Abstract: Example safety mechanisms for example printing apparatuses are provided. An example printing apparatus may include at least one linear guide disposed on a first surface of a back-spine section of a printer body and a top chassis portion coupled to the at least one linear guide. In some examples, the top chassis portion may include a laser safety casing. In some examples, the laser safety casing may comprise a laser module configured to emit a laser beam along a laser path and a safety cover that is moveable to a first cover position intersecting the laser path.

Abstract: Scanning optical unit includes: light source; incident optical system including one coupling lens for converting light from the light source into a light beam; optical deflector having a reflecting surface and configured to reflect and deflect the light beam in main scanning direction; and scanning optical system for focusing the deflected light beam on an image surface. The incident optical system converges the light beam on the reflecting surface in sub-scanning direction. Further, 0.01?(?s/?m)2?0.27 and ?s2<1 are satisfied, where ?m is a lateral magnification of the entire optical system from the light source to the image surface in the main scanning direction, ?s is a lateral magnification of the entire optical system in the sub-scanning direction, and ?s2 is a lateral magnification of the scanning optical system from the reflecting surface of the optical deflector to the image surface in the sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and more particularly to membrane structures comprising pixels for use in, e.g., display devices. In embodiments, a membrane structure comprises a monocrystalline silicon membrane above a cavity formed over a silicon substrate. The membrane structure can comprise a light interference structure that, depending upon a variable distance between the membrane and the substrate, transmits or reflects different wavelengths of light. Related devices, systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of blink detection in a laser eye surgical system includes providing a topography measurement structure having a geometric marker. The method includes bringing the topography measurement structure into a position proximal to an eye such that light traveling from the geometric marker is capable of reflecting off a refractive structure of the eye of the patient, and also detecting the light reflected from the structure of the eye for a predetermined time period while the topography measurement structure is at the proximal position. The method further includes converting the light reflected from the surface of the eye into image data and analyzing the image data to determine whether light reflected from the geometric marker is present is in the reflected light, wherein if the geometric marker is determined not to be present, the patient is identified as having blinked during the predetermined time.

Abstract: An illumination unit includes a light source, an optical mixer to form secondary light sources from a light beam from the light source, and an illumination system to illuminate an optical modulator with the light beam from the optical mixer, including an optical element having an anamorphic surface, in which the optical element is rotated at a certain rotational angle about a rotational axis which is a normal line from a vertex of a surface of the optical element.

Abstract: In a switching mode power supply, a power controlling circuit includes a phase generator and a phase controller. The phase generator provides a clock signal. The phase controller detects phases of a phase reference signal and a burst initialization signal so as to generate a burst signal, and causes a phase of the burst signal to not be earlier than the phase of the group reference signal. The burst signal is utilized for switching the power supply between a non-switching state and a switching state. The group reference signal is generated according to the clock signal and has a lower frequency than the clock signal. The burst initialization signal is controlled by an output voltage source of the power supply.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image in accordance with light to be emitted from a light source includes: a digital half-toning unit configured to convert a uniform-pixel-value region of image data to a parallel-line pattern formed with a plurality of parallel lines extending obliquely with respect to a direction, in which pixels are arrayed, thereby expressing each gray level of the image data as an area percentage; a modulated-signal generating unit configured to generate a modulated signal by modulating the converted image data with a clock signal; a light-source driving unit configured to drive the light source according to the modulated signal; and an edge control unit configured to narrow a to-be-illuminated region, which is to be illuminated by the light from the light source, in each of edge neighborhoods of the lines constituting the parallel-line pattern, while increasing intensity of the light.

Abstract: Provided are a high-resolution laser exposure method and a product manufactured with use of the laser exposure method, the laser exposure method being capable of performing high-resolution laser plate-making in gravure plate-making, offset plate-making, flexo plate-making, and the like, and being usable in laser exposure of a circuit pattern in an electronic component such as a printed circuit board, a liquid crystal display, and a plasma display, or in special printing for prevention of forgery of banknotes and the like. The laser exposure method, which uses a laser exposure apparatus, includes: scanning laser beams to form a laser spot array having a predetermined length on a photosensitive film; and exposing the photosensitive film coated on a plate surface to light, to thereby form a photosensitized part and a non-photosensitized part.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a photoreceptor; a charger configured to charge a photoreceptor surface; an optical scanning device configured to expose the photoreceptor surface to form an electrostatic latent image thereon; a developing device configured to develop the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image thereon; a transfer member configured to transfer the toner image to a sheet; a fixing device configured to fix the toner image thereon; and a control unit configured to carry out exposure amount control for formation of an image having a pattern with a spatial frequency from 0.1 c/mm to 3.0 c/mm so that after the exposure, there will be an electric potential difference V1 between an edge portion and a non-edge portion of the pattern and so that there will be an electric potential difference V2 larger than V1 between an edge-surrounding portion and the other portions of a non-image area.

