Abstract: A rigid adaptor ring for coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatched optical device components is disclosed. In one embodiment, either side of the rigid adaptor ring includes one or more mounting pads that are configured to interface between the CTE mismatched optical device components.

Abstract: An image capturing module includes an image sensing unit, a housing frame, an actuator structure and a reflecting material. The image sensing unit includes an image sensing chip having a first horizontal top surface. The reflecting material is temporarily placed on the movable lens assembly of the actuator structure. The reflecting material has a second horizontal top surface. The distance from the laser light source to the first horizontal top surface is defined as a first horizontal distance, the distance from the laser light source to the second horizontal top surface is defined as a second horizontal distance, and a predetermined fixed focusing distance from the second horizontal top surface to the first horizontal top surface is obtained by subtracting the second horizontal distance from the first horizontal distance, for shortening the focusing time of the movable lens assembly relative to the image sensing chip.

Abstract: A light blocking plate is adapted for being installed on a lens wherein the lens has an optical portion and a positioning portion surrounding the optical portion. The light blocking plate includes an annular body which is formed with a through hole at a central portion thereof. The annular body has a first face and a second face. The annular body has an inner rim and an outer rim. The through hole is defined by the inner rim. One of the first face and the second face is adapted for being disposed on the positioning portion of the lens. The inner rim is formed with a plurality of notches so that the inner rim has a contour which is not smooth circular. Thus, halo disturbance can be reduced.

Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light source and a lens. The lens includes a light transmissive portion and an optic shield portion for blocking or redirecting at least a portion of light generated by the light source. The light source can include one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs). The optic shield can be painted on or otherwise applied to a portion of the lens. Alternatively, it can be integrally formed with the lens. The optic shield can be an opaque material for blocking light generated by the light source or can be a reflective material for reflecting light generated by the light source through the light transmissive portion of the lens. Methods for making an optic shield are also described.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: a movable lens unit including at least one lens for converging light from a subject and a lens holder supporting the at least one lens; a body base supporting the movable lens unit so as to be capable of moving along a first direction and a second direction which are orthogonal to each other on a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the at least one lens and along a third direction which is parallel to the optical axis of the at least one lens; an imager being supported by the body base for converting light transmitted through the movable lens unit to an electrical signal; a driving mechanism being provided on the movable unit and/or body base for driving the movable lens unit along the first, second, and third directions; and a plurality of strain detectors provided between the movable unit and the body base.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a springless athermal lens assembly. In one embodiment, a spacer of a springless athermal lens assembly may compensate for defocus of the camera system due to thermal expansion of the lens assembly through micro wedge mechanisms coupling the spacer to an inner and outer barrel. The inner barrel comprises a lens cell assembly and a body having a micro wedge slot. The outer barrel comprises a body having a micro wedge slot. The spacer comprises an inner barrel micro wedge and an outer barrel micro wedge. The spacer is configured to be physically coupled to the inner barrel through engagement of the inner barrel micro wedge and the inner barrel micro wedge slot. Further, the spacer is configured to be physically coupled to the outer barrel through the engagement of the outer barrel micro wedge and the outer barrel micro wedge slot.

Abstract: There is provided an optical element unit comprising an optical element, a connector element, and an optical element holder. The optical element has a plane of main extension as well as an outer circumference and defines a radial direction. The connector element connects the optical element and the optical element holder, the connector element having a first connector part connected to the optical element at the outer circumference and a second connector part connected to the optical element holder. The first connector part and the second connector part are connected via at least one coupling part, the coupling part being compliant in the radial direction and substantially preventing rotation between the first connector part and the second connector part in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of main extension.

Abstract: A lens unit may include at least four lens groups and a tube-shaped holder holding the lens groups. The tube-shaped holder is provided with a second lens group holding part provided with a protruded part surrounding an outer peripheral end part of the second lens group through a gap space and the protruded part is provided with a caulked part which is deformed so as to cover the outer peripheral end part from the object side. The protruded part may be provided with a thick portion and a thin portion extended to the front side from the thick portion and the thin portion is caulked by being plastically deformed to be the caulked part. After the second lens group is mounted on an inner side to the protruded part, the position of the second lens group is adjusted and then a caulked part is formed.

