Patent ID: 8551688
Filing Date: 2013-10-08
Classification: B41M,G03F

Abstract:
1. A method of developing a photocurable printing blank to produce a relief pattern comprising a plurality of relief printing dots, wherein the photocurable printing blank comprises a backing layer having at least one photocurable layer disposed thereon, a barrier layer on top of the photocurable layer, and a laser ablatable mask layer disposed on top of the barrier layer, the method comprising the step of: a) imaging the at least one photocurable layer by selectively ablating the laser ablatable mask layer to create an image; b) exposing the printing blank to actinic radiation through the barrier layer and mask layer to one or more sources of actinic radiation to selectively crosslink and cure portions of the at least one photocurable layer, wherein the at least one photocurable layer is crosslinked and cured in the portions not covered by the mask layer, thereby creating the relief pattern; and c) developing the printing element to remove the barrier layer, the laser ablated mask layer and uncured portions of the photocurable layer and reveal the relief pattern, wherein the step of developing the printing element comprises the steps of: wherein the barrier layer has an oxygen diffusion coefficient of less than 6.9×10