Abstract: A polygon mirror is placed so that its rotation axis is positioned on a center line in a main scanning direction of an image forming area scanned by each light beam. Moreover, two light beam irradiating optical units are placed so that the light beams are incident on reflective surfaces of the polygon mirror from directions that cross the line and are point symmetrical to each other with respect to the rotation axis of the polygon mirror. Further, two f? lenses are placed so that their lens center positions are displaced in mutually opposite directions from the center line in the main scanning direction of the image forming area.

Abstract: An even number of reflection mirrors reflecting a light beam in the sub-scanning direction are disposed on an optical path from a deflecting reflection surface of an optical deflector to a corresponding surface to be scanned, for a light beam that is incident on the deflecting reflection surface from one side of a line normal to the deflecting reflection surface in the sub-scanning direction. An odd number of reflection mirrors reflecting the light beam in the sub-scanning direction is disposed on the optical path, for a light beam that is incident on the deflecting reflection surface from the other side of the line normal to the deflecting reflection surface in the sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: A temperature-compensated collimating lens provided of a single piece of lens, which does not have variation in its focal distance due to temperature changes, and an optical scanning apparatus using the same. The collimating lens to transform a ray of light from a light source into approximate parallel rays. The collimating lens is provided a single lens of plastic, and the single lens has a refraction surface provided on one side and a diffraction surface provided on the other side. The refraction surface and the diffraction surface have predetermined powers to prevent power of the collimating lens from changing due to change in temperature. The refraction surface and the diffraction surface have a power to satisfy the condition of, - 3 ? K d K r ? - 2.

Abstract: A laser-based workpiece processing system includes sensors connected to a sensor controller that converts sensor signals into focused spot motion commands for actuating a beam steering device, such as a two-axis steering mirror. The sensors may include a beam position sensor for correcting errors detected in the optical path, such as thermally-induced beam wandering in response to laser or acousto-optic modulator pointing stability, or optical mount dynamics.

Abstract: A light modulation apparatus including a Mach-Zehnder type light modulator, a driver for modulator outputting a control signal according to an input electric signal, a light branching circuit branching the output light signal, and a bias control circuit applying a bias voltage to the light modulator based on the branched light signal, the apparatus further comprises: a burst pause state detection circuit detecting a pause state of a burst signal included in the input electric signal; a photoelectric transducer converting an output light signal branched by the light branching circuit into an electric signal; a sampling circuit extracting the electric signal converted while the pause state is detected by the burst pause state; and a bias voltage adjustment circuit adjusting a bias voltage value of the bias voltage based on a voltage level of the extracted electric signal.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved electrodeposition and an electrochromic display. The display cells formed from microcups are filled with an electrolyte fluid and are individually sealed with a polymeric sealing layer.

Abstract: A high contrast spatial light modulator for display and printing is fabricated by coupling a high active reflection area fill-ratio and non-diffractive micro mirror array with a high electrostatic efficiency and low surface adhesion control substrate.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a spatial light modulator. The method includes forming cavities in a first substrate and fabricating electrodes on a second substrate. The method also includes bonding the first substrate to the second substrate and forming a mirror plate from a portion of the first substrate. The mirror plate has an upper surface and a lower surface. The method further includes forming a hinge coupled to the mirror plate and forming a reflective surface coupled to the upper surface of the mirror plate.

Abstract: An electric display device of the type wherein a liquid is disposed in a space defined by a substrate, a spacer disposed on the substrate, and a sealing film disposed on an upper end portion of the spacer is produced through a process including a step of disposing a sealing film precursor, comprising a polymerizable compound, supported by a supporting member on both an exposed surface of the liquid and the upper end portion and at least a part of the side portion of the spacer in a state that the liquid is filled between adjacent spacers, and a step of polymerizing the polymerizable compound to form the sealing film.

Abstract: An OFF state, maximum attenuation level, for an electro-optic attenuator/switch results when either a first or second control voltage is applied to the control input. An AC generator, coupled to the control input, generates minimum and maximum peak voltages that correspond to the first and second control voltages, respectively, so that the maximum attenuation level of the light beam being switched is provided by the electro-optic attenuator while either of the minimum and maximum peak voltages is applied to the control input. An ON state is achieved by introducing a voltage pulse with a magnitude corresponding to the minimum attenuation level. The ON voltage pulse is added to the square wave. This permits operation of the electro-optic switch in a normally OFF state without requiring a DC bias voltage.