Abstract: A lens cap for an optical module includes: a barrel of a metal material; and a press lens of glass and held in the barrel. The coefficient of linear expansion of the glass is 6 to 8 ppm/K, and the coefficient of linear expansion of the metal material is at least 10 ppm/K at 150° C. to 800° C. and no more than 8 ppm/K at up to 100° C. or below.

Abstract: A pattern projector, comprising a light source, configured to emit a beam of light. A transparent substrate, which has a pair of mutually-opposed planar surfaces is configured to receive and propagate the beam within the substrate by total internal reflection between the planar surfaces. The transparent substrate comprises a diffractive structure that is formed on one of the planar surfaces and is configured to direct at least a part of the beam to propagate out of the substrate in a direction that is angled away from the surface and to create a pattern comprising multiple interleaved light and dark areas.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for providing passive correction for thermal effects on a mounted mechanical component. Further disclosed is a wafer inspection system employing the passive thermal effect correction apparatus.

Abstract: An optical module and a manufacturing method thereof are provided which can improve positioning accuracy between parts. A barrel and a lens holder are prepared, the lens holder is fitted into a cylindrical portion from a collar portion side of the barrel, and the barrel and the lens holder are assembled. In this case, the barrel and the lens holder are assembled with a brazing material inserted therebetween. The assembled barrel and lens holder are heated, and the brazing material is melted to thereby perform brazing. Lens glass is sandwiched between metal dies and a lens is press-molded using a pressing apparatus. In this case, positioning of press molding is performed using the barrel for which a small linear expansion coefficient is set as a reference.

Abstract: A lens cap for an optical module includes: a barrel of a metal material; and a press lens of glass and held in the barrel. The coefficient of linear expansion of the glass is 6 to 8 ppm/K, and the coefficient of linear expansion of the metal material is at least 10 ppm/K at 150° C. to 800° C. and no more than 8 ppm/K at up to 100° C. or below.

Abstract: Lens assemblies including a substrate and a plurality of mechanically isolated lenses coupled to the substrate are disclosed. The substrate may have a low coefficient of thermal expansion. Optical connectors including the lens assemblies described herein, as well as methods of fabricating a lens assembly, are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a lens assembly includes a substrate having a first surface, and a lens layer including a plurality of lenses. A coefficient of thermal expansion of the substrate is different from a coefficient of thermal expansion of the plurality of lenses. The lens layer is coupled to the first surface of the substrate, and each lens of the plurality of lenses is mechanically isolated from adjacent lenses of the plurality of lenses by gap regions within the lens layer.

Abstract: A thermally compensated optical subassembly having a rotationally symmetrical optical element and a monolithic mount with a rotationally symmetrical mounting ring, having an axis of symmetry, and at least three connection units. The optical element communicates with the mounting ring via the connection units, so as to be secured against tilting and fixed with respect to torsion. The connection units, in each instance, have three couplers which have a determined length ratio with respect to one another and are connected to one another and to the mounting ring and optical element such that defined conditions are met.

Abstract: A mirror assembly (32) for directing a beam (28) includes a base (450), and an optical element (454) that includes (i) a mirror (460), (ii) a stage (462) that retains the mirror (460), (iii) a mover assembly (464) that moves the stage (462) and the mirror (460) relative to the base (450), and (v) a thermally conductive medium (466) that is positioned between the stage (462) and the base (450) to transfer heat between the stage (462) and the base (450). The thermally conductive medium (466) has a thermal conductivity that is greater than the thermal conductivity of air. The thermally conductive medium (466) can include an ionic fluid or a liquid metal.

Abstract: A mount for a mountable element includes a frame, and a plurality of flexures supported by the frame. The plurality of flexures are configured to be outwardly extended against a restorative bias, so that the element can be inserted therebetween. The mount further includes a plurality of intermediate bonds that may be inserted between the plurality of flexures and the element while the plurality of flexures are outwardly extended. Among other things, a system and method mounting the element are also disclosed.

Abstract: An active optical device is provided. The active optical device includes an optically variable layer having a refractive index which changes according to temperature; and a temperature control unit that controls a temperature of one or more regions of the optically variable layer.

