Patent ID: 7663653

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; and an optical head for forming the electrostatic latent image on the image carrier, comprising: a lens, having an outgoing surface opposing the image carrier and an incoming surface opposite the outgoing surface; a transparent substrate, having a first surface opposing the image carrier and a second surface opposite the first surface; an organic EL photo emitter, disposed on the second surface of the substrate and comprising: a light emitting layer, for emitting light toward the incoming surface of the lens, the light passing through the lens and being output from the outgoing surface so as to irradiate the image carrier to form the electrostatic latent image; and an electrode layer, laminated on the light emitting layer; and a cover member, disposed between the outgoing surface of the lens and the image carrier, the cover member being formed with an aperture for allowing only the light output from the photo emitter to the outgoing surface of the lens to pass therethrough.