Abstract: In an optical amplifier, passively wavelength-stabilized pump diodes generate pumping light to excite a gain medium (e.g., rare-earth-ion doped optical fiber or solid-state optical amplifier) near an absorption peak of the gain medium. The gain medium amplifies a pulsed laser signal coupled into the gain medium to a high peak power with minimal non-linear distortion. The gain medium may include a portion configured to receive the pumping light and another portion configured to amplify the pulsed laser signal. A volume phase hologram device may passively wavelength stabilize the pump diodes by reflecting a portion of the pumping light back to the pump diodes. Passively wavelength-stabilizing the pump diodes improves power efficiency of the optical amplifier.

Abstract: The lifetime of optical components used in deep-UV (DUV) excimer laser systems, including systems in a MOPA configuration, can be increased by reducing the intensity of pulses incident upon these components. In one approach, an output pulse can be “stretched” in order to reduce the peak power of the pulse. A pulse stretching component can be used, which can be mounted outside the laser enclosure with a horizontal beam path in order to provide a delay line with a minimum impact on the laser system footprint. The horizontal beam path also can minimize the number of optical components in the arm containing the high power beam. A beamsplitting prism can be used with the delay line to avoid the rapid degradation of coatings otherwise exposed to intense UV beams. The prism can expand the beam in the delay line in order to minimize beam intensity and losses due to reflection.

Abstract: In a WDM optical communication system in which an optical lossy medium, optical amplifiers and Raman amplifiers for compensating for loss in the optical lossy medium are cascade-connected, means are provided for acquiring the state of use of a Raman amplifier, at a node the same as that of the optical amplifier, in a link opposing a link in which the optical amplifier resides, or the state of use of a Raman amplifier at a node downstream of the optical amplifier. Whether the optical amplifier is to be made to perform a slope correction is decided based upon the state of use of the Raman amplifier.

Abstract: An amplification medium is inputted thereto first lights and second lights, polarizations of which are orthogonal. A pumping means inputs first pump lights coinciding with the polarization of the first lights, and second pump lights coinciding with the polarization of the second lights to the amplification medium. The gain of a wavelength or wavelength band of a certain light can be efficiently controlled, simply and independently, without affecting the other wavelengths or wavelength bands.

Abstract: A fiber amplifier system and method are provided for reducing noise produced by a fiber amplifier by combining an optical signal to be amplified with a continuous wave optical signal that stimulates ions in the fiber amplifier to reduce photons produced by spontaneous emission when a level of the optical signal of interest is very low or zero.

Abstract: A device amplifies light at wavelengths in the vicinity of 1420-1530 nm, using thulium doped silica-based optical fiber. This wavelength band is of interest as it falls in the low-loss optical fiber telecommunications window, and is somewhat shorter in wavelength than the currently standard erbium doped silica fiber amplifier. The device thus extends the band of wavelengths which can be supported for long-distance telecommunications. The additional wavelength band allows the data transmission rate to be substantially increased via wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), with minimal modification to the standard equipment currently used for WDM systems. The host glass is directly compatible with standard silica-based telecommunications fiber. The invention also enables modified silicate based amplifiers and lasers on a variety of alternative transitions. Specifically, an S-band thulium doped fiber amplifier (TDFA) using a true silicate fiber host is described.

Abstract: A microscope optical system comprises an objective lens and an intermediate magnification varying part disposed just after the image side of the objective lens. A microscope objective lens according to another aspect of the invention comprises a first lens group and a second lens group in the mentioned order from the object side. The first lens group includes a positive meniscus lens with the concave surface facing the object side and one or more cemented lenses, the first lens group having a positive refractive power as a whole, at least one of the cemented lenses includes a lens made of a material having an Abbe's number equal to or larger than 80, and conditions 0.3?wd/f?0.45 and 0.6?NA are satisfied, where f represents the focal length of the microscope objective lens as a whole, wd represents the working distance of the microscope objective lens, and NA represents the numerical aperture of the microscope objective lens.

