Optical filter, method of manufacturing optical filter, optical system, and imaging apparatus

• US 7,411,729 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2005
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Iyama, Noriyuki, Toyohara, Nobuyoshi, Hosokawa, Kazuyuki, Kawamata, Ken, Sakamoto, Joji
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen; Stephone B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chapel; Derek S
• Application Number:
  US11/196,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20060291061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 359/354
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/004 having four lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/009 having zoom function
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/282 reflecting for infrared and transparent for visible light, e.g. heat reflectors, laser protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

An optical system includes a plurality of optical elements having finite refractive power and an electronic imaging device disposed at an image side of the optical system. At least one of the plurality of optical elements is made of resin, and an infrared-cut coating is applied to at least one face of the optical element that is made of resin.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a zoom optical system including a plurality of optical elements having refractive power;

an electronic imaging device disposed at an image side of the optical system; and

infrared-cut coatings applied to a plurality of faces of the optical elements;

wherein at least one of the plurality of optical elements, to the faces of which the infrared-cut coatings are applied, moves when zooming; and

wherein when the focal length of the zoom optical system is at a wide-angle end, the average value of incident angles of a chief ray at a maximum image height with respect to each surface face to which the infrared-cut coating is applied is smaller than an incident angle with respect to at least one surface face to which the infrared-cut coating is not applied.

2. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the infrared-cut coatings are applied to a plurality of refractive surfaces.

3. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the infrared-cut coatings are applied to at least three faces.

4. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of layers in the infrared-cut coating applied to at least one face is 25 or less.

5. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of layers of the infrared-cut coating applied to at least one face is 15 or less.

6. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of layers of the infrared-cut coating applied to at least one face is 5 or more.

7. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the infrared-cut coatings are applied to faces of different optical elements.

8. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmittance of the entire optical system on an optical axis at wavelengths from 750 nm to 850 nm is approximately 10% or less of the average transmittance at wavelengths from 500 nm to 550 nm.

9. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of optical elements is made of resin.

10. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of optical elements is made of resin and at least one is made of glass.

11. An imaging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the infrared-cut coating is applied to at least one face of the at least one optical element that is made of glass and to at least one face of the at least one optical element that is made of resin;

and

the number of layers in the infrared-cut coating applied to the at least one face of the at least one optical element that is made of glass is larger than the number of layers in the infrared-cut coating applied to the at least one face of the at least one optical element that is made of resin.