Abstract: A capacitance position sensor includes a pair of opposed tabular electrodes, an LC oscillator circuit having a toroidal core winding and whose oscillating frequency varies with change in capacitance between the pair of electrodes, and an arithmetic processing unit for calculating an absolute value of a distance between the electrodes from the oscillating frequency of the oscillator circuit. A position controller includes a stationary member formed with one electrode of the pair of electrodes of the position sensor, a movable member on which the other electrode of the pair of electrodes is formed, and moving device for moving the movable member relative to the stationary member.

Abstract: An optical apparatus has an adjustment apparatus 5 and an optical unit 1 including a plurality of optical elements. The adjustment apparatus sequentially provides control signals that, according to a probabilistic search technique, change the parameters of a stipulated plurality of optical elements among the optical elements to become parameters that cause the functions of the optical apparatus to satisfy stipulated specifications. A method of adjusting the optical apparatus includes sequentially providing control signals that, according to a probabilistic search technique, change the parameters of the stipulated plurality of optical elements among the optical elements, and searching for optical values at which the functions of the optical apparatus the stipulated specification.

Abstract: An optical apparatus has an adjustment apparatus 5 and an optical unit 1 including a plurality of optical elements. The adjustment apparatus sequentially provides control signals that, according to a probabilistic search technique, change the parameters of a stipulated plurality of optical elements among the optical elements to become parameters that cause the functions of the optical apparatus to satisfy stipulated specifications. A method of adjusting the optical apparatus includes sequentially providing control signals that, according to a probabilistic search technique, change the parameters of the stipulated plurality of optical elements among the optical elements, and searching for optical values at which the functions of the optical apparatus the stipulated specification.

Abstract: A capacitance position sensor comprises a pair of opposed tabular electrodes, an LC oscillator circuit having a toroidal core winding and whose oscillating frequency varies with change in capacitance between the pair of electrodes, and an arithmetic processing unit for calculating an absolute value of a distance between the electrodes from the oscillating frequency of the oscillator circuit. A position controller comprises a stationary member formed with one electrode of the pair of electrodes of the position sensor, a movable member on which the other electrode of the pair of electrodes is formed, and moving means for moving the movable member relative to the stationary member.

Abstract: A high-speed, high-sensitivity photo-receiving device has a light-absorbing substrate, on which a pair of electrodes are provided. An insulative optical guide is located over an exposed surface portion of the substrate constituting an optical window. The optical guide is permeable to incident light, and the width of the optical guide does not exceed the wavelength of the incident light.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a photo-device includes the steps of forming an optically nontransparent, electrically conductive layer on the surface of a photoelectric conversion substrate, and transferring a portion of the optically nontransparent, electrically conductive layer using a scanning probe process apparatus to form, over an optical window, a light-permeable protective insulation structure of a region of the optical window on the substrate surface beneath the light-permeable protective insulation structure.

Abstract: An apparatus of measuring an electric signal comprises a laser device, optical elements, an electrooptic crystal, a photoelectric converter, and an electric circuit. The electrooptic crystal is selected from the materials in the type of having properties of changing its refractive index in the direction of its optic major axes and the direction of these axes by a function of an applied electric field. In the apparatus, the electrooptic crystal is placed in the electric field applied by an electric circuit under measurement. A laser beam emitted from the laser device is incident on the electrooptic crystal. A reflected light passed through the crystal is resolved into rays in two polarized direction. Each ray is subjected to a photoelectric conversion by passing through the photoelectric converter and exerted as an electric output. A differential signal of the electric output is defined as a measurement signal.

Abstract: A high-speed, high-sensitivity photo-receiving device has a light-absorbing substrate, on which a pair of electrodes are provided. An insulative optical guide is located over an exposed surface portion of the substrate constituting an optical window. The optical guide is permeable to incident light, and the width of the optical guide does not exceed the wavelength of the incident light.