METHOD OF SELECTIVELY GENERATING FLUORESCENCE AND ITS SUBSEQUENT DETECTION

• US 3,801,782 A
• Filed: 01/27/1972
• Issued: 04/02/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George Henry Dorion
• Original Assignee: George Henry Dorion
• Inventors: Dorion, George Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Borchelt, Archie R.
• Application Number:
  US05/221,470
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 204/158 250/483,484,271,458,461
• US Class Current: 250/271
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/122 Incoherent waves gamma-radiation B01J19/082
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 2603/24 Anthracenes; Hydrogenated anthracenes
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 307/46 Doubly bound oxygen atoms, or two oxygen atoms singly bound to the same carbon atom
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 307/68 Carbon atoms having three bonds to hetero atoms with at the most one bond to halogen
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 307/77 ortho- or peri-condensed with carbocyclic rings or ring systems
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 493/08 Bridged systems
• CPC Class Codes: C09B 11/08 Phthaleins; Phenolphthaleins; Fluorescein
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/06 containing organic luminescent materials
• CPC Class Codes: G03C 1/73 containing organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/02 characterised by the selection of materials, e.g. to avoid wear during transport through the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06009 with optically detectable marking G06K19/063, G06K19/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06225 using wavelength selection, e.g. colour code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/12 using a selected wavelength, e.g. to sense red marks and ignore blue marks
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 13/048 using other optical storage elements

Abstract

A system for storage and retrieval of information comprising the use of a non-fluorescent material capable of photoconversion to a fluorescent material under light of a particular wavelength and which can be made to fluoresce, after such conversion, by stimulating light radiation of a longer wavelength. A fluorescent image may be formed and detected by the system.

Claims

1. A method for processing information which comprises irradiating with an information containing beam of ultraviolet light not exceeding about 4,000 angstroms in wavelength, a substrate incorporating a fluorescer precursor compound which is non-fluorescent in its initial state, said compound being converted under said ultraviolet light of said information containing beam to a form in which it will fluoresce under stimulating untraviolet light, thereafter irradiating said converted compound with said stimulating light, and detecting the fluorescent emission.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said fluorescer precursor compound is 2-(2-furyl)-3-acylchromone.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said fluorescer precursor compound is a 2-(2-thienyl)-3-acylchromone.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said stimulating light has a wavelength greater than said converting given wavelength.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said fluorescer precursor is coated on a substrate.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said fluorescer precursor is incorporated in a film which is the substrate.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said fluorescer precursor is present as a coating on a substrate over information on said substrate detectable by visible light.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said fluorescer precursor is applied to said substrate as the initial step of the imageing process.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the intensity of said given wavelength light is varied to vary the fluorescence emission under said stimulating light.