EP0699946B1 - Emulsions aux grains tabulaires ultraminces à sensibilité améliorée (II) - Google Patents

Emulsions aux grains tabulaires ultraminces à sensibilité améliorée (II) Download PDF

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EP0699946B1
EP0699946B1 EP19950420235 EP95420235A EP0699946B1 EP 0699946 B1 EP0699946 B1 EP 0699946B1 EP 19950420235 EP19950420235 EP 19950420235 EP 95420235 A EP95420235 A EP 95420235A EP 0699946 B1 EP0699946 B1 EP 0699946B1
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Prior art keywords
tabular grains
silver
silver halide
emulsion
iodide
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EP0699946A1 (fr
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Richard Lee C/O Eastman Kodak Company Daubendiek
Donald Lee C/O Eastman Kodak Company Black
Joseph Charles C/O Eastman Kodak Company Deaton
Timothy Richard c/o Eastman Kodak Company Gersey
Joseph Charles c/o Eastman Kodak Com. Lighthouse
Myra Toffolon C/O Eastman Kodak Company Olm
Xin C/O Eastman Kodak Company Wen
Robert Don C/O Eastman Kodak Company Wilson
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Eastman Kodak Co
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Priority claimed from US08/297,195 external-priority patent/US5576168A/en
Priority claimed from US08/297,430 external-priority patent/US5503971A/en
Priority claimed from US08/296,562 external-priority patent/US5503970A/en
Priority claimed from US08/359,251 external-priority patent/US5494789A/en
Priority claimed from US08/451,881 external-priority patent/US5582965A/en
Application filed by Eastman Kodak Co filed Critical Eastman Kodak Co
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03C—PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIALS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSES; PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES, e.g. CINE, X-RAY, COLOUR, STEREO-PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES; AUXILIARY PROCESSES IN PHOTOGRAPHY
    • G03C1/00—Photosensitive materials
    • G03C1/005—Silver halide emulsions; Preparation thereof; Physical treatment thereof; Incorporation of additives therein
    • G03C1/0051—Tabular grain emulsions
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03C—PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIALS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSES; PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES, e.g. CINE, X-RAY, COLOUR, STEREO-PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES; AUXILIARY PROCESSES IN PHOTOGRAPHY
    • G03C1/00—Photosensitive materials
    • G03C1/005—Silver halide emulsions; Preparation thereof; Physical treatment thereof; Incorporation of additives therein
    • G03C1/46—Silver halide emulsions; Preparation thereof; Physical treatment thereof; Incorporation of additives therein having more than one photosensitive layer

Definitions

  • the invention relates to silver halide photography. More specifically, the invention relates to improved spectrally sensitized silver halide emulsions and to multilayer photographic elements incorporating one or more of these emulsions.
  • Kofron et al U.S. Patent 4,439,520 ushered in the current era of high performance silver halide photography.
  • Kofron et al disclosed and demonstrated striking photographic advantages for chemically and spectrally sensitized tabular grain emulsions in which tabular grains having a diameter of at least 0.6 ⁇ m and a thickness of less than 0.3 ⁇ m exhibit an average aspect ratio of greater than 8 and account for greater than 50 percent of total grain projected area. In the numerous emulsions demonstrated one or more of these numerical parameters often far exceeded the stated requirements.
  • Kofron et al recognized that the chemically and spectrally sensitized emulsions disclosed in one or more of their various forms would be useful in color photography and in black-and-white photography (including indirect radiography). Spectral sensitizations in all portions of the visible spectrum and at longer wavelengths were addressed as well as orthochromatic and panchromatic spectral sensitizations for black-and-white imaging applications. Kofron et al employed combinations of one or more spectral sensitizing dyes along with middle chalcogen (e.g., sulfur) and/or noble metal (e.g., gold) chemical sensitizations, although still other, conventional sensitizations, such as reduction sensitization were also disclosed.
  • middle chalcogen e.g., sulfur
  • noble metal e.g., gold
  • Antoniades et al U.S. Patent 5,250,403 disclosed tabular grain emulsions that represent what were, prior to the present invention, in many ways the best available emulsions for recording exposures in color photographic elements, particularly in the minus blue (red and/or green) portion of the spectrum.
  • Antoniades et al disclosed tabular grain emulsions in which tabular grains having ⁇ 111 ⁇ major faces account for greater than 97 percent of total grain projected area.
  • the tabular grains have an equivalent circular diameter (ECD) of at least 0.7 ⁇ m and a mean thickness of less than 0.07 ⁇ m.
  • Tabular grain emulsions with mean thicknesses of less than 0.07 ⁇ m are herein referred to as "ultrathin" tabular grain emulsions. They are suited for use in color photographic elements, particularly in minus blue recording emulsion layers, because of their efficient utilization of silver, attractive speed-granularity relationships, and high levels of image sharpness, both in the emulsion layer and in underlying emulsion layers.
  • a characteristic of ultrathin tabular grain emulsions that sets them apart from other tabular grain emulsions is that they do not exhibit reflection maxima within the visible spectrum, as is recognized to be characteristic of tabular grains having thicknesses in the 0.18 to 0.08 ⁇ m range, as taught by Buhr et al, Research Disclosure , Vol. 253, Item 25330, May 1985. Research Disclosure is published by Kenneth Mason Publications, Ltd., Dudley House, 12 North St., Emsworth, Hampshire P010 7DQ, England. In multilayer photographic elements overlying emulsion layers with mean tabular grain thicknesses in the 0.18 to 0.08 ⁇ m range require care in selection, since their reflection properties differ widely within the visible spectrum.
  • ultrathin tabular grain emulsions in building multilayer photographic elements eliminates spectral reflectance dictated choices of different mean grain thicknesses in the various emulsion layers overlying other emulsion layers.
  • the use of ultrathin tabular grain emulsions not only allows improvements in photographic performance, it also offers the advantage of simplifying the construction of multilayer photographic elements.
  • Maskasky I recognized that a site director, such as iodide ion, an aminoazaindene, or a selected spectral sensitizing dye, adsorbed to the surfaces of host tabular grains was capable of directing silver salt epitaxy to selected sites, typically the edges and/or corners, of the host grains. Depending upon the composition and site of the silver salt epitaxy, significant increases in speed were observed.
  • a site director such as iodide ion, an aminoazaindene, or a selected spectral sensitizing dye
  • Nonisomorphic silver salts can be selectively deposited on the edges of silver halide host grains without relying on a supplemental site director.
