Image recording apparatus and image recording method

An image recording apparatus configured to irradiate a recording target with laser light to record an image, comprising:

• a plurality of laser emitters that are disposed side by side in a predetermined direction and are configured to emit laser light having energy;
• an optical system configured to collect a plurality of beams of laser light emitted by the laser emitters onto the recording target moving relative to the laser emitters in a direction crossing the predetermined direction;
• and
• output control circuitry configured to perform control such that the energy of laser light emitted from an outermost end laser emitter of the laser emitters is greater than the energy of laser light emitted from a center laser emitter, the outermost end laser emitter emitting laser light to be transmitted through a vicinity of an end portion of the optical system, the center laser emitter emitting laser light to be transmitted through a portion other than the vicinity of the end portion of the optical system,
• wherein the output control circuitry controls the energy of laser light emitted from the laser emitter, based on whether laser light is emitted from another laser emitter adjacent to the laser emitter.

An image recording method performed in an image recording apparatus configured to irradiate a recording target with laser light having energy to record an image,

• the image recording apparatus comprising:
• a plurality of laser emitters that are disposed side by side in a predetermined direction and are configured to emit the laser light;
• an optical system configured to collect a plurality of beams of laser light emitted by the laser emitters onto the recording target moving relative to the laser emitters in a direction crossing the predetermined direction;
• and
• the method comprising performing control such that energy of laser light emitted from an outermost end laser emitter of the laser emitters is greater than the energy of laser light emitted from a center laser emitter, the outermost end laser emitter emitting laser light to be transmitted through a vicinity of an end portion of the optical system, the center laser emitter emitting laser light to be transmitted through a portion other than the vicinity of the end portion of the optical system,
• wherein the performing control controls the energy of laser light emitted from the laser emitter, based on whether laser light is emitted from another laser emitter adjacent to the laser emitter.