Abstract: An optical component is arranged in the beam path of a scanning microscope. The optical component has a plane entrance surface through which a light beam bundle can be incoupled at an entrance angle, and a plane exit surface through which the light beam bundle can be outcoupled at an exit angle, which is different from the entrance angle. The optical component contains at least two elements that exhibit at least two different refractive indices.

Abstract: An optical reduction system with polarization dose sensitive output for use in the photolithographic manufacture of semiconductor devices having variable compensation for reticle retardation before the long conjugate end. The variable compensation component(s) before the reticle provides accurate adjustment of the polarization state at or near the reticle. The variable compensation components can be variable wave plates, layered wave plates, opposing mirrors, a Berek's compensator and/or a Soleil-Babinet compensator. The catadioptric optical reduction system provides a relatively high numerical aperture of 0.7 capable of patterning features smaller than 0.25 microns over a 26 mm×5 mm field. The optical reduction system is thereby well adapted to a step and scan microlithographic exposure tool as used in semiconductor manufacturing. Several other embodiments combine elements of different refracting power to widen the spectral bandwidth which can be achieved.

Abstract: The invention relates to a geometrical beam splitter, e.g. in a sensor, for transversally dividing a radiation beam (4) into at least one reflected beam portion (5R) and at least one passing beam portion (5T). The beam splitter (1) is composed of a piece (11) of rigid material having a non-transparent reflective surface (3) at an angle (&agr;) deviating from the right angle in respect to the incident direction (RI) of said radiation beam. The beam splitter has a width (W) and a height (H) extending over a total effective cross-sectional area (A*) of the radiation beam (4) and e.g. two holes (2a, 2b) extending through said piece of rigid material. The holes allow passing of at least two beam portions (5T), and simultaneously the non-transparent reflective surface divert at least one reflected beam portion (5R) so that said beam portions have substantially similar wavelength distributions.

Abstract: An apparatus that efficiently and accurately directs or splits a non-polarized light beam input from a fiber optic into one, two, four or eight output beams wherein the light beam input is passed through a collimator, the apparatus uses non-polarizing beam splitters and the output beams are coupled to fiber optics using a lens matched to divergence of the beam to direct the beam into the fiber optic and uses an iris diaphragm attenuator to adjust the energy of the output beam prior to its entry into the fiber optic.

Abstract: The present invention has as its object to provide a thin type optical system which enables both of image information displayed on display means such as a liquid crystal display to be observed and image information of which image is substantially equal to the image observed via therethrough and which is taken by image pickup means and a compound display apparatus using such optical system.

Abstract: The present invention provides an enhanced an enhanced polarized light source for a display system. In one embodiment, the invention includes a light source to produce light having multiple polarization states, a relay optical system to relay light imaged onto the relay optical system onto a display, an optical imaging element to image light from the light source onto the relay optical system, a polarization separator to direct light of a first polarization to a first portion of the optical imaging element and light of a second orthogonal polarization to a second portion of the optical imaging element, and a polarization conversion element between the optical imaging element and the relay optical system to receive light having the second polarization from the optical imaging element and convert its polarization to the second polarization.

Abstract: A system of etching using quantum entangled particles to get shorter interference fringes. An interferometer is used to obtain an interference fringe. N entangled photons are input to the interferometer. This reduces the distance between interference fringes by n, where again n is the number of entangled photons.

Abstract: A compact virtual image electronic display system including a beamsplitting magnification optic on which a source object is projected, the beamsplitting magnification optic having a refractive surface and a partially reflective surface for magnifying and reflecting the source object as a magnified virtual image, and a reflective element positioned for receiving and reflecting the magnified virtual image back to the beamsplitting magnification optic. The beamsplitting magnification optic receives the reflected magnified virtual image and magnifies and transmits it through the beamsplitting magnification optic as a compound magnified image of the magnified virtual image to an observer.

Abstract: A prismatic device for reforming the cross section of the beam emitted along a semiconductor laser bar stripe by deflecting successive segments of the emitted beam in directions making acute angles with the longitudinal axis of the emitted beam and redirecting the deflected beam segments through layers of glass into an array of parallel beam segments.

