Abstract: The intensity of a light beam is controlled accurately depending on an image to be recorded on a photosensitive medium. An apparatus for recording an image by scanning a photosensitive medium with a light beam generated based on an image signal has a recording duty ratio detector for detecting a recording duty ratio of an image to be recorded on the photosensitive medium based on the image signal, and a light beam intensity correcting memory for modulating the intensity of the light beam based on the detected recording duty ratio. Since the intensity of the light beam is modulated based on the recording duty ratio of the image recorded on the photosensitive medium, the amount of light of the light beam can be adjusted depending on the image actually recorded on the photosensitive medium.

Abstract: Rectangular patterns are recorded on a substrate along a direction in which the substrate is moved and a direction perpendicular to the direction. Line widths of the rectangular patterns are measured, and mask data are established for obtaining amounts of light to correct changes in the line widths. When exposure heads are energized to record an image on the substrate by way of exposure, the mask data depending on a moved position of the substrate are read from a mask data memory, and applied to correct the output data for thereby recording a desired locality-free image on the substrate.

Abstract: Light modulated by a spatial light modulator is projected onto photosensitive material and the photosensitive material is exposed to light in a predetermined pattern. The action of the spatial light modulator is controlled so that the amount of the light projected onto the photosensitive material is changed in at least two stages according to the part of the photosensitive material.

Abstract: The light beam scanning method and apparatus perform light beam scanning of a cylindrical internal surface scanning type, a cylindrical external surface scanning type, and a plane scanning type, where when a sheet-like object to be scanned is scanned by a light beam emitted from a light source, at least one of lateral displacement and longitudinal displacement of a light beam and aberration in an optical system is compensated by controlling a wave front of the light beam with a wavefront control device. Also, when the lateral displacement, longitudinal displacement, and the aberration are caused by change of an environmental temperature, it is possible to measure the environmental temperature and to perform compensation through the control of the wave front by the wavefront control device based on the measured environmental temperature.

Abstract: The image recording method and apparatus are used to record an image formed by a group of light source elements disposed in a two-dimensional manner corresponding to recording pixels on a recording medium. In the image recording method and apparatus, an image recording position on the recording medium by the group of light source elements is moved in a direction that contains a component in at least one of two-dimensional disposing directions of the group of light source elements during the recording while modulating, in response to the movement, each recording pixel of the group of light source elements in accordance with an image to be recorded to thereby record the image on the recording medium. The image recording position is moved in accordance with a set magnification for changing the resolution par recording pixel of the group of light source elements.

Abstract: An image signal with an overshoot is generated on a positive-going edge of an input image signal with an overshoot producing unit. Then, a light signal with an overshoot is outputted from a recording light source in response to the image signal with the overshoot supplied from the overshoot producing unit. The light signal outputted from the recording light source is applied to scan a photosensitive medium to record an area gradation image on the photosensitive medium.

Abstract: The image recording apparatus scans a heat mode recording material with a light beam modulated in accordance with image information, to thereby record an image on the heat mode recording material. The apparatus includes an unit for generating a modulated signal, an unit for generating an additional signal at a timing of at least one of rising and falling of the modulated signal and a unit for generating a drive signal by adding the additional signal to the modulated. The image forming method and apparatus scan a photosensitive material with the light beam to record an image, and a power of the light beam is set to a power of a level at which a recording line width or a recording dot size, which is determined depending upon a threshold value for the photosensitive material to blacken, is substantially fixed even if defocus occurs.

Abstract: In an image drawing apparatus and an image drawing method for forming a desired two-dimensional pattern on an image drawing surface by using a plurality of image drawing heads, uneven density and resolution caused by errors in relative positions of the heads and installation angles thereof and by an effect of pattern distortion can be reduced. A rectangular two-dimensional pixel array is installed in each of exposure heads in an exposure apparatus (image drawing apparatus) so as to make a predetermined angle with the direction of scanning, facing an exposure surface of a photosensitive material. Combinations of slits and photo detectors detect positions of light spots in the exposure surface comprising inter-head relay areas. Pixels in the pixel arrays are selected so as to realize N-overlay exposure ideally by causing overexposure and underexposure to be minimal in the inter-head relay areas.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator has a substrate; a movable member which is disposed so as to hang across the substrate in a displaceable manner and has a conductive section provided in at least a portion of the movable member; an optical function film which follows mechanical displacement of the movable member and is fixed to the same; and a drive fixed electrode which is disposed outside a range of mechanical displacement of the movable member and displaces and drives the movable member. Electrostatic attractive force is generated between the movable member and the driving fixed electrode by applying a drive voltage between the conductive section of the movable member and the driving fixed electrode, thereby displacing and driving the movable member, bringing the same into a stationary state in a non-contacting manner, and modulating light radiated on the optical function film.

Abstract: The image recording method and image recording apparatus synchronize phase of a light deflector with rotation of a drum in response to the drum start point detection signal generated each time the drum rotates once, expose the two-dimensional image of one frame formed by a group of light sources disposed two-dimensionally onto the recording medium while causing the image at rest on the recording medium relatively thereto, thereafter move the optical system in the auxiliary scanning direction by an integral multiple of a pixel pitch forming one frame as well as deflect an angle of the light deflector in the main scanning direction by one frame so as to expose the next frame and on for one rotation of the drum.