Abstract: A total internal reflection illumination apparatus applied to a microscope which illuminates a sample through an objective having a numerical aperture enabling total internal reflection illumination, comprises a first total internal reflection mirror which is arranged in the vicinity of an outermost peripheral part of an observation optical path of the microscope to reflect an incident illumination light in a direction of the objective, a second total internal reflection mirror which is arranged at a symmetrical position with the first total internal reflection mirror to sandwich an observation optical axis and reflects return light reflected on a surface of the sample in a direction different from the illumination optical path, and a return light dimming part configured to dim the return light reflected by the second total internal reflection mirror.

Abstract: A Fresnel lens sheet holding structure holds a thin Fresnel lens sheet formed on a forming mold easily releasable from the forming mold in a satisfactory planarity on a rear projection display. A rear projection display is provided with the Fresnel lens sheet holding structure. The Fresnel lens sheet holding structure holds a Fresnel lens sheet of 3 mm or below in thickness having an entrance surface provided with prisms of a triangular cross section each having an entrance facet and a total-reflection facet that reflects part or all of light fallen on the entrance facet in a total-reflection mode to deflect the light in a desired direction. The Fresnel lens sheet holding structure includes a hanging member to be attached to the upper side of the Fresnel lens sheet, and a support member for supporting the hanging member. Preferably, a tensioning member is attached to the Fresnel lens sheet.

Abstract: A total reflecting prism portion is formed on an image generation source side of a Fresnel lens sheet which constitutes a rear projection type screen. The total reflecting prism portion is formed in an area in which the angle of incidence of a projection image projected from an optical part on the Fresnel lens sheet is at least about 40°. The total reflecting prism portion causes incident light to be outputted as output light at a predetermined output angle by a total reflection phenomenon after a first refraction phenomenon. Further, a refracting prism portion is formed on an image monitoring side of the Fresnel lens sheet. The refracting prism portion is formed in an area opposed to the portion where the total reflecting prism portion is not formed. The refracting prism portion causes incident light to be outputted as output light at a predetermined output angle by a second refraction phenomenon.

Abstract: In a method for displaying a three-dimensional stereo image, a left-eye image defined by multiple left-eye strip pixels and a right-eye image defined by multiple right-eye strip pixels are displayed such that the left-eye pixels and the right-eye pixels are arranged alternately from the left to the right in a width direction. The left-eye image and the right-eye image are guided separately to the left eye and the right eye of an observer. Then, the left-eye image and the right-eye image are shifted by one pixel in an oscillating manner, and the left-eye image and the right-eye image are deflected synchronized with the one-pixel shifting operation.

Abstract: An assembly that includes a first reflective polarizer substantially reflecting light having a first polarization state and substantially transmitting light having a second polarization state, a polarization rotating layer or depolarizing layer (or both) positioned to receive light passing through the first reflective polarizer, and a second reflective polarizer positioned to receive light passing through the polarization rotating layer or depolarizing layer, the second reflective polarizer substantially reflecting light having a third polarization state back through the polarization rotating layer or depolarizing and substantially transmitting light having a fourth polarization state. Articles containing the assembly can be formed.

Abstract: A diffraction grating device (100) has both reflecting (108) and transmitting (106) gratings inter leaved to allow both transmission diffraction patterns and reflection diffraction patterns to be formed by means of the same device (102). This makes it possible, for example, to produce a diffraction pattern of one older with a beam (134) directed to be diffracted by the reflecting diffraction grating or with a beam (132) directed to be diffracted by the transmitting diffraction grating when either beam is incident alone. It also makes it possible to generate a diffraction pattern of a different order when both beams are incident simultaneously, which reduces effective order of the grating.

Abstract: A light-diffusing sheet includes a transparent film and a light-diffusing layer formed on at least one side of the transparent film. The light-diffusing layer is composed of a resin coating layer having a rough surface. The transparent film contains a thermoplastic resin having a substituted and/or unsubstituted imide group at a side chain and a thermoplastic resin having a substituted and/or unsubstituted phenyl group and a nitrile group at a side chain.

Abstract: A light-diffusing sheet includes a transparent film and a light-diffusing layer formed on at least one side of the transparent film. The transparent film contains a thermoplastic resin having a substituted and/or non-substituted imido group in a side chain, and a thermoplastic resin having a substituted and/or non-substituted phenyl group and nitrile group in a side chain, and the surface with the minute unevenness has an average height-depth spacing (Sm): Sm?80 ?m, a center-line average surface roughness (Ra): Ra?0.25 ?m and a ten-point average surface roughness (Rz): Rz?9Ra.

