Abstract: An endoscope includes: an imaging device chip having a chip connection portion; a tubular housing tube used to a scope tip portion of an endoscope; a substrate to which the imaging device chip is fixed, the substrate having a substrate connection portion, the substrate being capable of bending at near the substrate connection portion when the substrate is inserted into the housing tube; a lead wire connecting the substrate connection portion and the chip connection portion; flexible and non-conductive resin covering an entirety of the lead wire; and an imaging module including the substrate provided with the imaging device chip thereon, the imaging module inserted into the housing tube.

Abstract: An imaging mechanism includes: an imaging device; a light receiving section that is provided on one surface of the imaging device; a cover member that covers the one surface of the imaging device and the light receiving section; and a lens unit that has a plurality of lenses including a plano-convex lens having a flat portion and a lens barrel, and that is optically coupled to the light receiving section, the lens barrel fixing the plurality of lenses, wherein the plano-convex lens having the flat portion is provided at a closest position to the imaging device in the plurality of lenses such that the flat portion faces the imaging device, and the flat portion protrudes from an end of the lens barrel toward the imaging device and is fixed to the cover member.

Abstract: An imaging module of the invention includes: an electrical cable; a solid-state image sensing device; and a flexible wiring substrate including: a device-mounted portion onto which the solid-state image sensing device is mounted; two extended portions which bend at both sides of the device-mounted portion and extend from the device-mounted portion so as to come close to each other with increasing distance from the device-mounted portion; two connection end portions extending from the two extended portions along the direction of the axis of the front end of the electrical cable on an opposite side of the device-mounted portion; and terminals which are provided on the two connection end portions and connected to the electrical cable, the flexible wiring substrate electrically connecting the solid-state image sensing device and the electrical cable.

Abstract: An imaging part of an electronic visualized catheter including, an object lens system, and a solid state imaging element which is positioned to receive light output from the object lens system and which photoelectrically converts the light output from the object lens system into an electric signal, wherein an output lens face of the object lens system is planar, and the output lens face is joined to a light receiving surface of the solid state imaging element.

Abstract: An endoscope includes: an imaging device chip having a chip connection portion; a tubular housing tube used to a scope tip portion of an endoscope; a substrate to which the imaging device chip is fixed, the substrate having a substrate connection portion, the substrate being capable of bending at near the substrate connection portion when the substrate is inserted into the housing tube; a lead wire connecting the substrate connection portion and the chip connection portion; flexible and non-conductive resin covering an entirety of the lead wire; and an imaging module including the substrate provided with the imaging device chip thereon, the imaging module inserted into the housing tube.

Abstract: For an enhanced coupling efficiency between a light source and an optical fiber bundle: the optical fiber bundle is made up by a dense bundle of optical fibers, with an integrated portion composed of fusion-integrated distal ends of the bundled optical fibers, and the integrated portion has, in a longitudinal sectional plane along a center axis of the optical fiber bundle, a lateral side thereof formed, in a shape of arc radially outwardly convex with respect to a straight line interconnecting an end point at a front end face side of the integrated portion and an end point at a rear end side thereof, to locate at a radially inner side with respect to an extension toward the integrated portion of a line constituting an outline of a portion else than the integrated portion of the optical fiber bundle.

Abstract: An imaging module of the invention includes: an electrical cable; a solid-state image sensing device; and a flexible wiring substrate including: a device-mounted portion onto which the solid-state image sensing device is mounted; two extended portions which bend at both sides of the device-mounted portion and extend from the device-mounted portion so as to come close to each other with increasing distance from the device-mounted portion; two connection end portions extending from the two extended portions along the direction of the axis of the front end of the electrical cable on an opposite side of the device-mounted portion; and terminals which are provided on the two connection end portions and connected to the electrical cable, the flexible wiring substrate electrically connecting the solid-state image sensing device and the electrical cable.

Abstract: An imaging mechanism includes: an imaging device; a light receiving section that is provided on one surface of the imaging device; a cover member that covers the one surface of the imaging device and the light receiving section; and a lens unit that has a plurality of lenses including a plano-convex lens having a flat portion and a lens barrel, and that is optically coupled to the light receiving section, the lens barrel fixing the plurality of lenses, wherein the plano-convex lens having the flat portion is provided at a closest position to the imaging device in the plurality of lenses such that the flat portion faces the imaging device, and the flat portion protrudes from an end of the lens barrel toward the imaging device and is fixed to the cover member.

