Patent ID: 6367381
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
A laser-imageable and photocurable article comprising:a) a backing; b) a photocurable layer disposed upon said backing, said photocurable layer having a low absorptivity of radiation at a selected wavelength in the range of 300-400 nm and an initiator activatable at the selected wavelength; and c) a multilayer photoablative slip film, said layers of said multilayer photoablative slip film comprising a film-forming polymer and a self-oxidizing binder, wherein at least a first layer of said multilayer photoablative slip film comprises a UV absorber having high absorptivity in the wavelength range of 300-400 nm, said at least a first layer being substantially transparent to IR radiation, wherein at least a second layer of said multilayer photoablative slip film comprises an IR absorber having high absorptivity at either the 830 nm wavelength or the 1064 nm wavelength, and wherein said multilayer photoablative slip film is capable of being photoablated by a laser operating at an energy level in the IR or near-IR wavelengths, and wherein unablated areas of said multilayer photoablative slip film are capable of absorbing substantially all irradiated light from an ultra-violet light source, such that upon exposure of said article to an actinic radiation light source, areas of said photocurable layer under ablated areas of said multilayer photoablative slip film are cured, and areas of said photocurable layer under unablated areas of said multilayer photoablative slip film remain uncured.