Laser-induced thermal dye transfer with bleachable near-infrared absorbing sensitizers

A method for forming a laser-induced thermal dye transfer image with a dye-donor element comprising:

• a heat transferable dye and
• a bleachable, heat-transferable,
• near-infrared radiation absorbing sensitizer;
• wherein said method comprises the steps of
• exposing the dye-donor element with near-infrared radiation to heat exposed areas of said element, whereby exposed portions of said element are volatilized as a laser-induced dye image;
• transferring said laser-induced dye image to a dye-receiver element comprising
• a dye image receiving layer and
• an acid-photogenerating compound;
• and exposing said laser-induced dye image to activating radiation to effect bleaching of said near-infrared radiation absorbing sensitizer.

A thermal dye transfer assemblage comprising a

• dye-donor element comprising
• a heat-transferable dye and
• a bleachable, near-infrared radiation
• absorbing sensitizer;
• and
• a dye-receiver element positioned to receive a laser-induced dye image from said dye-donor element and comprising a dye image receiving layer, wherein said thermal dye transfer assemblage contains an acid-photogenerating compound in either said dye-donor element or said dye-receiver element.

A dye-donor element for laser-induced thermal dye transfer comprising

• a non-bleachable, heat-transferable dye;
• a bleachable, heat-transferable, near-infrared radiation absorbing sensitizer;
• and
• an acid-photogenerating compound.