Laser Diodes for Printing

Solid-state laser diodes were introduced into Xerox products in the early 1990s.

Since inventing the laser printer over three decades ago, many PARC innovations in laser technology have been commercialized through Xerox's laser-printing products.

Semiconductor laser diodes

PARC's multibeam lasers are a key component of Xerox's high-speed, high-quality printing systems.

In the late 1980's PARC developed semiconductor laser diodes for Xerox laser printers, replacing the gas lasers previously used. The introduction of the semiconductor laser diode dramatically reduced power consumption and size of printers, and simplified the optical system by eliminating the need for a shuttering system.

Multi-beam laser diodes

In the early 1990s, PARC invented a way to fabricate lasers that emitted multiple beams from a single chip. These multi-beam lasers are now in use in the Xerox DocuTech, DocuPrint, and Document Center product families and are a key component of achieving the high-speed, high-resolution print quality for which these products are recognized.