Catadioptric Anamorphic Optical System for High-Resolution Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current imaging systems face challenges in achieving high resolution and high power imaging across large areas in a single pass, particularly in applications like high-speed printing and lithography, due to limitations in optical performance and hardware constraints, which restrict the ability to generate seamless continuous high-resolution images.
Innovation Solution
A catadioptric anamorphic optical system is used to concentrate a two-dimensional low-intensity light field into a one-dimensional high-intensity line image, utilizing cylindrical/acylindrical lenses and mirrors to minimize distortion and sagittal field curvature, enabling high power imaging with gray-scale capabilities and flexible pixel positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a raster optical scanner is used to achieve high resolution imaging, then image resolution is improved, but the lateral extent of the line image and imaging swath are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging system is divided into multiple independent imaging subsystems arranged side by side, each capable of generating a portion of the final image. These subsystems work in parallel to collectively cover a larger imaging swath while maintaining high resolution, resolving the contradiction between resolution and imaging width
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple imaging subsystems are combined side by side to form a composite imaging system. The individual line images from each subsystem are optically combined to create a seamless wide-area high-resolution image, enabling both large imaging swath and high resolution simultaneously
2Area of stationary object
If LED arrays are used for large width imaging, then imaging width is improved, but power output and resolution are limited
Solution Approach 1:
A catadioptric anamorphic optical system is introduced as an intermediary between the LED array and the imaging surface. This optical system concentrates the light from the LED array, achieving high power density and resolution while maintaining large imaging width, thus resolving the contradiction between imaging width and power output
3Measurement precision
If multiple rows of imaging subsystems are used to extend resolution, then device complexity increases, but hardware real estate and alignment requirements are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of extending resolution by adding more rows in the vertical dimension, the system uses a single row of imaging subsystems arranged horizontally. The catadioptric anamorphic optical system achieves high resolution through optical concentration in the vertical dimension while maintaining a compact horizontal footprint, reducing device complexity and alignment requirements
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for high total optical intensity along the line image, facilitating reliable high-resolution, high-speed imaging in a single pass across large areas, overcoming previous limitations in resolution and power delivery.
Implementation Method 1
catadioptric anamorphic optical system to concentrate a two-dimensional low-intensity light field into a one-dimensional high-intensity line image
Implementation Method 2
utilizing cylindrical/acylindrical lenses and mirrors to minimize distortion and sagittal field curvature
Implementation Method 3
utilizing cylindrical/acylindrical lenses and mirrors to minimize distortion and sagittal field curvature
Data Source
AI summary
A single-pass imaging system utilizes a light source and a spatial light modulator to generate a two-dimensional modulated light field, and uses a catadiotropic anamorphic optical system to anamorphically image and concentrate the modulated light in order to generate a high-intensity, substantially one-dimensional line image on an imaging surface (e.g., the surface of a drum cylinder). The catadiotropic anamorphic optical system utilizes one or more cylindrical/acylindrical lens elements to image the modulated light field in the cross-process direction, and one or more cylindrical/acylindrical mirror elements to image and concentrate the modulated light field in the process direction. The line image is generated with sufficient energy to evaporate fountain solution from the imaging surface. The imaging system simultaneously generates all component pixel images of the line image, thus facilitating a printing apparatus capable of 1200 dpi or greater.