Abstract: A light-emitting chip includes: a substrate; plural light-emitting elements arrayed in line on the substrate, each of the light-emitting elements including a light-emitting region having a length in an array direction of the array different from a length in a direction orthogonal to the array direction; and a light-up current supplying interconnection including plural connecting portions, each of the connecting portions being provided on the light-emitting region of a corresponding one of the light-emitting elements in a shorter direction of the light-emitting region either the array direction or the direction orthogonal to the array direction, each of the connecting portions being connected to an electrode provided on the light-emitting region, the light-up current supplying interconnection supplying a current for lighting up to the plural light-emitting elements through the plural connecting portions.

Abstract: An embodiment of the image processing apparatus for controlling the lighting of a line head that is driven with binary data and performs exposure with subline lighting to thereby form images, includes: a subline generating unit that generates a plurality of sublines from a same image data; an inclination correcting unit that exposes the generated sublines so as to generate correction image data used to correct an inclination of an exposure position; a gradation control unit that controls the lighting of sublines based on the correction image data generated by the inclination correcting unit to express gradation; and a light intensity correction unit that corrects and controls the light intensity based on the correction image data generated by the inclination correcting unit, wherein an output of the gradation control unit and an output of the light intensity correction unit are input into the line head in parallel.

Abstract: Light modulation devices are provided. At least one Low Frequency Oscillator (LFO) is used to create an oscillating signal used to drive an intensity parameter, a color parameter or both in a light modulator. The oscillating signal may be mixed with a base signal. The modulated signal driving either of the intensity or color parameters may be simple or complex. Systems having a plurality of light projection devices, each associated with a corresponding light modulation device, are also provided. Such Light modulation systems may be used for a variety of applications.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: a latent image carrier that moves in a first direction; an exposure head that includes a first imaging optical system, a second imaging optical system that is distanced from the first imaging optical system in the first direction, a light emitting element that emits a light to be imaged on the latent image carrier by the first imaging optical system and a light emitting element that emits a light to be imaged on the latent image carrier by the second imaging optical system; and a controller that is adapted to control a light quantity of the light emitting element that emits a light to be imaged on the latent image carrier by the first imaging optical system in accordance with an imaging characteristic of the first imaging optical system.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a tone image using a density pattern method has a ROM for storing a density pattern corresponding to each of a number of tones and an ideal density value of each density pattern, and a sensor for detecting the optical density of an image that has been formed by an image forming unit that forms the image by an electrophotographic method. An image is formed by the image forming unit based upon the density pattern corresponding to each tone, and the density pattern corresponding to each tone is modified based upon optical density, which has been obtained by detecting the density of the image by the sensor, and the ideal density value of each density pattern.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of this invention includes an image forming position correction unit which corrects an inclination or curve of an image in the main scanning direction by converting coordinates designating pixel positions of a bitmap image in the sub-scanning direction. It is discriminated whether image formation is normal image formation or formation of the toner image for detection by an image forming condition correction unit. Based on the discrimination result, the image forming apparatus is controlled so as to correct the image forming position by using the image forming position correction unit in a case in which the image formation is discriminated as the normal image formation, but so as not to correct the image forming position by using the image forming position correction unit in a case in which the image formation is discriminated as formation of the toner image for detection.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, a print head comprising the semiconductor device and an image forming apparatus comprising the print head are supplied which are able to reduce cost through miniaturizing element size and minishing chip area. The semiconductor device comprises a plurality of light emitting elements; and a shift register circuit that has output terminals respectively corresponding to the plurality of light emitting elements and stores emitting-light instruction data of the light emitting elements, wherein each light emitting element has a first electrode and a second electrode to that lightening electricity of the light emitting element flows, and a third electrode for controlling the light emitting element whether to emit light, the output terminals of the shift register circuit are respectively connected with the third electrodes of the corresponding light emitting element.

