Patent ID: 7459709

Claim:
A method of forming an optical image in a radiation-sensitive layer ( 5 ), the method comprising the steps of: providing a radiation source ( 17 ); providing a radiation-sensitive layer ( 5 ); positioning a plurality of individually controlled light valves ( 21 - 25 ) between the radiation source ( 17 ) and the radiation sensitive layer ( 5 ); positioning a plurality of radiation converging elements ( 43 ) between the plurality of light valves ( 21 - 25 ) and the radiation-sensitive layer ( 5 ), such that each converging element ( 43 ) corresponds to a different one of the light valves ( 21 - 25 ) and serves to converge radiation from the corresponding light valve in a spot area in the radiation-sensitive layer ( 5 ); simultaneously writing image portions in radiation-sensitive layer areas by scanning said layer ( 5 ), on the one hand, and the associated light valve/converging-element pairs, on the other hand, relative to each other and switching each light valve ( 21 - 25 ) between an on and an off state in dependence upon the image portion to be written by the light valve ( 21 - 25 ), wherein at least some spot areas in the radiation-sensitive layer ( 5 ) are scanned by a plurality of spots created by respective light valve/converging element pairs; selectively reducing the intensity of, or switching off, one or more of said plurality of individually controlled light valves ( 21 - 25 ) scanning the same spot area in said radiation-sensitive layer ( 5 ) so as to adjust the position in said radiation-sensitive layer ( 5 ) of an edge position of a feature of said optical image.