Abstract: The use of refractive optical elements to reduce or eliminate unwanted wavelength components from a laser emission. The method and apparatus described herein introduces modifications to the parallelism of one or more existing optical elements within the laser to dispersively separate wavelength components of the laser emission. According to embodiments of the invention, modifications in the parallelism can be made to the output coupler, intra-cavity polarizing optical components, and extra-cavity beamsplitter to accomplish separation of wavelength components without the introduction of additional optical components or reduction in the operating capacity of the laser. Additional optical components can be used to accomplish further separation of the wavelength components after the laser beam leaves the laser resonator.

Abstract: An optical system for reflective mode light valve full color display, and more particularly a compact and highly optically efficient trichroic prism assembly (TPA), and a polarizing beam splitter (PBS). This TPA and PBS combination is placed between the objective lens and the LCD panel or other kind of reflective light valves to form a compact projection system.

Abstract: An integrating rod (100) for combining light beams from two or more sources. A first light beam (104) enters the integrating rod 100 through a first entrance face (102) to a first reflecting face (110). The light is reflected by the first reflecting face (110) and travels along the major axis (114) of the integrating rod (100) to an exit face (116). A second light beam (108) from a second light source enters the integrating rod (100) through a second entrance face (106). The second light beam may be reflected by a second reflecting face (112) and travels along the major axis (114) to the exit face (116). The two light beams experience multiple reflections as they travel along the integrating rod and leave the integrating rod (100) through the exit face (116) as a single homogenous light beam.

Abstract: An optical arrangement for at least partial spectral selection of light components from a polychromatic light beam (1) is configured, in the interest of multifarious spectral selection capabilities, with means of simple design in such a way that a dispersive medium (2) for spatial spectral spreading of the polychromatic light beam (1) into individual light bundles (3), and an attenuation means (5, 6) for at least partial attenuation of the intensity of one or more light bundles (3), are provided.

Abstract: Compensation of lateral-color chromatic-aberration effects in a digital color-graphics projection display is achieved by providing projection optics for the projection display which is nontelecentric to a certain degree to establish an angled geometry for gathering light off axis for projection by the projection optics and by providing a plurality of component-primary-color object planes for object digital graphics of different primary colors to be projectively displayed through the projection optics. At least two of the component-primary-color object planes are located at different effective axial distances from the projection optics.

Abstract: The invention relates to a display system where polarized light rays from a display device impinge on a laminate at Brewster's angle or emerge therefrom at an angle equal to Brewster's angle. This laminate is a combination of a transparent platelike object and a functional film that is an optical rotatory film or a semitransparent film. The platelike object has a front major surface, facing the display device, and a back major surface. The display device has a polarizing member for polarizing light rays of the display device into S-wave or P-wave light rays. According to a first embodiment of the invention, the optical rotatory film is formed on the front or back major surface of the platelike object or in an inside of the platelike object, and S-wave light rays from the polarizing member are thrown against the front major surface of the laminate. With this, a part of the S-wave light rays is reflected from the front major surface of the laminate toward a viewer.

Abstract: An optical display system having a lenticular array for focusing color light beams onto a plane forming a spatial mix of the colors of the beams and an optical translator for shifting the spatial mix of the colors of the plane is disclosed. The system divides white light into primary color beams. The primary color beams are directed to a lenticular array resulting in the color plane. The color plane is then reflected off a light valve and projected as a sub-frame. Multiple sub-frames, each having a permutated spatial color mix (compared to other sub-frames) are projected rapidly to generate a frame of color image.

Abstract: There is provided a catadioptric projection objective that includes (a) an object plane having a rectangular object field, and (b) a beam splitter situated in a light path after the object plane, having a rectangular surface adapted to the object field and having an aspect ratio not equal to 1.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems for, and methods of forming and applying 40 micron or greater diameter, substantially radially homogeneous, relatively high, (eg. 30-60 or greater J/cm 2), energy density, preferably 200-380 nm UV wavelength, (typically Nd-YAG Iraser produced 213 nm or 266 nm wavelength), electromagnetic radiation laser pulse(s), or equivalent in a continuous wave, to uniformly substantially purely optically ablate material from sample systems; coupled with analysis thereof in (ICP-OES), (ICP-MS), (MIP-OES), (MIP-MS) or other plasma based analysis systems, with relative freedom from calibration errors arising from element fractionation.

