Optical scanner and recorder

A flat field laser recorder, comprising

• an optical scanner in which a beam from a laser is directed through an acousto-optic light deflector/modulator and a scan lens, to a rotating multi-faceted mirror, and back through the scan lens to a linearly-moving light-sensitive film, whereby each facet of the mirror causes the light beam to scan and record a line on the film,
• an electrical oscillator having an amplitude modulation input and a frequency modulation input and producing electrical oscillations coupled to said light deflector/modulator,
• a photo-electric cell positioned to receive a portion of the light in the path between the laser and the film, and having an electrical output coupled to the amplitude modulation input of said light deflector/modulator to effect an automatic brightness control of the beam,
• an array of photo-electric cells positioned beside the film to receive light from the light beam at the beginning of each scan of the light beam across the film, and
• an electrical circuit responsive to the outputs of the array of photo-electric cells and having an output coupled to the frequency modulation input of the light deflector/modulator to effect an automatic line scan spacing control of the beam.