A quantizing unit, error detector, error diffusion matrix, and adder quantize a pixel of interest of an input image by an error diffusion method. Associated to each light source is an optical system consisting of a refractive lens of a plane-convex type having a plane face facing the light source, in which a diffuser of a refractive or diffractive micro-optical type is incorporated. Data of an atomic vector storage request may comprise persistent indicators, such as persistent metadata flags, to identify data pertaining to incomplete atomic storage requests. The laminated ceramic electronic component is thus produced through a first transfer step in which the ceramic green sheets are successively transferred, through a second transfer step in which the conductor-attached composite green sheet is transferred, and through a third transfer step in which the ceramic green sheet of the second transfer member is transferred.