Abstract: To provide a lens array sheet capable of efficiently condensing diffuse light such as the light from a LED light source or EL light source. The lens array sheet comprises a transparent base material, a plurality of light-receiving sections each consisting of a transparent right frustum which is provided on the surface of the base material and is tapered outwardly from the base material, and a plurality of condensing lenses disposed on the back of the base material so as to face the respective light-receiving sections. The side face of the right frustum forms a taper angle larger than 0° and less than 15° with the central axial line of the right frustum, and an aspect ratio (H/D) which is a proportion of the height (H) of the right frustum to the minimum length (D) of the cut surface of the right frustum is larger than 0, and no more than 10.

Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source, a first lens array having a plurality of first small lenses, a second lens array having a plurality of second small lenses corresponding to the plurality of first small lenses, and a superimposing lens. The plurality of first small lenses is made eccentric in a certain direction while the plurality of second small lenses is made eccentric in one of the certain direction and a direction orthogonal to the certain direction. The first and second lens arrays are integrally formed into one light-transmissive member.

Abstract: A collimator lens located in a light path from a laser light source to an optical information recording medium. The collimator lens is constituted by a cemented lens which is composed of a biconvex lens and a meniscus lens, and an aspheric plastic lens in the form of a transparent thin synthetic resin film which is laminated on a lens surface of the biconvex lens on the side of or facing toward an optical recording medium. When calculated on the basis of a composite focal length f=10 mm, the collimator lens has an epaxial chromatic aberration correction rate (a) and a numerical aperture NA in the ranges of (1) (a) <2.2 ?m/nm and (2) 0.4>NA?0.12, respectively.

Abstract: A system and method for inspection is disclosed. The design generally employs as many as four design principles, including employing at least one lens from a relatively low dispersion glass, at least one additional lens from an additional material different from the relatively low dispersion glass, generally matching the relatively low dispersion properties of the relatively low dispersion glass. The design also may include at least one further lens from a further material different from and exhibiting a significantly different dispersion power from the relatively low dispersion glass and the additional material. Finally, the design may include lenses positioned to insert a significant amount of color within the objective, a gap, and additional lenses, the gap and additional lenses serving to cancel the color inserted.

Abstract: A variable lens having an optical axis is described. The lens comprises a plurality of annuli located around the optical axis. Each annulus has respective side walls defining a chamber containing a first fluid and a second fluid in contact over a meniscus. The fluids are substantially immiscible and have different refractive indices. At least one of the annuli comprises at least one electrode for altering the configuration of the meniscus.

Abstract: A variable focus lens comprises a chamber containing a conductive liquid (5) and an insulating liquid (4) of different refractive indices, the surface of contact between the two liquids forming a deformable refractive surface (6) whose periphery is caused to move along the walls of a housing under the effect of an electric voltage (V). The housing comprises an upper portion (16) inclined relative to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis (?) of the lens, a lower portion (34, 48, 52) more inclined than the upper portion and a zone of junction (B?) between the upper and lower portions, playing the role of a stop for the deformable refractive interface.

Abstract: A document camera is used to show image of an object on a display. In the document camera, a first image data of the object obtained by a video-capturing device is derived into a second image data and a third image data by an image processor in response to a zoom operation, wherein the second image data results in a zoomed image of the object and the third image data results in a scaled image of the object. In response to the zoom operation, there is also a mark frame data generated by a position information controller, which results in a mark frame. The zoomed image, scaled image and mark frame are then synthesized into a combined image by an image synthesizer, and the mark frame superimposes the scaled image to indicate a result of the zoom operation.

Abstract: A zoom lens is disclosed which is superior in reduction of the lens diameter and can suppress degradation in performance while a high zoom ratio is achieved. The zoom lens is formed as a zoom lens of a four-group configuration having positive, negative, positive and positive groups. The second and fourth lens groups move whereas the first and third lens groups are fixed. An aperture stop is disposed on the object side of the third lens group. The third lens group includes negative and positive sub groups with an air distance left therebetween. The positive sub group is shiftable perpendicularly to the optical axis to shift an image substantially perpendicularly. A conditional expression 1.4<|f3n|/f3<3 is satisfied where f3n is the focal distance of the negative sub group and f3 is the focal distance of the third lens group.

