Reflective data storage medium made by silver diffusion transfer

摘要

A reflective laser recording and data storage medium, for direct reading after writing, formed from a photosensitive silver-halide emulsion wherein a surface latent image exposure on the recording area forms a depthwise gradient of silver nuclei. A single step negative silver diffusion transfer process is used to develop silver nuclei of the latent image and dissolve unexposed silver halide elsewhere, forming silver ion complexes. These complexes are transported by diffusion transfer to the developing silver nuclei sites where silver is precipitated and adsorbed to form a high concentration of non-filamentary particles at a surface of a low melting temperature dielectric matrix which is highly reflective of light and electrically non-conducting.