Full color, continuous tone laser diode photographic imaging apparatus and method using three laser diodes at predetermined frequencies

Claim 1

A laser diode imaging apparatus for producing multi-color, continous tone images on a photographic element upon exposure to laser diode radiation, the photographic element including a substrate and three superposed photosensitive layers on one side of the substrate, each photosensitive layer being associated with a different photographic coupler capable of forming a different color dye upon said exposure and development by reaction with an oxidized photographic developer, each photosensitive layer being sensitized to a different wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum, the imaging apparatus comprising: three laser diodes, each emitting radiation at a particular wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum which is different from that of any of the other laser diodes and which corresponds to said wavelength at which one of said photosensitive layers is sensitized and wherein one of said laser diodes emits radiation at a wavelength of 780 nm, one of said laser diodes emits radiation at a wavelength of 830 nm and one of said laser diodes emits radiation at a wavelength of 880 nm; means for modulating continously the intensity of said radiation emitted by said laser diodes to correspondingly modulate said exposure of said photosensitive layers and thereby the density of said color upon development; means for directing said radiation emitted by said laser diodes to said photographic element, focusing said radiation to a spot and traversely scanning said radiation spot across the surface of said photographic element; and means for advancing said photographic element relative to said scanned radiation in a direction having a component direction perpendicular to said direction of scanning so that all portions of said photosensitive layers are exposed to said radiation; so that an image is produced by said exposure of said photosensitive layers to said laser diode radiation, so that said image is multi-colored in that any color within the color space defined by said color dyes may be produced and so that said color has a continuous tone in that the density of said color may be determined by modultion of all of said laser diodes and thereby said exposure of all of said photosensitive layers.