Abstract: A photothermographic imaging material comprising a support having thereon a photosensitive layer, wherein the photosensitive layer has a silver coverage of 0.8 to 2.

Abstract: The second silver halide photosensitive material comprises a substrate and at least one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer formed thereon, the silver halide photosensitive material comprising at least two types of silver halide grains with different projected areas having photosensitivity in the same photosensitivity range; silver halide grains having a larger projected area having a refractive index n1 and an average thickness a, and silver halide grains having a smaller projected area having a refractive index n2 and an average thickness b; and the silver halide grains satisfying the conditions defined by the following equation (1):

Abstract: Disclosed is a photothermographic material having an image-forming layer containing a silver salt of an organic acid, photosensitive silver halide grains and a reducing agent on a support, wherein ratio of scratch strength measured before heat development and scratch strength measured 30 minutes after the heat development is in the range of 1:1-1:3 for a surface of the image-forming layer side. The photothermographic material shows improved film strength after heat development.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: an exposure portion having a light source, for forming a latent image on a photothermographic imaging material by exposing a light beam to the photothermographic imaging material from the light source; a thermal development portion having a heating portion for thermally developing by heating the photothermographic imaging material on which the latent image is formed, and a cooling and conveying portion for conveying and cooling the thermally developed photothermographic imaging material; a temperature detecting member for detecting at least one of a temperature of a predetermined portion in the thermal development portion and a temperature in a vicinity of the exposure portion; and a control unit for controlling a factor relating to thermal development on a basis of the temperature detected by the temperature detecting member.

Abstract: The heat-developable photosensitive material of the present invention comprises a support, a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a heat developer and a binder, wherein the photosensitive silver halide is a specific photosensitive silver halide.

Abstract: A black-and-white photothermographic material that is sensitive at a wavelength greater than 700 nm, and comprises a support having thereon one or more thermally-developable imaging layers comprising a binder and in reactive association, a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive source of reducible silver ions, and a reducing composition for the non-photosensitive source reducible silver ions. The thermally-developable layers further comprises one or more indolenine dyes as post-processing stabilizing compounds and one or more merocyanine dyes or cyanine spectral sensitizing dyes that comprise one or more thioalkyl, thioaryl, or thioether groups.

Abstract: A silver salt photothermographic material is disclosed, comprising on a support a light-sensitive layer comprising an organic silver salt, light-sensitive silver halide grains, a reducing agent and a binder, wherein after the photothermographic material having been developed at a temperature of not less than 100° C. is subjected to exposure to light of an illumination intensity of 300 lux at 45° C. for 24 hrs., the rate of variation in fog density between before and after exposure is not more than 30%, based on the fog density of the photothermographic material before exposure.

Abstract: An image formation method comprising exposing a photothermographic material 10 having an image-forming layer and a back layer with a light having a wavelength of 700-850 nm and subjecting it to development in a heat development apparatus provided with a preheating section A, a heat development section B and a gradual cooling section C, wherein the photothermographic material 10 has at least one coated layer obtained by applying a coating solution containing 20 weight % or more of an organic solvent, and the heat development section B is provided with heating members 15 on image-forming layer side 10a and back layer side 10b and transportation rollers only on the image-forming layer side 10a with respect to the photothermographic material 10 to be transported in the apparatus. There is provided an image formation method utilizing a photothermographic material, which can form images showing less generation of density unevenness, high contrast and high maximum density without causing physical deformation.

Abstract: High-speed black-and-white photothermographic emulsions and materials comprise chemically sensitized photosensitive silver halide grains, at least 70% of the total photosensitive silver halide projected area being provided by tabular silver halide grains comprising at least 70 mole % bromide (based on total silver halide). The tabular grains have an average thickness of at least 0.02 &mgr;m and up to and including 0.10 &mgr;m, an equivalent circular diameter of at least 0.5 &mgr;m and up to and including 8 &mgr;m, and an aspect ratio of at least 5:1. These high-speed materials can be imaged in any suitable fashion using ultraviolet, visible, infrared, or X-radiation. In one embodiment, they have one or more thermally developable layers on both sides of the support and can be imaged using X-radiation with or without a phosphor intensifying screen in an imaging assembly.

Abstract: Aqueous-based photothermographic materials that are sensitive to visible or X-radiation contain X-radiation sensitive phosphors in association with specific chemically sensitized tabular silver halide grains. The silver halide grains comprise at least 70 mol % bromide, based on total silver halide, have an average thickness of at least 0.02 &mgr;m and up to and including 0.10 &mgr;m, an equivalent circular diameter (ECD) of at least 0.5 &mgr;m and up to and including 8 &mgr;m, and an aspect ratio of at least 5:1. These materials can be imaged in any suitable fashion but preferably they have one or more photothermographic layers on both sides of the support and can be imaged using X-radiation with or without an associated phosphor intensifying screen.

