A Conversation for How a Laser Printer Operates
laser diodes or LEDs?
Earthman Started conversation Oct 10, 2001
Right at the top, you refer to 'laser emitting diodes' - should that be 'light emitting diode'?
laser diodes or LEDs?
jecook Posted Nov 27, 2001
Whoops!
::smacks hand against forehead::
You would be quite correct. When the LED based printers initally came out, they were refered to as 'laser emitting diode technology' which is not correct. It was probably a marketing term at one point.
They use a matrix of _light_ emitting diodes to create the image on the drum. These leds are built in such a manner to create a pinpoint dot of light on the imaging drum.
I stand corrected. Thanks for pointing that out.
laser diodes or LEDs?
GTBacchus Posted Nov 27, 2001
Right then. I'll just see about getting that changed, shall I?
laser diodes or LEDs?
Felonious Monk - h2g2s very own Bogeyman Posted Jan 3, 2002
I'm not sure how some printers operate. The one we have at work has a photconductive drum coated in a blue material: probably x-form phthalocyanine. This is an *infrared* photoconductor and so one could get away with a single laser diode. Have a look at this article for more info:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A656804
laser diodes or LEDs?
jecook Posted Jan 25, 2002
hmm...
the laser Optics in a 'standard' laser printer is a near-infra-red as well.
the LEDs use the same color as well.
I've seem Organic photo-conductive (OPC) drums in blue, but they are normally a greensih color. Some of these are shiny, and others are a greenish tourquise color. It all depends on the company that makes the drum.
Laser Printers use a small powered Laser which reflects off of a rotating mirror. they only use a single laser. the LEd based ones have to use a row, because they do not have the rotating mirror, per se.
Some wacky engineer may have come out with a unit that does, however.
laser diodes or LEDs?
Felonious Monk - h2g2s very own Bogeyman Posted Jan 27, 2002
The very first laser printers used to have HeNe gas lasers in, I think. However, nowadays one gets laser diodes in all sorts of colours, even blue, I understand. I was gobsmacked to discover that one even gets UV LEDs now. Will wonders never cease? 
The blue/green/universe-coloured chemical in the drum is mentioned in this article wot I wrote: http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A656804, if you're interested. I made loads of the bloody things for exactly the purpose that they are put to in laser printers, so I never ever want to see one again. If yoiu read the article you will see that this is a bit of a forlorn hope.
ATB
The FM
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