Method for use formation of an improved image

Claim 2

Method of information-wise exposing by means of laser radiation a radiation sensitive material comprising a transparent support and on one side thereof at least one radiation sensitive layer comprising one or more compounds capable of producing information-wise differentiation between the exposed and non-exposed areas of said material, characterized in that the same information is recorded by simultaneous or consecutive exposure in register on both sides of said radiation sensitive material.

Claim 3

Method according to claim 1 wherein said radiation sensitive material is a thermal imaging medium comprising: (1) a transparent support having a surface part liquefiable by intense heat, (2) an image forming layer containing an image forming substance and a compound capable of transforming laser radiation into heat, said compound being the same or different from said image forming substance, (3) a release layer, (4) a permanent or thermal adhesive layer.

Claim 4

Method according to claim 1 wherein said laser radiation is produced by an infra-red laser.

Claim 5

Method for the formation of a heat mode image comprising the following steps: (A) providing a thermal imaging medium comprising: (1) a transparent support having a surface part liquefiable by intense heat, (2) an image forming layer containing an image forming substance and a compound capable of transforming laser radiation into heat, said compound being the same or different from said image forming substance, (3) a release layer, (4) a permanent or thermal adhesive layer, (B) either, (i) recording by simultaneous or consecutive exposure by means of a laser the same information in register on both sides of the thermal imaging medium, (ii) laminating a stripping sheet on top of said adhesive layer (4), and (iii) peeling-apart said support and said stripping sheet whereby the image forming layer and at least part of the release layer adhere to the support in the information-wise exposed parts, and whereby the image forming layer, the release layer and the adhesive layer adhere to the stripping sheet in the information-wise non-exposed parts, so that a negative image is formed on said support, or, (i') laminating a transparent stripping sheet on top of the adhesive layer, (ii') recording by simultaneous or consecutive exposure by means of a laser the same information in register on both sides of said thermal imaging medium, and (iii') peeling-apart said support and said stripping sheet whereby the image forming layer and at least part of the release layer adhere to the support in the information-wise exposed parts, and whereby the image forming layer, the release layer and the adhesive layer adhere to the stripping sheet in the information-wise non-exposed parts, so that a negative image is formed on said support.

Claim 6

Method for the formation of a heat mode image comprising the following steps: (A) providing a thermal imaging medium comprising: (1) a transparent support having a surface part liquefiable by intense heat, (2) an image forming layer containing an image forming substance and a compound capable of transforming laser radiation into heat, said compound being the same or different from said image forming substance, (3) a release layer, (4) a permanent or thermal adhesive layer, (B) either, (i) recording by simultaneous or consecutive exposure by means of a laser the same information in register on both sides of the thermal imaging medium, (ii) laminating a stripping sheet on top of said adhesive layer (4), and (iii) peeling-apart said support and said stripping sheet whereby the image forming layer and at least part of the release layer adhere to the support in the information-wise exposed parts, and whereby the image forming layer, the release layer and the adhesive layer adhere to the stripping sheet in the information-wise non-exposed parts, so that a negative image is formed on said support, or, (i') laminating a transparent stripping sheet on top of the adhesive layer, (ii') recording by simultaneous or consecutive exposure by means of a laser the same information in register on both sides of said thermal imaging medium, and (iii') peeling-apart said support and said stripping sheet whereby the image forming layer and at least part of the release layer adhere to the support in the information-wise exposed parts, and whereby the image forming layer, the release layer and the adhesive layer adhere to the stripping sheet in the information-wise non-exposed parts, so that a negative image is formed on said support.

Claim 7

Method according to claim 4 wherein said image forming substance is a pigment.

Claim 8

Method according to claim 5 wherein said pigment is carbon black.

Claim 9

Method according to claim 6 wherein said image forming layer containing carbon black has an optical density of at most 3.0.

Claim 10

Method according to claim 1 wherein said transparent support is polyethylene terephthalate support.

Claim 11

Method according to claim 1 wherein said transparent support has a double structure comprising a transparent resin and an overcoat, positioned between said transparent resin and the image forming layer.

Claim 12

Method according to claim 9 wherein said overcoat comprises a polymer chosen from the group consisting of polystyrene and copoly(styrene-acrylonitrile).

Claim 13

Thermal imaging method according to claim 2 wherein said adhesive layer (4) is a thermoadhesive layer having a glass transition temperature T g between 20° C. and 60° C.