Abstract: In an FOP 1, a glass body 8 is configured by including antimicrobial glass portions 10 made of antimicrobial glass containing Ag2O. Here, the glass containing silver does not have chemical durability, so that it has properties to easily emit Ag ions due to moisture. Ag ions have an excellent antimicrobial effect. Therefore, by configuring the glass body 8 to include the antimicrobial glass portions 10 containing Ag2O, the glass body 8 can obtain a sterilization effect due to the action of Ag ions. Therefore, the FOP 1 can be provided with antimicrobial activities.

Abstract: In an FOP 1, a glass body 8 is configured by including antimicrobial glass portions 10 made of antimicrobial glass containing Ag2O. Here, the glass containing silver does not have chemical durability, so that it has properties to easily emit Ag ions due to moisture. Ag ions have an excellent antimicrobial effect. Therefore, by configuring the glass body 8 to include the antimicrobial glass portions 10 containing Ag2O, the glass body 8 can obtain a sterilization effect due to the action of Ag ions. Therefore, the FOP 1 can be provided with antimicrobial activities.

Abstract: In an FOP 1, a glass body 8 is configured by including antimicrobial glass portions 10 made of antimicrobial glass containing Ag2O. Here, the glass containing silver does not have chemical durability, so that it has properties to easily emit Ag ions due to moisture. Ag ions have an excellent antimicrobial effect. Therefore, by configuring the glass body 8 to include the antimicrobial glass portions 10 containing Ag2O, the glass body 8 can obtain a sterilization effect due to the action of Ag ions. Therefore, the FOP 1 can be provided with antimicrobial activities.

Abstract: In an FOP 1, a glass body 8 is configured by including antimicrobial glass portions 10 made of antimicrobial glass containing Ag2O. Here, the glass containing silver does not have chemical durability, so that it has properties to easily emit Ag ions due to moisture. Ag ions have an excellent antimicrobial effect. Therefore, by configuring the glass body 8 to include the antimicrobial glass portions 10 containing Ag2O, the glass body 8 can obtain a sterilization effect due to the action of Ag ions. Therefore, the FOP 1 can be provided with antimicrobial activities.

Abstract: A fiber optic includes a plurality of fibers each including a core made of core glass for propagating light and a cladding for covering an outer periphery of the core and made of cladding glass lower in refractive index than the core glass and an absorber glass arranged between the plurality of fibers and for absorbing light leaking from the plurality of fibers. The plurality of fibers are bundled and integrated. The absorber glass contains Fe3O4 being iron oxide crystals.

Abstract: In an FOP 1, a glass body 8 is configured by including antimicrobial glass portions 10 made of antimicrobial glass containing Ag2O. Here, the glass containing silver does not have chemical durability, so that it has properties to easily emit Ag ions due to moisture. Ag ions have an excellent antimicrobial effect. Therefore, by configuring the glass body 8 to include the antimicrobial glass portions 10 containing Ag2O, the glass body 8 can obtain a sterilization effect due to the action of Ag ions. Therefore, the FOP 1 can be provided with antimicrobial activities.

Abstract: [Object] To enable to obtain a clear output image when a palm print is taken. [Solution Means] An FOP 1 includes a plurality of unit fibers 4 respective optical axes of which are approximately parallel to each other, and an input end surface 2 and an output end surface 3 configured by respectively assembling both end surfaces of the unit fibers. The FOP 1 has a conical shape having a height in the optical axis direction; the input end surface 2 configures a side surface of the conical shape; and the output end surface 3 configures a bottom surface of the conical shape. A light incident from the input end surface 2 is output from the output end surface 3 if a palm or the like of a photographic subject is brought into contact with the input end surface 2.

