An optical system is provided including a light source configured to emit a light; and a polarizing splitting multiplexing device including a first prism configured to split the light into two polarized light beams having different optical path lengths, and a second prism configured to combine the two polarized light beams. The first prism includes a first reflective surface and a first polarization splitting surface facing the first reflective surface, and the second prism includes a second reflective surface and a second polarization splitting surface facing the second reflective surface.

A method and a projector for projecting an image pixel by pixel includes a control unit controlling a light diode device for emitting visible light, pixel by pixel, in accordance with the image to be projected and controlling an infrared diode device for emitting infrared radiation pixel by pixel based on the image to be projected and on a back radiation model, in such a way that a setpoint back radiation intensity measuring signal to be expected pixel by pixel for the actual back radiation intensity measuring signal has a predetermined value for predetermined pixels; and a radiation intensity detection device detecting pixel by pixel a back radiation intensity of reflected visible light and reflected infrared radiation and generating pixel by pixel an actual back radiation intensity measuring signal based on the detected back radiation intensities.

A laser optical device is provided with a plurality of laser light sources, a collimating lens that has an optical axis that intersects a line connecting the plurality of laser light sources in a plan view viewed from a direction perpendicular to both this line and the optical axis and collimates lights respectively emitted from the plurality of laser light sources, and a deflecting element that deflects a plurality of lights emitted from the collimating lens so output lights where the lights respectively emitted from the plurality of laser light sources are optically processed make contact.

A projective MEMS device, including: a fixed supporting structure made at least in part of semiconductor material; and a number of projective modules. Each projective module includes an optical source, fixed to the fixed supporting structure, and a microelectromechanical actuator, which includes a mobile structure and varies the position of the mobile structure with respect to the fixed supporting structure. Each projective module further includes an initial optical fiber, which is mechanically coupled to the mobile structure and optically couples to the optical source according to the position of the mobile structure.

A light modulator according to the invention includes an optical waveguide formed of a material having an electro-optic effect, a buffer layer formed on the optical waveguide, and a pair of electrodes formed on the buffer layer, the width in the direction, in which the pair of electrodes are opposed to each other, of the buffer layer located on the side of the electrodes opposed to the optical waveguide is smaller than the width in the direction, in which the pair of electrodes are opposed to each other, of the buffer layer located on the optical waveguide side.

A stereoscopic image display apparatus including: an optical device having an n (n≧2) number of regions provided corresponding to the n number of parallax images, respectively, each region being capable of diffusing a coherent light beam; an irradiation unit to irradiate the optical device with a coherent light beam to scan the n number of the regions; a spatial light modulator that is illuminated with a coherent light beam incident on each of positions of the optical device and then diffused, to generate a modulated image corresponding to each of the n number of regions, in sync with the scanning of the n number of regions with the coherent light beam; and a projection optical system to project the n number of parallax images generated by the modulated image onto one plane to superimpose the parallax images on one another on the one plane at different angles.

A light deflector is provided including a mirror unit having a light reflection plane, a movable frame to support the mirror unit, a support frame disposed to surround the movable frame, a pair of serpentine beams each disposed between the movable frame and the support frame on both sides of the movable frame to form a turning shape, each of the serpentine beams having one end attached to the support frame, and another end attached to the movable frame, and a vibration damper provided on a portion that moves due to deformation of the serpentine beams caused by application of voltage being transferred.

An image display device includes a light source, a screen, an optical system, a screen driving mechanism unit, a memory unit, and a screen driving circuit unit. An image is formed on the screen by being irradiated with light from the light source. The screen driving mechanism unit moves the screen in an optical axis direction of the light. A smoothed movement profile is obtained by smoothing a movement profile used as a target for moving the screen so as to make a moving speed of the screen vary gently. The memory unit stores screen driving waveform information that has been generated so that the screen follows the smoothed movement profile. The screen driving circuit unit drives the screen driving mechanism unit, based on the screen driving waveform information stored in the memory unit.

In some aspects, the present disclosure is directed to, among other things, a device. The device may include a mirror with a first material and a pivoting system with a second material. The fracture toughness of the second material may be at least 20 M-Pa(m.sup.1/2). The pivoting system may be configured to pivot the mirror around an axis.

An image display apparatus includes a laser light source unit configured to output a luminous flux, a scanning mirror unit configured to reflect the luminous flux by reciprocating driving in a main-scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction, a light source driving unit configured to drive the light source unit based on image data, a bit shift processing unit configured to adjust a brightness value of a pixel included in the image date, and a dimming processing unit configured to perform control in such a manner that a brightness value of a pixel included in the image data is not displayed as zero with respect to the image data subjected to dimming processing by the bit shift processing unit according to a predetermined rule.