JPS6234460A - Exposure device for photosensitive film - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the size, weight, energy consumption, and cost and improve the exposing speed of the titled exposure device, by using an element formed by arranging numerous swinging mirrors which deflect a luminous flux in at least two directions. CONSTITUTION:A DMD 27 reacts electromechanically in response to a signal and a mirror swinging section 13 swings. The light A of a lighting system emitted from a light source 21 illuminates the mirror array section of the DMD 27 in a slit-like condition after passing through lighting optical systems 22-26. The irradiated light A is deflected in the direction of reflecting light C by the mirror and intercepted by a light intercepting plate 30, when each mirror swinging section of the mirror array on the DMD 27 is turned OFF. Accordingly, the light A does not reach a photosensitive film 31. When each mirror swinging section is turned ON, the light A is reflected in the direction B and made incident to an image forming lens 29. As a result, a dot pattern corresponding to the mirror swinging sections is formed on the photosensitive film 31. Similarly, movement of the film 31 and exposure in accordance with a prescribed signal are repeated.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an exposure device for photosensitive film, and particularly for forming an exposure pattern corresponding to image information on a photosensitive film based on image information such as an electrical signal. The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus.

[Conventional technology]

In recent years, it has become common practice to divide an image into a large number of pixels, convert the optical characteristics of each pixel into an electrical signal, and handle image information as a series of electrical signals.

Furthermore, recently, electrical devices have been used to create image information consisting of the above-mentioned electrical signal sequences (for example, computer graphics). The image information handled by the electrical device in this manner is usually displayed on a display means such as a cathode ray display or a liquid crystal panel.

By the way, the image information handled and displayed in the manner described above is fixed on a photosensitive film, and thus, for example, computer graphics can be made into a movie. Conventionally, image information is fixed on a photosensitive film by exposing the photosensitive film by scanning the photosensitive film with laser light in the main and sub-scanning directions while modulating the electrical signal train of the entire image information from a laser light source, and then developing the film. It was being done.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in the conventional photosensitive film exposure method as described above, a rotating polygon mirror is used for scanning the radar beam, and a relatively large amount of power is required to drive the polygon mirror. Since it is a scanning method, the exposure speed is relatively low and it also takes up a relatively large space.
There have been problems in that it is difficult to make the device smaller, lighter, more energy efficient, lower in cost, and faster in exposure speed.

[Means to solve all problems]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, a photosensitive film is exposed using an element formed by arranging a large number of swinging mirrors capable of deflecting a light beam from a light source in at least two directions. Provided is a photosensitive film exposure apparatus characterized by the following.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first embodiment of the device of the present invention.

In the figure, 21 is a light source, 22 and 24 are convex lenses constituting the Koehler illumination optical system, 23 is a slit plate in the illumination optical system, and 25 and 26 are folding mirrors in the illumination optical system, 27 is an electromechanical transducer having a fine swinging mirror. The electromechanical transducer 27 is illuminated by a Kohler illumination optical system. Further, 28 is a circuit for driving the electromechanical transducer 27, 29 is a convex lens for forming an image of the light reflected from the electromechanical transducer 270, and 30 is a continuous light plate. Furthermore, 31 is a photosensitive film.

Next, details of the electromechanical transducer 27 will be explained.The electromechanical transducer 27 used in this embodiment is a DVD (Dsformabla Mirror D*
vlca).

Regarding DMD, IEEK Transaction
onElectron Device@Vo1. ED-
3045544 (1983), and the optical system is also disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 17525/1983.

The general mechanism of the DMD will be explained below based on the drawings.

FIG. 2 (,) shows an enlarged sectional view of the DMD. Reference numeral 1 denotes a mirror structure, which is made of a material such as At or Ag and serves to reflect the incident source metal. Reference numeral 2 denotes a substrate that supports the entire mirror structure of 1 and is made of Au or the like. 3 and 4 are supporting members of 1.2, 3 is called a mirror contact, which in particular receives a crest that performs electromechanical operation, and 4 is an insulating material of polyoxide S1.

5 is a polysilicon dart and shows the role of the dart in the MOB type FET) Runsistor. 6 is the air gap, 0
．． The sky is 6μ to several μ. 7 is floating, field plate, 8ON + floating source turns on the transistor, 0FFI signal causes voltage to be applied to the field plate of 7. 9 is N
+ Indicates drain - This also serves as a component of a MOS W FET transistor. 10 is f-toxite and 0.11 is a P-type silicon substrate.

It is an enlarged front view of FIG. 2(b) taken from direction A in FIG.

Reference numeral 15 indicates a mirror surface other than the mirror portion 13 on the DVD surface. DVDs are manufactured using a process similar to that of IC or LSI.

Figure 2(c) shows DMD+7)! The figure shows a chemical equivalent diagram. 16
is shown in the voltage Vw' applied to the mirror and support member in 1.2. 17 indicates the voltage Vyt' applied to 8, 18 indicates the transistor configuration, and the D (drain) signal of 9;
The voltage of V is turned on and off to 8 by turning on and off the 50G (dirt) signal.