Abstract: A transmission heat-development photosensitive material having an exposure wavelength of 750 nm or shorter having a property that an adsorbance of the material with respect to an exposing wavelength before an exposure and development process is 0.5 or smaller and a highest density of 2.8 can be realized with energy which is not larger than 7 times (in a case of a negative-type material) exposing energy required to realize a density of 1.2 or not smaller than {fraction (1/7)} (in a case of a positive-type material) of the exposing energy.

Abstract: A method for producing an image comprising a step for heat-developing after light exposure a photothermographic material containing elsewhere on a support a non-photosensitive organic acid silver salt, a photosensitive silver halide, a nucleation aid, a binder and at least one compound expressed by the formula (A) below, at a line speed of 140 cm/min or faster: [where R1, R2, R3, X1 and X2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, halogen atom or the like; at least either one of X1 and X2 is a group expressed as —NR4R5, where R4 and R5 independently represents a hydrogen atom, alkyl group or the like] is provided. The method for producing an image of the present invention is successful in raising Dmax (maximum density), suppressing increase in fog during a long-term storage, and suppressing dimensional instability of line width affected by the energy of exposure.

Abstract: A heat-developable image recording material having excellent image preservability, comprises a support having thereon a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent for silver ion and a specific binder.

Abstract: An image forming method comprising exposing a heat-developable light-sensitive material comprising a support having thereon at least a light-sensitive silver halide having a silver iodide content of 5 to 100 mol %, a light-insensitive organic silver salt, a heat developing agent, and a binder by means of a scanning optical system having a light source emitting a laser beam having an emission peak between 350 nm and 450 nm to form a latent image on said heat-developable light-sensitive material, heating said heat-developable light-sensitive material to about 80 to 250° C. in a heat development section, and cooling said heat-developable light-sensitive material having been heat treated in said heat development section to or below a development stopping temperature while said heat-developable light-sensitive material is transported in a cooling section.

Abstract: A black-and-white photothermographic material that is sensitive at a wavelength greater than 700 nm, and comprises a support having thereon one or more thermally-developable imaging layers comprising a binder and in reactive association, a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive source of reducible silver ions, and a reducing composition for the non-photosensitive source reducible silver ions. The thermally-developable layers further comprises one or more indolenine dyes as post-processing stabilizing compounds and one or more merocyanine dyes or cyanine spectral sensitizing dyes that comprise one or more thioalkyl, thioaryl, or thioether groups.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a heat-developable photosensitive material and an image-forming process using the heat-developable photosensitive material. The material generally includes at least one photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent for silver ions, a binder, and non-photosensitive organic silver salt particles on one surface of a support. The non-photosensitive organic silver salt particles are specified and the reducing agent is specified. The material may include specific non-photosensitive organic silver salt particles and a development accelerator.

Abstract: A photothermographic recording material comprising on one side of a support an image recording layer comprising a light-insensitive organic silver salt, a photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent for silver ions and a binder, wherein the difference in specular glossiness at an angle of 60° between a thermally developed exposed area of the image recording layer and the bottom support surface opposite the exposed area of the recording material is at least 15.

Abstract: A silver salt photothermographic material is disclosed, comprising on a support (a) a light-insensitive organic silver salt, (b) light-sensitive silver halide and (c) a reducing agent capable of reducing a silver ion of the organic silver salt to silver upon heating, wherein when the exposed and thermally processed photothermographic material having a density of 3.0 have been kept at 50° C. and 50% RH for 120 hr., the photothermographic material exhibits a variation of density from 3.0 being within ±0.2.

Abstract: Photothermographic materials comprise heat-bleachable antihalation compositions in backside antihalation layers. These compositions comprise a hexaarybiimidazole and an oxonol dye that can be represented by the following Structure I: A1═L1—(L2═L3)p—(L4═L5)q—(L6═L7)r—A2−(M)k wherein A1 and A2 are the same or different activated methylene moieties, L1 through L7 independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted methine group, M represents a counterion, k is the number of M counterions necessary to provide neutral charge for Structure I, p, and q, are independently 0 or 1, and r is 0, 1, or 2. The antihalation composition is typically bleached when subjected to a temperature of at least 90° C. for at least 0.5 seconds.

