Overcoat layer for laser ablative imaging

摘要

The laser dye-ablative recording material has a support carrying: (a) a dye layer comprising an image dye dispersed in a polymeric binder: and (b) a polymeric overcoat which does not contain any image dye and which is coated at 0.1-5 g/m2. An IR absorbing material, which absorbs at the wavelength of the exposing laser, is associated with the dye layer. The image dye absorbs in the region 300-700 nm, but is substantially transparent in the IR region and does not absorb at the wavelength of the exposing laser. Also claimed is a process of forming a single colour, ablation image involving imagewise exposing the above material with a laser through the dye side. The material is heated and ablated to form an image without the use of a separate receiving sheet.