Abstract: In an optical switch device: output waveguides are arranged with such a pitch as to realize a split wavelength gap equal to or smaller than half of a gap between operating wavelengths of optical signals; at least two input waveguides are arranged with the same pitch; at least one slab waveguide spreads light from the input waveguides to be outputted to a grating element, condenses first light from the grating element to be outputted into the input waveguides, condenses second light from the grating element for each wavelength to be outputted into the output waveguides, and spreads light from the output waveguides to be outputted to the grating element; and the optical switch unit selects signals at an identical wavelength in adjacent output waveguides, and performs 2×2 switching of the signals so as to output the signals from the input waveguides.

Abstract: A wavelength dispersion compensating apparatus of the invention comprises: a VIPA plate capable to output incident lights at different angles according to wavelengths; a variable dispersion diffraction grating which can angularly disperse the lights of respective wavelengths output from the VIPA plate, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of angular dispersion in the VIPA plate and also capable to change an amount of the angular dispersion; a light return apparatus which condenses the output lights from the variable dispersion diffraction grating and reflects them by a mirror, to return them to the VIPA plate side; and a stage rotation mechanism which rotates a movable stage on which the lens and the mirror are mounted, according to a diffraction angle in the variable dispersion diffraction grating, so as to enable wavelength dispersion and wavelength dispersion slope to be given to a WDM light, to be changed independently.

Abstract: A wavelength dispersion compensating apparatus of the invention comprises: a VIPA plate capable to output incident lights at different angles according to wavelengths; a variable dispersion diffraction grating which can angularly disperse the lights of respective wavelengths output from the VIPA plate, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of angular dispersion in the VIPA plate and also capable to change an amount of the angular dispersion; a light return apparatus which condenses the output lights from the variable dispersion diffraction grating and reflects them by a mirror, to return them to the VIPA plate side; and a stage rotation mechanism which rotates a movable stage on which the lens and the mirror are mounted, according to a diffraction angle in the variable dispersion diffraction grating, so as to enable wavelength dispersion and wavelength dispersion slope to be given to a WDM light, to be changed independently.

Abstract: An arrayed wavelength converter comprises a demultiplexing section that demultiplexes an input WDM signal light to output the demultiplexed lights, and a multiple wavelength conversion waveguide array in which the optical signals of respective wavelengths output from the demultiplexing section are given respectively to a plurality of waveguides formed in parallel on a substrate made of ferroelectric crystal. The multiple wavelength conversion waveguide array has a periodic polarization structure formed by periodically providing polarization inversion regions in which a polarization direction of the substrate is inversed, in a direction approximately perpendicular to a traveling direction of lights being propagated along the respective waveguides, and this is set such that a period of the periodic polarization structure is made different for each waveguide. As a result, it becomes possible to perform wavelength conversion of a plurality of optical signals at high efficiency with a simple structure.

Abstract: Light emitted from an optical fiber is collimated by a collimating lens. An optical filter with a slit is placed in the path of the collimated light. The slit can be moved along a direction perpendicular to the path of the collimated light. When the slit is on the center of the collimated beam, because the intensity of light is high at the center, the diffraction loss of the light is high. When the slit is on the edge, because the light intensity is low at the edge, the diffraction loss is low. The diffraction loss has a wavelength characteristic and can be controlled by adjusting the position of the slit in the collimated beam.

Abstract: On a waveguide 34 formed on a substrate 33, a plurality of comblike shaped electrodes 37, 38 that generate surface acoustic waves 37a, 38a from different directions are provided. And a periodic refractive indices portion 40 is formed, where the refractive indices are periodically distributed in accordance with the wavelengths of the surface acoustic waves 37a, 38a generated by applying a voltage to the comblike shaped electrodes 37, 38. And by changing a frequency of the applying voltage for sequentially changing the wavelengths of the surface acoustic waves 37a, 38a, the exiting direction of the light exiting from the periodic refractive indices portion 40 is scanned. This makes it possible to provide an optical functional device and an optical scanning apparatus that perform light scanning less costly but at a high speed, and that can secure a wide scanning angle.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical switch for changing over a running direction of a light passing through an optical waveguide between a first direction and a second direction by moving a switching member disposed on an optical path of an optical waveguide. The switching member has a plurality of switching positions for selectively guiding each of lights of at least two different wavelengths into the first direction or second direction.

Abstract: In an optical waveguide channel device equipped with multiple cores, the distances between cores at the entry edge must be large in order to cause a laser beam to enter each core. On the other hand, the distances at the exit edge must be small. Therefore, the core must have a curved area at which the axis is curved. Further, in order to make it easier to match the spot of the entering beam and the core, the core diameter of the optical waveguide channel device and the beam spot diameter of the entering light are made large. However, in a core having a multi-mode curved area, high-order light is easily excited at the curved area. Therefore, the curved area from the entry edge to the exit edge of each core is made to have a single mode. Consequently, exit light having an essentially Gaussian profile may be obtained.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical switch for changing over a running direction of a light passing through an optical waveguide between a first direction and a second direction by moving a switching member disposed on an optical path of an optical waveguide. The switching member has a plurality of switching positions for selectively guiding each of lights of at least two different wavelengths into the first direction or second direction.

Abstract: On a waveguide 34 formed on a substrate 33, a plurality of comblike shaped electrodes 37, 38 that generate surface acoustic waves 37a, 38a from different directions are provided. And a periodic refractive indices portion 40 is formed, where the refractive indices are periodically distributed in accordance with the wavelengths of the surface acoustic waves 37a, 38a generated by applying a voltage to the comblike shaped electrodes 37, 38. And by changing a frequency of the applying voltage for sequentially changing the wavelengths of the surface acoustic waves 37a, 38a, the exiting direction of the light exiting from the periodic refractive indices portion 40 is scanned. This makes it possible to provide an optical functional device and an optical scanning apparatus that perform light scanning less costly but at a high speed, and that can secure a wide scanning angle.

Abstract: A delivery blood storing member-equipped blood reservoir tank has a blood reservoir tank portion, and a delivery blood storing member that communicates with a blood outlet formed in the blood reservoir tank portion. The delivery blood storing member allows blood to flow out of an interior thereof when pressed from outside. The delivery blood storing member reserves amounts of blood in accordance with the height of liquid surface in the blood reservoir tank portion if the amount of blood in the blood reservoir tank portion becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value. The delivery blood storing member includes a body part that is formed from a hard material, and a flexible diaphragm whose peripheral end is fixed to the delivery blood storing member body part. The diaphragm produces substantially no self-restoring force against deformation.

Abstract: A lapping composition which contains abrasive grains which are commercially available and which consists of plate alumina-powder prepared by milling and class:trying a sintered body of plate alumina obtained by calcinating aluminum hydroxide, and other plate alumina powder classified and prepared separately from but similarly to the first-mentioned plate alumina powder having average grain size which is in a range of from 1.3 times to 2.3 times as large as the average grain size of the first-mentioned plate alumina powder. Further provided is a lapping method with such a lapping composition by which the removal rate is improved and a lapped surface excellent in quality can be obtained.