Abstract: The present invention is a photographic element which includes, in order, a transparent support, at least one silver halide emulsion layer superposed on the support, optionally a white or diffuse reflecttive layer, and a processing-solution-permeable protective layer on the backside, which protective layer becomes water-resistant in the final product without lamination or fusing. The present invention is also directed to a method of making a photographic print involving developing the photographic element. The resulting print is viewed through the support, which provides protection against scratches and stains, while the polymeric overcoat provides water and stain protection to the reverse of the print where minor scratches or damage are not critical, since the image is not viewed from this side. Thus, this invention provides for a tough, stain resistant and transparent viewing surface and a stain resistant back side, which is permeable to processing solutions.

Abstract: Photothermographic materials prepared using aqueous formulations include silver halides that are chemically sensitized using certain tellurium-containing compounds.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a photothermographic element comprising at least one imaging layer with a pyrrolotriazole coupler and a developing agent, or precursor thereof, the combination of which is capable of forming an image record in the infrared region of the light spectrum in response to a selected hue of visible light. This expedient leads to the formation of high quality images, especially when scanning photothermographic elements in which the silver halide, metallic silver, and/or any organic silver salts have not been removed. Also disclosed is a method for photothermographically forming a developed image comprising an infrared image record.

Abstract: A photothermographic material is disclosed, comprising a support having thereon an image recording layer comprising an organic silver salt, a silver halide, a reducing agent and a binder, wherein the outermost surface of the image recording layer side of the photothermographic material exhibits a difference in center-line mean roughness of not more than 10 nm between before and after being subjected to thermal processing.

Abstract: Aqueous-based thermally sensitive emulsions and imaging materials include two or more hindered phenol silver ion reducing agents in a non-crystalline reducing agent composition. Such compositions can be provided as evaporated dispersions and can be formulated in aqueous coating compositions to provide thermally developable materials such as thermographic and photothermographic materials.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of scanning silver-halide-containing color photographic and photothermographic film. In particular, the present invention comprises a photographic element comprising at least one infrared imaging dye-forming agent in a blue-sensitive color layer of the element, thereby forming at least one image record in the infrared region of the imagewise exposed and developed element. This expedient leads to the formation of high quality images when scanning photographic elements in which the silver halide, metallic silver, and/or any organic silver salts have not been removed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photothermographic material containing at least a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive silver salt of an organic acid, a reducing agent for silver ions and a binder on one surface of a support, wherein the material contains a compound producing imagewise a chemical species that can form development initiation points on and in the vicinity of the non-photosensitive silver salt of an organic acid or the like and an organic gold compound and the photosensitive silver halide has a mean grain size of 0.12 &mgr;m or less. This photothermographic material shows high sensitivity, low fog, high Dmax (maximum density), little increase of fog during storage and low temperature and humidity dependency during development.

Abstract: A dye-forming method comprising: reacting a dye-forming coupler and a color developing agent precursor represented by the following general formula (I): wherein A3 represents a group other than a hydrogen atom which leaves, accompanied by the bonding electron pair with the nitrogen atom in general formula (I), to thereby form a color developing agent; A2 represents a group which leaves in association with a dye-formation; and A1 represents a group which forms a dye together with the nitrogen atom and the coupler.

Abstract: A photothermographic recording material comprising a support and a photo-addressable thermally developable element, the photo-addressable thermally developable element containing a mixture of a substantially light-insensitive silver salt of a monocarboxylic acid and a substantially light-insensitive compound exclusive of silver succinate represented by formula (I): 1

Abstract: A photothermographic material and its processing method are disclosed, the photothermographic material comprising a support and provided on one side of the support, one or more image forming layers containing a binder, an organic silver salt, silver halide, and a reducing agent, wherein the variation in the maximum surface roughness Rt of the surface on the image forming layer side between the materials before heat treatment and after heat treatment is not more than 1.5 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A silver halide photographic lightsensitive material comprises, on a support, at least one lightsensitive silver halide emulsion layer and at least one non-lightsensitive layer.

Abstract: A silver salt photothermographic dry imaging material comprising a support having thereon a photosensitive layer comprising silver aliphatic carboxylate grains and photosensitive silver halide grains, a reducing agent for silver ions, a binder and a cross-linking agent, wherein the photothermographic material has a silver coverage of 1.0 to 1.7 g/m2; the photosensitive silver halide grains have a mean grain size of 0.03 to 0.055 &mgr;m and a degree of grain size dispersity of not more than 30%; after the dry imaging material has been subjected to photothermographic processing at a temperature of 100 to 200° C. for 5 to 50 seconds, the photosensitive layer exhibits a thermal transition temperature of 46 to 200° C.