Abstract: The invention aims to provide an image forming apparatus digitally correcting curve and inclination of a laser beam. To this end, provided is an image forming apparatus that corrects a position shift of a scan line in a sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: Emission windows are prevented from being contaminated and are cleaned easily. The emission windows for emitting light beams are disposed on a housing of a laser exposure device having optical elements arranged inside for exposing a photoreceptor, and the upper surface of the housing is provided with a slidable shutter with openings. An image forming apparatus includes guide rails independent of the laser exposure device to movably guide predetermined cleaning brushes in the longitudinal direction of the emission windows. When the cleaning brushes are mounted on the guide rails and moved toward the inner side of the apparatus, the cleaning brushes touch a slant portion of a rib and the shutter is moved to the right to align the openings with the emission windows. While the cleaning brushes touch a longitudinally extending portion, the emission windows are exposed to enable the cleaning of the exposed window using the cleaning tool.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a control method for an exposure shutter of an image forming apparatus includes, opening the shutter only to a slit glass for monochrome when monochrome printing is performed, and opening the shutter to slit glasses for monochrome and color when color printing is performed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a tone image using a density pattern method has a ROM for storing a density pattern corresponding to each of a number of tones and an ideal density value of each density pattern, and a sensor for detecting the optical density of an image that has been formed by an image forming unit that forms the image by an electrophotographic method. An image is formed by the image forming unit based upon the density pattern corresponding to each tone, and the density pattern corresponding to each tone is modified based upon optical density, which has been obtained by detecting the density of the image by the sensor, and the ideal density value of each density pattern.

Abstract: A disclosed optical path switching device includes a polarization bistable VCSEL that emits a beam having a rising polarization plane, a laser light source configured to emit a beam having a polarization plane orthogonal to the rising polarization plane, and an optical path switching unit configured to switch an optical path of the beam emitted from the polarization bistable VCSEL by switching the angle of the rising polarization plane of the beam emitted from the polarization bistable VCSEL. The beam emitted from the polarization bistable VCSEL is incident on an entrance window of the optical path switching unit, and the beam emitted from the laser light source is incident on an exit window of the polarization bistable VCSEL.

Abstract: Provided is an exposure head controller that controls, via pulse width modulation control, the emission quantity of each light emitting element in an exposure head having a light emitting element array formed by arranging a plurality of light emitting elements in a main scanning direction and a sub scanning direction orthogonal thereto, comprising: a data retention unit that retains dot gathering control data showing whether to emit each light emitting element at the starting point side, terminal point side or in the middle of an emission period corresponding to a 1 pixel pitch in the sub scanning direction, or to divide and emit each light emitting element at the starting point side and terminal point side, emission time data showing the emission time of each light emitting element, and skew data showing the skew quantity of each light emitting element; a dot gathering operation circuit provided to each light emitting element and which operates the time in which the light emitting element is to be retained i

Abstract: A light amount correcting method for a light emitting apparatus having a plurality of light emitting devices, includes: measuring light amount values of a plurality of the light emitting devices; extracting high frequency components from the measured light amount values; extracting low frequency components from the measured light amount values; calculating a first correction value for correcting a light amount value of a first light emitting device on the basis of the high frequency components; and correcting a second correction value for correcting the light amount value of the first light emitting device on the basis of the low frequency components; and correcting a light amount value of a second light emitting device such that it is included in both of the first allowable range and the second allowable range.

Abstract: In each light modulator element of a special light modulator with diffraction grating structure where moving ribbons and fixed ribbons are alternately arranged, the maximum light-amount (I1) when an output light-amount first becomes maximum from when the moving ribbons start to sag and the maximum light amount-voltage becoming an displacement amount (P1) at the maximum light-amount, are obtained and the minimum of a plurality of maximum light-amounts is set as a target ON light-amount (It). Since a voltage (corresponding to a displacement amount (Pt1)) between the maximum light amount-voltage and the minimum light amount-voltage at a displacement amount (P2) is obtained as a target ON-voltage for the target ON light-amount (It), it is thereby possible to prevent moving distance of the moving ribbons among ON/OFF from largely differing among the light modulator elements and achieve an appropriate image recording.

Abstract: A light emitting device includes: a plurality of light emitting elements that emit light to have luminosity depending on the magnitude of a driving signal; a plurality of holding units that are respectively disposed in the plurality of light emitting elements, and respectively hold the driving signal to maintain a magnitude regulated such that the luminosity of the plurality of light emitting elements becomes uniform; and a plurality of supply units that are respectively disposed in the plurality of light emitting elements, and supply the driving signal, which is held by the holding units to have a certain magnitude for a period of time according to a gradation of light to be emitted, to a corresponding light emitting element.