  • the nonisomorphic silver salts include silver thiocyanate, ⁇ phase silver iodide (which exhibits a hexagonal wurtzite type crystal structure), ⁇ phase silver iodide (which exhibits a zinc blende type crystal structure), silver phosphates (including meta- and pyro-phosphates) and silver carbonate.
  • nonisomorphic silver salts exhibit a face centered cubic crystal structure of the type found in photographic silver halides--i.e., an isomorphic face centered cubic crystal structure of the rock salt type.
  • speed enhancements produced by nonisomorphic silver salt epitaxy have been much smaller than those obtained by comparable isomorphic silver salt epitaxial sensitizations.
  • this invention is directed to an improved radiation-sensitive emulsion comprised of (1) a dispersing medium, (2) silver halide grains including tabular grains (a) having ⁇ 111 ⁇ major faces, (b) containing greater than 70 mole percent bromide and at least 0.25 mole percent iodide, based on silver, (c) accounting for greater than 90 percent of total grain projected area, (d) exhibiting an average equivalent circular diameter of at least 0.7 ⁇ m, (e) exhibiting an average thickness of less than 0.07 ⁇ m, and (f) having latent image forming chemical sensitization sites on the surfaces of the tabular grains, and (3) a spectral sensitizing dye adsorbed to the surfaces of the tabular grains, characterized in that the tabular grains contain less than 10 mole percent iodide and the surface chemical sensitization sites include epitaxially deposited silver halide protrusions of a face centered cubic crystal lattice structure of the rock salt type forming epitaxial junctions with the tabular grains, the
  • this invention is directed to a photographic element comprised of (1) a support, (2) a first silver halide emulsion layer coated on the support and sensitized to produce a photographic record when exposed to specular light within the visible wavelength region of from 400 to 700 nm, and (3) a second silver halide emulsion layer capable of producing a second photographic record coated over the first silver halide emulsion layer to receive specular visible light intended for the exposure of the first silver halide emulsion layer, the second silver halide emulsion layer being capable of acting as a transmission medium for the delivery of at least a portion of the visible light intended for the exposure of the first silver halide emulsion layer in the form of specular light, characterized in that the second silver halide emulsion layer is comprised of an improved emulsion according to the invention.
  • the improved ultrathin tabular grain emulsions of the present invention are the first to employ silver halide epitaxy in their chemical sensitization and the first emulsions of any type to demonstrate a performance advantage attributable to the intentional incorporation of increased iodide concentrations in the silver halide epitaxy.
  • the present invention has been realized by (1) overcoming a bias in the art against applying silver halide epitaxial sensitization to ultrathin tabular grain emulsions, (2) overcoming a bias in the art against intentionally introducing silver iodide in silver halide epitaxy, (3) observing improvements in performance as compared to ultrathin tabular grain emulsions receiving only conventional sulfur and gold sensitizations, and (4) observing larger improvements in sensitivity than expected, based on similar sensitizations of thicker tabular grains.
  • the emulsions of this invention require a higher iodide concentration in the silver halide epitaxy than in those portions of the tabular grains with which it forms an epitaxial junction. This runs exactly contrary to a bias in the art toward maintaining higher levels of iodide in the tabular grains than in associated silver halide epitaxy. It has been discovered that as iodide is increased in the silver halide epitaxy unexpected speed-granularity improvements can be realized. Further, it is possible for the iodide levels in the epitaxy to exceed those of the ultrathin tabular grain hosts. Thus, overall reductions in iodide can be realized that permit more rapid development, higher levels of contrast, and the formation of thinner tabular grains under comparable conditions of preparation attributable to lower iodide concentrations.
  • Still another advantage is based on the observation of reduced unwanted wavelength absorption as compared to relatively thicker tabular grain emulsions similarly sensitized. A higher percentage of total light absorption was confined to the spectral region in which the spectral sensitizing dye or dyes exhibited absorption maxima. For minus blue sensitized ultrathin tabular grain emulsions native blue absorption was also reduced.
  • the emulsions investigated have demonstrated an unexpected robustness. It has been demonstrated that, when levels of spectral sensitizing dye are varied, as can occur during manufacturing operations, the silver halide epitaxially sensitized ultrathin tabular grain emulsions of the invention exhibit less variance in sensitivity than comparable ultrathin tabular grain emulsions that employ only sulfur and gold sensitizers.
  • the invention is directed to an improvement in spectrally sensitized photographic emulsions.
  • the emulsions are specifically contemplated for incorporation in camera speed color photographic films.
  • the emulsions of the invention can be realized by chemically and spectrally sensitizing any conventional ultrathin tabular grain emulsion in which the tabular grains
  • halides are named in their order of ascending concentration.
  • the tabular grains contain at least 0.25 (preferably at least 1.0) mole percent iodide, based on silver. These low levels of iodide are also contemplated in the ultrathin tabular grains of the emulsions of this invention. However, no iodide in the ultrathin tabular grains is required to realize the speed-granularity advantages of the invention. Iodide incorporation is instead contemplated as a convenience in morphologically stabilizing the ultrathin tabular grains, since ultrathin silver bromide grains are much more prone to suffer morphological degradation (e.g., thickening) during emulsion preparation or post-preparation holding.
  • the ultrathin tabular grains in the emulsions of the invention contain in all instances less than 10 mole percent iodide, preferably less than 6 mole percent iodide, and optimally less than 4 mole percent iodide.
  • ultrathin tabular grain emulsions containing from 0.4 to 20 mole percent chloride and up to 10 mole percent iodide, based on total silver, with the halide balance being bromide, can be prepared by conducting grain growth accounting for from 5 to 90 percent of total silver within the pAg vs. temperature (°C) boundaries of Curve A (preferably within the boundaries of Curve B) shown by Delton, corresponding to Curves A and B of Piggin et al U.S. Patents 5,061,609 and 5,061,616.
  • chloride ion Under these conditions of precipitation the presence of chloride ion actually contributes to reducing the thickness of the tabular grains. Although it is preferred to employ precipitation conditions under which chloride ion, when present, can contribute to reductions in the tabular grain thickness, it is recognized that chloride ion can be added during any conventional ultrathin tabular grain precipitation to the extent it is compatible with retaining tabular grain mean thicknesses of less than 0.07 ⁇ m.
