Patent ID: 6929898
Filing Date: 2005-08-16
Classification: G03F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A photosensitive element for use as a photopolymer printing plate, comprising: (a) a support; (b) at least one layer of a photopolymerizable material on the support, the photopolymerizable material comprising at least one elastomeric binder, at least one monomer, at least one initiator having sensitivity to non-infrared actinic radiation, and optionally at least one plasticizer, wherein at least one of the monomer and the optional plasticizer is a low molecular weight material having a weight average molecular weight of 30,000 or less; and (c) at least one infrared ablation layer which is ablatable by infrared radiation and opaque to non-infrared actinic radiation, said infrared ablation layer being in direct contact with the at least one photopolymerizable material (b) and having a surface opposite the photopolymerizable layer (b) capable of being exposed to laser ablation, the infrared ablation layer comprising: (i) at least one infrared absorbing material; (ii) a radiation opaque material, wherein (i) and (ii) can be the same or different; and (iii) at least one binder which is incompatible or substantially incompatible with at least one of the low molecular weight materials of layer (b); wherein the infrared ablation layer is tack-free or substantially tack-free and is ablatable from the surface of the photopolymerizable layer upon exposure to infrared laser radiation.