Photosensitive line imager utilizing a movable scanning arm

Claim 1

Line imaging apparatus for generating a set of electrical signals representing a detectable image on a stationary large area planar surface, comprising: a large area image-bearing surface; an elongated arm; a movable linear sensor array associated with said arm, said array movably disposed adjacent to and along one side of said surface; said array including at least one elongated group of discrete thin film noncrystalline photosensitive elements, each element operable to convert light energy emanating from a portion of said image-bearing surface and incident upon said element into an electrical signal corresponding to the total amount of light energy emanating from said surface portion over a predetermined time period; said group of photosensitive elements disposed on a common substrate to form a large area photodiode structure defined by a plurality of thin film layers, including at least one layer of amorphous semiconductor alloy material and at least one layer of highly conductive material; said conductive material being patterned into discrete, spaced apart, linearly arranged electrodes; said photosensitive elements operatively disposed closely adjacent said image-bearing surface and adapted to receive light energy therefrom in a substantially one-to-one relationship without the interposition therebetween of optical reduction means; and means for moving said linear sensor array across said surface, whereby said photosensitive elements scan said image.