Rasterizer for a pattern generation apparatus

A rasterizer for generating energy beam modulation control signals for causing a plurality of energy beams coupled to the rasterizer to paint a pattern constituted with a plurality of geometry primitives, the rasterizer comprising:

• (a) a processor for transforming and fracturing geometry data describing the:
• geometry primitives into a plurality of sub-frames of pixels, at least one geometry primitive at a time, for forming frames of pixels, which in turn are for forming stripes of pixels for forming the pattern, each frame is formed by a plurality of scan lines of pixels spanning the sub-frames of the frame in a pre-determined manner;
• (b) a plurality of geometry engines coupled to the processor for concurrently receiving the fractured geometry data corresponding to the sub-frames of at least one frame, and in response, concurrently generating pixel values for these sub-frames, at least one scan line at a time;
• and
• (c) a plurality of beam modules coupled to the geometry engines and the energy beams for concurrently receiving the pixel values of the sub-frames of the at least one frame, and in response, concurrently generating the modulation control signals for controlling modulation of the energy beams to paint the scan lines of a frame, one scan line at a time.