Abstract: A laser exposure system includes an electrically-controlled diffraction grating which can be controlled to be in a first state where the incident light beam is undiffracted and a second state where the incident light beam is diffracted into a plurality of light beams including a zero-order light beam and first and second diffracted light beams. An aperture structure which passes the first and second diffracted light beams while blocking the zero-order light beam. A polarization rotator rotates a polarization state of the second diffracted light, and a polarization beam combiner combines the first diffracted light beam and the polarization-rotated second diffracted light beam onto a common path forming a combined light beam. An optical element focuses the combined light beam onto an imaging medium. A controller controls the state of the electrically-controlled diffraction grating in accordance with pixel data to form a printed image.

Abstract: A laser exposure system includes an electrically-controlled diffraction grating which can be controlled to be in a first state where the incident light beam is undiffracted and a second state where the incident light beam is diffracted into a plurality of light beams including a zero-order light beam and first and second diffracted light beams. An aperture structure which passes the first and second diffracted light beams while blocking the zero-order light beam. A polarization rotator rotates a polarization state of the second diffracted light, and a polarization beam combiner combines the first diffracted light beam and the polarization-rotated second diffracted light beam onto a common path forming a combined light beam. An optical element focuses the combined light beam onto an imaging medium. A controller controls the state of the electrically-controlled diffraction grating in accordance with pixel data to form a printed image.

Abstract: A recording head (16) is operated to form a regular pattern of image swaths on a recording media (17). The regular pattern of image features comprises a first set of image features (60A) that is formed with an imaging parameter set to a first predetermined value and a second set of image features (60B) is formed with an imaging parameter set to a second predetermined value, different from the first predetermined value. Image features in the first set and the second set are arranged on the recording media with a sub-scan spatial frequency equal to a non-integer multiple of a sub-scan spatial frequency of the image swaths. A scanner (40) generates data (47) of the scanned pattern, wherein a first integer multiple of a sampling spatial frequency employed by the scanner is equal to a second integer multiple of the sub-scan spatial frequency of the first set and the second set of image features.