  • the ultrathin tabular grains accounting for at least 90 percent of total grain projected area contain at least 70 mole percent bromide and at least 0.25 mole percent iodide, based on silver. These ultrathin tabular grains include silver iodobromide, silver iodochlorobromide and silver chloroiodobromide grains. All references to the composition of the ultrathin tabular grains exclude the silver halide epitaxy.
  • the iodide within the ultrathin tabular grains can be uniformly or non-uniformly distributed within the tabular grains in any conventional manner.
  • the example emulsions of Antoniades et al illustrate relatively uniform iodide distributions.
  • Solberg et al U.S. Patent 4,433,048 discloses non-uniform iodide profiles that can reduce granularity without reducing speed.
  • the portions of the ultrathin tabular grains extending between their ⁇ 111 ⁇ major faces that form an epitaxial junction with silver halide deposited as a chemical sensitizer contain a lower iodide concentration than the silver halide epitaxy.
  • those portions of the tabular grains can exhibit a lower iodide concentration than the average iodide concentration of the ultrathin tabular grains.
  • those portions of the ultrathin tabular grains can be formed by silver bromide, if desired.
  • the tabular grains of the emulsions of the invention account for greater than 90 percent of total grain projected area.
  • Ultrathin tabular grain emulsions in which the tabular grains account for greater than 97 percent of total grain projected area can be produced by the preparation procedures taught by Antoniades et al and are preferred.
  • Antoniades et al reports emulsions in which >99% (substantially all) of total grain projected area is accounted for by tabular grains.
  • Delton reports that substantially all of the grains precipitated in forming the ultrathin tabular grain emulsions were tabular.
  • Providing emulsions in which the tabular grains account for a high percentage of total grain projected area is important to achieving the highest attainable image sharpness levels, particularly in multilayer color photographic films. It is also important to utilizing silver efficiently and to achieving the most favorable speed-granularity relationships.
  • the tabular grains accounting for greater than 90 percent of total grain projected area exhibit an average ECD of at least 0.7 ⁇ m.
  • the advantage to be realized by maintaining the average ECD of at least 0.7 ⁇ m is demonstrated in Tables III and IV of Antoniades et al.
  • ECD's are occasionally prepared for scientific grain studies, for photographic applications ECD's are conventionally limited to less than 10 ⁇ m and in most instances are less than 5 ⁇ m.
  • An optimum ECD range for moderate to high image structure quality is in the range of from 1 to 4 ⁇ m.
  • the tabular grains accounting for greater than 90 percent of total grain projected area exhibit a mean thickness of less than 0.07 ⁇ m. At a mean grain thickness of 0.07 ⁇ m there is little variance between reflectance in the green and red regions of the spectrum. Additionally, compared to tabular grain emulsions with mean grain thicknesses in the 0.08 to 0.20 ⁇ m range, differences between minus blue and blue reflectances are not large. This decoupling of reflectance magnitude from wavelength of exposure in the visible region simplifies film construction in that green and red recording emulsions (and to a lesser degree blue recording emulsions) can be constructed using the same or similar tabular grain emulsions.
  • mean thicknesses of the tabular grains are further reduced below 0.07 ⁇ m, the average reflectances observed within the visible spectrum are also reduced. Therefore, it is preferred to maintain mean grain thicknesses at less than 0.05 ⁇ m.
  • mean tabular grain thickness conveniently realized by the precipitation process employed is preferred.
  • ultrathin tabular grain emulsions with mean tabular grain thicknesses in the range of from about 0.03 to 0.05 ⁇ m are readily realized.
  • Daubendiek et al U.S. Patent 4,672,027 reports mean tabular grain thicknesses of 0.017 ⁇ m.
  • Preferred ultrathin tabular grain emulsions are those in which grain to grain variance is held to low levels.
  • Antoniades et al reports ultrathin tabular grain emulsions in which greater than 90 percent of the tabular grains have hexagonal major faces.
  • Antoniades also reports ultrathin tabular grain emulsions exhibiting a coefficient of variation (COV) based on ECD of less than 25 percent and even less than 20 percent.
  • COV coefficient of variation
  • ultrathin tabular grain nucleation is conducted employing gelatino-peptizers that have not been treated to reduce their natural methionine content while grain growth is conducted after substantially eliminating the methionine content of the gelatino-peptizers present and subsequently introduced.
  • a convenient approach for accomplishing this is to interrupt precipitation after nucleation and before growth has progressed to any significant degree to introduce a methionine oxidizing agent.
  • Maskasky U.S. Patent 4,713,320 (hereinafter referred to as Maskasky III) teaches to reduce methionine levels by oxidation to less than 30 ⁇ moles, preferably less than 12 ⁇ moles, per gram of gelatin by employing a strong oxidizing agent.
  • the oxidizing agent treatments that Maskasky III employ reduce methionine below detectable limits.
  • agents that have been employed for oxidizing the methionine in gelatino-peptizers include NaOCl, chloramine, potassium monopersulfate, hydrogen peroxide and peroxide releasing compounds, and ozone.
  • Gelatino-peptizers include gelatin--e.g., alkali-treated gelatin (cattle, bone or hide gelatin) or acid-treated gelatin (pigskin gelatin) and gelatin derivatives, e.g., acetylated or phthalated gelatin.
  • dopant refers to a material other than a silver or halide ion contained within the face centered cubic crystal lattice structure of the silver halide forming the ultrathin tabular grains.
  • ultrathin tabular grains can be formed with dopants present during grain growth, provided dopant introductions are delayed until after grain nucleation or introduced in prorated amounts early in grain growth and preferably continued into or undertaken entirely during the latter stage of ultrathin tabular grain growth. It has been also recognized that these same dopants can be introduced with the silver salt to be epitaxially deposited on the ultrathin tabular grains while entirely avoiding any risk of thickening the ultrathin tabular grains.
  • any conventional dopant known to be useful in a silver halide face centered cubic crystal lattice structure can be employed.
  • Photographically useful dopants selected from a wide range of periods and groups within the Periodic Table of Elements have been reported. As employed herein, references to periods and groups are based on the Periodic Table of Elements as adopted by the American Chemical Society and published in the Chemical and Engineering News , Feb. 4, 1985, p. 26.
  • Conventional dopants include ions from periods 3 to 7 (most commonly 4 to 6) of the Periodic Table of Elements, such as Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Mg, Al, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Se, Sr, Y, Mo, Zr, Nb, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Ba, La, W, Au, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi, Ce and U.
