Laser-generated ultraviolet radiation mask
View Patent ↗A UV-mask, a system and method for making the mask and a method of using the mask for producing an image a print medium are disclosed. The system includes a donor element having a substrate coated with a layer of IR-sensitive material and a layers of UV-absorbing material, and a receptor element. The IR-sensitive material is capable of detaching a significant portion of the itself and the UV-absorbing material from the donor element and transfer the detached materials to the receptor element when irradiated by an IR radiation. The method for making a UV-mask includes irradiating such a donor element with an IR radiation. The method of using includes overlaying a digital UV mask on a UV-sensitive medium, exposing the medium to a UV radiation through the UV mask, and developing the UV-sensitive medium.
1. A system for making a UV-absorbing pattern, the system comprising:
a donor element comprising:
a substrate,
a layer of IR-sensitive, non-ablative transfer material coating at least a portion of the substrate,
a layer of UV-absorbing material coating the IR-sensitive transfer material,
wherein the layers of the IR-sensitive material and UV-absorbing material have a combined UV-absorption coefficient of at least about 1.0; and
a receptor element.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the IR-sensitive transfer material comprises:
a binder comprising a hydroxylic resin,
a fluorocarbon additive,
a cationic infrared absorbing dye,
a latent crosslinking agent having the formula:
where R 1 is selected from the group of H, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, and an
aryl group, each R 2 and R 3 is independently an alkyl group or an aryl group, and R 4 is
an aryl group, and
a dispersible material, and
wherein the receptor element comprises a textured surface.
3. A method for making a UV mask, the method comprising:
providing a system of claim 1 ;
exposing the donor element to a digital image-wise IR laser radiation; and transferring substantially all of the IR laser-irradiated portions of the layer of IR-sensitive material and layer of UV-absorbing material from the donor element to the receptor element.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the digital images-wise IR laser radiation produces a half-tone image pattern in the layer of IR-sensitive material and layer of UV-absorbing material.