Abstract: An imaging film, and a method of making it, comprising a flexible plastic substrate having a thin, high optical density, continuous layer of bismuth, or an alloy of bismuth, deposited on a surface thereof. The bismuth layer has a roughened outer surface. To this roughened surface a layer of a photoactive material is applied which serves as a photoresist as well as a protective overlayer for the bismuth. The photoactive material may be positive or negative working. A layer of a developable photographic emulsion may be applied to the photoactive material layer to impart camera speed to the imaging film. The photoresist side of the film has a non-shiny, essentially non-reflecting black surface which resembles the appearance of developed silver halide films. The substrate side of the film, on the other hand, has a metallic appearance which is easily distinguishable from the photoresist side. This feature of the film enables an operator to readily ascertain the photoresist side of the film and speeds plate making.

Abstract: A dry-process imaging film which is sensitive to, and substantially simultaneously imaged and developed by, electromagnetic radiation above a threshold value applied thereto through an imaging mask. The film, in its preferred form, comprises a thin solid continuous, non-particulate film of a dispersion imaging material provided with a thin, flexible, protective overlayer of a polymeric resin. The film of dispersion imaging material is carried or supported on a flexible plastic substrate which may be transparent or light reflective.

Abstract: An imaging film, and a method of making it, comprising a flexible plastic substrate having a thin, high optical density, continuous layer of bismuth, or an alloy of bismuth, deposited on a surface thereof. The bismuth layer has a roughened outer surface. To this roughened surface a layer of a photoactive material is applied which serves as a photoresist as well as a protective overlayer for the bismuth. The photoactive material may be positive or negative working. A layer of a developable photographic emulsion may be applied to the photoactive material layer to impart camera speed to the imaging film. The photoresist side of the film has a non-shiny, essentially non-reflecting black surface which resembles the appearance of developed silver halide films. The substrate side of the film, on the other hand, has a metallic appearance which is easily distinguishable from the photoresist side. This feature of the film enables an operator to readily ascertain the photoresist side of the film and speeds plate making.

Abstract: A dry-process method and apparatus for producing archival microform records from light reflecting hard copy utilize a dry-process mask film strip which is photosensitive to and microimaged by light reflected and reduced or condensed from the hard copy and developed by heat to provide microimaged transparencies therein as the mask film strip is moved to an imaging and developing station. It also utilizes a dry-process microform film which has archival properties and which is sensitive to and microimaged and developed by short pulses of electromagnetic energy above a threshold value applied thereto through the microimaged transparencies of the superimposed mask film strip when it is moved to an image transferring station to provide in the microform film imaged microform records which conform to the transparent microimages in the dry-process mask film strip and, hence, the hard copy and which have achival properties. The microform film is preferably in the form of a microfiche.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing microfilm which, in its preferred form, comprises xerographic reproduction apparatus responsive to printed document reflectable radiation produces on an endless image projection member a removable image opaque to a given radiant energy. Radiant energy is momentarily projected through the member and a high reduction lens system upon a grainless photosensitive microform material. The photosensitive microform material most advantageously comprises an etch-resistant transparent substrate having a film of an etchable metal or metallike image-forming material, in turn, having a film of a photosensitive material which becomes chemically transformed by exposure to said radiant energy to form or leave on the exposed or unexposed areas thereof a material removable or permeable by an etchant which removes the image-forming layer therebeneath, and on the other of same a material which is not removed or permeable by the etchant.