Method of recording information using a copolymer of glycidyl methacrylate and allyl glycidyl ether

A method for recording and storing information from a laser source comprising the steps of admixing (a) a copolymer of glycidyl methacrylate and allyl glycidyl ether having an inherent viscosity of at least about 0.25 and an epoxide equivalent of at least about 0.65 epoxide equivalent per 100 grams of polymer, derived from reaction of a mixture consisting essentially of the monomers containing from about a 4 to 5 molar excess of glycidyl methacrylate in the presence of a free-radical polymerization catalyst and a solvent at a temperature below about 100.degree. C, and (b) as a latent curing catalyst, an aromatic diazonium salt of a complex halogenide which decomposes upon exposure to irradiation to release a Lewis Acid effective to initiate polymerization, said catalyst being present in an amount sufficient to effect polymerization of said copolymer and being selected from compounds having the general formula (ArN.sub.2).sub.m (MX.sub.n+m).sup.-m wherein Ar is an aryl or substituted aryl group, X is chlorine or fluorine, M is phosphorous, n is the oxidation state of M and m is the number of diazonium groups in the diazonium salt as determined by the net charge on the anion (MX.sub.n+m).sup.-m,

• applying said mixture to a substrate, subjecting the surface of the coated substrate to a beam of coherent radiation emerging from a laser having an intensity at least sufficient to effect polymerization of said copolymer in said surface and applying a suitable solvent to remove unpolymerized portions from said surface.