optionally extended spacing between groups 34 in direction 39 allows a much wider swath to be scanned on each successive scan in direction 38 the number of high and low resolution channels that can be fabricated on a light valve is limited only by the substrate size and not by a limit on the number of drivers a specific embodiment of a light valve according to the present invention is shown in fig4 the light valve comprises a plurality of silicon nitride ribbon elements 50 formed on a silicon substrate 52 a plurality of slots are etched into the upper surface 54 of substrate 52 the substrate material is also etched away under the ribbon elements 50 leaving each ribbon element suspended freely across surface 54 each ribbon element 50 has a metallic electrode 56 formed on its upper surface that also serves as a reflective layer electrodes 56 are connected to a driver 58 via wire bonded connections 60 substrate 52 has a common electrode formed on its underside that is connected to a system ground shown at 62 when a voltage is applied to an electrode 56 by driver 58 an electrostatic force causes the associated ribbon element to deform downwardly towards the base of substrate 52 essentially forming a curved mirror the light valve operates in the same manner as described in relation to fig1 and further detailed in u s pat no 6 147 789 on application of a voltage by driver 58 to a high resolution area 33 comprising a group of elements 50 the connected elements all deform towards the substrate a light beam incident on the high resolution area 33 is reflected through the aperture thus generating a.