Electrostatic Printer Definition/Meaning:
A type of printer in which the required image is first
written as a pattern of electrostatic charge, and is then made visible by
bringing the pattern into contact with particles of pigment that carry a charge
of opposite polarity. The pigment is only attracted to the charge pattern and is
subsequently fused or bonded to the paper.
In some designs the charge pattern is applied by styluses directly to paper
that has been specially treated. An alternative approach is to apply the pattern
to a metal drum with a suitable coating such as aluminum oxide. The pattern is
made visible by washing the paper or drum with a colloidal suspension of charged
particles of pigment. The image on a drum is transferred to plain paper by
pressure and the application of an electric field. The particles of pigment are
very fine and thus penetrate the
fibers of the paper and form a permanent image. A recent development in this
technology is to apply the charge to
the drum by the controlled projection of ions.
In some literature the term is used to refer to all printers in which an
electrostatic image is formed as one of the steps in the process, including
electrophotographic
printers.
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