Migration imaging system

A method of migration imaging, comprising the steps of:

• providing an imaging member having a thermoplastic imaging surface layer and a support layer;
• depositing marking particles on the imaging surface layer;
• establishing an electrostatic attraction between the marking particles and the support layer;
• modulating a heat-inducing light beam according to an image to be recorded;
• scanning the modulated light beam on the imaging member to imagewise transform exposed portions of the imaging surface layer from a state impermeable by the marking particles to a state permeable to such marking particles, whereby in accordance with the electrostatic attraction, those marking particles that overlie the scanned portions of the imaging surface layer migrate into the imaging surface layer;
• removing the nonmigrated marking particles;
• and
• attaching the imaging surface layer to a receiver.

A method of migration imaging, comprising the steps of:

• providing an imaging member having a thermoplastic imaging surface layer and a support layer;
• providing a color separation image in the imaging surface layer according to the steps of:
• a. depositing marking particles of a selected color on the imaging surface layer,
• b. establishing an electrostatic attraction between the marking particles and the support layer,
• c. modulating a heat-inducing light beam according to color separation data,
• d. scanning the modulated light beam on the imaging member to imagewise transform exposed portions of the imaging surface layer from a state impermeable by the marking particles to a state permeable to such marking particles, whereby in accordance with the electrostatic attraction, those colored marking particles that overlie the scanned portions of the imaging surface layer migrate into the imaging surface layer, and
• e. removing nonmigrated colored marking particles;
• and
• repeating steps (a) through (e) to provide a plurality of color separation images in respective image frames in the imaging surface layer.

A method of producing a multicolor image on an imaging member which includes a thermoplastic imaging surface layer overlying a support layer, said method comprising the steps of:

• a. depositing on the imaging surface layer marking particles of a first color;
• b. establishing an electrostatic attraction between the colored marking particles and the support layer;
• c. imagewise exposing the imaging member to transform exposed portions of the imaging surface layer from a state impermeable by the colored marking particles to a state permeable to such colored marking particles, whereby in accordance with the electrostatic attraction, those colored marking particles that overlie the exposed portions of the imaging surface layer migrate into the imaging surface layer;
• d. removing nonmigrated marking particles;
• and
• e. repeating steps (a) through (d), each time using different colored marking particles, to provide a multicolor image in the imaging surface layer.