  • Periodic Table of Elements such as Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Mg, Al, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Se, Sr, Y, Mo, Zr, Nb, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Ba, La, W, Au, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi, Ce and U.
  • the dopants can be employed (a) to increase the sensitivity, (b) to reduce high or low intensity reciprocity failure, (c) to increase, decrease or reduce the variation of contrast, (d) to reduce pressure sensitivity, (e) to decrease dye desensitization, (f) to increase stability (including reducing thermal instability), (g) to reduce minimum density, and/or (h) to increase maximum density.
  • any polyvalent metal ion is effective.
  • the following are illustrative of conventional dopants capable of producing one or more of the effects noted above when incorporated in the silver halide epitaxy: B. H. Carroll, "Iridium Sensitization: A Literature Review", Photographic Science and Engineering , Vol. 24, No. 6, Nov./Dec. 1980, pp.
  • Patent 5,134,060 Kawai et al U.S. Patent 5,153,110; Johnson et al U.S. Patent 5,164,292; Asami U.S. Patents 5,166,044 and 5,204,234; Wu U.S. Patent 5,166,045; Yoshida et al U.S. Patent 5,229,263; Bell U.S.
  • coordination ligands such as halo, aquo, cyano, cyanate, fulminate, thiocyanate, selenocyanate, tellurocyanate, nitrosyl, thionitrosyl, azide, oxo, carbonyl and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) ligands have been disclosed and, in some instances, observed to modify emulsion properties, as illustrated by Grzeskowiak U.S.
  • a dopant to reduce reciprocity failure.
  • Iridium is a preferred dopant for decreasing reciprocity failure.
  • the teachings of Carroll, Iwaosa et al, Habu et al, Grzeskowiak et al, Kim, Maekawa et al, Johnson et al, Asami, Yoshida et al, Bell, Miyoshi et al, Tashiro and Murakami et al EPO 0 509 674, each cited above, can be applied to the emulsions of the invention merely by incorporating the dopant during silver halide precipitation.
  • the dopants are effective in conventional concentrations, where concentrations are based on the total silver, including both the silver in the tabular grains and the silver in the protrusions.
  • concentrations are based on the total silver, including both the silver in the tabular grains and the silver in the protrusions.
  • shallow electron trap forming dopants are contemplated to be incorporated in concentrations of at least 1 X 10 -6 mole per silver mole up to their solubility limit, typically up to about 5 X 10 -4 mole per silver mole.
  • Preferred concentrations are in the range of from about 10 -5 to 10 -4 mole per silver mole. It is, of course, possible to distribute the dopant so that a portion of it is incorporated in the ultrathin tabular grains and the remainder is incorporated in the silver halide protrusions.
  • the chemical and spectral sensitizations of this invention improve upon the best chemical and spectral sensitizations disclosed by Maskasky I. That is, in the practice of the present invention ultrathin tabular grains receive during chemical sensitization epitaxially deposited silver halide forming protrusions at selected sites on the ultrathin tabular grain surfaces. Maskasky I observed that the double jet addition of silver and chloride ions during epitaxial deposition onto selected sites of silver iodobromide tabular grains produced the highest increases in photographic sensitivities.
  • the silver halide protrusions will in all instances be precipitated to contain at least a 10 percent, preferably at least a 15 percent and optimally at least a 20 percent higher chloride concentration than the host ultrathin tabular grains. It would be more precise to reference the higher chloride concentration in the silver halide protrusions to the chloride ion concentration in the epitaxial junction forming portions of the ultrathin tabular grains, but this is not necessary, since the chloride ion concentrations of the ultrathin tabular grains are contemplated to be substantially uniform (i.e., to be at an average level) or to decline slightly due to iodide displacement in the epitaxial junction regions.
  • the epitaxially deposited protrusions contain a higher (preferably at least 1 mole percent higher) iodide concentration than the average iodide concentration of the ultrathin tabular grains. Further, it is possible to achieve superior speed-granularity relationships with lower total levels of iodide in the emulsions, which in turn results in higher rates of development and increased contrast. Lowering the iodide level in the ultrathin tabular grains also results in reducing their thicknesses when otherwise comparable precipitation procedures are employed.
  • the epitaxially deposited protrusions contain less silver than the ultrathin tabular grains, their iodide concentration can be increased with smaller amounts of iodide than is required to raise the iodide concentration of the ultrathin tabular grains to the same level. This is in itself an advantage in allowing higher local iodide concentrations to be realized with lower overall levels of iodide.
  • iodide ions are much larger than chloride ions, it is recognized in the art that iodide ions can only be incorporated into the face centered cubic crystal lattice structures formed by silver chloride and/or bromide to a limited extent. This is discussed, for example, in Maskasky U.S. Patents 5,238,804 and 5,288,603 (hereinafter referred to as Maskasky IV and V). Precipitation at ambient pressure, which is universally practiced in the art, limits iodide inclusion in a silver chloride crystal lattice to less than 13 mole percent.
  • introducing silver along with an 84:16 chloride:iodide molar ratio during silver halide epitaxial deposition resulted in an iodide concentration in the resulting epitaxial protrusions of less than 2 mole percent, based on silver in the protrusions.
  • By displacing a portion of the chloride with bromide much higher levels of iodide can be introduced into the protrusions.
  • introducing silver along with a 42:42:16 chloride:bromide:iodide molar ratio during silver halide epitaxial deposited resulted in an iodide concentration in the resulting epitaxial protrusions of 7.1 mole percent, based on silver in the protrusions.
  • Preferred iodide ion concentrations in the protrusions are in the range of from 1 to 15 mole percent (most preferably 2 to 10 mole percent), based on silver in the protrusions.
  • the highest levels of photographic performance are realized when the silver halide epitaxy contains both (1) the large differences in chloride concentrations between the host ultrathin tabular grains and the epitaxially deposited protrusions noted above and (2) elevated levels of iodide inclusion in the face centered cubic crystal lattice structure of the protrusions.
  • One preferred technique relevant to objective (1) is to introduce the different halide ions during precipitation of the protrusions in the order of descending solubilities of the silver halides that they form. For example, if chloride, bromide and iodide ions are all introduced during precipitation of the protrusions, it is preferred to introduce the chloride ions first, the bromide ions second and the iodide ions last. Because silver iodide is less soluble than silver bromide which is in turn less soluble than silver chloride, the sequential order of halide ion addition preferred gives the chloride ion the best possible opportunity for deposition adjacent the junction.
