Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.

Silicon Light Machines Corporation

Screen Holdings Co., Ltd.

Yoshimi Hashimoto

Osamu Morizono

Yoshikazu Kataoka

Yasumitsu Fujisawa

Hirofumi Mizuno

The illumination optical system includes a beam shaper which converts an intensity distribution of a laser beam in each of a short axis direction and a long axis direction, which is a Gaussian distribution, into an intensity distribution of a parallel beam on a modulation surface of the optical modulator in each of the short axis direction and the long axis direction, which is a top hat distribution. The modulation surface and an irradiated surface are optically conjugated with respect to the long axis direction by a third lens and a fourth lens. Further, the modulation surface and a front focus position of the fourth lens are optically conjugated with respect to the short axis direction by a first lens, a second lens, and the third lens. The fourth lens condenses a beam having a top hat distribution at the front focus position onto the irradiated surface.

Optical apparatus and three-dimensional modeling apparatus

A system including two dimensional, microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based spatial light modulators and anamorphic optics for improved contrast is provided. Generally, the system comprises an array of modulators having a plurality of pixels along a longitudinal axis, each pixel comprising a plurality of modulators along a transverse axis of the array. An illumination source including a laser and anamorphic optics for focuses light from the laser onto the array, and imaging optics focus modulated light from the array onto an image plane. The anamorphic optics are configured to provide a transverse numerical aperture (NA) along the transverse axis of the array that is smaller than a diffraction angle of the modulated light reflected from the array along a transverse axis of the image plane, and a longitudinal NA along the longitudinal axis of the array that is greater than the transverse NA. Other embodiments are also provided.

Anamorphic illumination optics for a MEMS spatial light modulator

A multi-beam scanning system and methods of operating the same to compensate for distortion are provided. Generally, the method involves illuminating a spatial light modulator including SLM pixels arranged in parallel, each pixel including a multiple address pixels. Drive signals including image data are provided to the pixels to generate beams of modulated light reflected therefrom, which is scanned to a linear swath of a two-dimensional imaging plane using a collimate lens, a scan mirror moved about a first axis, and an imaging lens. The swath is scanned across the imaging plane in a direction orthogonal to a long axis of the swath by moving the scan mirror about a second axis. To compensate for distortion along the long axis of the swath compensated image data is provided to at least some of the address pixels generating beams of modulated light distal from an optical axis of the imaging lens.

Compensation method for a scanning system with spatial light modulator

A light from a laser light source () is collected at a position of a slit () in a vertical direction by a first optical system () to form an intermediate image which is long in a horizontal direction corresponding to an arrangement direction of light modulator elements. An undesired light such as side lobes which appear on the both sides of the intermediate image in the vertical direction is blocked by a slit () and the intermediate image is reformed by a second optical system (), to direct a liner illumination light onto the spatial light modulator (). Thus, in a state where moving ribbons are sagged and first order diffracted lights are emitted in a light modulator element, it is possible to prevent a zeroth order light from being emitted from both end portions of ribbons, to thereby enhance contrast of the signal light.

Apparatus for generating spatially modulated light and image recording apparatus

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 (I) 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 (P) 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 (Pt)) between the maximum light amount-voltage and the minimum light amount-voltage at a displacement amount (P) 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.

Method and apparatus for correcting output light-amounts of spatial light modulator, image recording apparatus, and image recording method

There is provided an image recorder which allows easy malfunction detection in a light modulator and can previously prevent the occurrence of fogging of a photosensitive material, a fire, or the like. A recording head ( ) in the image recorder includes a laser light source ( ) for emitting a laser beam, a light modulator ( ) for modulating a laser beam, an illumination optical system ( ) for irradiating the light modulator ( ) with a laser beam emitted from the laser light source ( ), an imaging optical system ( ) for focusing signal light from the light modulator ( ) onto a recording medium ( ) for image formation, a photodetector ( ) for detecting non-signal light from the light modulator ( ), a controller ( ) for detecting a malfunction in the light modulator ( ) on the basis of output from the photodetector ( ), and a light shielding mechanism ( ) for, when the controller ( ) detects a malfunction in the light modulator ( ), cutting off an optical path between the laser light source ( ) and the light modulator ( ).

Image recorder having diagnostic capability

A laser illuminating apparatus for irradiating a linear spatial light modulator comprises a bar laser having a plurality of linearly arranged emitters; a lens array having a plurality of lens units less in number than the emitters and arranged parallel to the direction of arrangement of the emitters, for causing a collimated laser beam incident on the lens units to converge at the final surface of the lens units at least on a plane including the direction of arrangement of the emitters and the optical axis; and optics for creating a superimposed far field pattern, in the direction of arrangement of the emitters, of the laser beams emitted from the bar laser onto the lens array, projecting the far field patterns divided by the lens array onto the illumination area in superimposition, and projecting near field patterns, in the direction perpendicular to the direction of arrangement of the emitters, of the laser beams emitted from the bar laser on the illumination area.

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Kyoto, Japan

Yoshimi Hashimoto