(57) Each of the plurality of styli contained in an electrostatic print head (101, 102,
103, 104) and used for placing an electrostatic charge on a dielectric coated medium
has a rectangular cross section. The thickness of the cross section is selected such
that the difference between the lowest voltage on the stylus at which the amount of
electrical charge deposited on the dielectric medium for any increase in voltage on
the stylus increases substantially in a linear fashion and the lowest voltage on the
stylus at which an unwanted background image is formed on the medium is selected to
have a value equal to or less than a selected number. The thickness can be selected
to minimize this difference ot to ensure that the electrostatic print head (101, 102,
103, 104) performs for some minimum lifetime or to ensure that the distance (d) between
adjacent styli in the print head is selected such that current flowing from a stylus
having a print voltage applied thereto to a directly adjacent stylus with a lower
voltage applied thereto is below a selected number.
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