Abstract: An optical transmission module includes a light source element for emitting a predetermined light signal transmitted through an optical fiber, the light source element having lower characteristics in a low-temperature state than those in a high-temperature state, a driver circuit for driving the light source element, and a heat transfer member connected to each of the light source element and the driver circuit to transfer heat between the light source element and the driver circuit. The optical transmission module with such configuration can stably operate in a wide temperature range while achieving power saving and cost reduction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lens barrel applicable to digital cameras, image pickup devices and cell phones. The lens barrel is small, low-cost and high-performance, and can suppress, by means of a simple mechanism provided in the lens barrel, a variation in the focal position of the lens barrel caused by the change in temperature. The lens barrel comprises a lens group consisting of a plurality of lenses and a lens chamber for holding the lens group. An elastic member is provided between a set of adjacent lenses of the lens group, for urging the set of adjacent lenses in an optical axis direction of the lenses.

Abstract: The illustrative embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus and method that is capable of non-contact cooling of a hot body by optically-enhanced radiation. An apparatus in accordance with the illustrative embodiment includes a cold body and an optical system. The optical system couples the cold body to a hot body for the transmission of infrared radiation. Once optically coupled, heat will flow, at an enhanced rate, from the hot body to the cold body, as dictated by thermodynamics, thereby cooling the hot body. In some embodiment, the temperature of the cold body is held substantially constant.

Abstract: A lens-mounting structure according to the present invention is a lens mounting structure that glues a lens and a mounting surface of a support portion that supports the lens using an adhesive agent applied there between, to mount the lens to the support portion, characterized by setting a gluing surface area of the mounting surface of the support portion and the adhesive agent to be smaller than a gluing surface area of the lens and the adhesive agent.

Abstract: A control method is provided for controlling a heating of a thermal optical element, the thermal optical element having a matrix of heater elements. The method includes stabilizing a nominal temperature of the thermal optical element with a feedback loop to control the heating of heater elements; providing a desired temperature profile of the thermal optical element by a set point signal; determining a feedforward control of the heater elements from the set point signal; and forwardly feeding an output of the feedforward control into the feedback loop.

Abstract: The invention relates to a passive mechanical athermalization device, comprising: a barrel (1) that is made of a first material having a first thermal expansion coefficient (11) and that has a longitudinal axis (AA), said barrel comprising at least one first portion (11) and at least one second portion (12), the device being characterized in that it comprises: at least three beams (7) made of the first material, each of the beams (7) circumferentially connecting the first portion (11) and the second portion (12) relative to the longitudinal axis (AA); at least three bars (8) made of a second material having a second thermal expansion coefficient (12) that is different from the first thermal expansion coefficient, circumferentially distributed around the barrel (1) relative to the longitudinal axis (AA), each bar (8) axially connecting the first portion (11) and the second portion (12) relative to the longitudinal axis (AA) such that the thermal expansion of the barrel (1) results in a deformation of the beams

Abstract: An optical instrument with temperature-related focal length variations compensation mechanism is provided herein. The optical instrument includes: a housing within a bore of the optical instrument, wherein the bore and the housing have each a distal end and a proximal end; a set of lenses located on a common optical axis and affixed within the housing, wherein the set of lenses is associated with a specified focal length for each specified temperature; and a temperature compensation member connecting the distal end of the housing to the distal end of the bore of the optical instrument, wherein the temperature compensation member comprises one or more sections whose thermal expansion coefficient and length along the optical axis are selected such that for a specified range of temperatures, the expansion of the temperature compensation member along the optical axis compensates for a change of the focal length of the lenses.

Abstract: A two-axis, optical mount provides two flexural elements monolithically and homogeneously formed of a single material with, and interconnecting, three rigid segments. Between each pair of rigid segments, beginning with the first and second, a set of extensions is formed to have a cross section that permits simple, easy, independent adjustment therebetween. Likewise, a flexural element exists between the second and third rigid elements. Meanwhile, the rigid elements have section moduli sufficiently great as to be orders of magnitude larger than the flexural stiffness or section modulus of the flexural elements, thus providing flexures that operate in the elastic mode and introduce no joint type accuracy errors in adjustment.