Abstract: An optical head assembly, method, and procedure which generates and then precisely positions multiple light beams onto a target. The system diffracts an input light source into a multiple light beam pattern, or initially generates a multiple light beam pattern, in which individual beams of the multiple light beam pattern are precisely spaced, corrected, focused and directed through a two axis plane to the target with minimal movement of any components of the optical head assembly. Such individual beams can also be individually modulated.

Abstract: Method for manufacturing a selective light splitter and recombining device that divides white light into red, green and blue light and recombines red, green and blue light independently of polarization, provides two coating systems, each reflecting and transmitting color-selectivity. A transparent base body is embedded in or is on the coating systems and at least one of the coating systems has a layer of a material with lower refractive index and at least one of a material with higher refractive index. The lower refractive index is selected so that 1.7≦NLS≦2.1 and the refractive index of the transparent base body is selected so that 1.52≧NK≧1. The method also includes determining an emergent face for the red, green and blue light, and tilting one emergent face such that it forms an angle p deviating from zero by more than is caused by fabrication tolerances for which &phgr;≦5°.

Abstract: An illumination system for wavelengths ≦193 nm comprises (a) a first raster element upon which a light bundle emitted from a light source impinges, for producing a convergent light bundle having a focal point, and (b) a second raster element. The convergent light bundle impinges on the second raster element outside the focal point. There is also provided an illumination system for wavelengths ≦193 nm, comprising (a) a first plurality of raster elements upon which a light bundle emitted from a light source impinges, for producing a plurality of convergent light bundles, where a member of the first plurality of raster elements produces a member of the plurality of convergent light bundles having a focal point, and (b) a second plurality of raster elements. The member of the plurality of convergent light bundles impinges on a member of the second plurality of raster elements outside the focal point.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system for lithography with wavelengths of ≦193 mn. The system comprises a first optical element, which is divided into first raster elements and lies in a first plane. The first plane defines an x-direction and a y-direction, the first raster elements each have an x-direction and a y-direction with an aspect ratio, and at least two of the first raster elements have aspect ratios of different magnitude.

Abstract: A thee port polarization beam splitter is disclosed which utilizes only two GRIN lenses. Two beams are split by a bireferingent crystal into two orthogonally linear polarized parallel sub-beams. The two parallel beams are redirected to converge to a single same location at an end face of the GRIN lens by a roof prism and are coupled by the same lens to two optical fibers held in a fiber tube physically coupled to the GRIN lens.

Abstract: A laser beam synthesizing member of a semiconductor laser module used as an optical amplifier that has a prism configured to correct respective optical paths of a plurality of laser beams, a beam synthesizing member configured to synthesize the plurality of laser beams once passed from the prism, and a holder member configured to integrally hold the prism and the beam synthesizing member, and where the beam synthesizing member has a first input part on which a first laser beam is incident, at least one other input part on which an other laser beam is incident, and an output part from which the first laser beam emerging from the first input part and the other laser beam emerging from the at least one other input part are multiplexed and emitted as a multiplexed laser beam.

Abstract: A laser irradiation apparatus having a low running cost compared to the conventional, and a laser irradiation method using the laser irradiation apparatus, are provided. Crystal grains having a size in the same order as, or greater than, conventional grains are formed. The cooling speed of a semiconductor film is made slower, and it becomes possible to form crystal grains having a grain size in the same order as, or greater than, the size of grains formed in the case of irradiating laser light having a long output time to the semiconductor film. This is achieved by delaying one laser light with respect to another laser light, combining the laser lights, and performing irradiation to the semiconductor film in the case of irradiating laser light using a solid state laser as a light source, which has a short output time.

