Abstract: An oscillating mirror module as a deflecting unit is disposed so that a movable mirror faces a plane where image carriers are arranged. A plurality of light source units are disposed within a plane parallel to the plane where the image carriers are arranged so that main light fluxes of light beams emitted from the light sources form predetermined angles with each other. The oscillating mirror module includes an incidence mirror that bends a plurality of light beams emitted from the light source units to direct the light beams to the movable mirror, and a separation mirror that separates the light beams scanned by the movable mirror into two opposite directions with respect to a cross-section including a surface normal of the movable mirror and perpendicular to the rotation axis of the movable mirror. A light collecting unit collects light beams so that output optical axes of the light beams corresponding to the light source units intersect on a surface of the movable mirror of the deflecting unit.

Abstract: A scanning optical apparatus includes: a light source; a first optical element configured to convert light emitted from the light source into a beam of light; a second optical element configured to convert the beam of light having passed through the first optical element into a linear image extending in a main scanning direction; a deflecting mirror configured to deflect the beam of light having passed through the second optical element in the main scanning direction; and a third optical element configured to convert the beam of light having been deflected by the deflecting mirror into a spot-like image and focus it on a target surface to be scanned. The third optical element is a single lens having a pair of opposite lens surfaces, and each of the pair of lens surfaces is aspheric in a main scanning plane to satisfy the formula: ? ( 1 - S k ? ( y 1 , y 2 ) f t ? ( y 1 , y 2 ) ) · h ? ( y 1 , y 2 ) ? < r e ? min 2 .

Abstract: A family of microscopes include an illumination device which produces a planar light sheet along an illumination axis of an illumination beam path and a transverse axis normal to the illumination axis. A detection device detects light emitted from the sample region along an axis of detection of a detection beam path. The illumination and detection axes as well as the transverse axis and the axis of detection being oriented relative each other at an angle unequal to zero. A light sheet generator also produces rotationally symmetrical light and includes structure and control for rapidly scanning the sample region along the transverse axis. The illumination device includes a second light sheet generator having a first astigmatically active optical element with at least one astigmatic lens for producing a static sheet of light. Selection elements used to select either the first or the second light sheet or both together to produce the sheet of light.

Abstract: A deflecting unit deflects a plurality of light fluxes from a light source including a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in two-dimensional array. An coupling optical system between the light source and the deflecting unit includes an optical coupling element that collimates the light fluxes and a line-imaging element that images the light fluxes near the deflecting unit in a sub-scanning direction. A holding unit holds the line-imaging element in a state that a position of the line-imaging element is adjusted with respect to a direction parallel to the sub-scanning direction. A scanning optical system condenses the deflected light fluxes on the scanning surface.

Abstract: An optical device including: a laser light emitting portion that emits laser light; a polygon mirror having a reflective surface that reflects the laser light, the polygon mirror being driven to rotate and deflecting the laser light emitted from the laser light emitting portion; a first lens through which the laser light reflected by the polygon mirror is transmitted, the first lens refracting the laser light; a second lens through which the laser light having passed through the first lens is transmitted, the second lens refracting the laser light; and an adjustment unit that adjusts at least one of a length of a first optical path between the polygon mirror and the first lens, and a length of a second optical path between the first lens and the second lens.

Abstract: A scanning optical apparatus includes: a light source; a first optical element configured to convert light emitted from the light source into a beam of light; a second optical element configured to convert the beam of light having passed through the first optical element into a linear image extending in a main scanning direction; a deflecting mirror configured to deflect the beam of light having passed through the second optical element in the main scanning direction; and a third optical element configured to convert the beam of light having been deflected by the deflecting mirror into a spot-like image and focus it on a target surface to be scanned. The third optical element is a single lens having a pair of opposite lens surfaces, and each of the pair of lens surfaces is aspheric in a main scanning plane to satisfy the formula: ? ( 1 - S k ? ( y 1 , y 2 ) f t ? ( y 1 , y 2 ) ) · h ? ( y 1 , y 2 ) ? < r e ? min 2 .

Abstract: A laser direct imaging apparatus which can expose photosensitive materials having various sensitivities and which can correct an imaging position in accordance with deformation of a workpiece. In the laser direct imaging apparatus, the workpiece is moved in a sub-scanning direction while a cylindrical lens is used to converge a laser beam, which has been modulated based on raster data, in the sub-scanning direction and deflect the laser beam toward a main scanning direction so as to image a desired pattern on the workpiece. The cylindrical axis of the cylindrical lens is designed to be able to rotate horizontally and to be able to change an angle with respect to the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A scanning optical apparatus includes a light source, a deflecting element for deflecting a beam of light emitted from the light source, an optical device for causing the beam of light emitted from the light source to be imaged into a linear shape long in the main scanning direction on the deflecting surface of the deflecting element. The optical device is comprised of a first optical element and a second optical element, and a third optical element for causing the beam of light deflected by the deflecting element to be imaged into a spot-like shape on a surface to be scanned. The third optical element includes a single lens, the opposite lens surfaces of which both include a toric surface of an aspherical surface shape in the main scanning plane, the curvatures of the opposite lens surfaces in the sub scanning plane being continuously varied from the on-axis toward the off-axis in the effective portion of the lens.

