Imaging and recording of information utilizing tellurium tetrahalide

A method for producing an image comprising:

• providing a layer which comprises an imaging material having the formula TeCl.sub.n Br.sub.m where n is an integer from 2 to 4 and m is an integer from 0 to 2 with the proviso that the sum of n and m equals 4, said imaging material being dissolved or dispersed in a polymeric matrix material,
• applying imaging particle or wave radiation to at least a certain portion of said layer to decompose said imaging material to form a latent image,
• and then subjecting said latent image to heat or reducing sugars to convert said latent image into a developed image which is defined by crystals of tellurium.

A method for producing a record of retrievable information comprising:

• providing a layer in the form of a matrix of a glassy, amorphous material which has a glass transition temperature and which carries an imaging material in the form of a tetrahalide of tellurium in which the halide is at least one member selected from the group consisting of chlorine and bromine, said imaging material being of one structure and having one detectable characteristic which is capable of undergoing a change in response to the application of imaging radiation to produce a material of different structure having another detectable characteristic,
• selectively subjecting said layer to imaging particle or wave radiation to form a latent image, with or without the aid of a spectral sensitizer, which latent image is essentially not a record of retrievable information;
• and developing, through the utilization of heat, either simultaneously with or subsequently to the application of the imaging radiation, to produce in the exposed areas an image which is a record of retrievable information constituted by atoms of the element tellurium.

A method for producing a record of retrievable information comprising:

• the step of applying a solution of an imaging material to a substrate to lay down a layer of said imaging material on said substrate, said imaging material having the formula TeCl.sub.n Br.sub.m where n is an integer from 2 to 4 and m is an integer from 0 to 2 with the proviso that the sum of n and m equals 4, said imaging material being dissolved or dispersed in a polymeric matrix material,
• then, while said layer is still moist from said solution, applying imaging electromagnetic radiation to at least a certain portion of said layer to bring about a chemical change in said imaging material in said certain portion of said layer to produce a material of different chemical character and to record the desired information in said layer.

In a method for producing a record of retrievable information, the steps which include

• providing, on a substrate, a matrix containing an imaging material and a spectral sensitizer, said matrix comprising polymeric material which is at least in part amorphous, and said imaging material comprising TeCl.sub.4,
• applying imaging particle or wave radiation to a portion of said layer to bring about decomposition of said imaging material to produce metallic tellurium and a latent image in those areas where said imaging radiation is applied.

An article for producing a record of retrievable information comprising a layer of an imaging material and a spectral sensitizer on a substrate, said imaging material comprising a tetrahalide of tellurium in which the halide is at least one member selected from the group consisting of chlorine and bromine, said imaging material having one detectable characteristic and which is capable of undergoing a chemical change in response to the application of particle or wave radiation to produce a material of different chemical character having another detectable characteristic, said imaging material and spectral sensitizer being dissolved or dispersed in a polymeric matrix material.

An article for producing a record of retrievable information in the form of a dry to the touch film or layer comprising a matrix containing an imaging material and a spectral sensitizer, said matrix comprising polymeric material which is at least in part amorphous, and said imaging material comprising a tetrahalide of tellurium in which the halide is at least one member selected from the group consisting of chlorine and bromine, said imaging material having one detectable characteristic and which is capable of undergoing a chemical change in response to the application of particle or wave radiation to produce a material of different chemical character having another detectable characteristic.