Patent ID: 7227618

Claim:
An image generating system, comprising: a) a light generating means for producing illumination light waves; b) an array of zone plate modulators for producing modulated light waves, said zone plate modulators comprising: i) a pair of complementary Fresnel zone plates; ii) a modulation means for changing the optical path difference between said pair of complementary Fresnel zone plates; whereby said zone plate modulators cause diffractions of said illumination light waves incident thereon with the diffractions modulated by said modulation means, the diffracted portion of said illumination light waves incident upon each of said zone plate modulators is focused into a series of light spots along the axis of each of said zone plate modulators, and the diffracted portion of said illumination light waves incident upon said array of zone plate modulators form a light spot array on the primary focal plane of said array of zone plate modulators; c) an illumination means for causing said illumination light waves to be incident upon said array of zone plate modulators; d) an electronic means for processing pattern data to be presented and for operating said array of zone plate modulators according to the pattern data; and e) a receiving surface for receiving said modulated light waves originating from said array of zone plate modulators.