Abstract: The described beam splitter (39) has a support frame (40) made of silicon that has a membrane (42) inside made of silicon. The membrane (42) has in particular openings (43) with bridges (43′) formed between them. On the side of membrane (42) facing the incident beam (47) is an aluminum coating to increase the reflectability or degree of reflection of the membrane (42). An incident beam bundle (47) contacts the beam splitter (39) at angle of incidence &phgr;. A portion (48) of the incident beam (47) is reflected off the bridges (43′), and the remaining portion (49) of the beam (47) freely passes through the openings (43). The beam is correspondingly divided into a reflective portion (48) and transmitted portion (49).

Abstract: A six sided refractive / reflective optical element controls the separation between four parallel laser beams. Two beams will be reflected off the optical element and two beams will be refracted within the optical element with each reflection and refraction being off a different side of the optical element to form four closely spaced parallel light beams.

Abstract: An optical system invention is interposed between a pupil plane and an image plane, and includes a first prism, a second prism, and a holographic element which is sandwiched between the first prism and the second prism and is cemented to these prisms. When a light beam traveling along the optical path connecting the pupil plane and the image plane through the optical system is called a first beam, the first prism has a 1-1 surface placed on the pupil side, combining the function of transmission with the function of reflection of the first beam; a 1-2 surface placed on the opposite side of the pupil with respect to the 1-1 surface; and a 1-3 surface placed on the image side, transmitting the first beam. The second prism includes a 2-1 surface having the same shape as the 1-2 surface and placed opposite thereto, transmitting the first beam at least twice, and a 2-2 surface placed on the opposite side of the pupil with respect to the 2-1 surface of the second prism, reflecting the first beam.

Abstract: An optical path splitting element for splitting a light beam from a single object into two optical paths (left and right) is made compact in size and given a power to reduce the number of components thereof. An image display apparatus uses the optical path splitting element. The left and right optical paths are not in plane symmetry with each other but in 180-degree rotational symmetry with respect to only a straight line passing through the center of the object. When a pair of reflecting surfaces (left and right) closest to the object side are defined as first reflecting surfaces and a pair of reflecting surfaces (left and right) closest to the exit side are defined as final reflecting surfaces, axial principal rays incident on the first reflecting surfaces and those exiting from the final reflecting surfaces are not coplanar with each other in either of the left and right optical paths.

Abstract: An optical turning film has a first surface including an array of prisms. The array has a plurality of first prisms, with each of the first prisms having a first prism configuration, and a plurality of second prisms, with each of the second prisms having a second prism configuration different from the first prism configuration. The optical film also has a second surface opposing the first surface, and light rays incident to the first surface are directed by the plurality of first prism and the plurality of second prisms along a direction substantially parallel to a viewing axis.

Abstract: A lightweight and homogeneous optical element exhibiting favorably weak birefringence and hygroscopicity as well as superior productivity and producing minimal chromatic aberrations is formed by using an organic-inorganic composite material having both the properties of a glass material and those of a plastic material. The optical element has at least one entrance refracting surface and at least one exit refracting surface. The optical element is formed from an organic-inorganic composite material having an inorganic phase dispersed in the three-dimensional network (matrix) of an organic phase.

Abstract: An optical device for a system presenting collimated images using a spherical mirror. The optical device makes it possible to present the user with an image corrected of off-centring distortion of a second kind due to an off-axis spherical mirror. In order to do this the optical device includes a tubular mirror whose optical characteristics ensure a high-quality image and correction of the off-centering distortion. The tubular mirror has a surface generated by the translation of a plane curve (a circular arc) along another plane curve (also a circular arc). The optical device is especially applicable to helmet sights for an aircraft pilot.

Abstract: An optical reduction system with polarization dose sensitive output for use in the photolithographic manufacture of semiconductor devices having variable compensation for reticle retardation before the long conjugate end. The variable compensation component(s) before the reticle provides accurate adjustment of the polarization state at or near the reticle. The variable compensation components can be variable wave plates, layered wave plates, opposing mirrors, a Berek's compensator and/or a Soleil-Babinet compensator. The catadioptric optical reduction system provides a relatively high numerical aperture of 0.7 capable of patterning features smaller than 0.25 microns over a 26 mm×5 mm field. The optical reduction system is thereby well adapted to a step and scan microlithographic exposure tool as used in semiconductor manufacturing. Several other embodiments combine elements of different refracting power to widen the spectral bandwidth which can be achieved.

