Abstract: Provided are a polarizing film imaging apparatus, a polarizing film inspection apparatus including the imaging apparatus, and a polarizing film inspection method using the imaging apparatus. The imaging apparatus includes: a light source that is configured to emit light toward a polarizing film to be inspected; an imaging unit that is arranged on an optical axis of the light source and on an opposite side to the light source with the polarizing film therebetween; and at least one of a circular polarizing plate arranged between the light source and the polarizing film, and a wavelength plate arranged between the polarizing film and the imaging unit.

Abstract: Provided are a polarizing film imaging apparatus, a polarizing film inspection apparatus including the imaging apparatus, and a polarizing film inspection method using the imaging apparatus. The imaging apparatus includes: a light source that is configured to emit light toward a polarizing film to be inspected; an imaging unit that is arranged on an optical axis of the light source and on an opposite side to the light source with the polarizing film therebetween; and at least one of a circular polarizing plate arranged between the light source and the polarizing film, and a wavelength plate arranged between the polarizing film and the imaging unit.

Abstract: An axially symmetric polarization conversion element that converts incident light into an axially symmetric polarized beam includes a reflection section having a shape obtained by rotating the cross section of a Fresnel rhomb wave plate along the direction of an optical axis around an axis that is parallel to the optical axis. The axially symmetric polarization conversion element converts the incident light into an axially symmetric polarized beam by utilizing two Fresnel reflections by the reflection section.

Abstract: An axially symmetric polarization conversion element that converts incident light into an axially symmetric polarized beam includes a reflection section having a shape obtained by rotating the cross section of a Fresnel rhomb wave plate along the direction of an optical axis around an axis that is parallel to the optical axis. The axially symmetric polarization conversion element converts the incident light into an axially symmetric polarized beam by utilizing two Fresnel reflections by the reflection section.

Abstract: An optical characteristic measuring apparatus includes an optical system 10 including first and second carrier retarders 24 and 32 having the retardations being known and differing from each other. The optical characteristic measuring apparatus performs: a spectrum extraction process of extracting a plurality of spectral peaks from a frequency spectrum obtained by analyzing a light intensity signal detected by light-receiving/spectroscopic means; and an optical characteristic element calculation process of calculating an optical characteristic element representing optical characteristics of a measurement target based on the spectral peaks and the retardations of the first and second carrier retarders.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus includes a light intensity information acquisition section 40 that acquires light intensity information relating to a measurement light containing a given band component, the measurement light having been modulated by optical elements included in an optical system 10 and a measurement target (or a sample 100), and a calculation section 50 that calculates at least one matrix element of a Mueller matrix that indicates the optical characteristics of the measurement target based on the light intensity information relating to the measurement light and a theoretical expression for the light intensity of the measurement light. The light intensity information acquisition section 40 acquires the light intensity information relating to a plurality of the measurement lights obtained from the optical system 10 by changing setting of a principal axis direction of at least one of the optical elements.

Abstract: An optical characteristic measuring device includes: an optical system (10), a light intensity information acquisition unit (40) for acquiring light intensity information on the light to be measured, and an operation process unit (60). The optical system (10) introduces the light emitted from a light source (12) to a sample (100) via a polarizer (22), a ½ wavelength plate (24), and a first ¼ wavelength plate (26), and introduces the light emitted from the sample (100) to a reception unit (14) via a second ¼ wavelength plate (34) and a detector (36). The ½ wavelength plate (24), the first and the second ¼ wavelength plate (26, 34) and the detector (36) are configured so as to be rotated.

Abstract: An optical characteristic measuring apparatus includes an optical system 10 including first and second carrier retarders 24 and 32 having the retardations being known and differing from each other. The optical characteristic measuring apparatus performs: a spectrum extraction process of extracting a plurality of spectral peaks from a frequency spectrum obtained by analyzing a light intensity signal detected by light-receiving/spectroscopic means; and an optical characteristic element calculation process of calculating an optical characteristic element representing optical characteristics of a measurement target based on the spectral peaks and the retardations of the first and second carrier retarders.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus includes a light intensity information acquisition section 40 that acquires light intensity information relating to a measurement light containing a given band component, the measurement light having been modulated by optical elements included in an optical system 10 and a measurement target (or a sample 100), and a calculation section 50 that calculates at least one matrix element of a Mueller matrix that indicates the optical characteristics of the measurement target based on the light intensity information relating to the measurement light and a theoretical expression for the light intensity of the measurement light. The light intensity information acquisition section 40 acquires the light intensity information relating to a plurality of the measurement lights obtained from the optical system 10 by changing setting of a principal axis direction of at least one of the optical elements.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus that measures the polarization state of analysis target light includes a modulation section 20 that includes a retarder 22 and an analyzer 24, a light intensity information acquisition section 30 that acquires light intensity information about modulated light obtained by modulating the analysis target light at the modulation section, and a calculation section 50 that calculates a polarization characteristic element of the analysis target light based on the light intensity information. The light intensity information acquisition section acquires the light intensity information about first modulated light to Nth modulated light respectively obtained by modulating the analysis target light at the modulation section set under first to Nth principal axis direction conditions which differ in the principal axis direction of at least one of the retarder and the analyzer.

