Single-pass imaging system with anamorphic optical system

摘要

An anamorphic projection optical system is disclosed that takes in a relatively low intensity two-dimensional light field, and anamorphically images and concentrates the light field to generate a substantially one-dimensional, high intensity line image extending in a process direction on an imaging surface. The optical system includes a process-direction optical subsystem (137E) formed by one or more cylindrical/acylindrical lenses (138) in an all-refractive arrangement, or a combination of cylindrical/acylindrical lenses and mirrors to generate the line image with sufficient energy, for example, to evaporate fountain solution from the imaging surface. The anamorphic optical system also includes a cross-process-direction optical subsystem (133E) formed by one or more cylindrical/acylindrical lenses (134E) and an optional cylindrical/acylindrical field lens to image the modulated light field in the cross-process direction. The anamorphic projection optical system facilitates simultaneously generating multiple pixel images of the line image, thus facilitating a printing at 1200 dpi or greater.