Abstract: An optical reduction system for use in the photolithographic manufacture of semiconductor devices having one or more quarter-wave plates operating near the long conjugate end. A quarter-wave plate after the reticle provides linearly polarized light at or near the beamsplitter. A quarter-wave plate before the reticle provides circularly polarized or generally unpolarized light at or near the reticle. Additional quarter-wave plates are used to further reduce transmission loss and asymmetries from feature orientation. The optical reduction system provides a relatively high numerical aperture of 0.7 capable of patterning features smaller than 0.25 microns over a 26 mm×5 mm field. The optical reduction system is thereby well adapted to a step and scan microlithographic exposure tool as used in semiconductor manufacturing. Several other embodiments combine elements of different refracting power to widen the spectral bandwidth which can be achieved.

Abstract: This invention relates to electromagnetic wave beam paths, formation of the beam, illumination of programmable electromagnetic wave field vector orientation rotating devices (“PEMFVORD”) with an electromagnetic beam, and the technique of projection of the modulated beam. This invention also relates to a unique light path and method of forming the light into a rectangular beam to be used for optical projection systems and, more particularly, in a color and/or black and white liquid crystal device (LCD) projectors that produce high resolution, which brightness and/or three-dimensional images. This invention further relates to a device capable of receiving and displaying two-dimensional and three-dimensional images.

Abstract: A conventional interleaver, based on a stack of waveplates, relies on the orientation and the birefringence of the waveplates to differentiate the polarizations of one set of channels from another, so that the one set of channels can be separated from the other. The present invention relates to a virtual waveplate that is used to replace a birefringent waveplate. A virtual waveplate imposes a phase delay between the extraordinary ray and the ordinary ray by separating one from the other and differentiating the actual path lengths taken thereby, before recombining them. An interleaver constructed with the virtual waveplates of the present invention can be substantially a-thermal and potentially chromatic dispersion free.

Abstract: A virtual image display system is provided which comprises a non-emissive, reflective microdisplay which forms a source object; an optical system which forms a magnified, virtual image of the source object from light reflected off the microdisplay; a light source system which produces light to illuminate the display system; and an illumination system which forms at least two virtual light sources to illuminate the display system.

Abstract: A high efficiency prism is provided that directs one or more color components (e.g., red, green and blue) of light through one or more different light paths to generate a color image. One or more different embodiments of the prism are shown including several in-line embodiments, several right-angle embodiments, a high light output embodiment, an air gap embodiment and several liquid filled embodiments.

Abstract: An optical pickup device is provided with a focus error signal generating means which is adapted to calculate a first output sum signal obtained by adding together an output signal fed front one portion of the second light receiving means and an output signal fed from one portion of the third light receiving means, and to calculate a second output sum signal obtained by adding together an output signal fed from the other portion of the second light receiving leans and an output signal fed from the other portion of the third light receiving means, so as to calculate a difference between the first output sum signal and the second output sum signal, thereby producing a focus error signal.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prevent an increase of the degree of polarization of an output pumping light even if one of pumping light sources has a failure. Laser diodes (30a, 30b) are composed of FP-LDs made of InGaAsP to laser-oscillate at 1480 nm band. The outputs from the laser diodes (30a, 30b) enter a polarizing beam splitter (32) in orthogonal state of polarization and are combined there. The combined light by the polarizing beam splitter (32) enters a depolarizing element (34) and is depolarized there.

Abstract: An optical arrangement for at least partial spectral selection of light components from a polychromatic light beam (1) is configured, in the interest of multifarious spectral selection capabilities, with means of simple design in such a way that a dispersive medium (2) for spatial spectral spreading of the polychromatic light beam (1) into individual light bundles (3), and an attenuation means (5, 6) for at least partial attenuation of the intensity of one or more light bundles (3), are provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a separation prism assembly, comprising a plurality of optical lenses and a base. These optical lenses are assembled with a cross shape to form the separation prism and further to split incoming light into red, green and blue, by selectively reflecting and filtering, and these three colors are guided into each propagation direction. The base is formed by several mutually independent positioning components. These positioning components have trapezoid contours and are pasted onto the bottom of the separation prism to define the included angle between the optical lenses for setting up the relative positions thereof. An opening is formed by the surrounding area of the trapezoid's top contour and the optical lenses in order to further improve the separation prism's heat dissipation.

