Reducing the liquid solvent development time of a polymeric relief image

摘要

The present invention contemplates a method to reduce the liquid solvent contact time required to develop a latent polymeric relief image in a layer of polymeric material that is selectively exposed to radiation so that there is formed a layer having exposed and unexposed areas. In the method of the present invention, the layer is exposed to the gaseous vapors of at least one solvent for the more soluble area, after which it is contacted with a liquid solvent which preferentially dissolves the material from the more soluble area and which does not affect the polymerized material which forms the relief image.