Dye transfer image process

• US 4,587,198 A
• Filed: 07/16/1984
• Issued: 05/06/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Company
• Original Assignee: 3M Company
• Inventors: Fisch, Richard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kittle, John E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamilton, Cynthia
• Application Number:
  US06/631,533
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 430/203, 430/7, 430/292, 430/293, 430/321, 430/330, 430/201, 430/275, 430/271, 430/325, 430/326, 430/323, 427/255.6, 427/255.7, 427/250, 346/135.1
• US Class Current: 430/201
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/035 by sublimation or volatilisation of pre-printed design , e.g. sublistatic B41M5/0256 takes precedence; printing on textiles D06P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 5/003 Transfer printing
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/346 using photosensitive materials other than non-macromolecular photopolymerisable compounds having carbon-to-carbon double bonds

Abstract

A process for providing a color image comprises exposing a radiation sensitive layer over a vapor deposited colorant layer and vaporizing the colorant to selectively transmit the colorant through the exposed layer. The change in solubility, penetrability and/or crosslinking or polymerization causes differential migration through the exposed layer.

Claims

1. A process for providing a color image from an imageable article comprising a substrate, a vapor-deposited dye or pigment, and a radiation sensitive layer said process comprising:

(a) exposing said radiation sensitive layer to an imagewise distribution of radiation which alters the solubility and/or permeability of said layer, and

(b) heating said imageable article uniformly to evaporate said dye or pigment at different rates from the article to provide an image

wherein a receptor is in contact with said article and evaporated dye or pigment deposits on a surface of said receptor to form an image, and

wherein said photoresist layer is an organic negative-acting photoresist layer and said heating is performed without etching of the photoresist layer.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said substrate is a polymeric film having a vapor-deposited metal layer on the surface carrying the vapor-deposited dye or pigment.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein said substrate is a polymeric film having a microstructured, radiation-absorbing metal coating on the surface carrying the vapor-deposited dye or pigment.

2. A process for providing a color image from an imageable article comprising a substrate, a vapor-deposited dye or pigment, and a radiation sensitive layer said process comprising:

(a) exposing said radiation sensitive layer to an imagewise distribution of radiation which alters the solubility and/or permeability of said layer, and

(b) heating said imageable article uniformly to evaporate said dye or pigment at different rates from the article to provide an image

wherein a receptor is in contact with said article and evaporated dye or pigment deposits on a surface of said receptor to form an image, and

wherein said photoresist layer is an organic positive-acting photoresist layer and said heating is performed without etching of the photoresist layer.

4. The process of claim 2 wherein said substrate is a polymeric film having a vapor-deposited metal layer on the surface carrying the vapor-deposited dye or pigment.

6. The process of claim 2 wherein said substrate is a polymeric film having a microstructured, radiation-absorbing metal coating on the surface carrying the vapor-deposited dye or pigment.

7. A process for providing a color image from an imageable article comprising a substrate, a vapor-deposited dye or pigment, and a radiation sensitive layer said process comprising:

(a) exposing said radiation sensitive layer to an imagewise distribution of radiation which alters the solubility and/or permeability of said layer, and

(b) heating said imageable article uniformly to evaporate said dye or pigment at different rates from the article to provide an image,

wherein a receptor is in contact with said article and evaporated dye or pigment deposits on a surface of said receptor to form an image, said photoresist layer is an organic positive-acting photoresist layer and said heating is performed after etching of the exposed photoresist layer and said substrate is a polymeric film having a vapor-deposited metal layer on the surface carrying the vapor-deposited dye or pigment.

8. A process for providing a color image from an imageable article comprising a substrate, a vapor-deposited dye or pigment, and a radiation sensitive layer said process comprising:

(a) exposing said radiation sensitive layer to an imagewise distribution of radiation which alters the solubility and/or permeability of said layer, and

(b) heating said imageable article uniformly to evaporate said dye or pigment at different rates from the article to provide an image,

wherein said substrate is a polymeric film having a microstructured, radiation-absorbing metal coating on the surface carrying the vapor-deposited dye or pigment, and

wherein a receptor is in contact with said article and evaporated dye or pigment deposits on a surface of said receptor to form an image, and

wherein said photoresist layer is an organic positive-acting photoresist layer and said heating is performed after etching of the exposed photoresist layer.

9. A process for providing a color image from an imageable article comprising a substrate, a vapor-deposited dye or pigment, and a radiation sensitive layer said process comprising:

(a) exposing said radiation sensitive layer to an imagewise distribution of radiation which alters the solubility and/or permeability of said layer, and

(b) heating said imageable article uniformly to evaporate said dye or pigment at different rates from the article to provide an image,

wherein a vapor-deposited metal layer is between said vapor-deposited dye or pigment and said photoresist layer and said metal layer is also etched before said heating, and

wherein a receptor is in contact with said article and evaporated dye or pigment deposits on a surface of said receptor to form an image, and

wherein said photoresist layer is an organic negative-acting photoresist layer and said heating is performed after etching of the exposed photoresist layer.

10. A process for providing a color image from an imageable article comprising a substrate, a vapor-deposited dye or pigment, and a radiation sensitive layer said process comprising:

(a) exposing said radiation sensitive layer to an imagewise distribution of radiation which alters the solubility and/or permeability of said layer, and

(b) heating said imageable article uniformly to evaporate said dye or pigment at different rates from the article to provide an image,

wherein a vapor-deposited metal layer is between said vapor-deposited dye or pigment and said photoresist layer and said metal layer is also etched before said heating, and

wherein said photoresist layer is an organic positive-acting photoresist layer and said heating is performed after etching of the exposed photoresist layer, and

wherein a receptor is in contact with said article and evaporated dye or pigment deposits on a surface of said receptor to form an image.

11. A process for providing a color image from an imageable article comprising a substrate, a vapor-deposited dye or pigment, and a radiation sensitive layer said process comprising:

(a) exposing said radiation sensitive layer to an imagewise distribution of radiation which alters the solubility and/or permeability of said layer, and

(b) heating said imageable article uniformly to evaporate said dye or pigment at different rates from the article to provide an image,

wherein said radiation sensitive layer is an inorganic layer which ablates, redissolves or retracts when exposed to radiation to form open areas in the inorganic layer through which the evaporated dye or pigment will pass, and

wherein a receptor is in contact with said article and evaporated dye or pigment deposits on a surface of said receptor to form an image.