendicular to a plane of bilateral symmetry of the mirror roof structure. The line of intersection is included in the plane of bilateral symmetry; and an incident beam entering the mirror roof structure and an exit beam exiting the mirror roof structure are angularly separated by a substantial angle.

Abstract: A device for linear scanning includes a roof prism. The roof prism includes a roof of two mutually perpendicular reflecting surfaces intersecting in a line of intersection. A scanning mechanism moves the roof prism in a direction perpendicular to a plane of bilateral symmetry. The line of intersection is included in the plane of bilateral symmetry; and an incident beam entering the prism and an exit beam exiting the prism are angularly separated by a substantial angle. Preferably, the scanning mechanism generates periodic motion or rotational motion of the roof prism with a radius of motion greater than a dimension of the roof prism.

Abstract: The invention provides a numerical aperture limiter for an optical thermal imaging system, comprising at least one pair of wedge-like prisms made of a transparent material having a known index of refraction, the prisms of the pair being disposed in close mutual proximity and in opposite orientation with the narrow end of one prism adjacent to the wide end of the other prism, the prism surfaces facing one another of the pair of prisms being spaced apart from one another by a distance at least equal to the wavelength of the light used by the imaging system, with the vertex angle of each one of the prisms being a function of the desired numerical aperture and the index of refraction.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for linear scanning, including at least one reflecting element whereby an incident beam of light undergoes at least two reflections; at least one optical system comprising an objective capable of forming an image of an object, the objective, depending on the respective direction of the light beam, defining a pre-objective scanning space and a post-objective scanning space; a mounting structure for the at least one reflecting element; drive means for causing the mounting structure to perform a movement; and a light-detecting element for detecting the incident beam of light, or an element for producing light, wherein, with light-detecting, scanning takes place in the post-objective space, and with light-producing, scanning takes place in the pre-objective space.

Abstract: The invention relates to an infra-red objective zoom system providing a high performance over a range of magnifications of from about 0.5 to about 8 times with a correction for temperature changes in a wide range it comprises only five optical groups of a total of seven lense groups (termed herein A to D). These are arranged in the sequence of A, a front singlet lens of positive power with a diameter larger than that of the other lenses abberation, B a negative optical element consisting of lenses B' and B"; B' being a negative lens having a dispersive factor larger than that of the other lenses, resulting in achromatization of the system; B" is a negative lens. Both negative lenses B' and B" have under-corrected spherical abberations, C being a positive lens, D being a positive auxiliary lens, being at a fixed distance respective lens A; E being a movable collimator of positive optical power, lenses B, C and E being movable respective fixed lenses A and D, said lenses transmitting in the 3.mu. to 12.mu.