A method for applying the photoemissive properties of materials to electrophotography

A new technique that applies the inherent sensitivity and speed of response properties of photoemitters to electrophotography without the need for electronic focusing or deflection is described. An array of very fine photoemitter coated metal pins is sealed into a vacuum envelope and is used to form, on a dielectric surfaces a latent electrostatic charge pattern in response to an optical image. The resulting charge pattern is developed by standard toner application techniques. Experimental images have been formed and fixed on several types of dielectrics with arrays of 6000 1-mil-diameter photoemitters.