IMAGE-FORMATION DUE TO THERMOCHEMICAL DECOLORATION IN ORGANOPOLYSILANE TITANYLPHTHALOCYANINE-LAYERED FILM PATTERNED BY UV-LIGHT/

ly(methylphenylsilane)(PMPS)/titanylphthalocyanine (TiOPc)-layered fil ms have recently been found to undergo thermochemical decoloration of blue-colored TiOPc by heating at similar to 250 degrees C. The process is effectively enhanced by UV preexposure of PMPS, resulting in forma tion of a pattern corresponding to the UV-exposed image and having hig h contrast, high resolution, and effective halftone reproduction. The decoloration mechanism has been revealed to be a thermally induced che mical reaction between TiOPc and PMPS, which is initiated by the pyrol ysis of PMPS and is not caused by sublimation of TiOPc. The present PM PS/TiOPc-layered film provides a novel imaging medium, and its potenti al utilization in optical recording has been demonstrated.