Abstract: According to the present invention, provided is a system for irradiating a target object selectively with specific circularly polarized light, comprising a polarization-state control member that controls the polarization state of light to thereby generate circularly polarized light; and a circularly polarized light-reflecting member, wherein the circularly polarized light-reflecting member is disposed at a position on which the circularly polarized light emitted from the polarization-state control member can be incident; the circularly polarized light-reflecting member generates reflected light that selectively comprises circularly polarized light of the same sense as the incident circularly polarized light from the polarization-state control member; and the circularly polarized light-reflecting member is disposed such that the target object can be irradiated with at least a part of the reflected light.

Abstract: Fine asperities are simply formed in the surface of a light emission surface to improve an luminous efficiency of a light emitting element. An LED element 10 is prepared as an example of a luminous body, and a thermally deformable heat mode recording material layer 12 is formed in the light emission surface 18 of the LED element 10. The recording material layer 12 is then illuminated with condensed light so that a plurality of recessed portions 15 are formed at a pitch of 0.01-100 times a center wavelength of the light emitted from the LED element 10.

Abstract: The present invention provides a circular polarization illumination device which can irradiate right-circularly polarized light at a large light amount from a light source of right-circularly polarized light with a high efficiency and can irradiate left-circularly polarized light at a large light amount from a light source of left-circularly polarized light with a high efficiency, and a plant growth regulation method that can efficiently regulate the promotion or inhibition of the growth of plants by using the circular polarization illumination device. Moreover, the illumination device includes a light-emitting light source, a reflective polarizing plate, reirradiation unit, and circular polarization conversion unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides an illuminating device that makes it possible to reduce the number of members for regulating a polarization state and can irradiate light having natural color shades without decreasing energy efficiency of light irradiation, and a plant growth regulation method using the illuminating device. The illuminating device of the present invention includes a light-emitting light source and a polarization state regulation member that regulates a polarization state of the light-emitting light source, in which the polarization state of a wavelength region of a portion of emission wavelengths is changed to circular polarization, and a degree of circular polarization of light in a wavelength band for regulation among the light rays to be irradiated is 0.3 or higher. In a preferable embodiment, a width of at least one wavelength band for regulation of the polarization state regulation member is from 60 nm to 250 nm.

Abstract: A light guiding film including: a light entrance portion which allows incident light from a light source to enter; a wavelength converting portion which absorbs the incident light and converts the wavelength of the incident light to a wavelength utilizable for growth of a plant; and a light exit portion which allows the light with the converted wavelength to exit.

Abstract: A processing method for a mold (1) to form a pattern of recessed portions (13) on a product forming surface (11) formed on the mold (1) includes a photoresist forming step in which a thermally deformable heat-mode photoresist layer (12) is formed on the product forming surface (11), a laser beam illumination step in which a laser beam is applied to the photoresist layer (12) by an exposure device incorporating a semiconductor laser to form a pattern of recessed portions (13), and an asperity forming step in which asperities are formed on the product forming surface (11) by making use of the pattern of recessed portions (13).

Abstract: To provide a method for producing fine particles, including: forming on a surface of a base material a concavo-convex pattern made by arranging a plurality of convex portions on the surface; forming fine particles made of a fine particle material on at least part of the concavo-convex pattern; and releasing the formed fine particles from the concavo-convex pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides a light-emitting device which includes, in the order mentioned, a light-emitting layer containing a light-emitting portion, an intermediate layer, and a fine concavo-convex pattern, wherein the intermediate layer is disposed over a second surface of the light-emitting layer which surface is opposite to a first surface of the light-emitting layer, wherein the fine concavo-convex pattern has a cross-sectional shape which has portions projected and recessed with respect to the light-emitting layer, and reflects light emitted from the light-emitting layer, and wherein at least part of the intermediate layer has a refractive index of 0.9n to 1.1n, where n denotes a refractive index of the light-emitting portion with respect to light which has a main light-emitting wavelength.

Abstract: A recessed portion forming method for forming a plurality of recessed portions in a thermally deformable heat mode recording material layer is provided, which method includes: a recessed portion forming step of applying condensed light emitted from an optical system including a light source, to the recording material layer to form the recessed portions; an inspection light illumination step of applying inspection light to the recessed portions during or after formation of the recessed portions in the recording material layer; a detection step of detecting a light quantity of the inspection light reflected or diffracted from the recessed portions; and an output regulation step of regulating an output of the light source based upon the light quantity so that the light quantity becomes a predetermined value. Methods for manufacturing a pit-projection product, a light emitting element, and an optical element, using this method are also provided.

Abstract: In order to record an interference fringe pattern in a recording layer of a medium, a plurality of laser beams are caused to interfere so as to form interference fringes in the recording layer; and during a time period over which the plurality of laser beams are caused to interfere, the following steps are continuously performed: (1) producing a signal varying according to a shift of a specific position in the recording layer; and (2) shifting a fringe-forming position in the recording layer by changing a phase of at least one of the laser beams or moving the recording layer based upon the signal produced in the step (1).

