Abstract:
A swept light source apparatus in which oscillation wavelength is continuously changeable is provided. The apparatus includes, inside a resonator (103, 109), an optical amplification medium (101) that amplifies light, a first device (106) configured to disperse light emitted from the optical amplification medium and thus produce beams having different wavelengths, a second device (107) functioning as a non- focusing optical element and configured to collimate the beams having different wavelengths resulting from the dispersion by the first device, and a selecting device (108) configured to select a beam having a specific wavelength from among the beams collimated by the second device. The beam having the specific wavelength selected by the selecting device is fed back to the optical amplification medium. The first and second device may be diffraction gratings or acousto - optical devices. The selcting device may include metal-foil ribbons (301, 302) or an acousto - optical device (108).
Abstract:
A device for detecting the displacement of an object is provided with a semiconductor laser having an active layer for emitting laser beams in two directions, mirrors for directing the laser beams toward a diffraction grating provided on the object, and a detector for receiving the interfering lights diffracted by the diffraction grating. The active layer of the semiconductor laser is arranged substantially parallel to the diffraction grating, to save space, also to enable light deflection such that the spreading direction of the light beams from the semiconductor laser coincides with the direction of pitch of the diffraction grating. The diffraction grating is irradiated with an improved efficiency, giving diffracted lights with higher intensity to the detector and improving the S/N ratio of detection. The space between the semiconductor laser and the object is reduced, thus reducing the entire volume of system.
Abstract:
An encoder includes an electrically conductive reference scale having surface steps formed at predetermined positions; an electrically conductive probe having a tip disposed opposed to the reference scale; wherein the reference scale and the probe are relatively movable in a direction different from the opposing direction of the tip of the probe and the reference scale; a portion for applying an electric voltage to between the reference scale and the probe; a portion for detecting a change in a tunnel current between the reference scale and the probe, to between which the electric voltage is applied by the voltage applying portion at the time of the relative movement between the scale and the probe, the detecting portion detecting the change in the tunnel current when the probe passes a position opposed to a surface step of the reference scale; and portion for detecting the amount of the relative movement between the scale and probe, on the basis of the detection by the change detecting portion.
Abstract:
A method and device for measuring the relative displacement between first and second diffraction gratings includes an interference optical system forming first and second interference rays of light from light diffracted from the first and second diffraction gratings and separating the first and second interference rays of light on the basis of the difference in their direction of polarization, a first detector for detecting the first interference ray of light to generate a first detection signal, a second detector for detecting the second interference ray of light to generate a second detection signal, and signal processing section for detecting the phase difference between the first and second detection signals and for determining the relative displacement between the first and second diffraction gratings on the basis of the phase difference.
Abstract:
A device for measuring a moving distance of two relatively moving objects includes a first diffraction grating provided on one of the two objects and disposed along the relatively moving direction of the two objects, and a measuring portion provided on the other object. The measuring portion includes a second diffraction grating, a light source and a photodetecting system, wherein the light source provides lights which are projected upon two points on the second diffraction grating so that they emanate from the two points in the form of diffraction lights having different diffraction orders. The diffraction lights are directed to the same point on the first diffraction grating and are diffracted again by the first diffraction grating so that they are emitted in the same direction, and the photodetecting system is operable to detect a change in the light intensity caused due to the interference of the two lights emanating from the first diffraction grating. The device further includes a detecting system for detecting the relative moving distance of the two objects on the basis of the detection by the photodetecting.
Abstract:
A device for measuring a moving distance of two relatively moving objects includes a first diffraction grating provided on one of the two objects and disposed along the relatively moving direction of the two objects, and a measuring portion provided on the other object. The measuring portion includes a second diffraction grating, a light source and a photodetecting system, wherein the light source provides lights which are projected upon two points on the second diffraction grating so that they emanate from the two points in the form of diffraction lights having different diffraction orders. The diffraction lights are directed to the same point on the first diffraction grating and are diffracted again by the first diffraction grating so that they are emitted in the same direction, and the photodetecting system is operable to detect a change in the light intensity caused due to the interference of the two lights emanating from the first diffraction grating. The device further includes a detecting system for detecting the relative moving distance of the two objects on the basis of the detection by the photodetecting.
Abstract:
A position detecting system includes a light source device for providing coherent light, an incoherence-transforming device for transforming the coherent light from the light source device, into incoherent light, an optical system for dividing the incoherent light from the incoherence-transforming device, wherein one of divided light beams is directed to illuminate a target upon a surface of an object while another of divided light beams is directed to be reflected by a surface which is optically conjugate with the surface of the object, and wherein light from the target and light reflected by the conjugate surface are re-combined, an image pickup device for producing an imagewise signal corresponding to the target on the basis of the light re-combined by the optical system, wherein positional information related to a position of the target with respect to a direction along the surface of the object can be produced on the basis of the imagewise signal, and an image contrast adjusting device for adjusting image contrast of an image of a portion close to the target, as picked up by the image pickup device.