Abstract: An optical characteristic measuring apparatus including a carrier retarder of which the retardation is known and a quarter-wave plate without wavelength dependence, wherein light emitted from a light source (light-emitting device) is incident on a measurement target through a first polarizer (polarizer), the carrier retarder, and the quarter-wave plate, and the light which has passed through the measurement target is incident on a photodetector through a second polarizer (analyzer). A spectral peak is extracted from a frequency spectrum obtained by analyzing a light intensity signal detected by the photodetector. The optical characteristic element of the measurement target is calculated based on the extracted spectral peak and the retardation of the carrier retarder.

Abstract: A grating (3) is disposed to face the measurement target surface of a measurement target object (11). A light source (1) irradiates the grating (3) with illumination light. A camera (6) captures a moire fringe image formed on the grating (3) by light passing through the grating 3 and reflected by the measurement target surface. A moving means (9) changes the distance (H) between the grating 3 and the measurement target surface. An analyzing means (8) performs an analysis process of obtaining 3-D shape information of the measurement target surface from the image picked up by the camera (6) in at least two cases in which the distance (H) is set to different values, and obtains, on the basis of the 3-D shape information in each case and the distance H, true 3-D shape information from which the measurement error caused by the inclination of the measurement target surface is eliminated.

Abstract: A measuring method capable of automatically analyzing quantitatively the inner state of a disk is provided. Linearly polarized light from a light source enters a retarder to produce a desired elliptically polarized state. The elliptically polarized light is then passed through a half-wave plate to rotate the direction of a principal axis of the ellipse. The light is expanded into two dimensions by lens systems and to obtain planar information, and is further transmitted through a disk substrate so that the birefringence of a specimen, which depends on an inner stress state and a polymer orientation state, changes the phase of the light. The light wave with its phase changed is passed through a polarizer arranged perpendicular to the principal axis of the retarder. The CCD detects the light wave as a light intensity.

Abstract: A grating (3) is disposed to face the measurement target surface of a measurement target object (11). A light source (1) irradiates the grating (3) with illumination light. A camera (6) captures a moire fringe image formed on the grating (3) by light passing through the grating 3 and reflected by the measurement target surface. A moving means (9) changes the distance (H) between the grating 3 and the measurement target surface. An analyzing means (8) performs an analysis process of obtaining 3-D shape information of the measurement target surface from the image picked up by the camera (6) in at least two cases in which the distance (H) is set to different values, and obtains, on the basis of the 3-D shape information in each case and the distance H, true 3-D shape information from which the measurement error caused by the inclination of the measurement target surface is eliminated.

Abstract: A measuring method capable of automatically analyzing quantitatively the inner state of a disk is provided. Linearly polarized light from a light source enters a retarder to produce a desired elliptically polarized state. The elliptically polarized light is then passed through a half-wave plate to rotate the direction of a principal axis of the ellipse. The light is expanded into two dimensions by lens systems and to obtain planar information, and is further transmitted through a disk substrate so that the birefringence of a specimen, which depends on an inner stress state and a polymer orientation state, changes the phase of the light. The light wave with its phase changed is passed through a polarizer arranged perpendicular to the principal axis of the retarder. The CCD detects the light wave as a light intensity.

Abstract: In an optical isolator device comprising a plurality of optical isolator elements each of which comprises a pair of polarizers and a magneto-optical element disposed between said polarizers, the optical isolator elements have element cutoff wavelength bands which are different from one another. The optical isolator elements are arranged in series with an optical axis in common. Each element cutoff wavelength band is defined by an element cutoff central wavelength for a return light beam. The optical isolator device has a device cutoff wavelength band for the return light beam that is defined by a device cutoff central wavelength. When the optical isolator elements are equal in number to two, both of the optical isolator elements have a common wavelength area where the element cutoff wavelength bands overlap each other.