  • a clear stratification of the protrusions into regions exhibiting higher and lower chloride ion concentrations can in some instances be detected, but may not be detectable in every instance in which the preferred sequential halide addition is employed, since both bromide and iodide ions have the capability of displacing chloride to some extent from already precipitated silver chloride.
  • the elevated iodide concentrations in the protrusions are those that can be accommodated in a face centered cubic crystal lattice structure of the rock salt type--that is, the type of isomorphic crystal lattice structure formed by silver and one or both of chloride and bromide. It is, of course, possible to incorporate limited amounts (generally cited as 10 mole percent or less) of bromide and/or chloride ions into nonisomorphic ⁇ or ⁇ phase silver iodide crystal structures; however, nonisomorphic silver halide epitaxy forms no part of this invention.
  • the structures are too divergent to ascribe similar photographic properties, and nonisomorphic epitaxial protrusions have been demonstrated by Maskasky II to produce much lower levels of sensitization than isomorphic crystal structure silver halide epitaxial protrusions.
  • Maskasky I reports improvements in sensitization by epitaxially depositing silver halide at selected sites on the surfaces of the host tabular grains.
  • Maskasky I attributes the speed increases observed to restricting silver halide epitaxy deposition to a small fraction of the host tabular grain surface area.
  • silver halide epitaxy it is contemplated to restrict silver halide epitaxy to those portions nearest peripheral edges of and accounting for less than 50 percent of the ⁇ 111 ⁇ major faces of the ultrathin tabular grains and, preferably, to a much smaller percent of the ⁇ 111 ⁇ major faces of the ultrathin tabular grains, preferably less than 25 percent, most preferably less than 10 percent, and optimally less than 5 percent of the ⁇ 111 ⁇ major faces of the host ultrathin tabular grains. It is preferred to restrict the silver halide epitaxy to those portions of the ultrathin tabular grains that are formed by the laterally displaced regions, which typically includes the edges and corners of the tabular grains.
  • silver halide epitaxy As low as 0.05 mole percent, based on total silver, where total silver includes that in the host and epitaxy, are effective in the practice of the invention. Because of the increased host tabular grain surface area coverages by silver halide epitaxy discussed above and the lower amounts of silver in ultrathin tabular grains, an even higher percentage of the total silver can be present in the silver halide epitaxy. However, in the absence of any clear advantage to be gained by increasing the proportion of silver halide epitaxy, it is preferred that the silver halide epitaxy be limited to 50 percent of total silver. Generally silver halide epitaxy concentrations of from 0.3 to 25 mole percent are preferred, with concentrations of from about 0.5 to 15 mole percent being generally optimum for sensitization.
  • Maskasky I teaches various techniques for restricting the surface area coverage of the host tabular grains by silver halide epitaxy that can be applied in forming the emulsions of this invention.
  • Maskasky I teaches employing spectral sensitizing dyes that are in their aggregated form of adsorption to the tabular grain surfaces capable of direct silver halide epitaxy to the edges or corners of the tabular grains.
  • Cyanine dyes that are adsorbed to host ultrathin tabular grain surfaces in their J-aggregated form constitute a specifically preferred class of site directors.
  • Maskasky I also teaches to employ non-dye adsorbed site directors, such as aminoazaindenes (e.g., adenine) to direct epitaxy to the edges or corners of the tabular grains.
  • site directors such as aminoazaindenes (e.g., adenine)
  • Maskasky I relies on overall iodide levels within the host tabular grains of at least 8 mole percent to direct epitaxy to the edges or corners of the tabular grains.
  • Maskasky I adsorbs low levels of iodide to the surfaces of the host tabular grains to direct epitaxy to the edges and/or corners of the grains.
  • the above site directing techniques are mutually compatible and are in specifically preferred forms of the invention employed in combination.
  • iodide in the host grains can nevertheless work with adsorbed surface site director(s) (e.g., spectral sensitizing dye and/or adsorbed iodide) in siting the epitaxy.
  • adsorbed surface site director(s) e.g., spectral sensitizing dye and/or adsorbed iodide
  • Silver halide epitaxy can by itself increase photographic speeds to levels comparable to those produced by substantially optimum chemical sensitization with sulfur and/or gold. Additional increases in photographic speed can be realized when the tabular grains with the silver halide epitaxy deposited thereon are additionally chemically sensitized with conventional middle chalcogen (i.e., sulfur, selenium or tellurium) sensitizers or noble metal (e.g., gold) sensitizers.
  • middle chalcogen i.e., sulfur, selenium or tellurium
  • noble metal e.g., gold
  • a specifically preferred approach to silver halide epitaxy sensitization employs a combination of sulfur containing ripening agents in combination with middle chalcogen (typically sulfur) and noble metal (typically gold) chemical sensitizers.
  • Contemplated sulfur containing ripening agents include thioethers, such as the thioethers illustrated by McBride U.S. Patent 3,271,157, Jones U.S. Patent 3,574,628 and Rosencrants et al U.S. Patent 3,737,313.
  • Preferred sulfur containing ripening agents are thiocyanates, illustrated by Nietz et al U.S. Patent 2,222,264, Lowe et al U.S. Patent 2,448,534 and Illingsworth U.S.
  • a preferred class of middle chalcogen sensitizers are tetra-substituted middle chalcogen ureas of the type disclosed by Herz et al U.S. Patents 4,749,646 and 4,810,626.
  • Preferred compounds include those represented by the formula: wherein
  • X is preferably sulfur and A 1 R 1 to A 4 R 4 are preferably methyl or carboxymethyl, where the carboxy group can be in the acid or salt form.
  • a specifically preferred tetra-substituted thiourea sensitizer is 1,3-dicarboxymethyl-1,3-dimethylthiourea.
  • Preferred gold sensitizers are the gold(I) compounds disclosed by Deaton U.S. Patent 5,049,485. These compounds include those represented by the formula: (VI) AuL 2 + X - or AuL(L 1 ) + X - wherein
  • Kofron et al discloses advantages for "dye in the finish" sensitizations, which are those that introduce the spectral sensitizing dye into the emulsion prior to the heating step (finish) that results in chemical sensitization.
  • Dye in the finish sensitizations are particularly advantageous in the practice of the present invention where spectral sensitizing dye is adsorbed to the surfaces of the tabular grains to act as a site director for silver halide epitaxial deposition.
  • Maskasky I teaches the use of J-aggregating spectral sensitizing dyes, particularly green and red absorbing cyanine dyes, as site directors. These dyes are present in the emulsion prior to the chemical sensitizing finishing step.
