Importance

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Abstract

A laser beam is widened in one dimension to cover an array of a substantial number of electro-optic gates. The beam is divided by the gates into a plurality of potential spot-forming beams. The transmission of each beam to a photosensitive surface is selectively inhibited in accordance with a pre-determined pattern or program, while the beams are swept relative to the photosensitive surface to form characters and other images. Preferably, the gates are formed by a wafer of PLZT electro-optic ceramic material, with a large number of closely-spaced electrodes on the surface, in cooperation with a crossed polarizer. Preferably, the beams are collimated and a traveling lens and reflector combination is moved parallel to the photosensitive surface in the collimated beams to space the spots on the film from one another. The collimated beams are made convergent so that a relatively small, light-weight lens can be used to compose relatively long lines of text without excessive loss of light or vignetting. Also provided are a relatively simple but stable lens-reflector carriage and rail structure on which the carriage travels in order to sweep the beam relative to the photosensitive surface.

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First Claim