PLZT Shutter Array

Abstract

Various kinds of solid-state scanning device have been developed or under examination as optical printheads for photo-printers using various imaging technoloies such as electrophotography, silverhalide photography, Cy-color and so on. And there is a certain demand for realizing ever better printheads having higher resolution, faster response, higher reliability, longer durability and better matching between the light source and the spectral sensitivity of the photoreceptor.
A light shutter array using PLZT, a opto-electronic ceramics showing unique electrooptic effect, is widely regarded to have good atributes enough to satisfy the demand and so much R & D activities on the device has been carried out since the discovery of PLZT in1969.
Recently, a prototype PLZT shutter array was newly materialized with resolution of 400 dpi, print width of 300 mm and a few μsec switching time, and it is expected that this device will lead the direction of future evolution.