  • spectral sensitizing dyes When the spectral sensitizing dye present in the finish is not relied upon as a site director for the silver halide epitaxy, a much broader range of spectral sensitizing dyes is available.
  • the selection of J-aggregating blue absorbing spectral sensitizing dyes for use as site directors is specifically contemplated.
  • a general summary of useful spectral sensitizing dyes is provided by Research Disclosure, Item 36544, Section V. Spectral sensitization and desensitization, A. Sensitizing dyes.
  • the spectral sensitizing dye can act also as a site director and/or can be present during the finish, the only required function that a spectral sensitizing dye must perform in the emulsions of the invention is to increase the sensitivity of the emulsion to at least one region of the spectrum.
  • the spectral sensitizing dye can, if desired, be added to an ultrathin tabular grain according to the invention after chemical sensitization has been completed.
  • the emulsions of this invention and their preparation can take any desired conventional form.
  • a novel emulsion satisfying the requirements of the invention has been prepared, it can be blended with one or more other novel emulsions according to this invention or with any other conventional emulsion.
  • Conventional emulsion blending is illustrated in Research Disclosure, Item 36544, Section I, E. Blends, layers and performance categories.
  • the emulsions once formed can be further prepared for photographic use by any convenient conventional technique. Additional conventional features are illustrated by Research Disclosure Item 36544, cited above, Section II, Vehicles, vehicle extenders, vehicle-like addenda and vehicle related addenda; Section III, Emulsion washing; Section V, Spectral sensitization and desensitization; Section VI, UV dyes/optical brighteners/luminescent dyes; Section VII, Antifoggants and stabilizers; Section VIII, Absorbing and scattering materials; Section IX, Coating physical property modifying addenda; Section X, Dye image formers and modifiers. The features of Sections VI, VIII, IX and X can alternatively be provided in other photographic element layers.
  • novel epitaxial silver halide sensitized ultrathin tabular grain emulsions of this invention can be employed in any otherwise conventional photographic element.
  • the emulsions can, for example, be included in a photographic element with one or more silver halide emulsion layers.
  • a novel emulsion according to the invention can be present in a single emulsion layer of a photographic element intended to form either silver or dye photographic images for viewing or scanning.
  • this invention is directed to a photographic element containing at least two superimposed radiation sensitive silver halide emulsion layers coated on a conventional photographic support of any convenient type.
  • the emulsion layer coated nearer the support surface is spectrally sensitized to produce a photographic record when the photographic element is exposed to specular light within the visible portion of the visible spectrum.
  • the term "visible” is employed in its art recognized sense to encompass the blue, green and/or red portions of the visible spectrum--i.e., any combination of wavelengths of from 400 to 700 nm.
  • specular light is employed in its art recognized usage to indicate the type of spatially oriented light supplied by a camera lens to a film surface in its focal plane--i.e., light that is for all practical purposes unscattered.
  • the second of the two silver halide emulsion layers is coated over the first silver halide emulsion layer.
  • the second emulsion layer is called upon to perform two entirely different photographic functions.
  • the first of these functions is to absorb at least a portion of the light wavelengths it is intended to record.
  • the second emulsion layer can record light in any spectral region ranging from the near ultraviolet ( ⁇ 300 nm) through the near infrared ( ⁇ 1500 nm).
  • both the first and second emulsion layers record images within the visible spectrum.
  • the first and second emulsion layers record images within different regions of the visible spectrum.
  • the second emulsion layer in most applications records blue or minus blue (500-700 nm) light. Regardless of the wavelength of recording contemplated, the ability of the second emulsion layer to provide a favorable balance of photographic speed and image structure (i.e., granularity and sharpness) is important to satisfying the first function.
  • the second distinct function which the second emulsion layer must perform is the transmission of visible light intended to be recorded in the first emulsion layer.
  • the presence of silver halide grains in the second emulsion layer is essential to its first function, the presence of grains, unless chosen as required by this invention, can greatly diminish the ability of the second emulsion layer to perform satisfactorily its transmission function.
  • an overlying emulsion layer e.g., the second emulsion layer
  • the second emulsion layer can be the source of image unsharpness in an underlying emulsion layer (e.g., the first emulsion layer)
  • the second emulsion layer is hereinafter also referred to as the optical causer layer and the first emulsion is also referred to as the optical receiver layer.
  • Obtaining sharp images in the underlying emulsion layer is dependent on the ultrathin tabular grains in the overlying emulsion layer accounting for a high proportion of total grain projected area; however, grains having an ECD of less than 0.2 ⁇ m, if present, can be excluded in calculating total grain projected area, since these grains are relatively optically transparent. Excluding grains having an ECD of less than 0.2 ⁇ m in calculating total grain projected area, it is preferred that the overlying emulsion layer containing the silver halide epitaxy sensitized ultrathin tabular grain emulsion of the invention account for greater than 97 percent, preferably greater than 99 percent, of the total projected area of the silver halide grains.
  • the second emulsion layer consists almost entirely of ultrathin tabular grains.
  • the optical transparency to minus blue light of grains having ECD's of less 0.2 ⁇ m is well documented in the art.
  • Lippmann emulsions which have typical ECD's of from less than 0.05 ⁇ m to greater than 0.1 ⁇ m, are well known to be optically transparent.
  • Grains having ECD's of 0.2 ⁇ m exhibit significant scattering of 400 nm light, but limited scattering of minus blue light.
  • the tabular grain projected areas of greater than 97% and optimally greater than 99% of total grain projected area are satisfied excluding only grains having ECD's of less than 0.1 (optimally 0.05) ⁇ m.
  • the second emulsion layer can consist essentially of tabular grains contributed by the ultrathin tabular grain emulsion of the invention or a blend of these tabular grains and optically transparent grains. When optically transparent grains are present, they are preferably limited to less than 10 percent and optimally less than 5 percent of total silver in the second emulsion layer.
  • the advantageous properties of the photographic elements of the invention depend on selecting the grains of the emulsion layer overlying the first emulsion layer to have a specific combination of grain properties.
  • the tabular grains contain photographically significant levels of iodide.
  • the iodide content imparts art recognized advantages over comparable silver bromide emulsions in terms of speed and, in multicolor photography, in terms of interimage effects.
