Multimode multi-track optical recording system
AssigneeCreo Inc.
InventorDaniel Gelbart
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for an improved multimode multi-track optical recording system are disclosed. A monolithic array of individually addressable multimode laser diode stripes is imaged onto a recording media, where the individual diode stripe images form a plurality of tracks. Introduction of astigmatism between each multimode laser diode and the recording medium causes the diode stripe images to be relatively sharply focussed on their short axes, but less focussed on their elongated axes. This blurring of the diode stripe images on their elongated axes at the surface of the recording media overcomes near-field non-uniformity in the power distribution of the multimode diode, increasing the reliability and overall performance of the recording system.
Claims44
An optical recording system for recording on a surface of a radiation sensitive material comprising:
- (a) a monolithic diode array having a plurality of individually addressable multimode laser diodes, each of said diodes comprising an emitting aperture having a short axis and an elongated axis and each of said diodes operative to receive information and to emit a radiation pattern according to said information;
- and
- (b) an optical subsystem having at least one optical element, operative to direct each of said radiation patterns from said diodes to the surface of said radiation sensitive material,
- wherein said optical subsystem is configured to introduce astigmatism into said radiation patterns and to form, on the surface of said radiation sensitive material, an image of each of said emitting apertures that is substantially focused on its short axis and is blurred on its elongated axis, so as to record said information on the surface of said radiation sensitive material, while substantially avoiding revealing a near-field non-uniformity of said radiation patterns.
An optical recording system for recording on a surface of a radiation sensitive material comprising:
- (a) a monolithic diode array having a plurality of individually addressable multimode laser diodes, each of said diodes comprising an emitting aperture having a short axis and an elongated axis and each of said diodes operative to receive information and to emit a radiation pattern incorporating said information;
- and
- (b) an optical subsystem having at least one optical element, operative to direct each of said radiation patterns from said diodes to the surface of said radiation sensitive material,
- wherein said optical subsystem is anamorphic and is configured to introduce en astigmatism into said radiation patterns and to form an image of said emitting apertures on the surface of said radiation sensitive material that is more focused on its short axis than on its elongated axis, so as to record said information on the surface of said radiation sensitive material, while substantially avoiding revealing a near-field non-uniformity of said radiation patterns.
A method of optically recording information onto a surface of a radiation sensitive material using a monolithic array of individually addressable multimode laser diodes, each of said diodes comprising an emitting aperture having a short axis and an elongated axis, which method comprises:
- (a) incorporating information into a radiation pattern emitted by each of said diodes;
- (b) optically directing each of said radiation patterns from said diodes to the surface of said radiation sensitive material;
- (c) introducing astigmatism into said radiation patterns prior to said radiation sensitive material, such that, at the surface of said radiation sensitive material, an image of each of said emitting apertures is substantially focused on its short axis and less focused on its elongated axis;
- and
- (d) recording said information on the surface of said radiation sensitive material, while substantially avoiding revealing a near-field non-uniformity of said radiation patterns.
A method of optically recording information onto a surface of a radiation sensitive material using a monolithic array of individually addressable multimode laser diodes, each of said diodes comprising an emitting aperture having a short axis and an elongated axis, which method comprises:
- (a) incorporating information into a radiation pattern emitted by each of said diodes;
- (b) optically directing each of said radiation patterns from said diodes to the surface of said radiation sensitive material,
- (c) introducing astigmatism into said radiation patterns prior to said radiation sensitive material, such that, at the surface of said radiation sensitive material, an image of each of said emitting apertures is more focused on its short axis than on its elongated axis;
- and
- (d) recording said information on the surface of said radiation sensitive material, while substantially avoiding revealing a near-field non-uniformity of said radiation patterns.
A method of optically recording information onto a surface of a radiation sensitive material using a monolithic array of individually addressable multimode laser diodes, each of said diodes comprising an emitting aperture having a short axis and an elongated axis, which method comprises
- (a) incorporating information into a radiation pattern emitted by each of said diodes;
- (b) optically directing each of said radiation patterns from said diodes to the surface of said radiation sensitive material;
- (c) focusing an image of each of said emitting apertures on its short axis at the surface of said radiation sensitive material;
- (d) blurring the image of each of said emitting apertures on its elongated axis at the surface of said radiation sensitive material;
- and
- (e) recording said information on the surface of said radiation sensitive material, while substantially avoiding revealing a near-field non-uniformity of said radiation patterns.
An apparatus for recording images on a radiation sensitive material, the apparatus comprising:
- an array of multimode diodes, each of the diodes comprising an emitting aperture having a short axis and an elongated axis;
- and
- an optical system disposed between the array of multimode diodes and the radiation sensitive material, the optical system configured to form an image of the emitting aperture of each diode on the radiation sensitive material and to thereby selectively cause a change in a state of the imageable material, the optical system comprising at least one optical element that introduces an optical aberration, such that the image of the emitting aperture of each diode is substantially focused on its short axis and is less focused on its elongated axis;
- and
- a mechanism for moving the images of the emitting apertures of the diodes relative to the radiation sensitive material so as to record an image on the radiation sensitive material.
An apparatus for recording images on a radiation sensitive material, the apparatus comprising:
- an array of multimode diodes, each of the diodes comprising an emitting aperture having a short axis and an elongated axis;
- and
- an optical system disposed between the array of multimode diodes and the radiation sensitive material, the optical system configured to form an image of the emitting aperture of each diode on the radiation sensitive material the optical system comprising at least one optical element that introduces an optical aberration, such that the image of the emitting aperture of each diode is substantially focused on its short axis and is less focused on its elongated axis;
- wherein each of the diodes is individually addressable;
- wherein each of the diodes is connected to receive corresponding image data and to emit a corresponding radiation beam modulated with the corresponding image data;
- the optical system is configured to direct each of the radiation beams into a corresponding channel on the radiation sensitive material and the apparatus comprises means for moving the optical system relative to the radiation sensitive material in a scan direction, the relative motion in the scan direction causing each of the radiation beams to record corresponding image data at different locations in the corresponding channel.
A method of recording images comprising:
- providing an array of multimode diodes, each of the diodes comprising an emitting aperture having a short axis and an elongated axis;
- and
- forming an image of the emitting aperture of each of the diodes on a radiation sensitive material, the image of the emitting aperture of each of the diodes being substantially focused on its short axis and less focused on its elongated axis, wherein forming an image of the emitting aperture of each diode comprises recording image data onto the radiation sensitive material.
A method of recording images comprising:
- providing an array of multimode diodes, each of the diodes comprising an emitting aperture having a short axis and an elongated axis;
- and
- forming an image of the emitting aperture of each of the diodes on a radiation sensitive material, the image of the emitting aperture of each of the diodes being substantially focused on its short axis and less focused on its elongated axis;
- providing each of the diodes with corresponding image data and emitting, from each of the diode, a radiation beam modulated with the corresponding image data;
- wherein forming an image of the emitting aperture of each diode comprises recording the image data corresponding with each diode into a corresponding data channel on the radiation sensitive material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.