Abstract: A processing method of a photothermographic material is disclosed comprising subjecting the photothermographic material to heat development by the use of a thermal processing apparatus, wherein the photothermographic material comprises a support, organic silver salt particles, light sensitive silver halide grains, a reducing agent and a contrast-increasing agent; and after having been subjected to heat development, the photothermographic material exhibits a distortion of not more than 0.03 degree. A thermal processing apparatus for the photothermographic material is also disclosed.

Abstract: A light-sensitive silver-halide color photographic element comprising at least two different chromogenic couplers including, in reactive association, a multifunctional coupler and a developer precursor that liberates a developing agent enabling cyan color from the multifunctional coupler on development, wherein the multifunctional coupler has the property that it is capable of forming a distinctly colored dye with an oxidized form of the developer 4-(N-ethyl-N-2-hydroxyethyl)-2-methylphenylenediamine. In one embodiment, the multifunctional coupler has the property that it is capable of forming a distinctly colored magenta dye with an oxidized form of the developer 4-(N-ethyl-N-2-hydroxyethyl)-2-methylphenylenediamine. By means of the present invention, light-sensitive color photothermographic elements can form yellow, magenta and cyan dye records of consistent density forming ability and consistent stability in all three color records.

Abstract: This invention involves the use of ionic liquids as coupler solvents in a color or monochrome photothermographic system. The presence of an ionic liquid can increase the amount of density or dye formed. The ionic liquid may be combined with other coupler solvents.

Abstract: The present invention provides a spectrally sensitized photothermographic silver halide element comprising a support layer having on at least one surface thereof a photothermographic composition which displays uniform image density across its surface when exposed to floodlight or uniform incandescent light exposure at radiation wavelengths to which the element is sensitive, said element comprising at least two layers, including a top layer and a photothermographic emulsion layer, said photothermographic emulsion layer comprising a binder, a light insensitive silver source, a reducing agent for silver ion and infrared radiation sensitive silver halide grains, wherein the coherent radiation is rendered more diffuse in its passage through the element than when it strikes the top layer. This may be accomplished at least in part by 1) the top layer of the element having haze induced therein of 0.

Abstract: A silver salt photothermographic dry imaging material comprising a support having thereon a photosensitive layer comprising silver aliphatic carboxylate grains and photosensitive silver halide grains, a reducing agent for silver ions, a binder and a cross-linking agent, wherein the photothermographic material has a silver coverage of 1.0 to 1.7 g/m2; the photosensitive silver halide grains have a mean grain size of 0.03 to 0.055 &mgr;m and a degree of grain size dispersity of not more than 30%; after the dry imaging material has been subjected to photothermographic processing at a temperature of 100 to 200° C. for 5 to 50 seconds, the photosensitive layer exhibits a thermal transition temperature of 46 to 200° C.

Abstract: A photothermographic material comprising a support having thereon a photosensitive layer comprising non-photosensitive organic silver salt grains, photosensitive silver halide grains, a binder, a cross-linking agent, and a reducing agent, wherein a silver coverage in the photosensitive layer is from 0.3 to 2.0 g/m2; the number of developed silver halide grains N1 in the maximum density area is from 5×1013 to 1×1015/m2 when the photothermographic material is subjected to exposure in an exposure amount of 280 &mgr;J/cm2 and subsequently is subjected to heat development at 123° C. for 16.5 seconds; and, in the maximum density area, the number of developed silver halide grains N1 and the number of undeveloped silver halide grains N2 satisfy the formula; 0.70≦N1/(N1+N2)≦0.95.

Abstract: The incorporation of coupler chemistry into the fluorescent element results in a greatly improved fluorescence imaging element, displaying higher photographic speed, higher contrast, and improved image discrimination. The coupler chemistry comprises the combination of a developing agent that generates an oxidized form on reaction with exposed silver halide, together with a molecule capable of forming a stable reaction product, preferably a dye, by reaction with the oxidized form of the developer. This will have the effect of a sink for oxidized developer formed during development. In a preferred embodiment, dye-forming chemistry is combined with fluorescent imaging to provide dramatic improvements in performance of the fluorescent system.

Abstract: A light-sensitive silver-halide color photothermographic element comprises a typically magenta dye-forming pyrazolone coupler in the cyan record by rendering the hue of the resultant dye a cyan hue. The use of certain para-phenylenediamine developers, for example, containing a substituent group in both the 2- and 6-positions (ortho, ortho') relative to the coupling nitrogen, along with selected magenta dye-forming couplers, when oxidized, yield cyan dyes with certain couplers, resulting in the superior non-hue characteristics of magenta couplers in the cyan layer. By means of the present invention, light sensitive color photothermographic elements can form image dye records of consistent density forming ability and consistent stability in all three color records. Also disclosed is a method of processing such a color photographic element.

