Patent ID: 6172787
Filing Date: 2001-01-09
Classification: G02B,G06K,H04N

Abstract:
A laser beam scanning optical apparatus comprising:a laser diode array which has a plurality of light emitting sources which are arranged two-dimensionally in a first direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction on a wafer, wherein adjacent light emitting sources in the first direction have an interval of a first dimension and adjacent light emitting sources in the second direction have an interval of a second dimension, wherein said first dimension is different from said second dimension and a relationship between said first dimension and said second dimension is defined by the equation:P.sub.2 /P.sub.1 =m(tan .theta.)whereinP.sub.2 is said second dimension,P.sub.1 is said first dimension,m is a number of light emitting sources in each line of light emitting sources in said first direction, and.theta. is an angle between said first direction and a main scanning direction;a deflector which deflects a plurality of laser beams emitted from the laser diode array; anda scanning system which images the plurality of laser beams emitted from the laser diode array on a scanning surface, the scanning system having a magnification ratio in said main scanning direction in which the deflector deflects the plurality of laser beams and a magnification ratio in a sub scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction, the magnification ratio in the main scanning direction and the magnification ratio in the sub scanning direction being different.