Abstract: A method for forming a pixel (20) having a predetermined density onto a sensitized recording medium moving in a length direction energizes a pixel exposure source (14) to begin exposure at the leading edge (34) of a pixel (20) and for a first predetermined time interval. The pixel exposure source (14) is de-energized for a period depending on the predetermined density and on media transport speed, then re-energized at the termination of the period. The pixel exposure source (14) is then de-energized at the end of a second predetermined time interval to terminate exposure at the trailing edge (36) of the pixel (20), whereby spatial dimensions of each pixel (20) are maintained at variable transport speed or density of pixel (20).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: a latent image carrier that moves in a first direction; an exposure head that includes a first imaging optical system, a second imaging optical system that is distanced from the first imaging optical system in the first direction, a light emitting element that emits a light to be imaged on the latent image carrier by the first imaging optical system and a light emitting element that emits a light to be imaged on the latent image carrier by the second imaging optical system; and a controller that is adapted to control a light quantity of the light emitting element that emits a light to be imaged on the latent image carrier by the first imaging optical system in accordance with an imaging characteristic of the first imaging optical system.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first submodule used for image formation; a first phase detector detecting a phase of the first submodule; a second submodule used for image formation with the first submodule; a second phase detector detecting a phase of the second submodule; a density detector detecting density of an image formed by the first and second submodules; a correction setting section setting a first and second parameters to correct density non-uniformity in a slow-scan direction caused by the first and second submodules, respectively, based on the detected image density data; an output setting section deriving a first correction value for the phase of the first submodule from the first parameter and a second correction value for the phase of the second submodule from the second parameter, and outputting a correction value generated by merging the first and second correction values; and an imaging condition changing section changing imaging conditions in accordance with the correction value.

Abstract: A light emitting device includes: a plurality of light emitting elements that emit light to have luminosity depending on the magnitude of a driving signal; a plurality of holding units that are respectively disposed in the plurality of light emitting elements, and respectively hold the driving signal to maintain a magnitude regulated such that the luminosity of the plurality of light emitting elements becomes uniform; and a plurality of supply units that are respectively disposed in the plurality of light emitting elements, and supply the driving signal, which is held by the holding units to have a certain magnitude for a period of time according to a gradation of light to be emitted, to a corresponding light emitting element.

Abstract: Provided is an exposure head controller that controls, via pulse width modulation control, the emission quantity of each light emitting element in an exposure head having a light emitting element array formed by arranging a plurality of light emitting elements in a main scanning direction and a sub scanning direction orthogonal thereto, comprising: a data retention unit that retains dot gathering control data showing whether to emit each light emitting element at the starting point side, terminal point side or in the middle of an emission period corresponding to a 1 pixel pitch in the sub scanning direction, or to divide and emit each light emitting element at the starting point side and terminal point side, emission time data showing the emission time of each light emitting element, and skew data showing the skew quantity of each light emitting element a dot gathering operation circuit provided to each light emitting element and which operates the time in which the light emitting element is to be retained in

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having a submodule that causes non-uniformity in density in a slow-scanning direction in accordance with rotation, includes a correction image forming unit that forms an image for density correction, in cooperation with the submodule, a density detector that detects a density of the image for density correction, a correction data generation unit that generates correction data to correct a density distribution based on a density distribution of the image for density correction in a slow-scanning direction detected by the density detector, a phase detector that detects a phase of the submodule, and a mark image forming unit that forms a mark image in synchronization with the phase of the submodule detected by the phase detector, in the image for density correction formed by the correction image forming unit.

Abstract: A printing apparatus for printing an image onto a recording medium based on input image data, comprises an electrostatic latent image carrier for forming an electrostatic latent image, and an exposure controller for forming the electrostatic latent image corresponding to one pixel upon exposure of the electrostatic latent image carrier with a combination of a plurality of different exposure amounts, wherein the exposure controller performs the exposure with the combination of the plurality of exposure amounts in a manner to satisfy a condition for an index value LNR expressed by a following general equation (1) using an optical density od (n) standardized on the condition of the maximum optical density equal to 1.0, identification information comb assigned to identify each combination of the plurality of exposure amounts, and the number of varieties m of a cumulative exposure amount used for modulation of the image data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a scanning apparatus for a laser printer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a scanning apparatus, which is formed to allow a light modulator to be non-perpendicular to the shaft of a photosensitive drum, which is a scanning object, thus performing scanning at a higher resolution and speed within the allowable limits of other devices. The scanning apparatus of the present invention includes an optical means, a rotating mirror, a conversion means, and a drum-shaped scanning object.

