Abstract:
A diffractive optical element has a diffraction grating formed by periodic depressions and projections on the surface of a substrate and a dielectric multilayer film on the diffraction grating. The materials of the respective layers of the film are chosen such that the depth of the depressions is an integral multiple of the sum of the thickness of the layers in one period of the film. As a result, individual layers of the film are continuous across multiple depressions and projections, to provide improved first-order reflectance.
Abstract:
An optical device for making light converge produces a convergent light beam with a satisfactorily great numerical aperture and acceptably small aberrations. The optical device has a plurality of diffraction gratings that each make light converge. The light shone into the optical device is passed through one after another of those diffraction gratings in such a way that the light is made to converge to a higher degree every time it passes through one of the diffraction gratings. The diffraction gratings may be all transmissive, all reflective, or a combination of both. The diffraction gratings are formed on a surface of or at an interface inside the optical device, and two diffraction gratings may be formed on a single surface. The light is made to eventually converge on the exit surface of the optical device so that the optical device functions as a solid immersion device.
Abstract:
An objective lens system for optical pickups performing at least one of reading and writing of information by condensing a luminous flux from a light source on an information recording medium, has the following two lens elements from a light source side: a first lens element having a first surface convex to the light source side and a second surface convex to the light source side; and a second lens element having a third surface convex to the light source side and a plane fourth surface, wherein the first surface is an aspherical surface.
Abstract:
An optical module has a substrate, a waveguide, formed on the substrate, for guiding light, and a photonic crystal portion that has media having different refractive indices arranged in a periodic pattern and that is disposed in a channel of the waveguide on the substrate. Here, the photonic crystal and the substrate are integrally formed. The formation comprises the steps of forming an aluminum film on the top of a conductive substrate, forming a protective film on the aluminum film, removing the protective film from a predetermined area to form a window over the predetermined area, anodizing the aluminum film exposed through the window to form photonic crystals, removing the protective film, cladding the bottom of the substrate and forming a core layer over the cladded bottom.
Abstract:
An image forming apparatus includes a laser beam scanning unit adapted for scanning laser beams on a surface of a charged image bearing member (5). The laser beam scanning unit (53) comprises a semiconductor laser array (21) having a plurality of light emitting portions (21a) and a rotating polygon mirror adapted for deflecting laser beams emitted from the light emitting portions to the image bearing member (5). The light emitting portions (21a) are disposed two-dimensionally on a surface of the semiconductor laser array. The lighting and the amount of light of the light emitting portions (21a) are discretely controlled by a control unit. The scanning unit further includes a collimator lens having a focal length fc, where a distance between a most spaced two of the plurality of light emitting portions is .delta. max, and fc/.delta. max is 25 or more.
Abstract:
To provide an optical scanner for typical use with laser beam printers that is capable of effective correction of aberrational characteristics and which also produces a constant beam spot size, a semiconductor laser array 1 having a plurality of light-emitting portions issues a plurality of beams, which are reflected and deflected by reflecting surfaces of rotating polygonal mirror 5 and pass through imaging lens 6 to form a plurality of beam spots on the surface to be scanned 7. Both the entrance and exit surfaces of imaging lens 6 are such that the curvatures in the sub- and main scanning directions are independent of each other, with the curvature in the sub-scanning direction varying continuously in the main scanning direction over the effective area of imaging lens 6.
Abstract:
An optical scanner that has a simple construction and which yet exhibits satisfactory imaging performance under varying temperature conditions. Of the two orthogonal scanning cross sections of scanning optics (i.e., the main and sub-scanning cross sections), the one that involves the greater movement of the image plane due to the temperature-dependent changes in optical characteristics (e.g. the variation in the operating wavelength of a light source, the index variation of a lens material and the thermal expansion of a lens itself) is adapted to be the same as the other cross section that involves the greater movement of the image plane due to the change in the distance from the light source to a collimator lens. If necessary, additional correction is effected in such a way that the scanning cross section that involves the greater overall movement of the image plane after correction for temperature changes is adapted to be different from the cross section that involves the greater amount of optical field curvature.
Abstract:
A laser beam scanning unit (53) adapted for scanning laser beams on a surface of a charged image bearing member (5) is provided. The laser beam scanning apparatus (53) comprises a semiconductor laser array (21) having a plurality of light emitting portions (21a) and a rotating polygon mirror (3) adapted for deflecting laser beams emitted from the light emitting portions to the image bearing member (5). The light emitting portions (21a) are disposed two-dimensionally on a surface of the semiconductor laser array. The lighting and the amount of light of the light emitting portions (21a) are discretely controlled by a control unit (60).
Abstract:
An optical scanner for use in laser beam printers and the like which is particularly satisfactory in imaging characteristics. A light beam from a semiconductor laser passes through a collimator lens, an aperture diaphragm and a cylindrical lens. The beam is then deflected by a rotating lens mirror and subjected to the focusing action of an imaging lens so that it is focused to form a beam spot, which scans over a scan surface as the beam is deflected. The imaging lens has aspheric surfaces in the main-scanning cross section and is designed so that the rate of change in its curvature and other relevant parameters satisfy a predetermined equation so as to lie within a predetermined range.
Abstract:
To enable scanning by a light beam with a single unit of rotating optics, a light beam issuing from semiconductor laser 1 is launched into rotating lens mirror 3 through entrance face S.sub.1, thence directed to reflecting face S.sub.2, whereby it is deflected to leave the lens mirror 3 through exit face S.sub.3 and form a spot that scans over the imaging plane.