AUTOMATIC REPETITIVE REGISTRATION AND IMAGEWISE EXPOSURE OF SHEET SUBSTRATES

摘要

TITLE AUTOMATIC REPETITIVE REGISTRATION AND IMAGEWISE EXPOSURE OF SHEET SUBSTRATES A process and apparatus of registering and imagewise exposing to actinic radiation a sequence of similar sheet substrates; each substrate containing a photosensitive layer is disclosed. The process comprises the steps of: (1) advancing a substrate to a position in device to undertake in either order or concurrently (a) aligning the substrate and a photomask in a predetermined relationship; (b) applying a liquid between the photosensitive layer and the photomask; (2) contacting through the liquid the substrate containing the photosensitive layer and the photomask such that during the contacting the photosensitive layer and the photomask are held in a fixed position relative to one another; (3) exposing the photosensitive layer to actinic radiation through the photomask; (4) removing the photomask from the exposed photosensitive layer; (5) removing the substrate whereby steps 1 to 5 can be repeated; and (6) repeating steps 1 to 5 for each of said similar sheet substrates whereby substantially identical imaged substrates are obtained.