Abstract: A method by which depressions and projections (pit pattern) can be formed directly and easily in a substrate made of inorganic material is provided. A method for forming a medium on which information is recorded in a pit pattern comprises the steps of: forming a recording material layer over a substrate made of inorganic material wherein the recording material layer is of a thermally deformable heat mode recording material; forming a plurality of holes by application of condensed light to the recording material layer; and forming a plurality of pits in the substrate wherein the plurality of pits corresponding to the plurality of holes are etched by using as a mask the recording material layer in which the plurality of holes are formed.

Abstract: A method for processing a workpiece (10) having a photoresist layer (12) using an exposure device (30) is disclosed. A transparent sheet (20) which allows transmission of light emitted from the exposure device (30) is disposed between an object lens (35a) of the exposure device (30) and the photoresist layer (12), and the photoresist layer (12) is exposed to the light through the transparent sheet (20).

Abstract: An image capturing device includes: at least two field limiting parts which limit a field of view to a dot-like section to define a passage of light; a light sensor which detects light passing through the field limiting parts; a scanning device which moves a scanning spot defined by the dot-like section in two-dimensional directions within a scanning area of an image to be captured; and a control device which controls movements of the scanning spot by the scanning device while receiving detection signals from the light sensor.

Abstract: In order to record an interference fringe pattern in a recording layer of a medium, a plurality of laser beams are caused to interfere so as to form interference fringes in the recording layer; and during a time period over which the plurality of laser beams are caused to interfere, the following steps are continuously performed: (1) producing a signal varying according to a shift of a specific position in the recording layer; and (2) shifting a fringe-forming position in the recording layer by changing a phase of at least one of the laser beams or moving the recording layer based upon the signal produced in the step (1).

Abstract: A method by which depressions and projections (pit pattern) can be formed directly and easily in a substrate made of inorganic material is provided. A method for forming a medium on which information is recorded in a pit pattern comprises the steps of: forming a recording material layer (21) over a substrate (11) made of inorganic material wherein the recording material layer is of a thermally deformable heat mode recording material; forming a plurality of holes 15 by application of condensed light to the recording material layer (21); and forming a plurality of pits (16) in the substrate wherein the plurality of pits corresponding to the plurality of holes (15) are etched by using as a mask the recording material layer (21) in which the plurality of holes are formed.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium is provided with a substrate having a pregroove formed on one main plane; a reflecting layer arranged on the one main plane of the substrate and reflecting an access controlling laser beam; a selective reflecting layer arranged on the reflecting layer, transmitting the access controlling laser beam and reflecting a recording laser beam; a recording layer arranged on the selective reflecting layer for having information recorded thereon by the recording laser beam; and a reflection preventing layer arranged on the recoding layer. On the substrate, a dummy groove having a shape similar to that of the pregroove is formed on forming regions adjacent to an effective access region on the one main plane.

Abstract: To provide a light guiding film including: a light entrance portion which allows incident light from a light source to enter; a wavelength converting portion which absorbs the incident light and converts the wavelength of the incident light to a wavelength utilizable for growth of a plant; and a light exit portion which allows the light with the converted wavelength to exit.

Abstract: There are provided: an optical recording method containing a focus point controlling step, and an interference image recording step; an optical recording apparatus containing a focus point controlling unit, and an interference image recording unit; an optical recording medium recorded in accordance with the optical recording method; and an optical reproducing method reproducing a recorded information recorded in accordance with the optical recording method.

Abstract: The present invention provides a light-emitting device which includes, in the order mentioned, a light-emitting layer containing a light-emitting portion, an interference layer, and a fine concavo-convex pattern, wherein the interference layer is disposed over a second surface of the light-emitting layer which surface is opposite to a first surface of the light-emitting layer, and reflects, toward the first surface, light emitted from the light-emitting layer, and wherein the fine concavo-convex pattern has a cross-sectional shape which has portions projected and recessed with respect to the light-emitting layer, and reflects light emitted from the light-emitting layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a light-emitting device which includes, in the order mentioned, a light-emitting layer containing a light-emitting portion, an intermediate layer, and a fine concavo-convex pattern, wherein the intermediate layer is disposed over a second surface of the light-emitting layer which surface is opposite to a first surface of the light-emitting layer, wherein the fine concavo-convex pattern has a cross-sectional shape which has portions projected and recessed with respect to the light-emitting layer, and reflects light emitted from the light-emitting layer, and wherein at least part of the intermediate layer has a refractive index of 0.9n to 1.1n, where n denotes a refractive index of the light-emitting portion with respect to light which has a main light-emitting wavelength.