Akiyoshi HAMADA^1,2, Naoki NISHIDA³, Takuji HATANO² and Masayuki MINO¹

¹Graduate School of Engineering, Tokushima Bunri University, 1314-1 Shido, Sanuki, Kagawa 769-2193, Japan
²Optical Engineering Center, Konica Minolta Opto, Inc., 4-18 Takadai, Itami, Hyogo 664-8511, Japan
³Device Technology R&D Laboratory, Konica Minolta Tech. Center, Inc., 1-2 Sakura-machi, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-8503, Japan

(Received December 18, 2002; Accepted June 9, 2003)

A multi-beam module using optical waveguides has been studied for a laser scanning optical system. Laser diodes with a wavelength of 780 nm are assembled on a silicon substrate. The beams emitted from the laser diodes are directly coupled into waveguides. This multi-beam module is assembled on a metal substrate with a photodiode. The photodiode controls the power of each laser diode on the silicon substrate. The multi-beam module is able to increase the output speed of high-density image printings, and the speed for high-speed color printings. We have developed the four-beam module with beam divergence angles of 11 degrees and spatial beam interval of 24 μm. Additional heat sink and optimizing tip-bonding between the laser diode and solder pad on the silicon substrate is useful to stabilize laser power against rising temperature.

Key words: laser printer, multiple beams, scanning optics, waveguides, electrical/optical characteristics