Abstract: A scanning apparatus having a cold cathode fluorescent lamp includes a central processing unit (CPU) controlling a scan unit to be in one of the stand-by mode, a scan mode and a sleep mode and outputting a PWM signal having a variable duty ratio based on an operation mode of the scan unit; a filter unit receiving the PWM signal from the CPU, filtering the PWM signal, and outputting the filtered signal; a feedback unit detecting the voltage applied to the fluorescent lamp and outputting a feedback signal; a controlling unit controlling the illumination of the fluorescent lamp based on the voltage input from the feedback unit, the controlling unit outputting a control signal variably controlling the voltage applied to the fluorescent lamp depending on the filtered signal; and a lamp drive unit applying variable AC voltage to the fluorescent lamp based on the control signal, thereby driving the fluorescent lamp.

Abstract: An electrostatic-writing mechanism for an image-formation device having an optical photoconductor (OPC) mechanism of one embodiment of the invention is disclosed that includes a light source and an array of micromirror devices. The light source is to emit light. The array of micromirror devices is to selectively direct the light onto the OPC mechanism in accordance with a portion of an image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrophotographic developing device, a photosensitive body, a precharger for precharging the photosensitive body, and exposing units of two optical systems with different light amount distributions, which are provided for one photosensitive body for forming electrostatic latent images on the photosensitive body. The exposing units are selectively used.

Abstract: An electrostatic-writing mechanism for an image-formation device having an optical photoconductor (OPC) mechanism of one embodiment of the invention is disclosed that includes a light source and an array of micromirror devices. The light source is to emit light. The array of micromirror devices is to selectively direct the light onto the OPC mechanism in accordance with a portion of an image.

Abstract: In a scanning optical system, a partial light blocking member having an annular light blocking part (for blocking off part of the incident laser beam entering the annular area around the central axis of the laser beam) is placed on an optical path between the laser light source and the polygon mirror. The scanning optical system including such a partial light blocking member is installed in a printer. By the effect of the partial light blocking member, the intensity of side lobes (several rings of light accompanying the main beam) is prevented from exceeding a threshold value even when optical surfaces of an imaging optical system of the scanning optical system have certain microscopic undulations, by which black stripes occurring in halftone printing can be eliminated.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus that is capable of securing required printing quality by properly correcting a main scanning scale. In a pixel division modulating process, for each of one or more correction points (at l-th, m-th, and n-th pixels) on each of lines along which scanning is carried out on a photosensitive drum 11 by laser light, the final bit data of pixel-division-modulated pixel data of a pixel immediately preceding each correction point is added to the pixel data of a pixel located at the correction point as the leading bit data of the pixel-division-modulated pixel data of this pixel. The same processing as above is sequentially performed on pixel data of pixels located subsequently to the correction point to sequentially shift predetermined bit data of pixel data of pixels to pixel data of the respective following pixels, to thereby generate pixel data of a new pixel. The generated pixel data of the new pixel is outputted in synchronism with an image clock of a fixed frequency.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a delay circuit is configured to delay pixel information from an image source, such as a frame buffer. The delay circuit may be configured to delay the pixel information by an amount of time that would move a pixel projected on a surface by a distance less than a dimension of the pixel. A light modulator may modulate a light beam onto a surface, such as a display screen, based on the delayed pixel information. This advantageously allows for sub-pixel electronic alignment.

Abstract: A clock generating part generates a high-frequency clock signal having a frequency higher than that of a pixel clock frequency; a serial modulation signal generating part generates a serial modulation signal having a serial pulse sequence based on the high-frequency clock signal, and, light emission is modulated according to the serial modulation signal, and, thus, each pixel of an image is formed according at the pixel clock frequency.

Abstract: Photographic prints are produced from a virtual negative image on photographic paper using a mini-lab that has an exposure target and a lamp capable of directing a light beam along an optical path. An image formation device coupled with a source of virtual negative images and a displacement actuator coupled with the image formation device are provided. The image formation device is positioned in a first position. A group of pixels on the image formation device that correspond to a portion of the virtual negative image is illuminated. The photographic paper is exposed to the group of pixels by directing the light beam from the lamp along the optical path. Relative motion is provided between the image formation device and the exposure target. A group of pixels on the image formation device that corresponds to a portion of the virtual negative image is illuminated. The photographic paper is exposed to the group of pixels by directing the light beam from the lamp along the optical path.

