Abstract: An optical scanning system wherein a light beam from a laser source is reflected by a rotating polygonal mirror and focused by a scanning lens into a scanning beam spot on the drum surface. A cylindrical lens disposed between the scanning lens and the drum for correcting the unevenness of the scanning line pitch caused by the incline of the each facet of the polygonal mirror has a curvature in the scanning direction of the beam so that optimal focal points of the scanning beam spot align on a straight line.

Abstract: An apparatus for driving a semiconductor laser for use in a laser-beam printer, in which a laser beam from the laser is deflected so as to scan a light-sensitive drum and a light-sensitive detector placed in the vicinity of one edge of the drum, comprises a first device for determining the operation level for the laser when it scans the drum to record information thereon, a second device for determining the operation level for the laser when it scans the detector to provide a scanning start pulse signal and a controller for controlling the first and second devices so that they are alternately enabled to determine the intensity of the laser beam depending upon whether the drum or the detector is scanned, whereby the intensity of the laser beam is allowed to be adjusted in accordance with the varying light-sensitivity of the drum without fluctuating the instant of generation of the scanning start pulse signal.