  • Second, having an extremely high proportion of the total grain population as defined above accounted for by the tabular grains offers a sharp reduction in the scattering of visible light when coupled with an average ECD of at least 0.7 ⁇ m and an average grain thickness of less than 0.07 ⁇ m.
  • the mean ECD of at least 0.7 ⁇ m is, of course, advantageous apart from enhancing the specularity of light transmission in allowing higher levels of speed to be achieved in the second emulsion layer.
  • employing ultrathin tabular grains makes better use of silver and allows lower levels of granularity to be realized.
  • the presence of silver halide epitaxy allows unexpected increases in photographic sensitivity to be realized.
  • the photographic elements can be black-and-white (e.g., silver image forming) photographic elements in which the underlying (first) emulsion layer is orthochromatically or panchromatically sensitized.
  • the photographic elements can be multicolor photographic elements containing blue recording (yellow dye image forming), green recording (magenta dye image forming) and red recording (cyan dye image forming) layer units in any coating sequence.
  • blue recording yellow dye image forming
  • green recording magenta dye image forming
  • red recording cyan dye image forming
  • Emulsions A, B, C, and D-1 are presented for comparative or control purposes, while emulsions D-2 through D-7, E-1 and E-2, and F are prepared in accordance with the claimed invention.
  • Photographic speeds are reported as relative log speeds, where a speed difference of 30 log units equals a speed difference of 0.3 log E, where E represents exposure in lux-seconds. Contrast is measured as mid-scale contrast.
  • Halide ion concentrations are reported as mole percent (M%), based on silver.
  • a vessel equipped with a stirrer was charged with 6 L of water containing 3.75 g lime-processed bone gelatin, 4.12 g NaBr, an antifoamant, and sufficient sulfuric acid to adjust pH to 1.8, at 39°C.
  • nucleation which was accomplished by balanced simultaneous addition of AgNO 3 and halide (98.5 and 1.5 M% NaBr and KI, respectively) solutions, both at 2.5 M, in sufficient quantity to form 0.01335 mole of silver iodobromide, pBr and pH remained approximately at the values initially set in the reactor solution.
  • the reactor gelatin was quickly oxidized by addition of 128 mg of OxoneTM (2KHSO 5 ⁇ KHSO 4 ⁇ K 2 SO 4 , purchased from Aldrich) in 20 cc of water, and the temperature was raised to 54°C in 9 min. After the reactor and its contents were held at this temperature for 9 min, 100 g of oxidized methionine lime-processed bone gelatin dissolved in 1.5 L H 2 O at 54°C were added to the reactor. Next the pH was raised to 5.90, and 122.5 cc of 1 M NaBr were added to the reactor.
  • OxoneTM 2KHSO 5 ⁇ KHSO 4 ⁇ K 2 SO 4
  • the resulting emulsion was examined by scanning electron micrography (SEM). More than 99.5 % of the total grain projected area was accounted for by tabular grains.
  • Emulsion A This emulsion was precipitated exactly as Emulsion A to the point at which 9 moles of silver iodobromide had been formed, then 6 moles of the silver iodobromide emulsion were taken from the reactor. Additional growth was carried out on the 3 moles which were retained in the reactor to serve as seed crystals for further thickness growth. Before initiating this additional growth, 17 grams of oxidized methionine lime-processed bone gelatin in 500 cc water at 54°C was added, and the emulsion pBr was adjusted to ca. 3.3 by the slow addition of AgNO 3 alone until the pBr was about 2.2, followed by an unbalanced flow of AgNO 3 and NaBr.
  • the seed crystals were grown by adding AgNO 3 and a mixed halide salt solution that was 95.875 M% NaBr and 4.125 M% KI until an additional 4.49 moles of silver iodobromide (4.125 M%I) was formed; during this growth period, flow rates were accelerated 2x from start to finish.
  • the resulting emulsion was coagulation washed and stored similarly as Emulsion A.
  • Emulsion A The resulting emulsion was examined similarly as Emulsion A. More than 99.5% of the total grain projected area was provided by tabular grains.
  • the mean ECD of this emulsion was 1.76 ⁇ m, and their COV was 44.
  • a 0.5 mole sample of the emulsion was melted at 40°C and its pBr was adjusted to ca. 4 with a simultaneous addition of AgNO 3 and KI solutions in a ratio such that the small amount of silver halide precipitated during this adjustment was 12% I.
  • the epitaxially sensitized emulsion was split into smaller portions in order to determine optimal levels of subsequently added sensitizing components, and to test effects of level variations.
  • the post-epitaxy components included additional portions of Dyes 1 and 2, 60 mg NaSCN/mole Ag, Na 2 S 2 O 3 .5H 2 O (sulfur), KAuCl 4 (gold), and 11.44 mg 1-(3-acetamidophenyl)-5-mercaptotetrazole (APMT)/mole Ag. After all components were added the mixture was heated to 60°C to complete the sensitization, and after cool-down, 114.4 mg additional APMT was added.
  • the resulting sensitized emulsions were coated on a cellulose acetate film support over a gray silver antihalation layer, and the emulsion layer was overcoated with a 4.3 g/m 2 gelatin layer containing surfactant and 1.75 percent by weight, based on total weight of gelatin, of bis(vinylsulfonyl)methane hardener.
  • Emulsion laydown was 0.646 g Ag/m 2 and this layer also contained 0.323 g/m 2 and 0.019 g/m 2 of Couplers 1 and 2, respectively, 10.5 mg/m 2 of 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-1,3,3a,7-tetraazaindene (Na + salt), and 14.4 mg/m 2 2-(2-octadecyl)-5-sulfohydroquinone (Na + salt), surfactant and a total of 1.08 g gelatin/m 2 .
  • Couplers 1 and 2 respectively, 10.5 mg/m 2 of 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-1,3,3a,7-tetraazaindene (Na + salt), and 14.4 mg/m 2 2-(2-octadecyl)-5-sulfohydroquinone (Na + salt), surfactant and a total of 1.08 g gelatin/m 2 .
  • the emulsions so coated were given 0.01 sec Wratten 23A TM filtered (wavelengths >560 nm transmitted) daylight balanced light exposures through a calibrated neutral step tablet, and then were developed using the color negative Kodak FlexicolorTM C41 process. Speed was measured at a density of 0.15 above minimum density.
  • This sensitization procedure was similar to that described for epitaxial sensitizations, except that the epitaxial deposition step was omitted.
  • suitable amounts of Dye 1 and Dye 2 were added, then NaSCN, sulfur, gold and APMT were added as before, and this was followed by a heat cycle at 60°C.
