High-Resolution CRT Optical Film Recorder Incorporating an Optical Feedback Exposure Control

A high-resolution CRT optical film recorder incorporating an optical exposure control system is described. The recorder incorporates provisions for a highly nonlinear writing rate of up to 7 to 1 that make it uniquely suited for such applications as side-look radar or sonar. Provisions are made for spot shaping permitting line fill-in between scan lines spaced up to ten spot sizes apart. The recorder achieves a linear gray scale having sixteen equal density steps for a wide range of sweep times by means of a brightness feedback loop that automatically corrects for such problems as phosphor saturation, phosphor noise, nonlinear CRT grid transfer characteristics, variation in cathode emission, and tube aging in conjunction with film gamma correction circuitry.