Method, apparatus and compositions for liquid development of

Abstract

A method, apparatus and composition for developing an electric field image associated with the surface of an object by disposing said surface close to but out of contact with a surface of a liquid developer at a development zone. An electric field is in the configuration of an image. The magnitude of the electric field, and the distance between the surface of the object and the liquid surface at the development zone are such that at the development zone the electric field at or approaching the zone, with or without the assistance of an external electric field, segmentally raises closely spaced tiny amorphous (individually non-image-defining) pseudopods from the liquid developer surface toward the surface of the object. The pseudopods rise from the liquid surface under the influence of a segment of the electric field image and the tips of the pseudopods and/or droplets separated from these tips arrive at the surface of the object under the influence of the same field. The pseudopods and/or droplets reach the surface of the object in a conjoint configuration that creates a physical material image. At the background where no physical material image is to be formed on the object, the electric field is so weak that no developing liquid reaches the object whereby at these portions of the field the surface of the object is not touched by the tips of the pseudopods or by the droplets and, hence, remains dry and unaltered. In general, the background remains in its virgin state and provides an excellent contrast for the developed image.