Abstract: A beam splitter for a digital camera splits light passed through a photographing lens into beams directed to a CCD and a finder optical system. The beam splitter includes at least one optical element provided with a beam splitting surface that is inclined with respect to an optical axis of the photographing lens, and a multi-layer film including a plurality of layers of dielectric materials is formed on the beam splitting surface. The multi-layer film is configured such that the beam splitting surface exhibits a substantially constant reflectivity at least for visible light that is incident on the beam splitting surface at any incident angle within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A microscope with incident light input coupling, wherein the light provided for the incident illumination is directed onto the partially reflecting layer of a beam splitter cube and is directed from there through the objective onto the specimen, while the light reflected and/or emitted by the specimen travels back to the partially reflecting layer and passes through the latter into the imaging beam path. In a microscope of this type, the beam splitter cube is provided with a negative spherical curvature at its outer surface facing the objective. Further, instead of the conventional tube lens, there is a combination formed of a converging lens and a diverging lens, wherein the surface curvatures of the converging lens and the diverging lens and the negative spherical curvature effected at the beam splitter cube are adapted to one another in such a way that the back-reflections of the incident illumination in the intermediate image plane are limited to a minimum.

Abstract: A display device for a helmet-mounted visual system including an intensified image-taking device and a visor to combine the intensified images and an ambient scene before the pilot's eyes. The display device also includes an optical prism whose optical aberrations (image distortions, astigmatism) are capable of compensating for the aberrations created by the visor of the helmet, on the images given to the pilot.

Abstract: A refractive optical element provides beam separation control for two or four light beams by refracting each beam from an incident surface through the optical element to be refracted from a parallel exit surface out of the optical element. The beams have closer beam to beam spacing after the refraction from the optical element than before. The incident and exit surfaces are angled relative to and symmetric around an optical axis.

Abstract: A beamsplitter, including numerous reflecting surface segments, by which a predetermined portion of an incident radiation is coupled-out, the reflecting surface segments being arranged at an angle to the incident radiation, wherein partially reflecting surface segments are provided as the reflecting surface segments, and are aligned mutually parallel and are arranged laterally displaced from each other in a plane arranged perpendicular to the incident radiation.

Abstract: A projection exposure system for microlithography includes an illuminating system (2), a reflective reticle (5) and reduction objectives (71, 72). In the reduction objective (71, 72), a first beam splitter cube (3) is provided which superposes the illuminating beam path (100) and the imaging beam path (200). In order to obtain an almost telecentric entry at the reticle, optical elements (71) are provided between beam splitter cube (3) and the reflective reticle (5). Advantageously, the reduction objective is a catadioptric objective having a beam splitter cube (3) whose fourth unused side can be used for coupling in light. The illuminating beam path (100) can also be coupled in with a non-parallel beam splitter plate. The illuminating beam path is refractively corrected in passthrough to compensate for aberrations via the special configuration of the rear side of the beam splitter plate.

Abstract: In an optical pickup device, a first light source and a second light source, light emission points of which are not on an identical optical axis, are provided. A first laser light beam and a second laser light beam, wavelengths of which are different from each other, are respectively emitted from the first and second light sources. The first and second laser light-beams reflected from an optical recording medium are diffracted based on different diffraction order, such that the diffracted first and second laser light beams are received by a common light receiving element.

Abstract: A spectrally selective light splitter divides white light into red, green and blue light or recombines white light from red, green and blue light using two separate coating systems. Each system reflects and transmits color selectively, and are applied or embedded on or in at least one transparent base body, with at least one of the coating systems is made up of at least one layer of a material with lower refractive index as well as at least one layer of a material with higher refractive index. For the lower refractive index NLS: 1.7≦NLS≦2.1 and the reflective index Nk of at least the transparent base body on which the system is applied follows the rule: 1.52≧Nk≧1.