HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGE PROJECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD EMPLOYING LASERS

摘要

An image projection system employing microlaser and/or diode laser arrays (11). Each laser in each array is individually addressable. The system includes three linear laser arrays, one red (12), one green (13), and one blue (14), each individually addressable laser being powered and modulated in accordance with the input image signal (21). When microlaser arrays, which are energized by laser diode pumps, are used, the laser diode pumps are formed in equivalent arrays (15, 16, 17). The laser output beams are combined in a dichroic prism (31) and reflected off a rotating multifaceted scanning mirror (22) which effects two dimensional scanning as it rotates. The image beam reflected from the scanner passes through an imaging lens (24), a speckle eliminator (25) and then onto the projection screen (27). The invention also includes the method of generating and scanning the image beam, as well as the novel speckle eliminator and the microlaser array configured for optimally close spacing to achieve the desired result. In one embodiment, the laser diode pumps are directly modulated by the video signal, while in another embodiment the microlaser outputs are modulated utilizing a spatial light modulator array.