Abstract:
The present invention provides a thermally sensitive composition that may be coated as a water-borne material onto a substrate to yield a printing plate precursor having an imageable coating. The thermally sensitive composition comprises a sulfated phenolic resin. The sulfated phenolic resin may be a sulfated novolak resin or a sulfated resole resin, for example. The thermally sensitive composition may include a water-soluble binder, such as polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and a radiation-absorbing component. The invention also provides a printing plate precursor that is developed in water after imaging. The precursor does not require chemical development with a developing solution containing organic solvents or inorganic additives. The imaged precursor is on-press-developable when used with a fountain solution. Methods for making and using the precursor are also provided.
Abstract:
An electro-optical modulation device comprises a first Mach-Zehnder interferometric modulator. This modulator has balanced optical power in each arm to intensity modulate an optical carrier signal in response to an information signal. The invention also includes a second Mach-Zehnder interferometric modulator that is in a cascade connection with the first modulator and also has balanced optical power in each arm. This second modulator receives the optical carrier signal from the first modulator and also intensity modulates the optical carrier signal in response to the information signal. In another embodiment, the electro-optical modulation device comprises an electro-optical modulator, for intensity modulating an optical carrier in response to an electrical signal, and a reflective termination. The termination reflects the intensity modulated optical carrier signal to travel back through the electro-optical modulator. As a result, the modulation effect of the modulator is effectively doubled. Either embodiment is useful for applications that involve bandwidths of less than one octave, for which the embodiments can be easily optimized. The best examples are links for remote antennas, the most notable exception being cable television. For these sub-octave-bandpass links, second-order distortion does not present a problem since these spurious signals fall outside the band of interest. As a result, the second-order distortion control constraint can be sacrificed in an effort to negate third-order distortion and remediate other problems. This trade-off is not available in broadband cable applications.
Abstract:
Negative-working, IR-sensitive printing plates utilize a radiation-sensitive composition having a component polymerizable by a free-radical mechanism, at least part of which comprises or consists essentially of a non-particulate, aliphatic urethane acrylic oligomer that is infinitely water-dilutable but not water-soluble.
Abstract:
Ablation-type printing plates having improved exposure sensitivity are produced using a thin imaging layer—i.e., the plate layer that absorbs and ablates in response to imaging radiation—whose composition includes a large proportion of radiation absorber.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention involve three-layer printing members having a central layer that is non-conductive yet abalatable at commercially realistic fluence levels. In various embodiments, the central layer is polymeric with a dispersion of nonconductive carbon black particles therein at a loading level sufficient to provide at least partial layer ablatability and water compatibility of the resulting ablation debris.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention involve three-layer printing members having a central layer that is non-conductive yet abalatable at commercially realistic fluence levels. In various embodiments, the central layer is polymeric with a dispersion of nonconductive carbon black particles therein at a loading level sufficient to provide at least partial layer ablatability and water compatibility of the resulting ablation debris.
Abstract:
The present invention provides methods of imagewise exposing a thermally sensitive composition formed from a nanopaste comprising inorganic nanoparticles, a carrier, and preferably certain polymeric binders. The composition has been applied to a substrate and treated to improve adhesion. Exposure affects the solubility of exposed portions of the applied and treated layer relative to unexposed portions of the applied layer. The imaged layer is then developed on-press with a fountain solution, lithographic ink, or both, to remove the exposed portions or unexposed portions of the layer to form an image in a printing plate.
Abstract:
A method for forming an image by imaging and developing a multi-layer imageable element, in which the developer is fresh developer and the developer is not reused, is disclosed. Much smaller variation in dot percentage is obtained when each imaged imageable element is developed in fresh developer than when the developer is reused to develop additional imaged imageable elements. The method is especially suited to the formation of images using stochastic screening. Either a solvent based developer or a high pH developer may be used.
Abstract:
Assemblages that comprise a donor element and a receptor are disclosed. The donor element comprises a binder and particles of a cyanoacrylate polymer. The assemblages can be thermally imaged to form lithographic printing plates.