Abstract: A method for assembling a lens module includes the following steps. Firstly, a lens barrel, at least one optical element, a spacer ring, and a fixing ring are provided. The spacer ring includes an annular projection along a circumference of the spacer ring. The fixing ring includes a annular pipe and glue received in the pipe. The film is made of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. Secondly, the at least one optical element and the spacer ring are put into the barrel, with an annular groove defined between the projection and the barrel. Thirdly, the fixing ring is placed in the groove. Fourthly, the fixing ring is heated and the film is melted to let the glue fill the groove. Finally, the glue is cured to fix the spacer ring and the at least one optical element in the barrel.

Abstract: A holding apparatus includes a structure and configured to hold an object so that a distance from a reference point of the structure to a reference point of the object in a direction along a reference axis is kept at a constant value. The holding apparatus further includes a plurality of holding members, each supported by the structure, including an inclined surface that is inclined relative to a plane orthogonal to the reference axis, and configured to hold the object via the inclined surface. The inclined surfaces are inclined so that the distance falls within a tolerance even if temperature of the object and the plurality of holding members change.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes techniques for testing optical devices in a manner that, in some implementations, simulates the environment in which the devices will be used when they are integrated into the end-product or system. For example, one aspect includes providing a transparent sheet that is positioned near the optical device in a manner that simulates at least some aspects of the environment when the device is incorporated into the end-product or system. The testing can be performed, for example, while the optical devices are in production or at some other time prior to their being integrated into an end-product or system.

Abstract: A lens system includes: a lens unit; a drive unit driving the lens unit in an optical axis direction; a detector detecting a position of the lens unit; a lens operation unit that operates driving of the lens unit; and a computing unit that computes a positional command value for controlling driving of the lens unit based on a signal input from the lens operation unit and controls driving of the lens unit; a time setting unit; and a threshold setting unit setting a positional difference threshold for switching the first and second current values set in the drive unit. When the difference between the positional command value and the lens position is larger than the positional difference threshold and duration after the second current value is set has not exceeded the high-current maximum time, the second current value is set. In other cases, the first current value is set.

Abstract: An apparatus for immersion lithography that includes an imaging lens which has a front surface, a fluid-containing wafer stage for supporting a wafer that has a top surface to be exposed positioned spaced-apart and juxtaposed to the front surface of the imaging lens, and a fluid that has a refractive index between about 1.0 and about 2.0 filling a gap formed in-between the front surface of the imaging lens and the top surface of the wafer. A method for immersion lithography can be carried out by flowing a fluid through a gap formed in-between the front surface of an imaging lens and a top surface of a wafer. The flow rate and temperature of the fluid can be controlled while particulate contaminants are filtered out by a filtering device.

Abstract: The image projection apparatus projects an image onto a projection surface through a projection optical system including a focus element (104) movable in an optical axis direction. The apparatus includes a shift mechanism that moves the projection optical system in a shift direction including a directional component orthogonal to the optical axis direction so as to move a position of the projected image on the projection surface, a shift position detector that detects a shift position of the projection optical system moved by the shift mechanism, a temperature detector that detects a temperature, and a controller that moves the focus element. The controller moves the focus element depending on the temperature detected by the temperature detector and on the shift position detected by the shift position detector.

Abstract: A laser scan unit for an imaging apparatus, including an optical paths having a plurality of optical components for directing and focusing a light beam. A component mounting mechanism is employed having a first member which is substantially fixed and resistant to movement, and a second member having an end portion which flexibly moves in response to forces acting thereon that are generated by changes in temperature due to differences in thermal expansion between the component and the first and second members.

Abstract: A lens barrel comprises an optical system forming an optical image of a subject, a tube supporting at least one lens included in the optical system, a fixed member disposed on an outer peripheral side of the tube, the fixed member including a wall formed along an outer peripheral face of the tube, an electrical part disposed on an inner peripheral side of the tube, and a flexible printed cable electrically connected to the electrical part. The tube is incorporated into the fixed member by being moved in a specific direction. The wall includes a slit with an inclination of 45 degrees or less with respect to the specific direction, the slit is open at one end in the specific direction. The flexible printed cable is guided to an inner face of the wall and pulled out through the slit to outside of the fixed member.