At this time, the voltage vM is applied to 1.2, and the potential difference between 1, 2, and 8 is increased or decreased by the ON/OFF signal. At this time, a force F according to the following formula is generated between 6.7 and 6.7 depending on the potential difference, F c/3KV" (K: constant V: potential difference α: constant
F: bending force) The mirror 1.2 is swung by the hinge portion 14.

The left diagram in FIG. 2(a) shows the case where there is a large voltage difference between 1, 2, and 8, and the mirror swinging part 13 is bent from the hinge part 14, and due to this action, the incident light is transmitted to the mirror swinging part. It is reflected at an angle twice the deflection angle of 13.

On the other hand, when the voltage difference is small, as shown in the right diagram of FIG. 2(a), the mirror swinging parts 13 1 and 2 are not bent due to the small force exerted by the mirror 7. Therefore, the incident light is reflected without the mirror swinging section 13 moving. DMD
is electrically ON, OFFi of the rocking of the mirror rocking unit 13.
It is converted into N and OFF, and further converted into a light deflection angle.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the DMD 270, and 13 is a mirror swinging section. In the DMD 27, the mirror swinging parts 13 are arranged in two directions in one direction with the same length as the length of each mirror swinging part in that direction, as shown in FIG.
Two mirror swinging section rows are formed, and the two mirror swinging section rows are arranged in a staggered pattern such that they do not overlap in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction. The number of mirror swinging parts 130 in the DMD 27 is, for example, about several dozen. Incidentally, the size of the mirror swinging portion 130 is, for example, 10 μm×10
It is about μm.

Next, details of the drive circuit 28 in FIG. 1 will be explained.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of the drive circuit 28. In FIG. 0, 41 is an input signal amplifier, which is ON and
F, or in the case of an analog signal, fc! Pressure is output. Since it is normally inputted in connection with the signal d series, it is converted by a serial/parallel exchanger 42 into a motherboard signal corresponding to the number of swinging mirrors of the DMD and stored in a register 43. The signals for one column are simultaneously read out using a synchronization signal, and a predetermined voltage signal is applied to the drains of the two mirror oscillating unit columns of the 46.47 DMD via the amplifier 44.

On the other hand, according to the synchronization signal, the decoder 45
) Signal i is given to the DMD. Depending on the amount and presence of this drain signal, and the presence or absence of dirt signals for each column, DM
The voltage of the floating lease of D is transmitted to the floating field grate and the fine swinging mirror turns ON.
, OFF selection is made.

The photosensitive film 31 in FIG. 1 is, for example, a silver salt photosensitive film, and the degree of blackening after development changes depending on the amount of light received.

In FIG. 1, light emitted from a light source 21 passes through a convex lens 22, a slit plate 23, and a convex lens 24, is reflected by bending mirrors 25 and 26, and is reflected by a DMD 2.
7. At this time, the illumination light beam is narrowed down by the slit plate 23 so that it does not reach anything other than the DMD 27. The DMD 27 operates as shown in FIG.
, ), the mirror oscillating unit 13 oscillates by electromechanically reacting according to the operating principle shown in .

Light A of the illumination system emitted from the light source 21 is transmitted to the illumination optical system 22.
, 23, 24, 25, 26, and illuminates the mirror array section of the DMD 27 in a slit shape.

When the irradiated light A is turned off, the irradiated light A goes in the direction of the reflected light C from the mirror and is blocked by the light shielding plate 30, and the light is not reflected on the photosensitive film 31. The light doesn't reach.

0Nf), 141, the light is reflected in the FiB direction and enters the imaging lens 29, where a dot pattern corresponding to the mirror swinging portion is formed on the photosensitive film 31, thereby performing exposure.

In this way, exposure of the photosensitive film portion (each pixel) optically corresponding to each mirror swinging section 13 in the DMD 27 is completed. At this time, the pixel portions of the photosensitive film 31 arranged in a staggered pattern are exposed at once with an exposure amount based on a signal related to each pixel.

Next, after moving the photosensitive film 31"ft by an appropriate pitch in the direction of the arrow X in FIG. The arrayed pixel portion is exposed with an exposure lid based on a signal related to the pixel portion.

Thereafter, by repeating the movement of the photosensitive film 31 and the exposure based on a predetermined signal in the same manner, the entire surface of the photosensitive film can be exposed based on desired image information.

By subjecting the thus exposed film to a predetermined development process, a black and white image corresponding to the input image information can be obtained.

Even when the mirror oscillating part 13 of the DMD 27 forms an image at the same magnification on the photosensitive film 31 by the imaging lens 29, since the mirror oscillating part is minute, it is possible to expose a fine image with extremely high resolution. It is also possible to use the exposed and developed film for enlarged projection.

The magnification of the image formed by the imaging lens 29 on the photosensitive film 31 of the mirror swinging section 13 can be set to an enlargement magnification or a reduction magnification as required.

