A method of monitoring light output from at least one solid-state light source involves sensing any light produced by the at least one solid-state light source and reflected, by at least one surface spaced apart from the at least one solid-state light source, to at least one reference location spaced apart from the at least one surface. Apparatuses and uses of the apparatuses are also disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to limitation of noise on light detectors using an aperture. One example embodiment includes a system. The system includes a lens disposed relative to a scene and configured to focus light from the scene onto a focal plane. The system also includes an aperture defined within an opaque material disposed at the focal plane of the lens. The aperture has a cross-sectional area. In addition, the system includes an array of light detectors disposed on a side of the focal plane opposite the lens and configured to intercept and detect diverging light focused by the lens and transmitted through the aperture. A cross-sectional area of the array of light detectors that intercepts the diverging light is greater than the cross-sectional area of the aperture.

A device for measuring a light radiation pressure is provided which includes a torsion balance, a laser, a convex lens, and a line array detector. The laser is configured to emit a first laser beam. The convex lens is located on an optical path of the first laser beam and configured to focus the first laser beam to a surface of the reflector. The line array detector is configured to detect a reflected first laser beam reflected by the reflector. The disclosure also provides a method for measuring the light radiation pressure using the device.

Provided is a lens drive device that, using drive force from a voice coil motor, automatically carries out focusing by moving an autofocus movable unit with respect to an autofocus fixed unit in the direction of an optical axis. The lens drive unit is provided with a position detection unit that is disposed with an intervening space on the image formation side of the autofocus movable unit in the direction of the optical axis and that is for emitting light toward the autofocus movable unit, receiving reflected light that has been reflected by the autofocus movable unit, and detecting the position of the autofocus movable unit in the direction of the optical axis on the basis of the received light intensity. Part of the member displaced along with the autofocus movable unit functions as a reflective plate for reflecting light emitted from the position detection unit.

A light beam measurement device includes: a polarization measurement unit including a first measurement beam splitter provided on an optical path of a laser beam and configured to measure a polarization state of the laser beam having been partially reflected by the first measurement beam splitter; a beam profile measurement unit including a second measurement beam splitter provided on the optical path of the laser beam and configured to measure a beam profile of the laser beam having been partially reflected by the second measurement beam splitter; and a laser beam-directional stability measurement unit configured to measure a stability in a traveling direction of the laser beam, while the first measurement beam splitter and the second measurement beam splitter are made of a material containing CaF.sub.2.

An optical sensor arrangement comprises an optoelectronic device covered by a cover arrangement and being configured to emit or detect at least electromagnetic radiation with a first wavelength through an aperture of the cover arrangement. The optical sensor arrangement further comprises a mirror arrangement arranged between the optoelectronic device and the aperture and comprising a wavelength selective mirror with a passband and a stopband. The passband includes a first wavelength range including the first wavelength, the stopband includes a second wavelength range corresponding to visible light or vice versa.

A device for determining a focus position of a laser beam in a laser machining system includes an optical element configured to reflect a portion of the laser beam for coupling out a first sub-beam of the laser beam, a spatially resolving sensor to which the first sub-beam can be directed, and an evaluation unit configured to determine a focus position of the laser beam based on an actual diameter of the first sub-beam incident on the spatially resolving sensor, a laser beam power, and calibration data.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for providing on-board electromagnetic radiation sensing using beam splitting in a radiation sensing apparatus. The radiation sensing apparatuses can include a micro-mirror chip including a plurality of light reflecting surfaces. The apparatuses can also include an image sensor including an imaging surface. The apparatuses can also include a beamsplitter unit located between the micro-mirror chip and the image sensor. The beamsplitter unit can include a beamsplitter that includes a partially-reflective surface that is oblique to the imaging surface and the micro-mirror chip. The apparatuses can also include an enclosure configured to enclose at least the beamsplitter and a light source. With the apparatuses, the light source can be attached to a printed circuit board (PCB). Also, the enclosure can include an inner surface that has an angled reflective surface that is configured to reflect light from the light source in a direction towards the beamsplitter.

A mode of a spectrometer according to the present invention includes a spectrum measurement unit (11, 12) configured to repeatedly measure a spectrum over a predetermined wavelength range for measurement target light that is laser light; a peak counting unit (21, 22) configured to, every time a spectrum is obtained by the spectrum measurement unit, detect a peak from the spectrum and count the number of detected peaks; and a display processing unit (24) configured to display a numerical value of a peak counting result by the peak counting unit on a screen of a display unit in real time. With the spectrometer of the above mode, adjustment and the like of the multimode laser oscillator can be efficiently and accurately performed.

An object detector and a sensing apparatus are provided. The object detector includes a light source, a light deflector configured to deflect light emitted from the light source, and a photodetector configured to detect the light that is deflected by the light deflector and then is reflected at an object, where the light deflector includes a plurality of reflection planes that rotate on a rotation axis, the reflection planes are oblique to the rotation axis and are rotationally symmetrical about the rotation axis, and the light that is emitted from the light source enters the light deflector in a direction parallel to the rotation axis. The sensing apparatus includes the object detector, and a monitoring controller configured to determine whether an object is present, and obtain movement information of the object including at least one of moving direction and moving speed of the object.