Abstract: A lens support frame includes an annular body portion; a large diameter lens holding groove on an inner peripheral surface of the body portion which is open on one side; a small diameter lens holding groove formed on an inner peripheral surface of the body portion and is open on the one side; and large-diameter-groove and small-diameter-groove lens-bonding depressions formed on inner peripheral surfaces of a large diameter lens holding groove and the small diameter lens holding groove, respectively, and allow an adhesive to be injected into the large-diameter-groove and small-diameter-groove lens-bonding depressions through end openings thereof on the one side, the end opening of the small-diameter-groove lens-bonding depression being communicatively connected with the large-diameter-groove lens-bonding depression. Circumferential positions of the large-diameter-groove and small-diameter-groove lens-bonding depressions are mutually different.

Abstract: An optical component, for example a lens, integrally formed of a nano/nano class nanocomposite optical ceramic (NNCOC) material. The constituent nanograin materials of the NNCOC material are selected to tailor the thermal and optical properties of the lens so as to provide a lens with a substantially constant focal length over an operating temperature range and/or an optical system in which the image position does not change appreciably over the operating temperature range.

Abstract: There is provided an optical pickup actuator for actuating a lens holder having an object lens according to an interaction between coils and magnets. The optical pickup actuator includes a lens-seating portion formed on the lens holder to support the object lens and a lens guide portion protruding from the lens-seating portion to securely support the object lens. The lens guide portion has an adhesive confining groove in which adhesive can be injected to securely fix the object lens.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide thermal despace compensation for optics assemblies, such as devices including one or more lenses and/or optical devices. A thermal despace compensation system may include one or more interfaces substantially situated between optical devices that expand and contract with changing temperature according to their coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs). Each interface may be implemented with one or more shapes and/or interfaces adapted to provide a compensation despace to compensate for thermal expansion and contraction and/or reduce optical defects caused by changes in temperature of the various optical devices.

Abstract: A two-axis, optical mount provides two sets of flexural elements monolithically and homogeneously formed of a single material with, and interconnecting, three rigid segments. Between each pair of rigid segments, beginning with the first and second, a set of extensions is formed to have a cross section that permits simple, easy, independent adjustment therebetween. Likewise, a flexural set exists between the second and third rigid elements. Meanwhile, the rigid elements have section moduli sufficiently great as to be orders of magnitude larger than the flexural stiffness or section modulus of the flexures, thus providing flexures that operate in the elastic mode and introduce no joint type accuracy errors in adjustment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a supporting device that supports an optical element, comprising: a first supporting member that is fixed to an outer circumference of the optical element; a plurality of members that is connected to an outer circumference of the first supporting member; and a second supporting member that supports the first supporting member via the plurality of members, wherein each of the plurality of members is configured such that the a rigidity thereof in a first direction inclined relative to a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the optical element in a plane including the optical axis is lower than a rigidity thereof in each of two directions that are orthogonal to the first direction and that are orthogonal to each other.

Abstract: An optical module includes at least a carrying stage, at least an actuator unit and at least an optical assembly. The carrying stage has a first aperture. The actuator unit is disposed at one side of the carrying stage and has a second aperture. The optical assembly is connected with the actuator unit, and the actuator unit adjusts the position of the optical assembly. A radiated wave enters from one side of the optical module and passes through the first aperture, the second aperture and the optical assembly. A microscope with the optical module has compact size and is easily assembled and carried. The optical module and microscope can efficiently reduce the effect of ambient temperature variations so as to improve the measuring stability thereof.

Abstract: A projector includes an optical module, a lens and a heat conducting member. The heat conducting member is disposed between the optical module and the lens. The heat conducting member is used for conducting heat from the lens to the optical module.

Abstract: An optical instrument with temperature-related focal length variations compensation mechanism is provided herein. The optical instrument includes: a housing within a bore of the optical instrument, wherein the bore and the housing have each a distal end and a proximal end; a set of lenses located on a common optical axis and affixed within the housing, wherein the set of lenses is associated with a specified focal length for each specified temperature; and a temperature compensation member connecting the distal end of the housing to the distal end of the bore of the optical instrument, wherein the temperature compensation member comprises one or more sections whose thermal expansion coefficient and length along the optical axis are selected such that for a specified range of temperatures, the expansion of the temperature compensation member along the optical axis compensates for a change of the focal length of the lenses.

