Laser addressable thermal transfer imaging element with an interlayer
OwnerJeffrey C. Chang, John S. Staral +4inventors
InventorsJeffrey C. Chang, John S. Staral, William A. Tolbert, Martin B. Wolk, Claire A. Jalbert, Hsin-hsin Chou
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Abstract
A thermal transfer donor element is provided which comprises a support, a light-to-heat conversion layer, an interlayer, and a thermal transfer layer. When the above donor element is brought into contact with a receptor and imagewise irradiated, an image is obtained which is free from contamination by the light-to-heat conversion layer. The construction and process of this invention is useful in making colored images including applications such as color proofs and color filter elements.
Claims16
A thermal transfer element comprising a substrate having deposited thereon in the following order:
- (a) a light-to-heat conversion layer;
- (b) an interlayer which does not visibly distort or chemically decompose at temperatures below 150.degree. C., wherein the interlayer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metals, inorganic compounds, crosslinked organic polymers, thermoplastic organic polymers with a T.sub.g greater than 150.degree. C., and mixtures thereof;
- and
- (c) a thermal transfer layer.
A process for transferring an image onto a receptor comprising the steps of:
- a) placing in intimate contact said receptor and a thermal transfer element comprising a substrate having deposited thereon in the following order,
- (i) a light-to-heat conversion layer;
- (ii) an interlayer which does not visibly distort or chemically decompose at temperatures below 150.degree. C., wherein the interlayer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metals, inorganic compounds, crosslinked organic polymers, thermoplastic organic polymers with a T.sub.g greater than 150.degree. C., and mixtures thereof;
- and
- (iii) a thermal transfer layer;
- said thermal transfer layer being in contact with a surface of said receptor;
- b) exposing said thermal transfer element in an imagewise pattern with a radiation source;
- and
- c) transferring said thermal transfer layer corresponding to said imagewise pattern to said receptor to form a transferred image on said receptor with substantially no transfer of the interlayer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.