AUFZEICHNUNGSMATERIAL UND AUFZEICHNUNGSVERFAHREN

• Main Authors: HADDOCK, ROBERT, W., MALDEN, MA 02148, US, MARSHALL, JOHN, L., SOMERVILLE, MA 02144, US, YOUNG, MICHAEL, A., NATICK, MA 01760, US, TELFER, STEPHEN, J., ARLINGTON, MA 02174, US, GAUDIANA, RUSSELL, A., MERRIMACK, NH 03054, US, TAKIFF, LARRY, C., ARLINGTON, MA 02174, US
• Format: Patent
• Language: German
• Published: 02.06.1999
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; AUXILIARY PROCESSES IN PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; COLOUR PRINTING; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY; LINING MACHINES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES, e.g. CINE, X-RAY, COLOUR,STEREO-PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES,e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTORDEVICES; PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIALS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSES; PHYSICS; PRINTING; PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; STAMPS; TRANSPORTING; TYPEWRITERS

A process for producing an image uses an imaging medium comprising an acid-generating layer or phase comprising a mixture of a superacid precursor, a sensitizing dye and a secondary acid generator, and a color-change layer comprising an image dye. The sensitizing dye has a unprotonated form and a protonated form, the protonated form having substantially greater substantial absorption in a first wavelength range than the unprotonated form. The superacid precursor is capable of being decomposed to produce superacid by radiation in a second wavelength range, but is not, in the absence of the sensitizing dye, capable of being decomposed by radiation in the first wavelength range. The secondary acid generator is capable of acid-catalyzed thermal decomposition by unbuffered superacid to form a second acid. While at least part of the sensitizing dye is protonated, the medium is imagewise exposed to radiation in the first wavelength range, thereby causing, in the exposed areas of the acid-generating layer, the formation of unbuffered superacid. The medium is then heated to cause, in the exposed areas, acid-catalyzed thermal decomposition of the secondary acid generator and formation of the second acid. The components of the acid-generating and color-change layers or phases are then mixed so that the second acid causes a change in color of the image dye, and sufficient base is introduced into the unexposed areas to restore the sensitizing dye to its unprotonated form.