Abstract: The invention relates to a panoramic attachment optical system and a panoramic optical system for taking an image having a full 360°-direction angle of view or projecting an image at a full 360°-direction angle of view. These optical systems are reduced in size and flare light and improved in resolving power. A panoramic attachment optical system 10 attached to the entrance side of an image-formation lens 20 to form a full 360°-direction image on an image plane 30 comprises a transparent medium that is rotationally symmetric about a center axis 1 and includes at least two internal reflecting surfaces 12, 13 and at least two refracting surfaces 11, 14. A light beam enters the transparent medium via the refracting surface 11, and reflects at the internal reflecting surfaces 12 and 13 in this order to leave the transparent medium via the refracting surface 14, forming an image at a position of the image plane 30 off the center axis 1 via an image-formation lens 20.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a read channel having imbedded channel signal analysis is disclosed. The method and apparatus disclosed determines the types of noise present in a read signal and separates different noises out of the read signal. A signal is read from a storage medium and a written signal is removed from the read signal to produce a noise residue signal. The noise residue signal is converted to a power residue signal. The power residue signal is correlated with a Pseudo Random Bit Sequences (PRBS) sequence used to generate the written signal to produce a deconvolved signal. The deconvolved signal is accumulated.

Abstract: A method of managing defects in a hard disk drive, and more particularly, a method of managing defects in a hard disk drive in a case where a position of defects on a disk is known in advance. A data zone is allocated to predetermined tracks around tracks including defects known in advance, and the data zone is managed for defects.

Abstract: A read circuit for providing multi-bit disk data to a disk controller in correspondence to analog data from a disk head, includes a low frequency clock generator whose phase is adjustable in response to a detection of the synchronization marker in the analog disk data. A high frequency clock is phase-locked to the output of the disk head, and synchronizes operation of an A/D converter and a bit detector which produces a verified single-bit based on the A/D output. A serial-to-parallel converter converts the single bit output from the bit detector to a parallel output, and the parallel output is latched to multi-bit disk data for use by the disk controller in accordance with a low frequency clock. The low frequency clock is generated by a clock generator from the high frequency clock with a phase that is adjustable in response to the synchronization mark detector.

Abstract: A magnetic read/write apparatus comprises: a recording medium; and a head for writing/reading data to/from each sector on the recording medium; wherein the magnetic read/write apparatus further comprises: a write inhibit slice setting circuit for, when data is written to the recording medium, setting a write inhibit slice for each sector based on the recording state of each sector on the recording medium.

Abstract: A plurality of recording media combined integrally having a plurality of recording surfaces; and a plurality sets of reading heads and writing heads, combined integrally, provided for the respective ones of the plurality of recording surfaces, are provided. Upon writing data on each recording medium with the writing head provided therefor, a writing position is controlled as a result of positioning information previously provided on the recording media including the recording medium other than the each recording medium being read with the reading heads provided therefor.

Abstract: Analysis of a read back signal in a magnetic recording device is disclosed. The read back signal is converted to a digital read back signal, and a low frequency component of the digital read back signal is restored. A sample clock is recovered from the restored digital read back signal, and the restored digital read back signal is averaged using the recovered sample clock. A timing error is calculated based at least in part on the averaged restored digital read back signal.

Abstract: A fully synchronous longitudinal position (LPOS) detection system is provided for improving the reliability of servo channels in tape systems. The system is based on the interpolation of the servo channel output signal, which is sampled by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) at a fixed sampling rate, using a clock at a nominal frequency, so that interpolated signal samples are obtained at a predetermined fixed rate, independent of tape velocity. This predetermined fixed rate is defined in terms of samples per unit of length, as opposed to samples per unit of time, which is the measure of the ADC sampling rate. The resolution with which the servo channel signal is obtained at the interpolator output is thus determined by the step interpolation distance.

Abstract: The amount of position error written into a servo burst pattern can be reduced by using additional media revolutions to write the pattern. Where the edges of two servo bursts are used to define a position on the media, trimming the first burst and writing the second burst on separate revolutions will result in a different amount of position error being written into each burst. The end result will be a reduction in the overall error in position information. In order to further reduce the position error given by a burst pair, each burst also can be trimmed and/or written in multiple passes. Additional bursts can also be written, such as for each data track centerline. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims.