The response speed of the oscillation of the mirror oscillation unit 13 of the DMD 27 can be easily set to 5 μsec or less, thus making it possible to extremely increase the exposure speed.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention. This embodiment is for exposing a color image to a color photosensitive film.

In the figure, the same members as in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals, and their explanation will be omitted here.

In this embodiment, the lens 24 and the bending mirror 25 are
A filter device 32 is arranged between the two. The filter device includes a red filter 32a, a green filter 32b and a blue filter 32e, these filters are
It can rotate around the axis 33 in the direction of arrow Y.

By sequentially interposing the three types of filters in the light beam, red dots, green dots, and blue dots can be sequentially formed on the photosensitive film 31.

In this embodiment, the photosensitive film 31 is a color photosensitive film, and can be colored red, green, and blue by a predetermined development process. The extent of these colors is determined by the intensity of the red component of the light used for exposure, the intensity of the red component of the light used for exposure, the intensity of the green component of the light used for g+, and the intensity of the blue component of the blue component of the light used for exposure. Determined by

In this embodiment, as the image information input to the drive circuit 28, signals obtained by color-separating each pixel into three colors of red, green, and blue are used, and first, based on the red signal, the DMD
At this time, the filter device 32 is driven to interpose a red filter 32m in the light beam, thereby forming a predetermined red dot pattern on the photosensitive film 31 and exposing the photosensitive film. 31t - Form a predetermined green dot pattern on the photosensitive film 31 by driving the DMD 27 based on the green signal without moving the green filter 32bf: by rotating the filter device 32 and interposing it in the light beam. Exposure is then carried out. Subsequently, in the same manner, without moving the photosensitive film 31 and rotating the filter device 32 to interpose the blue filter 32c'i in the light beam, the DMD is driven based on the blue signal to transfer light onto the photosensitive film. Exposure is performed by forming a predetermined blue dot non-turn.

In other words, the same dot on the photosensitive film 31 is exposed to red light, green light, and blue light in duplicate.

Next, in the same manner as in the first embodiment, the photosensitive film 31 is moved by an appropriate pitch in the direction of the arrow X in FIG. Red exposure, green exposure, and blue exposure are performed based on the signals, and the entire surface of the photosensitive film can be exposed in the same manner based on desired color image information.

By subjecting the thus exposed film to a predetermined development process, a color image corresponding to the input image information can be obtained.

If you try to expose a color photosensitive film using the conventional method using radar light, you will have to use three types of lasers as light sources, each with a different emission wavelength, which will increase the size of the equipment and increase the cost. In the embodiment of the present invention, only a white light source is required as a light source, and it is sufficient to simply cover the filter device with a gold film, so the construction is extremely simple, and miniaturization and cost reduction are possible.

In the above embodiments, the filter device is arranged between the convex lens 24 and the folding mirror 25, but in the present invention, the filter device is arranged from the light source 21 to the photosensitive film 3.
It can be placed at any position in the optical path up to position 1.

Further, in the present invention, the filter device includes not only the rotary type shown in the above embodiment but also any device in which each filter can be inserted into the optical path.

Furthermore, by using ND filters for each filter in the filter device described above, when writing a black and white image, gradation expression can be achieved with the same operation. At this time, if the transmittances of the N[) filters are set to be different from each other, it becomes possible to express more multivalued gradations.

For example, when three different types of ND filters are used, a maximum of eight gradations can be expressed by combining them.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the device of the present invention as described above, the mechanically driven part can be made comfortably small and many pixels can be exposed at the same time, so the device can be made smaller, lighter, and energy saving with a simple configuration. This makes it possible to increase the exposure speed and increase the resolution of the exposed image.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 5 are configuration diagrams of the apparatus of the present invention. FIGS. 2(,) to 2(c) are explanatory diagrams of the DMD. FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of the DVD. FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a DMD drive circuit. 13: Mirror swinging part ] 4: Hinge part 21: Light source
22, 24, 29: Convex lens 23 Nislit plate 25, 26: Bending mirror 27: DMD28
: Drive circuit 3o: Light shielding plate 31: Photosensitive film agent Patent attorney Ms. Yamashita Figure 1 Figure 3 Figure 2 Figure 4 Figure 5 Kakuichi τ0

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) In an exposure device for forming an exposure pattern corresponding to image information on a photosensitive film, an element comprising a large number of swinging mirrors capable of deflecting a light beam from a light source in at least two directions is used to form a photosensitive film on a photosensitive film. A photosensitive film exposure device characterized by exposing a photosensitive film to light. (2) A filter device having one or more types of filters is provided, each filter of the filter device being insertable into the optical path from the light source to the photosensitive film. Exposure equipment. (3) The photosensitive film exposure device according to claim 2, wherein each filter of the filter device is a bandpass filter. (4) The photosensitive film exposure device according to claim 2, wherein each filter of the filter device is an ND filter. (5) The photosensitive film exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the ND filters have different transmittances.