Patent ID: 7250961

Claim:
A light beam scanning method of scanning a sheet-like object to be scanned by a light beam emitted from a light source and having passed through an optical system, comprising the steps of: disposing the sheet-like object along a curved receiving surface wherein the light beam forms on the sheet-like object a scanning line curved along the curved receiving surface; controlling a wave front of the light beam using a wavefront control device; and compensating at least one of lateral displacement of the light beam, longitudinal displacement of the light beam, and aberration in the optical system, wherein at least one of: compensation for the longitudinal displacement of the light beam by controlling one of curvature and distortion of the wave front of the light beam emitted from the wavefront control device: compensation for the aberration in the optical system by controlling either of the curvature and the distortion of the wave front of the light beam emitted from the wavefront control device; and compensation for the lateral displacement of the light beam by controlling inclination of the wave front of the light beam emitted from the wavefront control device, is performed.