Abstract: A controller for a disk drive measures track misregistration, extracts non-repeatable runout from measured track misregistration, determines one or more components of non-repeatable runout at various radial locations of a disk, and compares the determined components to known values at different altitudes to determine an operating altitude of a disk drive.

Abstract: Methods and systems for sensing a position of a transducer head with respect to a storage medium. One method includes generating a read signal from a servo track stored on a magnetic storage medium. The servo track includes servo frames of magnetic flux transitions forming detectable servo marks, the servo marks forming a tone field of repeating servo marks oriented at a first azimuth angle and a mid-frame synchronization mark incorporated within the tone field, wherein the tone field provides a metric reference for dimensional measurements between features within the servo frame(s). The number of servo marks in the tone field of each servo frame along a longitudinal direction of the servo track before the mid-frame synchronization mark and after the mid-frame synchronization mark varies with lateral position.

Abstract: A write head of a magnetic head for vertical magnetic recording comprises: a coil; a main pole layer that allows the magnetic flux corresponding to the magnetic field generated by the coil to pass therethrough and generates a write magnetic field; an auxiliary pole layer; a gap layer provided between the main pole layer and the auxiliary pole layer; and a yoke layer for magnetically coupling the main pole layer to the auxiliary pole layer. The main pole layer has a flat top surface. In the main pole layer the position in which the thickness starts to increase is located between the medium facing surface and the position in which the width starts to increase.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a bearing surface on a slider having a center split pressurization feature which minimizes the effects of altitude or change in ambient air pressure on the flying characteristics of the slider. After a cavity dam and a subambient pressurization cavity is the center split feature. The center split feature is located proximate the centroid of the slider body and the bearing surface. The center split feature has, at least, three levels including a first center split level a second center split level and a third center split level. The first center split level is at the same level as the bearing surface level and is located closest to the centroid. The second center split level is located forward of, in the direction of air flow, the first center split level. The second center split level is also recessed from the first center split level to the same level as the first recessed level.

Abstract: A head support device includes a slider with a head, a support arm having a leading end provided with the slider 1 via a flexure and being integral with, in the vicinity of its base end, a spring member along a centerline, and a base arm having two pivots contacting the support arm. The spring member is fixed to the base arm at its leading end and has a hole in its center and a slit part at its base end. The support arm includes, about its base end, a slit and a reinforcing plate also serving as a balancer. This head support device can be used in various information apparatuses including a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus, a magneto-optical disk drive and an optical disk drive.

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive includes a magnetic disk and a femto slider. The magnetic disk has a minimum track linear velocity of 1 to 5 m/s. In one embodiment, the magnetic disk drive includes a negative pressure type femto slider and adopts a load/unload method. A gram load “GL” of a head suspension assembly HSA is set at a value exceeding about 3 mN and smaller than about 15 mN and a pitch static attitude “PSA” (deg) and pitch stiffness “Kp” (Nm/deg) satisfy the expression ((PSA×Kp)/GL)<0.25 mm. As a result, it is possible to prevent the femto slider from assuming a meta-stable flying high state referred to as a bi-stable height. Further, by setting the pitch static attitude “PSA” at a value of larger than 0 deg, it is possible to prevent the slider from assuming a state of meta-stable contact with the magnetic disk surface referred to as semi-stable drag.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for improving the electrical connection of a hard drive relay flexible circuit assembly to a head-gimbal assembly (HGA) flexure cable. In one embodiment, a flexible circuit assembly is attached to a hard drive coil carriage via a U-shaped connector and is electrically coupled to the HGA flexure cable by a bonding agent, such as an Anisotropic Conductive Film (ACF).

Abstract: Magnetic sensors are fabricated with an initial length that is slightly longer than their finished length. The sensors are then critically lapped and exposed for target signal output. The final target length of the sensors is obtained by first exposing the sensors to a photolithographic process and then directly lapping the excess length from the sensors. The length of sensor material that is removed is in the range of several nanometers. The target end point during lapping may be ascertained by detecting the change in resistance between the sensor and leads in the lapping tool as the excess material is lapped from the sensor.