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:
The exposure time of high data rate single spot laser scanner can be extended by the use of Time Domain Integration (TDI) mode imaging to expose thermographic materials. Many thermographic materials, such as thermal printing plates, can not be properly exposed in single spot scanners such as internal drum scanners, due to the shortness of the exposure time of a single spot, but can be exposed by the extended exposure time of TDI scanning. The Scophony effect can also be used as a method of TDI.
Abstract:
The traditional trade-off between performance and shelf-life of processless thermal printing plates can be eliminated by using reactive chemicals which are mixed during (or just prior to) application to the plate and imaged shortly thereafter. The utility of high power thermal exposure heads combined with the advantages of mixing two reactive chemicals, allows the generation of high performance processless thermal printing plates on-site, effectively eliminating the requirements of shelf-life and robustness. Furthermore, the process of mixing the reactive chemicals is ideally suited for on-press imaging.
Abstract:
A two dimensional laser diode array consists of rows and columns of individual multimode laser diodes, each diode having a separate collection lens. The array is imaged at a large reduction ratio to achieve high resolution recording. In order to decrease the apparent spacing of the diodes in the scanning direction, the rows are staggered relative to the scan direction. In order to avoid variations caused by the near-field non-uniformity of multimode diodes the final spot generated on the media is an image of the aperture of the collecting lens and not of the diode facet. The larger dimension of this aperture, formed by the diffraction limited direction of the laser diode, is reduced by using anamorphic optics.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for directing a light beam onto a moving article. The apparatus comprises first and second mirrors for directing the light beam in an adjustable direction, first and second motors connected to the first and second mirrors to move those mirrors, and a tracking system connected to the first and second motors to operate those motors to move the first and second mirrors to maintain the light beam directed at the article as the article moves. Preferable, the tracking system includes coarse and fine tracking subsystems. The coarse tracking subsystem is used to operate the motors to move the mirrors to direct the light beam approximately onto the article, and the fine tracking subsystem is used to operate the motors to operate the mirrors to direct the light beam substantially directly onto the article.
Abstract:
A multi-track optical read/write head uses a light valve to split the beam from a single laser diode to a large number of channels, recorded on an optical disc or tape. Readout is achieved by line illumination and a linear array of detectors. The number of channels in the light valve exceeds the number of recorded tracks and a single light valve channel is smaller than the optical resolution of the system. The division into a large number of channels allows to modulate the width of the written mark in order to achieve increased data recording density.
Abstract:
Metal printing plates can be loaded onto a drum and held in place by vacuum alone if flat plates are given a permanent curl by a set of four rollers. Same rollers cancel out the curl when plate is unloaded from drum. The invention is useful for Computer-to-Plate and Computer-to-Press systems.
Abstract:
An optical system for reading and tracking multiple tracks of optically recorded data consists of a combination of spherical and cylindrical lenses shaping the emission of a laser diode into a narrow line on the surface of the recorded material. This line is subsequently imaged on a detector array containing multiple detectors for each data track being read. Digital signal processing identifies the tracks and follows them by selecting the proper detectors in the detector array. Track-to-track interference is minimized by selecting the numerical aperture of the final lens to have the nulls of the Airy pattern at double the track spacing.
Abstract:
A multi-spot light modulator using a laser diode is disclosed in which a single light pulse from the laser diode generates a multi-spot image of a data pattern, each spot corresponding to an active bit of the data pattern. The ability of a pulsed laser diode to generate a narrow light pulse is used to image an acoustic wave corresponding to the data pattern without the normal degradation in resolution caused by the motion of the acoustic wave.
Abstract:
An electronically tuneable light source which includes a source of white light, an acousto-optic modulator which includes a transparent medium and a means for generating an acoustical wave in the medium and a means for directing the collimated beam of the white light onto the medium at a preselected angle .theta./2, to a line which is perpendicular to the direction of travel of the acoustical wave. Interaction of the light beam with the acoustical wave causes diffraction of the light beam. Means are provided for selecting a visible band of the diffracted beam at an angle to the incident collimated beam of light equal to approximately .theta..