Patent ID: 7083896

Claim:
A method of direct curing a relief printing element with a source of actinic radiation, comprising the steps of: a. providing a photocurable relief printing element comprising: i. a reflective layer which reflective layer has a reflectivity of at least 40 percent at the wavelength(s) emitted by the source of actinic radiation; ii. at least one photocurable layer on top of said reflective layer, and iii. optionally, a removable coversheet on top of said at least one photocurable layer; and b. exposing said photocurable relief printing element to the source of actinic radiation to directly cure the photocurable relief printing element; where the source of actinic radiation comprises a laser such that at least 40 percent of the actinic radiation hitting the reflective layer is reflected back into the photocurable layer, thereby curing the photocurable layer.