Abstract: A fiber optical block 110 having a light outputting end face 112 which is tilted at a predetermined angle ? of an acute angle with respect to the optical axes of optical fibers 113 and a solid-state image pickup device 210 are provided, and the fiber optical block 110 is arranged so that, in terms of a light-receiving surface 212e, the optical axes of the optical fibers 113 are tilted at the predetermined angle ? toward a first side 212a out of four sides 212a-212d. And, in the solid-state image pickup device 210, each of a plurality of electrode pads 211 is provided on two outer peripheral portions 210b and 210d adjacent to the first outer peripheral portion 210a. Thus, an image sensing device which can favorably combine both the electrode pads and connection wires of the solid-state image pickup device and the fiber optical block tilted with respect to the light receiving surface can be realized.

Abstract: A fiber optic includes a plurality of fibers each including a core made of core glass for propagating light and a cladding for covering an outer periphery of the core and made of cladding glass lower in refractive index than the core glass and an absorber glass arranged between the plurality of fibers and for absorbing light leaking from the plurality of fibers. The plurality of fibers are bundled and integrated. The absorber glass contains Fe3O4 being iron oxide crystals.

Abstract: In a fiber optic block 10 formed by bundling and integrating a plurality of optical fibers 11 each composed of a core region 12 and a clad region 13, an at least partially curved input end face 14 composed of one end of each optical fiber and a measurement surface having a curved surface shape of a to-be-measured object are pressed against each other. Then, an optical image formed by bringing the input end face into contact with the measurement surface and output from an output end face 15 of the fiber optic block is used to inspect the curved surface shape of the to-be-measured object. This allows a curved surface shape inspection method capable of inspecting the shape of a curved surface easily, a fiber optic block, and a curved surface shape inspection apparatus to be achieved.

Abstract: An image pickup device according to the present invention comprises (1) a fiber optical plate constituted by bundling a plurality of optical fibers, including a core and a cladding covering an outer periphery thereof and having a light incident surface and a light-emitting surface inclined with respect to the optical axis direction of a plurality of optical fibers; (2) a plurality of columnar crystals having light permeability, formed on the light-emitting surface of the fiber optical plate; and (3) a solid-state image pickup device having photoelectric converters arrayed and formed in two-dimensional fashion on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate and optically coupled to a plurality of columnar crystals.

Abstract: In a fiber optic block 10 formed by bundling and integrating a plurality of optical fibers 11 each composed of a core region 12 and a clad region 13, an at least partially curved input end face 14 composed of one end of each optical fiber and a measurement surface having a curved surface shape of a to-be-measured object are pressed against each other. Then, an optical image formed by bringing the input end face into contact with the measurement surface and output from an output end face 15 of the fiber optic block is used to inspect the curved surface shape of the to-be-measured object. This allows a curved surface shape inspection method capable of inspecting the shape of a curved surface easily, a fiber optic block, and a curved surface shape inspection apparatus to be achieved.

Abstract: A fingerprint input apparatus includes a light source 2 for emitting light and a fiber optic plate 3 having a finger contact surface with which a finger 1 is brought into contact in order to pick up a fingerprint image of the finger 1. The light from the light source 2 is at first introduced into an inside of the finger 1, is scattered within the inside of the finger 1, and comes out of the finger through the surface of the finger 1 as outgoing light. By the use of the outgoing light, the fingerprint image is formed. The light source 2 is disposed so that the light from the light source 2 enters into a substantial center of a part of the finger 1 including a first joint on a palm side and that the light source 2 is contacted with the finger 1.

Abstract: An image pickup device according to the present invention comprises (1) a fiber optical plate constituted by bundling a plurality of optical fibers, including a core and a cladding covering an outer periphery thereof and having a light incident surface and a light-emitting surface inclined with respect to the optical axis direction of a plurality of optical fibers; (2) a plurality of columnar crystals having light permeability, formed on the light-emitting surface of the fiber optical plate; and (3) a solid-state image pickup device having photoelectric converters arrayed and formed in two-dimensional fashion on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate and optically coupled to a plurality of columnar crystals.

