Photosensitive element having integral thermally bleachable mask and method of use

摘要

A masking element is prepared with a photosensitive layer on a suitable support, overcoated with a masking layer containing an infrared absorbing compound and a thermally bleachable dye. The dye is bleached by imagewise laser irradiation, followed by floodwise exposure to produce an image in the photosensitive layer corresponding to the laser produced image. The outermost layers are removed and development provides a suitable negative-working printing plate.