Abstract: Provided are a lens unit and a vehicle-mounted infrared lens unit capable of correcting a focal shift due to a temperature change without increasing the apparatus size, complicating a production process, and increasing the costs. In a vehicle-mounted infrared lens unit 4 configured such that a plurality of infrared lenses are held by a barrel 30 and a spacer 40 is interposed between two infrared lenses, a first infrared lens 10 is held sandwiched between the spacer 40 and a lens holding portion 31 of the barrel 30. The spacer 40 and the barrel 30 are formed of materials having different thermal expansion coefficients. An O-ring 60 is interposed between a lock portion 32 of the lens holding portion 31 and the first infrared lens 10. Thermal expansion of the spacer 40 allows the first infrared lens 10 to move in the axial direction against the elastic force of the O-ring 60. When the spacer 40 is shrunken, the elastic force of the O-ring 60 allows the first infrared lens 10 to move in the opposite direction.

Abstract: An optical system, such as an illumination system, includes an optical arrangement having at least one optical element and at least one heat dissipation element configured to at least partially dissipate thermal energy generated in the optical element(s) to the outside environment of the optical system. The heat dissipation element(s) is(are) arranged without direct contact with the optical element(s).

Abstract: An SMA actuation apparatus comprises a camera lens element supported on a support structure by a plurality of flexures. An SMA wire at an acute angle to the movement axis and a biasing element are connected between the support structure and the movable element. A component of the force applied by the SMA wire perpendicular to the movement axis compresses the flexures causing them to apply a force to the movable element having a component along the movement axis in the same direction as the SMA wire. An end-stop limits the movement of the movable element, and the moment applied by the end-stop to the movable element about the center of stiffness is equal to the moment applied by the SMA wire about the center of stiffness at the point when the movable element loses contact with the end-stop on contraction of the SMA wire.

Abstract: A method for thermal management of a solid immersion lens is described. In one example, a method includes applying a lens tip assembly of a solid immersion lens to a device under test, focusing an image of the device under test on an optical probe, applying a first thermally controlled fluid to a first heat exchanger thermally coupled to the objective near the lens tip assembly, applying a second thermally controlled fluid to a second heat exchanger thermally coupled to the objective farther from the lens tip assembly than the first heat exchanger, to independently alternately heat or cool a portion of the objective different from that of the first heat exchanger.

Abstract: A biasing spring is interposed between a coupling plate and a covering section while being compressed from its natural length. The biasing spring biases, by its resilient force, a lens unit toward a ?Z side to bring a surface of the lens unit at the ?Z side into contact with an abutment portion of a fixing frame section. When a temperature of an actuator is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, a biasing force of the biasing spring surpasses a force generated in the actuator, and thus the lens unit is not moved. When the actuator is heated up to a temperature equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, the lens unit is continuously moved in the +Z direction. Thereby, movement of a lens due to a change of an environmental temperature can be prevented.

Abstract: The present invention provides an exhausting structure for lens. The exhausting structure is used for being disposed and fixed between a lens and an optical apparatus. The exhausting structure is formed with an air channel. The air channel has a first opening and a second opening. A projecting outline of the first opening in a projecting direction is separated from a projecting outline of the second opening in the projecting direction. Thereby, the air channel allows air to flow therethrough. Further, an air pressure caused by the change of the temperature in the exhausting structure can be released so as to prevent the air from pressing the lens or apparatus. The exhausting structure can also prevent a light from entering into the base through the air channel.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a manufacturing method of a condensing lens for a high concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) module. A buffer layer made of silicone is added between a glass and the condensing lens for adhering the glass to the condensing lens. Because the buffer layer can be formed on the glass before adhering to the condensing lens, a higher temperature for increasing adhesion between the glass and the buffer layer can be applied. It also allows the follow-up processes to have sufficient treatment time, thereby increasing the flexibility of processing schedule.