Abstract: An object of interest is illuminated within the field of view of a microscope objective lens located to receive light passing through the object of interest. Light transmitted through the microscope objective lens impinges upon a variable power element. The variable power element is driven with respect to the microscope objective lens to scan through multiple focal planes in the object of interest. Light transmitted from the variable power element is sensed by a sensing element or array.

Abstract: An image forming optical system of the present invention includes at least one cemented lens which includes a first lens element (e1), a second lens element (e2), and a third lens element (e3). The first lens element e1 is cemented to a surface on one side of the second lens element e2, and the third lens element e3 is cemented to the other surface of the second lens element e2. The first lens element e1 is a positive lens, and a combined refracting power of the second lens element e2 and the third lens element e3 is negative. The cemented lens satisfies a predetermined conditional expression.

Abstract: An optical beam scanning apparatus according to the present invention includes a light source, a pre-deflection optical system, a light deflecting device, a post-deflection optical system, a first sensor configured to detect a part of the luminous fluxes deflected by the light deflecting device, one or plural first optical elements configured to be provided in the post-deflection optical system and act on the luminous fluxes deflected by all the deflection surfaces of the light deflecting device; and a second optical element having positive power in the sub-scanning direction configured to be provided in an optical path between any one of the first optical elements and the first sensor and act on the luminous fluxes deflected by all the deflection surfaces of the light deflecting device.

Abstract: A forward-looking, optical coherence tomography, endoscopic probe is disclosed capable of high resolution with a small diameter. Light is focused and scanned during three passes through a lens. A light source supplies light to the proximal side of the lens. The light makes a first pass through the lens, and is reflected from a fixed mirror on the distal side. The reflected light makes a second pass from the distal side to the proximal side, and exits the lens at the proximal side, and is reflected by a scanning mirror. The light makes a third pass through the lens from the proximal side to the distal side to a sample to be imaged. The light is focused during each of the three passes through the lens. Light reflected from the sample passes back through and is focused by the same system.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a light-source unit, an incident optical system for directing light beams emitted from the light-source unit to a deflecting unit, and an imaging optical system for guiding the light beams deflected from the deflecting unit to a surface to be scanned. The imaging optical system includes a toric lens whose power in the main scanning direction is different from that in the sub-scanning direction; the toric lens having the curvature centers of the meridians of a first toric surface connected to form a curved line located in a common plane Ha, and the curvature centers of the meridians of a second toric surface connected to form a curved line not located in a common plane.

Abstract: A scanning optical system includes converges, with a single lens, a divergent luminous flux, which is deflected in a main scanning direction by an optical deflector, on a surface of a scan target. The lens has two surfaces in a biconvex shape in both the main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction, and at least one of the surfaces is a toric surface in which a line that connects, on a cross section in the main scanning direction, centers of curvature in a cross section in the sub-scanning direction is nonlinear, and change of the curvature of the toric surface in the cross section in the sub-scanning direction along the main scanning direction is asymmetric with an optical axis of the lens. The surfaces are anamorphic surfaces.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a light-source unit, an incident optical system for directing light beams emitted from the light-source unit to a deflecting unit, and an imaging optical system for guiding the light beams deflected from the deflecting unit to a surface to be scanned. The imaging optical system includes a toric lens whose power in the main scanning direction is different from that in the sub-scanning direction; the toric lens having the curvature centers of the meridians of a first toric surface connected to form a curved line located in a common plane Ha, and the curvature centers of the meridians of a second toric surface connected to form a curved line not located in a common plane.

Abstract: An optical scanning device which corrects rotation distortion around an optical axis of the light beam is provided while a housing is reduced in site and is arranged to be manufactured accurately. The optical scanning device includes a pre-deflection optical system that shapes a light beam emitted from a light source into a predetermined sectional shape, a polygon mirror that deflects an incident light beam with plural reflection surfaces arrayed in a rotating direction and scans the light beam on a scanning object, and a folding mirror that deflects the light beam, which is shaped by the pre-deflection optical system, with a reflection surface and guides the light beam to the reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror.