Apparatus for recording image including an afocal optical system

Claim 1

An apparatus for recording an image on a recording surface, comprising: a light source for generating a plurality of recording laser beams; a modulator for individually modulating said laser beams in response to image signals which are representative of an image; and an afocal optical system for directing said laser beams toward a recording surface such that chief rays of each of said laser beams are substantially perpendicular to said recording surface at said recording surface; wherein first beam waists of each of said laser beams coincide with a front focal plane of said afocal optical system; and wherein said recording surface is located at a rear focal plane of said afocal optical system.

Claim 2

An apparatus for recording an image on a recording surface, comprising: a light source for generating a plurality of recording laser beams; a modulator for individually modulating said laser beams in response to image signals which are representative of an image; and an afocal optical system for directing said laser beams toward a recording surface such that chief rays of each of said laser beams are substantially perpendicular to said recording surface at said recording surface; wherein first beam waists of each of said laser beams coincide with a front focal plane of said afocal optical system; and wherein said recording surface is located at a rear focal plane of said afocal optical system.

Claim 3

An apparatus for recording an image on a recording surface, comprising: a light source for generating a plurality of recording laser beams; a modulator for individually modulating said laser beams in response to image signals which are representative of an image; and an afocal optical system for directing said laser beams toward a recording surface such that chief rays of each of said laser beams are substantially perpendicular to said recording surface at said recording surface; wherein first beam waists of each of said laser beams do not coincide with a front focal plane of said afocal optical system; and wherein said recording surface does not coincide with a rear focal plane of said afocal optical system; and wherein said afocal optical system satisfies the following relationship: ΔZ.sub.R = m.sup.2 ·Δ Z.sub.F where ΔZ R is the distance between said rear focal plane and said recording surface, ΔZ F is the distance between said front focal plane and said first beam waists, and m is the magnification of said afocal optical system.

Claim 4

An apparatus for recording an image on a recording surface, comprising: a light source for generating a plurality of recording laser beams; a modulator for individually modulating said laser beams in response to image signals which are representative of an image; and an afocal optical system for directing said laser beams toward a recording surface such that chief rays of each of said laser beams are substantially perpendicular to said recording surface at said recording surface; wherein first beam waists of each of said laser beams do not coincide with a front focal plane of said afocal optical system; and wherein said recording surface does not coincide with a rear focal plane of said afocal optical system; and wherein said afocal optical system satisfies the following relationship: ΔZ.sub.R = m.sup.2 ·Δ Z.sub.F where ΔZ R is the distance between said rear focal plane and said recording surface, ΔZ F is the distance between said front focal plane and said first beam waists, and m is the magnification of said afocal optical system.

Claim 5

An apparatus for recording an image on a recording surface, comprising: a light source, including: (1) means for generating a source laser beam and (2) beam splitting means for splitting said source laser beam into a plurality of recording laser beams, each of said recording laser beams having a slightly different optical length; a modulator for individually modulating said recording laser beams in response to image signals which are representative of an image; and an afocal optical system for directing said recording laser beams toward a recording surface, such that chief rays of each of said recording laser beams are substantially perpendicular to said recording surface at said recording surface, said afocal optical system being a reduction lens system; wherein first beam waists of each of said recording laser beams do not coincide with a front focal plane of said afocal optical system; and wherein said recording surface is located at a rear focal plane of said afocal optical lens system; and wherein said afocal optical system satisfies the following relationship: ΔZ.sub.R =m.sup.2 ·ΔZ.sub.F where ΔZ R is the distance between said rear focal plane and said recording surface, ΔZ F is the distance between said front focal plane and said first beam waists, and m is the magnification of said afocal optical system.

Claim 6

An apparatus for recording an image on a recording surface, comprising: a light source, including: (1) means for generating a source laser beam and (2) beam splitting means for splitting said source laser beam into a plurality of recording laser beams, each of said recording laser beams having a slightly different optical length; a modulator for individually modulating said recording laser beams in response to image signals which are representative of an image; and an afocal optical system for directing said recording laser beams toward a recording surface, such that chief rays of each of said recording laser beams are substantially perpendicular to said recording surface at said recording surface, said afocal optical system being a reduction lens system; wherein first beam waists of each of said recording laser beams do not coincide with a front focal plane of said afocal optical system; and wherein said recording surface is located at a rear focal plane of said afocal optical lens system; and wherein said afocal optical system satisfies the following relationship: ΔZ.sub.R =m.sup.2 ·ΔZ.sub.F where ΔZ R is the distance between said rear focal plane and said recording surface, ΔZ F is the distance between said front focal plane and said first beam waists, and m is the magnification of said afocal optical system.