Abstract: A printer (100) able to print in a plurality of output formats depending on width of media (160) loaded in the printer (100) is disclosed. The printer (100) provides high resolution and grayscale imaging capability for monochromatic applications. Illumination optics (11) receive a source light beam, from one or more LEDs, uniformize and polarize the beam and direct the beam through a polarization beamsplitter (50). The polarization beamsplitter (50) directs one polarization state of light to one or more LCD spatial light modulators (52), which modulate the polarization of the polarized beam to provide output exposure energy suitable for image marking on media (160). An optional sensor (234) allows printer (100) to automatically detect the width of a given type of media (160) in order to select from a set of compatible output format. Multiple segments of media (160) at the image plane (150) simultaneously.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for generating a color plane in an image. For example, a noise generation device is coupled to at least one component within a laser imaging assembly to cause a random deviation in the placement of the spots within respective color planes. This random deviation advantageously alleviates the problem of misregistration, white gapping, and moiré patterns, etc. In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes a laser imaging assembly having a laser generating a laser beam that is optically coupled to a photoconductor, typically an organic photoconductive (OPC) drum. The laser beam is optically coupled to a number of predetermined positions on the OPC drum to generate an image on the OPC drum. A noise generator is operatively coupled, for example, to a component in the laser imaging assembly.

Abstract: A light modulating or switching array (10) having a plurality of discrete protrusions (16) formed of electro-optic material, each of which is electrically and optically isolated from each other. The protrusions (16) have defined a top face (20), a bottom face (30), first and second side faces (22, 24), and front and back faces (26, 28). There are a plurality of electrodes (34) associated with each of the protrusions (16), these electrodes (34) being capable of inducing an electric field in the electro-optic material for independently modulating a plurality of light beams which are incident upon one of the faces (20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30) of the protrusions (16). The electro-optic material may be of PLZT, or a member of any of the groups of electro-optic crystals, polycrystalline electro-optic ceramics, electro-optic semiconductors, electro-optic glasses and electro-optically active polymers.

Abstract: A light valve which can be fabricated as an array of individually addressable micromachined linear mirror reflective light valves is disclosed. Each light valve may comprise a metallized silicon nitride ribbon situated above a micromachined cavity. Incident light is reflected by the ribbons. The reflected beam travels into an optical collecting system. The ribbons may be caused to deform into the micromachined cavities by the application of electrical signals. Only a small area on the ribbons is required to be reflective. The deformation causes light reflected by the deformed ribbon to be substantially collimated. The collimated reflected light can be directed through a slit and focussed on a spot to record a data element on a recording surface. A light valve array according to the invention may be used for various data recording applications including exposing printing plates, printed circuit boards, silicon wafers, masks for making semiconductor devices, optical data storage systems and the like.

Abstract: A method for transferring an image to a medium includes: generating a substantially uniform line of radiation; producing diffractive light from the uniform line of radiation; passing zero order diffractive light to the medium in a telecentric fashion while blocking non-zero order diffractive light; adjusting image magnification on the medium independent of image focus in response to the zero order diffractive light; and adjusting image focus on the medium independent of image magnification in response to the zero order magnification-adjusted diffractive light.

Abstract: A deformable mirror light valve comprised of an array of silicon nitride ribbons, metalized to reflect light. Each ribbon is electrostatically deformed to form a cylindrical mirror. Each deformable ribbon modulates the light of one pixel by focusing the reflected light through a slit. An alternative embodiment focuses the light onto a stop. The ribbon structure has a fast response time combined with high contrast.

Abstract: An illumination system (10) for exposing a xerographic printing apparatus (12). The system (10) includes a DMD-type imaging spatial light modulator (46), and a DMD-type optical switch (26) for modulating the intensity of the source light (15) irradiating the imaging DMD (46). A single conventional continuous wave tungsten lamp (14) is implemented with its light energy directed by a condensing lens (20) onto the DMD optical switch (26). The DMD optical switch (26) modulates the incident light (15), and passes reflected light to a light integrator (38), which in turn homogenizes and increases the aspect ratio of the light. The light integrator (38) directs the homogenized light via an anamorphic lens (40) onto the imaging DMD (46). The light energy provided to the imaging DMD (46) is precisely modulated in intensity, while remaining uniformly disbursed. The combination incandescent lamp (14) and optical DMD switch (26) offers a low cost, high-intensity alternative to LED arrays.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser array emits a plurality of laser beams. A polygon mirror deflects the plurality of laser beams together. A prism type reflector separates the deflected laser beams to different directions that are generally along an arrangement direction of a plurality of photoreceptors. The separated laser beams are input to the respective photoreceptors through mirrors and cylindrical lenses.