Abstract: A light amount adjustment method for use in an image exposure apparatus records an image by scanning a photosensitive material with a light beam modulated in accordance with image signal. The light beam has a first light amount level and a second light amount level that is higher than the first light amount level to perform exposure of one dot. The method sets the first light amount level based on the image signal, exposes test patches by displacing a focus position of the light beam on the photosensitive material and changing the second light amount level that is outputted in accordance with changing of the image signal and adjusts the second light amount level such that halftone dot percent fluctuations of the exposed test patches are minimized to set the adjusted second light amount level.

Abstract: A reflection-type light modulating array element has: a substrate; a movable member provided with a beam body provided on the substrate through a first gap, a light reflector capable of rotational displacement by twisting of the beam body, and an electrically conducting part formed at least in a partial portion of the movable member; a lower electrode provided on a substrate side to face the movable member through the first gap, and an upper electrode provided on a side opposite to the lower electrode to face the movable member through a second gap, and thereby the movable member is between the lower electrode and the upper electrode, wherein a voltage is applied to the upper electrode, the lower electrode and the electrically conducting part to cause an rocking displacement of the light reflector and thereby deflect a reflection direction of a light.

Abstract: In an image drawing apparatus and an image drawing method for multiple-overlay image drawing, uneven density and resolution caused by an error of installation angle of an image drawing head and by pattern distortion can be reduced. A rectangular two-dimensional pixel array is installed in each of exposure heads in an exposure apparatus (image drawing apparatus) so as to make a predetermined angle with the scanning direction, facing an exposure surface. Slits and photo detectors detect in the exposure surface an actual installation angle of a representative light-spot column near the center of the pixel array. Active pixels in the pixel array are selected so as to realize multiple-overlay exposure ideally by causing overexposure and underexposure to be minimal in an area near the representative light-spot column, based on the measured angle. Exposure is carried out by causing only the active pixels to operate.

Abstract: In an image drawing apparatus and an image drawing method for forming a desired two-dimensional pattern on an image drawing surface by using a plurality of image drawing heads, uneven density and resolution caused by errors in relative positions of the heads and installation angles thereof and by an effect of pattern distortion can be reduced. A rectangular two-dimensional pixel array is installed in each of exposure heads in an exposure apparatus (image drawing apparatus) so as to make a predetermined angle with the direction of scanning, facing an exposure surface of a photosensitive material. Combinations of slits and photo detectors detect positions of light spots in the exposure surface comprising inter-head relay areas. Pixels in the pixel arrays are selected so as to realize N-overlay exposure ideally by causing overexposure and underexposure to be minimal in the inter-head relay areas.

Abstract: Light modulated by a spatial light modulator is projected onto photosensitive material and the photosensitive material is exposed to light in a predetermined pattern. The action of the spatial light modulator is controlled so that the amount of the light projected onto the photosensitive material is changed in at least two stages according to the part of the photosensitive material.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator has a substrate; a movable member which is disposed so as to hang across the substrate in a displaceable manner and has a conductive section provided in at least a portion of the movable member; an optical function film which follows mechanical displacement of the movable member and is fixed to the same; and a drive fixed electrode which is disposed outside a range of mechanical displacement of the movable member and displaces and drives the movable member. Electrostatic attractive force is generated between the movable member and the driving fixed electrode by applying a drive voltage between the conductive section of the movable member and the driving fixed electrode, thereby displacing and driving the movable member, bringing the same into a stationary state in a non-contacting manner, and modulating light radiated on the optical function film.

Abstract: A reflection-type light modulating array element has: a substrate; a movable member provided with a beam body provided on the substrate through a first gap, a light reflector capable of rotational displacement by twisting of the beam body, and an electrically conducting part formed at least in a partial portion of the movable member; a lower electrode provided on a substrate side to face the movable member through the first gap, and an upper electrode provided on a side opposite to the lower electrode to face the movable member through a second gap, and thereby the movable member is between the lower electrode and the upper electrode, wherein a voltage is applied to the upper electrode, the lower electrode and the electrically conducting part to cause an rocking displacement of the light reflector and thereby deflect a reflection direction of a light.

Abstract: A light amount adjustment method for use in an image exposure apparatus records an image by scanning a photosensitive material with a light beam modulated in accordance with image signal. The light beam has a first light amount level and a second light amount level that is higher than the first light amount level to perform exposure of one dot. The method sets the first light amount level based on the image signal, exposes test patches by displacing a focus position of the light beam on the photosensitive material and changing the second light amount level that is outputted in accordance with changing of the image signal and adjusts the second light amount level such that halftone dot percent fluctuations of the exposed test patches are minimized to set the adjusted second light amount level.

Abstract: An optical power adjusting method and apparatus for preventing unevenness of exposure of a photosensitive material arising from the difference in wavelength of the light beams. The relationship between the output value and wavelength of the light receiving section is stored in a storage section for a light beam that satisfies the relationship with respect to the optical power and wavelength required for exposing the photosensitive material at a predetermined exposure level. The correspondence between the laser beam emitting section and its wavelength is stored in another storage section. Each laser beam is received separately by the light receiving section, and the optical power of each laser beam is adjusted by the optical power adjusting section such that the output value of the light receiving section for each laser beam received separately satisfies the relationship between the output value and wavelength.

Abstract: An imaging head unit, imaging device and imaging method capable of eliminating scaling differences in a scanning direction of a plurality of imaging heads, and capable of implementing a scale factor conversion over the whole of the scanning direction. A plurality of exposure heads are plurally disposed along at least a direction intersecting the scanning direction to structure an imaging head unit. Update timings of pixels are altered for individual exposure heads, and thus the scaling differences between the exposure heads in the scanning direction are corrected.