Photoresponsive articles comprising multilayer spectral sensitization systems

Claim 2

The invention of claim 1 wherein the amount of directly adsorbed cyanine spectral sensitizing dye is such that the sensitivity of the photoresponsive element is maximized prior to the addition of the superposed energy absorbing and transmitting material.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 3 wherein the directly adsorbed cyanine spectral sEnsitizing dye layer comprises a supersensitized cyanine spectral sensitizing dye.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2 wherein the directly adsorbed cyanine spectral sensitizing dye layer and each superposed layer of cyanine spectral sensitizing dye is present in a substantially monomolecular layer.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 5 wherein at least one monomolecular layer is separated from the next adjacent monomolecular layer by an insulating material less than 200 A in thickness.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 2 wherein said photoresponsive element comprises a silver halide crystal.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 2 wherein said photoresponsive element comprises a photoconductive zinc oxide crystal.

Claim 8

A photoresponsive product which comprises a plurality of spectrally sensitized photoresponsive composite articles distributed on the surface of a support, said articles comprising photoresponsive elements selected from the group consisting of photoconductors and photosensitive silver halides having a spectral sensitization system adsorbed to surfaces thereof, said system comprising, in order, from the elements surfaces, a directly adsorbed layer comprising at least one cyanine spectral sensitizing dye said directly adsorbed layer being no more than approximately monomolecular thickness, and superposed thereover at least one layer of an energy absorbing and transmitting dye material, said spectral sensitizing dye and said material being capable of absorbing incident electromagnetic radiation energy and photon-excitation-derived energy transmitted from at least a next succeeding layer of energy absorbing and transmitting material within a given frequency range and transmitting said energy within a lower frequency, range, wherein said directly adsorbed spectral sensitizing dye layer and each superposed layer of energy absorbing and transmitting material possesses an intrinsic energy absorption frequency range in increasing order outward from the photoresponsive elements surfaces and each superposed layer of energy absorbing and transmitting material possesses an intrinsic energy transmission frequency range which overlaps the energy absorption frequency range of the next preceding layer thereby establishing a circuit capable of transmitting photon-excitation-derived energy to said photoresponsive elements.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 9 wherein said plurality of photoresponsive articles is dispersed in a polymeric binder.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 10 wherein said photoresponsive elements comprise silver halide crystals.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 11 wherein said polymeric binder comprises gelatin.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 10 wherein said photoresponsive elements comprise photoconductive zinc oxide crystals.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 10 wherein said polymeric binder comprises an electrically insulating material.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 14 wherein said support comprises an electrically conducting support.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 14 including an electrically conducting layer intermediate said support and said photoresponsive article containing layer.