| 摘要 |
<p><P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attain substantial miniaturization while eliminating misalignment between optical systems of an optical scanner and an image forming apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: Scanning is carried out with a laser beam by moving a light exit part of an optical waveguide element 10 in which the laser beam is wave-guided. For this purpose, the optical waveguide element 10 is formed of a rectangular optical waveguide sheet 221 made of a polymeric material permitting to form the waveguides 222 and having flexibility, and the scanning is carried out in the longitudinal direction. Also, the light incident part and emission part of the laser beam to the optical waveguide element 10 are wide surfaces toward both ends in the longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide sheet 221, respectively. Further, a light source of the laser beam made incident to the optical waveguide element 10 uses a surface emitting type monolithic semiconductor laser 224 having a plurality of light emitting points 125. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT</p> |