Abstract: An imaging part of an electronic visualized catheter including, an object lens system, and a solid state imaging element which is positioned to receive light output from the object lens system and which photoelectrically converts the light output from the object lens system into an electric signal, wherein an output lens face of the object lens system is planar, and the output lens face is joined to a light receiving surface of the solid state imaging element.

Abstract: An electronic endoscope of the present invention includes an elongated insertion portion inserted into a subject, a distal end of the elongated insertion portion including a solid state imaging device, an operating portion connected to an other end of the insertion portion so as to be freely attachable thereto or detached therefrom, and an interface substrate that processes RAW data obtained by the solid-state imaging device and that creates and outputs image signals. At least part of an interface substrate is disposed inside the operating portion, and a first electrical cable that transmits the RAW data obtained by the solid-state imaging device is connected to a connector located on the interface substrate or located on the way toward the interface substrate, and when the insertion portion is being attached to or detached from the operating portion, the first electrical cable is attached or detached at a connector portion.

Abstract: For an enhanced coupling efficiency between a light source and an optical fiber bundle: the optical fiber bundle is made up by a dense bundle of optical fibers, with an integrated portion composed of fusion-integrated distal ends of the bundled optical fibers, and the integrated portion has, in a longitudinal sectional plane along a center axis of the optical fiber bundle, a lateral side thereof formed, in a shape of arc radially outwardly convex with respect to a straight line interconnecting an end point at a front end face side of the integrated portion and an end point at a rear end side thereof, to locate at a radially inner side with respect to an extension toward the integrated portion of a line constituting an outline of a portion else than the integrated portion of the optical fiber bundle.

Abstract: An optical fiber laser includes a resonator comprising an erbium-doped glass fiber serving as a gain medium and a pumping light source that launches pumping light into the erbium-doped glass fiber. The pumping light source emits pumping light of a wavelength of 980 nm or longer, and the optical fiber laser emits laser light in a wavelength band of 2.8 ?m (2.7 ?m to 3.0 ?m).

Abstract: An optical fiber laser includes a resonator comprising an erbium-doped glass fiber serving as a gain medium and a pumping light source that launches pumping light into the erbium-doped glass fiber. The pumping light source emits pumping light of a wavelength of 980 nm or longer, and the optical fiber laser emits laser light in a wavelength band of 2.8 &mgr;m (2.7 &mgr;m to 3.0 &mgr;m).

Abstract: An optical fiber amplifier having improved gain and reduced noise, and an optical amplifier which restrains an unnecessary polarization component in the signal output light, maintains polarization of a signal light and performs optical amplification in which a polarizer is connected between a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber. An amplified spontaneous emission is emitted from the output end of the first fiber with the amplified signal light and is incident to the polarizer. The polarizer is disposed so as to transmit a polarization component which is parallel with the signal light. Among the different light components which are incident to the polarizer, a light having a polarization component which is orthogonal with the signal light is rejected.

Abstract: In an optical amplifier using a rare earth element-doped optical fiber such as an erbium-doped optical fiber, a variation of amplification gain resulting from temperature change is suppressed and the gain-temperature characteristic is enhanced. Moreover, the quantity of temperature compensation in the gain is easily adjustable. Light from an excitation light source is input to an optical fiber for optical amplification comprising a rare earth element-doped optical fiber, via a temperature compensation optical fiber comprising a rare earth element-doped optical fiber such as an erbium-doped optical fiber. By changing the length of this temperature compensation optical fiber, the quantity of temperature compensation is finely adjusted.

Abstract: So as to provide an optical fiber amplifier which can improve gain and reduce noise, and an optical amplifier which can restrain unnecessary polarization component in the signal output light, maintaining polarization of a signal light and performing optical amplification a polarizer is connected between a first EDF and a second EDF. An amplified spontaneous emission is emitted from the output end of the first EDF with the amplified signal light and is incident to the polarizer. The polarizer is disposed so as to transmit a polarization component which is parallel with the signal light. Among the lights which are incident to the polarizer, a light having a polarization component which is parallel with the signal light is rejected.