Photothermographic material for laser beam exposure

Details Photothermographic material for laser beam exposure Photothermographic material for laser beam exposure

2000-02-15

2001-12-04

Chea, Thorl (Department: 1752)

Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product th

Radiation sensitive product

Identified backing or protective layer containing

C430S531000, C430S619000, C430S631000, C430S950000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06326132

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a photothermographic material for laser beam exposure (hereinafter also referred to as a photothermographic material).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the recent medical field, it has been eagerly desired that the amount of processing waste fluid is reduced, from the viewpoints of environmental preservation and space saving. Accordingly, techniques relating to photothermographic materials for medical diagnosis and photographic technology have been required which can be efficiently exposed with laser image setters or laser imagers and can form sharp black images having high resolution. These photothermographic materials can dispense with the use of processing chemicals of the solution family, so that they can provide to customers heat development systems which are simpler and do not damage the environment.
On the other hand, the recent rapid progress in semiconductor laser technology has made it possible to miniaturize medical image output units. Naturally, techniques of infrared-sensitive heat developable silver halide photographic materials in which semiconductor lasers can be utilized as light sources have been developed. Spectral sensitization techniques are disclosed in JP-B-3-10391 (the term “JP-B” as used herein means an “examined Japanese patent publication”), JP-B-6-52387, JP-A-5-341432 (the term “JP-A” as used herein means an “unexamined published Japanese patent application”), JP-A-6-194781 and JP-A-6-301141, and further, antihalation techniques are disclosed in JP-A-7-13295 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,635. In light-sensitive materials based on the assumption that infrared exposure is used, the visible absorption of sensitizing dyes and antihalation dyes can be significantly decreased to easily produce substantially colorless light-sensitive materials.
Such photothermographic materials have hitherto been produced by forming light-sensitive layers comprising organic solvents such as ketones as main ingredients and thermoplastic hydrophobic polymers. However, the organic solvents are used in large amounts, which causes the occurrence of environmental problems or extremely high costs for recovery. Further, it is difficult to promote the efficiency of the production by simultaneous coating in multiple layers, resulting in high costs. Accordingly, photothermographic materials in which aqueous solvent coating is possible have been desired. Studies for making the aqueous solvent coating possible have been conducted. However, when precedence is given to the image quality, blocking is liable to occur. Further improvements have therefore been desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a photothermographic material for laser exposure excellent in image quality, particularly in granularity.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a photothermographic material for laser exposure having no blocking trouble and excellent in handling properties.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a photothermographic material for laser exposure having little influence on the environment and low in production costs.
These objects have been attained by the following means:
(1) A photothermographic material for laser exposure comprising a support having provided thereon at least one image formation layer containing at least one light-sensitive silver halide, and at least one non-image recording protective layer provided on the side far away from the support of the image formation layer, wherein the above-mentioned protective layer contains a matte agent composed of an inorganic compound and an organic polymer compound;
(2) The photothermographic material of the above (1), wherein the haze at the time of exposure is 55 or less;
(3) The photothermographic material of the above (1) or (2), wherein the protective layer is formed of a coating solution containing gelatin as a main ingredient and water as a main ingredient of a solvent;
(4) The photothermographic material of any one of the above (1) to (3), wherein said at least one image formation layer and said at least one protective layer are formed by simultaneous coating in multiple layers;
(5) The photothermographic material of any one of the above (1) to (4), wherein the above-mentioned matte agent has a volume average particle size of 3 &mgr;m to 10 &mgr;m;
(6) The photothermographic material of any one of the above (1) to (5), wherein the outermost protective layer contains a fluorine surfactant;
(7) The photothermographic material of any one of the above (1) to (6), wherein the above-mentioned matte agent is contained in the protective layer in an amount of 5 mg to 300 mg per m
2
of support; and
(8) The photothermographic material of any one of the above (1) to (7), wherein the above-mentioned matte agent contains TiO
2
.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5468603 (1995-11-01), Kub
patent: 5698380 (1997-12-01), Toya
patent: 5750328 (1998-05-01), Melpolder et al.
patent: 5965348 (1999-10-01), Toya
patent: 5998127 (1999-12-01), Toya et al.

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