Image forming method using laser beam

摘要

An image is formed in a color photosensitive material through scanning exposure by using at least one semiconductor laser excited solid laser including a semiconductor laser, a non-linear optical element and means for controlling the temperature thereof as a light source for producing a laser beam. The laser beam is modulated by an external modulator in accordance with the image to be formed. Among the combinations of photosensitive layers and laser beams, at least two laser beam light sources are such that a laser beam has a wavelength falling within +/-20 nm from the maximum wavelength in the spectral sensitivity distribution of the corresponding photosensitive layer. Each photosensitive layer has a spectral sensitivity distribution with a peak width of up to 40 nm. The method enables to form an image in a conventional silver halide photosensitive material having spectral sensitivity in the visible region using a cost effective light source, the resulting image having color generated to a satisfactory density, free of a density variation, and hence of high quality.