Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.

Napp Systems (usa), Inc.

Advanced Imaging Systems, Inc.

Robert W Hallman

Stanford R Ovshinsky

Eugene L Langlais

Peter H Klose

Harvey H Wacks

John P De Neufville

Sakuo Okai

Koichi Kimoto

Dominic B Rubic

Ronald G Bohannon

Patrick G Warner

John P DENeufville

An image-forming composite image member and subtractive photo process employing that composite, in which composite, a spectrally reflective light-blocking layer, a secondary thin optically functional layer and a subtractive photosensitive layer are carried on a base in an association, in which the reflective layer and the secondary layer cooperate after imagewise exposure and development to define an image member in which the secondary layer and reflector layer may provide a guide to orientation of the composite and may provide a unique polarity-reversing ability to display both a negative and a positive image. In a preferred form, the reflective and secondary layers provide superior uniform light-blocking with a minimum combined thickness, and also cooperate in the photo process during the development to insure rapid and complete clearing of areas with at most minimal mechanical action under portions of the photosensitive layer which are soluble after imagewise exposure and have been removed in development.

Image-forming composite with film

A novel photosensitive film structure comprises a generally continuous minor phase material and a generally discontinuous major phase material. The minor phase includes a photosensitive compound whose solubility relative to a selected solvent changes upon exposure to electrromagnetic radiation, while the major phase is not photosensitive nor soluble in the solvent. The two phases are uniformly interdispersed throughout the film structure. Imagewise exposure to electromagnetic radiation renders the film structure selectively permeable to the selected solvent, and, after development, the film structure exhibits the chemical and physical properties of the major phase material. The film structure finds varied application in the manufacture of graphic arts articles such as lithographi printing plates and photoresists.

Photosensitive graphic arts article

Bilayer photosensitive imaging articles comprising a substrate coated with an image layer and a resist layer are disclosed. The substrate may be transparent, translucent or opaque to give imaging articles useful in different applications. The image layer which should be from about 0.3-3.0 microns in thickness includes an organic film-forming vehicle from the group of copolymers of the formula: ##STR1## where P is styrene, ethylene or methyl vinyl ether; m is 1-3; n is 1,10; X is OH, OHN.sub.2, ONH.sub.4, OR, ONH.sub.3 R, ONH.sub.2 R.sub.2, ONHR.sub.3, ONH.sub.3 RNH.sub.2, ONa, OK, OLi; R is an alkyl group in the range C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 optionally including a functional group such as ketone, alcohol, esther, ether alcohol or aryl; m=1-3, n=1-10; and the molecular weight is between 1,000-150,000. The image layer may also include a coloring medium. The resist layer, which should be from about 0.5 to about 2.0 microns in thickness, comprises a material which, upon exposure to actinic radiation, changes solubility with respect to a developer in which the imager layer is also soluble. The resist layer may be negative-working or positive working. In an important embodiment of the invention, the chemical composition and physical parameters of imaging articles particularly suited to the production of half-tone images capable of subsequent etching are disclosed. These imaging articles exhibit unexpectedly excellent exposure and development latitude accompanied by outstanding etchability.

Bilayer photosensitive imaging article

A structure, and method, for producing images such as microform, particularly, microfilm. The structure in its preferred form comprises a flexible substrate having a film, layer or coating of a metal, or metal-like, image forming material on at least one surface thereof. The image forming material, in turn, is provided with a film, layer or coating of an energy sensitive material. The structure is characterized in that it can be exposed to actinic radiation, for example, and developed in a fraction of a second to provide a dry microform having high acuity, contrast and resolution, excellent archival properties, and, significantly, in the case of positive working energy sensitive materials, unique add-on capabilities. The structure and method also have utility in the graphic arts field.

Imaging structure with tellurium metal film and energy sensitive

A shallow relief non-bottoming printing plate is disclosed having a polymerized layer of less than about 0.020 inch and which includes a plurality of dispersed particles sufficient to create small protuberances in non-image or background areas to prevent bottoming. Photopolymerizable elements, as well as processing techniques, are also disclosed for making such printing plates.

Shallow relief non-bottoming photopolymer printing plate

In a method for full format imaging, a solid continuous film of a dispersion imaging material is provided on a substrate and it disperses into a discontinuous film comprising space globules and free space therebetween through which free space light can pass where it is subjected to a short pulse of high intensity non-coherent radiant energy in an amount sufficient to increase the absorbed energy above a certain threshold value. The short pulse of high intensity non-coherent radiant energy is applied to the solid continuous film, through a mask, simultaneously and substantially evenly in a full format pattern to a plurality of areas thereof to cause simultaneous and substantially even dispersion of the continuous film in those pattern areas into a discontinuous film comprising the spaced globules and free space which are substantially evenly distributed in those pattern areas and through which free space light can pass. A stable finished full format image of said discontinuous film in the solid continuous film corresponding to the full format pattern of energy is rapidly and inexpensively produced and which has high contrast between the imaged and unimaged regions.

Method for full format imaging

A structure for producing images, such as microform, comprises a layer of a water soluble high molecular weight condensation product of a nitrogen compound, which is capable of giving off nitrogen upon subjecting it to energy, to form an insoluble resinous product, and thereunder a layer of an image forming material which is not soluble in water. The imaging structure may also comprise as the image forming material a layer of a composition which contains from about 50 to 100 atomic percent, and preferably from about 80 to 100 atomic percent tellurium and extended thereover a layer of an energy sensitive material, which is capable of changing, upon subjecting it to energy, its solubility such that a latent image of soluble and insoluble areas is formed upon imagewise exposure. The image is formed by dissolving the energy sensitive material in the areas where it has the greater solubility in one solvent and dissolving the portions of the image forming material in the areas where the energy sensitive material has been dissolved, in another solvent.

Structure for producing imaged structures

A dispersion imaging material, such as tellurium, which disperses upon the absorption of energy above a certain threshold is provided in the form of a thin, continuous film, preferably on a substrate. Energy, in the form of a pulse, is applied to the continuous film in a pattern, which includes a plurality of regions, in an amount and for a length of time sufficient to cause dispersion of the dispersion imaging material simultaneously in all those regions which receive the energy. Preferably, the energy is applied through an imaging mask to produce a duplicate of the image. Sensitizing materials advantageously can be employed to form an indigenous mask on the dispersion imaging material. In addition, dispersion promoting materials can be utilized to enhance and accelerate the formation of a stable image. In the preferred embodiment of the method, the dispersion imaging material is carried on a substrate having a low heat conductivity.

Thermal imaging involving imagewise melting to form spaced apart globules

A dry-process method and apparatus for producing archival microform records from light reflecting hard copy utilize a dry-process mask film strip which is photosensitive to and microimaged by light reflected and reduced or condensed from the hard copy and developed by heat to provide microimaged transparencies therein as the mask film strip is moved to an imaging and developing station. It also utilizes a dry-process microform film which has archival properties and which is sensitive to and microimaged and developed by short pulses of electromagnetic energy above a threshold value applied thereto through the microimaged transparencies of the superimposed mask film strip when it is moved to an image transferring station to provide in the microform film imaged microform records which conform to the transparent microimages in the dry-process mask film strip and, hence, the hard copy and which have achival properties. The microform film is preferably in the form of a microfiche.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Robert W Hallman