Abstract: A method for determining a dimension of a regular pattern of elements, wherein the elements in the regular pattern are arranged along an arrangement direction with a first spatial frequency includes providing a sensor for sampling the regular pattern; providing a plurality of data sample sets, wherein each data sample set includes data samples provided by the sensor while sampling over a portion of the regular pattern, and each data sample set consists of a different number of data samples; analyzing each data sample set to determine a corresponding spatial frequency; determining a plurality of quantified values, each quantified value being associated with a different one of the determined spatial frequencies; selecting a first quantified value from the plurality of quantified values; and determining the dimension based at least on the selected first quantified value.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a spatial light modulator comprising an array of channels, the method includes selecting a plurality of channel sets, wherein all the channels in each set are contiguously arranged; determining a first intensity value for first output radiation in the channel sets; performing a first adjustment based on the first intensity value, including adjusting a control level of a first channel in the first channel set without adjusting a control level of a second channel in the first one of the channel sets; determining a second intensity value for second output radiation, which includes output radiation by some of the channels in the first channel set, and excludes output radiation provided by at least one channel in the first channel set; and performing a second adjustment based at least on the second intensity value.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a spatial light modulator comprising an array of channels includes selecting a plurality of channel sets; operating each of the channel sets to provide corresponding output radiation; providing a detector for measuring the output radiation; determining a plurality of intensity values, each representing an intensity of the output radiation provided by a different one of the channel sets; providing a correction factor for each of the channels sets, wherein each correction factor remains constant during a subsequent recalibration of the spatial light modulator; modifying each determined intensity value in accordance with a corresponding one of the correction factors; determining a difference between one of the modified intensity values and a target intensity value; and reducing the determined difference by adjusting a control level of at least one channel in the channel set corresponding to the one of the modified intensity values.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a spatial light modulator comprising an array of channels includes selecting a plurality of channel sets; operating each of the channel sets to provide corresponding output radiation; providing a detector for measuring the output radiation; determining a plurality of intensity values, each representing an intensity of the output radiation provided by a different one of the channel sets; providing a correction factor for each of the channels sets, wherein each correction factor remains constant during a subsequent recalibration of the spatial light modulator; modifying each determined intensity value in accordance with a corresponding one of the correction factors; determining a difference between one of the modified intensity values and a target intensity value; and reducing the determined difference by adjusting a control level of at least one channel in the channel set corresponding to the one of the modified intensity values.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a spatial light modulator comprising an array of channels includes selecting a plurality of channel sets; operating each of the channel sets to provide corresponding output radiation; providing a detector for measuring the output radiation; determining a plurality of intensity values, each representing an intensity of the output radiation provided by a different one of the channel sets; providing a correction factor for each of the channels sets, wherein each correction factor remains constant during a subsequent recalibration of the spatial light modulator; modifying each determined intensity value in accordance with a corresponding one of the correction factors; determining a difference between one of the modified intensity values and a target intensity value; and reducing the determined difference by adjusting a control level of at least one channel in the channel set corresponding to the one of the modified intensity values.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a spatial light modulator comprising an array of channels includes selecting a plurality of channel sets; operating each of the channel sets to provide corresponding output radiation; providing a detector for measuring the output radiation; determining a plurality of intensity values, each representing an intensity of the output radiation provided by a different one of the channel sets; providing a correction factor for each of the channels sets, wherein each correction factor remains constant during a subsequent recalibration of the spatial light modulator; modifying each determined intensity value in accordance with a corresponding one of the correction factors; determining a difference between one of the modified intensity values and a target intensity value; and reducing the determined difference by adjusting a control level of at least one channel in the channel set corresponding to the one of the modified intensity values.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a spatial light modulator comprising an array of channels includes selecting a plurality of channel sets; operating each of the channel sets to provide corresponding output radiation; providing a detector for measuring the output radiation; determining a plurality of intensity values, each representing an intensity of the output radiation provided by a different one of the channel sets; providing a correction factor for each of the channels sets, wherein each correction factor remains constant during a subsequent recalibration of the spatial light modulator; modifying each determined intensity value in accordance with a corresponding one of the correction factors; determining a difference between one of the modified intensity values and a target intensity value; and reducing the determined difference by adjusting a control level of at least one channel in the channel set corresponding to the one of the modified intensity values.

Abstract: A method for determining a dimension of a regular pattern of elements, wherein the elements in the regular pattern are arranged along an arrangement direction with a first spatial frequency includes providing a sensor for sampling the regular pattern; providing a plurality of data sample sets, wherein each data sample set comprises data samples provided by the sensor while sampling over a portion of the regular pattern, and each data sample set consists of a different number of data samples; analyzing each data sample set to determine a corresponding spatial frequency; determining a plurality of quantified values, each quantified value being associated with a different one of the determined spatial frequencies; selecting a first quantified value from the plurality of quantified values; and determining the dimension based at least on the selected first quantified value.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a spatial light modulator comprising an array of channels, the method includes selecting a plurality of channel sets, wherein all the channels in each set are contiguously arranged; determining a first intensity value for first output radiation in the channel sets; performing a first adjustment based on the first intensity value, including adjusting a control level of a first channel in the first channel set without adjusting a control level of a second channel in the first one of the channel sets; determining a second intensity value for second output radiation, which includes output radiation by some of the channels in the first channel set, and excludes output radiation provided by at least one channel in the first channel set; and performing a second adjustment based at least on the second intensity value.

Abstract: A recording head (16) is operated to form a regular pattern of image swaths on a recording media (17). The regular pattern of image features comprises a first set of image features (60A) that is formed with an imaging parameter set to a first predetermined value and a second set of image features (60B) is formed with an imaging parameter set to a second predetermined value, different from the first predetermined value. Image features in the first set and the second set are arranged on the recording media with a sub-scan spatial frequency equal to a non-integer multiple of a sub-scan spatial frequency of the image swaths. A scanner (40) generates data (47) of the scanned pattern, wherein a first integer multiple of a sampling spatial frequency employed by the scanner is equal to a second integer multiple of the sub-scan spatial frequency of the first set and the second set of image features.