Optical scanning with overlap

摘要

The present invention provides a method of ameliorating the effects of misalignment between modulator arrays, and a system using the same. The ability reduce the effects of misalignment allows multiple, smaller, more cost effective arrays to be used instead of one large array. This can reduce the manufacturing costs of the array, especially arrays that are produced using semiconductor manufacturing processes such as the digital micromirror device. To avoid visual artifacts caused by the misalignment of two or more modulator arrays 1702, 1704, the individual arrays are overlapped and the portion of the image is generated by both arrays. The contribution to the combined output by the overlapping arrays varies, with each array making a small contribution to the overlapped area 1706 at one end and a large contribution at the other end of the overlapped area 1706. Because the overlapping portions of the modulator arrays 1712 collectively form a portion of the image, the alignment error is effectively spread over the entire overlapping portion 1706 and is much less noticeable.