Abstract: A fiber optical block 110 having a light outputting end face 112 which is tilted at a predetermined angle &thgr; of an acute angle with respect to the optical axes of optical fibers 113 and a solid-state image pickup device 210 are provided, and the fiber optical block 110 is arranged so that, in terms of a light-receiving surface 212e, the optical axes of the optical fibers 113 are tilted at the predetermined angle &thgr; toward a first side 212a out of four sides 212a-212d. And, in the solid-state image pickup device 210, each of a plurality of electrode pads 211 is provided on two outer peripheral portions 210b and 210d adjacent to the first outer peripheral portion 210a. Thus, an image sensing device which can favorably combine both the electrode pads and connection wires of the solid-state image pickup device and the fiber optical block tilted with respect to the light receiving surface can be realized.

Abstract: A MCP 1 according to the present invention is one in which outer circumferential glass 5 is disposed around channel glass 3 that is provided with a plurality of channels 7 in a long and thin hole shape and is formed in a plate shape. This channel glass 3 contains 35 to 55% of SiO2, 0 to 5% of Al2O3, 25 to 46% of PbO, 0.5 to 10% of &Sgr;(Li2O+Na2O+K2O), 0.1 to 8% of &Sgr;(Rb2O+Cs2O), 0 to 5% of &Sgr;(MgO+CaO+SrO+BaO), 0.1 to 7% of ZrO2, and 0 to 5% of Bi2O3 (all the above % are wt %). With such a composition, a sufficient glass network structure is formed in the channel glass 3. Moreover, the channel glass 3 can be sufficiently restricted from becoming porous, and moisture can be restricted from being adsorbed thereto. As results of these, a change with time, such as a “warp” can be sufficiently restricted from being generated even in a high-humidity environment.

Abstract: An optical component 10 has a plurality of optical fibers comprising a first core 12, a second core 14 formed around the first core 12, and a clad 16 formed around the second core 14, arrayed regularly so that the fiber axes may be parallel to each other, having an incident plane 10a cut obliquely to the fiber axis and an exit plane 10b cut vertically to the fiber axis. The refractive index n2 of the second core 14 is smaller than the refractive index n1 of the first core 12, and the refractive index nc of the clad 16 is smaller than the refractive index n2 of the second core 14, and further the refractive index n1 of the first core 12, the refractive index n2 of the second core 14, and the refractive index nc of the clad 16 satisfy the relation of n12−n22=n22−nc2.

Abstract: A fingerprint input apparatus includes a light source 2 for emitting light and a fiber optic plate 3 having a finger contact surface with which a finger 1 is brought into contact in order to pick up a fingerprint image of the finger 1. The light from the light source 2 is at first introduced into an inside of the finger 1, is scattered within the inside of the finger 1, and comes out of the finger through the surface of the finger 1 as outgoing light. By the use of the outgoing light, the fingerprint image is formed. The light source 2 is disposed so that the light from the light source 2 enters into a substantial center of a part of the finger 1 including a first joint on a palm side and that the light source 2 is contacted with the finger 1.

Abstract: An optical component 10 has a plurality of optical fibers comprising a first clad 14, a core 15 formed around the first clad 14, and a second clad 16 formed around the core 14, arrayed regularly so that the fiber axes may be parallel to each other, having an incident plane 10a cut obliquely to the fiber axis and an exit plane 10b cut vertically to the fiber axis. The section of the first clad 14 is nearly circular, and the section (outer circumference) of the core 15 is a nearly regular hexagon with crushed corners.

Abstract: An optical component 10 is constructed in such structure that a plurality of optical fibers are arranged in parallel to each other and the component has an entrance surface 10a obliquely cut relative to the optical axis and an exit surface 10b normally cut relative to the optical axis. The cross section of the optical component 10 is shaped so that optical fiber pairs, each pair being such a combination of two optical fibers with cores 14 of semicircular cross section as to form a substantially circular cross section, are arranged regularly. Orientation of two semicircular cores 14 forming the optical fiber pair is random in each optical fiber pair. Cladding 16 of each optical fiber is provided so as to be integrated by a heating and pressing process to fill a clearance between cores 14 of two optical fibers forming the optical fiber pair of interest and clearances between adjacent optical fiber pairs.