Abstract: Photothermographic materials comprise heat-bleachable antihalation compositions in antihalation layers. These compositions comprise a hexaarybiimidazole and one or more infrared radiation absorbing compounds that are represented by the following Structure I: A1—L1—A2  I wherein A1 represents a group derived from a dye base, a heterocyclic group, or an electron-donating aromatic group, A2 represents a group derived from a dye base, a heterocyclic group, a group derived from a dye acid, or an electron-donating aromatic group, and L1 represents a conjugated linking group that maintains electron delocalization between A1 and A2 to provide infrared absorbance. The antihalation composition is typically bleached when subjected to a temperature of at least 90° C. for at least 0.5 seconds.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a photothermographic imaging element comprising at least one silver halide imaging layer containing a fluorophore. The imaging element can be exposed and then processed by heating to form an image in which the intensity of the fluorescence from the element is modulated imagewise to yield a fluorescent image of the light intensities to which the element was exposed. The present invention is also directed to a method of processing photothermographic film that has been imagewise exposed in a camera, which method in order comprises thermally developing the film step without any externally applied developing agent, comprising heating said film to a temperature greater than 80° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to imaged photographic elements comprising an overcoat layer of a water-dispersible, hydrophobic polyester resin having the following general formula: In—P—Am wherein I is an ionic group; n is an integer from 1-3; P is a polyester backbone; A is an Asiatic group comprising a straight or branched chain fatty acid or triglyceride thereof having from about 6 to about 24 carbon atoms; and m is an integer from 3-8. Such a protective overcoat provides excellent stain resistance for an imaged photographic element.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photothermographic material containing a non-photosensitive silver salt, a photosensitive silver halide and a binder on a support, which comprises a nucleating agent and a surfactant represented by the following formula (F):

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermally developable photosensitive material including a support, the image-forming layer containing a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent, a binder and a compound represented by the following formula (I), wherein after the material is exposed and thermally developed at 121° C.

Abstract: Disclosed are an improved silver halide color photographic photosensitive material comprising a support having thereon a photosensitive layer containing at least one kind of photosensitive silver halide grain, a color developing agent, a coupler and a binder, and a non-photosensitive layer, wherein a one dye is contained as a dispersion of solid fine particles at least one of the layers the dye being represented by general formula (I) as follows: D−(X)y  General formula (I) wherein D represents a compound having a chromophore; X represents a dissociative proton or a group having a dissociative proton which is linked to D directly or via a divalent linking group; and y represents an integer of 1 to 7.

Abstract: A heat-developable silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material, which has a support and contains, on the support, a photosensitive silver halide, an organosilver salt, a developing agent, and a coupler that is capable of forming a dye upon a coupling reaction with an oxidized developing agent,

Abstract: A method of processing an imagewise exposed color photographic film, said film having at least three light-sensitive units which have their individual sensitivities in different wavelength regions, each of the units comprising at least one light sensitive silver halide emulsion and image dye coupler, which method comprises contacting the imagewise exposed color photographic film with an aqueous solution containing a non-blocked developing agent, at a temperature of between 30 to 60° C.; and wherein said film further comprises an incorporated reducing agent, at least one organic silver salt and an amido compound wherein the reducing agent is substantially unreactive in the aqueous color development step described above, but wherein color development of the same imagewise exposed film is capable of being alternatively obtained, without any externally applied developing agent, by heating said film to a temperature above about 80° C.

Abstract: Desclosed is a heat-developable image-recording material including a support on which are formed at least one image-forming layer and at least one protecting layer formed on top of said image-forming layer, the heat-developable image-recording material being developed by use of a heat development apparatus comprising a roller coming into a driving contact with a surface of the material on the side having the image-forming layer, the apparatus comprising a smooth surface coming into a sliding contact for transport with a surface of the material opposite to the surface on the side having the image-forming layer, wherein at the temperature where the development is carried out, the ratio is 1.

Abstract: A method of imaging comprising: providing a photothermographic material having at least one photothermographic medium and exposing said material to a source of narrow band radiation, wherein said material comprises one or more non-sensitizing acutance or antihalation dyes associated with said photothermographic medium providing an absorption maximum (&lgr;max) within 10 nm of the wavelength of maximum output of said narrow band source and an optical density of at least 0.05 at a wavelength (&lgr;max+50) nm.

Abstract: The present invention is a photographic element which includes a support, at least one silver halide emulsion layer superposed on the support and a processing-solution-permeable protective overcoat overlying the silver halide emulsion layer that becomes water-resistant in the final product without lamination or fusing. The present invention is also directed to a method of making a photographic print involving developing the photographic element.