Nec Corporation

Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Shojiro Kawakami

Hideo Kosaka

Tetsuya Ogata

It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical module which can extract only light components satisfying predetermined conditions, and an imaging device comprising the optical module. The optical module () comprises a first plate-like optical element () formed with a &#xbc; wavelength plate portion () and a &#x2212;&#xbc; wavelength plate portion () alternately jointed together at a joint portion (), and a second plate-like optical element () formed with a &#xbc; wavelength plate portion () and a &#x2212;&#xbc; wavelength plate portion () alternately jointed together at a joint portion (), wherein the first plate-like optical element () and the second plate-like optical element () are parallel, and the &#xbc; wavelength plate portion () of the first plate-like optical element () and the &#x2212;&#xbc; wavelength plate portion () of the second plate-like optical element () are overlapped across a gap ().

Optical module and imaging device

Disclosed herein is a self-waveguide optical circuit for forming optical paths by propagating rays or electromagnetic waves comprising: photonic crystals having a dielectric constant periodic structure or a dielectric constant semi-periodic structure having a period substantially corresponding to a wavelength of propagation rays, and optical paths formed by establishing a crystal direction of the photonic crystal to level the dispersion surface of the photonic crystal for obtaining a bundle of parallel rays. In accordance with the present invention, elevation of characteristics such as miniaturization, high integration, high speed operation and transmission efficiency can be obtained because a bundle of parallel rays can be obtained without forming crooked parts having an excessive curvature radius.

Self-waveguide optical circuit

A wavelength dividing circuit which realizes improved device characteristics and performance, such as a small size, high speed and high transmission efficiency and which lends itself to improved integration degree. A wavelength dividing circuit in which materials of different refractive indices are arrayed periodically, without forming individual waveguides as in conventional AWG, in order to create strong wavelength dispersion characteristics not possible with an ordinary optical crystal to control wavelength deviation. A substrate,having atomic mediums,buried in a background medium,in a two-dimensional triangular array has its both sides sandwiched by a first clad,and a second clad,Optical signals fall on an incident surface inclined at a certain angle relative to the light incident direction and is radiated from a light outgoing surface,The interval between neighboring atomic mediums,is designed in meeting with the wavelength of the optical signals, while the thickness of the substrate,is designed so that the optical signals are sufficiently confined in the substrate,and so that the light proceeding direction is not significantly deviated from the substrate surface.

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Miyagi, Japan

Shojiro Kawakami