Interpixel null suppression for optical image bars

In combination with an optical image bar for supplying spatially modulated light to form an image composed of a sequence of pixel patterns on an output image plane, each of said pixel patterns containing a plurality of individual pixels and having a nominal image plane pixel pitch, each of said pixels having an image plane diameter that is less than said pixel pitch such that there tend to be interpixel intensity nulls;

• the improvement comprising
• first optical means disposed between said image bar and said image plane for decomposing said light into a plurality of mutually orthogonal, laterally offset, optical field distributions which are redundantly modulated in accordance with said pixel pattern, and
• second optical means aligned with said first optical means for transforming said field distributions into respective mutually orthogonal, redundantly modulated, laterally offset intensity profiles and for bringing said intensity profiles to focus simultaneously on a recording medium, thereby causing them to sum with one another on an intensity basis
• said intensity profiles being laterally offset from one another on said image plane sufficiently to substantially overwrite said interpixel intensity nulls, but insufficiently to cause significant alteration of any neighboring pixels.