  • Tables I and II demonstrate that the speed gain resulting from epitaxial sensitization of an ultrathin tabular grain emulsion is markedly greater than that obtained by a comparable epitaxial sensitization of a thin tabular grain emulsion.
  • Table III further demonstrates that the epitaxially sensitized ultrathin tabular grain emulsion further exhibits a higher contrast than the similarly sensitized thin tabular grain emulsion.
  • This emulsion was prepared in a manner similar to that described for Emulsion A, but with the precipitation procedure modified to provide a higher uniform iodide concentration (AgBr 0.88 I 0.12 ) during growth and a smaller grain size.
  • epitaxial deposition produces stoichiometric related amounts of sodium nitrate as a reaction by-product, which, if left in the emulsion when coated, could cause a haziness that could interfere with optical measurements, these epitaxially treated emulsions were all coagulation washed to remove such salts before they were coated.
  • Emulsion A was sulfur and gold sensitized, with an without epitaxial sensitization, similarly as the emulsions reported in Table II, except that the procedure for optimizing sensitization was varied so that the effect of having slightly more or slightly less spectral sensitizing dye could be judged.
  • a preferred level of spectral sensitizing dye and sulfur and gold sensitizers was arrived at in the following manner: Beginning levels were selected based on prior experience with these and similar emulsions, so that observations began with near optimum sensitizations. Spectral sensitizing dye levels were varied from this condition to pick a workable optimum spectral sensitizing dye level, and sulfur and gold sensitization levels were then optimized for this dye level. The optimized sulfur (Na 2 S 2 O 3 ⁇ 5H 2 O) and gold (KAuCl 4 ) levels were 5 and 1.39 mg/Ag mole, respectively.
  • Emulsion A additionally received an epitaxial sensitization similarly as the epitaxialy sensitized emulsion in Table II.
  • the optimized sulfur (Na 2 S 2 O 3 ⁇ 5H 2 O) and gold (KAuCl 4 ) levels were 2.83 and 0.99 mg/Ag mole, respectively.
  • the results are summarized in Table VIII below: Robustness Tests: Ultrathin Tabular Grain Emulsions Optimally Sulfur and Gold Sensitized With Epitaxy Description Dye 1 mM/Ag M Dye 2 mM/Ag M Rel. Speed Dmin ⁇ Speed Mid Dye 0.444 1.73 100 0.14 check High Dye 0.469 1.83 107 0.15 +7 Low Dye 0.419 1.63 91 0.13 -9
  • a reaction vessel equipped with a stirrer was charged with 9 L distilled water, 13.5 g of oxidized bone gelatin, 18 g of ammonium sulfate, 15 mL of 5 M sodium bromide solution, an antifoamant and enough sulfuric acid to bring the pH to 2.5.
  • the temperature of the reaction vessel was brought to 35°C and nucleation was performed by making a balanced double jet addition of 12 mL each of 2.5 M silver nitrate solution and 2.5 M halide solution, the halides consisting of 98.5 mole % sodium bromide and 1.5 mole % potassium iodide at a flow rate of 120 mL/min.
  • the final yield was 9 moles of a silver iodobromide ultrathin tabular grain emulsion containing 3 mole percent iodide. More than 90 percent of total grain projected area was accounted for by tabular grains.
  • the grains exhibited an average ECD of 1.95 ⁇ m and an average thickness of 0.067 ⁇ m.
  • Samples of Emulsion D were identically sensitized by the epitaxial deposition of 6 mole percent silver halide onto the edges and corners of the host ultrathin tabular grains.
  • the dyed emulsion samples were held at 40°C for 30 minute, followed by additions of 0.25 M NaCl, 0.25 M KBr (where employed) and AgI (Lippmann) (where employed) giving the added (nominal) proportions set out in Table IX below and summing to 6 mole percent, based on the silver in the host emulsion sample. These additions were followed by the subsurface addition of 0.5 M silver nitrate solution with stirring over a period of 1 minute in a stoichiometric amount, based on the chloride and bromide additions of this paragraph.
  • the emulsions were further sensitized by the addition of sodium thiocyanate (60 mg/Ag mole), followed by the addition of the sulfur sensitizer 1,3-dicarboxymethyl-1,3-dimethyl-2-thourea and the gold sensitizer bis(1,3,5-trimethyl-1,2,4-triazolium-3-thiolate) gold(I) tetrafluoroborate in optimum amounts determined by previous sensitizations and observations of performance.
  • 11.44 mg of the antifoggant AMPT were added. Then the temperature was raised to 50°C at a rate of 5°C/3 minute interval and held for 5 minutes before cooling to 40°C at a rate of 6.6°C/3 minute interval. Then an additional 114.4 mg of APMT were added.
  • the sensitized emulsion samples were coated on a cellulose acetate film support with an antihalation backing.
  • the coatings contained 5.38 mg/dm 2 Ag, 21.53 mg/dm 2 gelatin, 9.69 mg/dm 2 cyan dye-forming coupler (Coupler 3), 2 g/Ag mole 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-1,3,3a,7-tetraazaindene stabilizer and surfactants.
  • a protective gelatin overcoat was applied containing hardener was coated over the emulsion layer.
  • the dried coated samples were given 0.01 sec Wratten 23A TM filtered (wavelengths >560 nm transmitted) daylight (5500°K) light exposures through a 21 step calibrated neutral step tablet.
  • the exposed samples were developed in the color negative Kodak Flexicolor TM C41 process. Speed was measured at density of 0.15 above minimum density.
  • Granularity measurements were made according to the procedures described in the SPSE Handbook of Photographic Science and Engineering, W. Thomas, Ed., pp. 934-939.
  • the minimum of this gamma-normalized granularity allows a comparison of coatings having differing contrast. Lower values indicate lower granularity.
  • Analytical electron microscopy (AEM) techniques were employed to determine the actual as opposed to nominal (input) compositions of the silver halide epitaxial protrusions.
  • the general procedure for AEM is described by J. I. Goldstein and D. B. Williams, "X-ray Analysis in the TEM/STEM", Scanning Electron Microscopy/1977; Vol. 1, IIT Research Institute, March 1977, p. 651.
  • the composition of an individual epitaxial protrusion was determined by focusing an electron beam to a size small enough to irradiate only the protrusion being examined.
  • the selective location of the epitaxial protrusions at the corners of the host tabular grains facilitated addressing only the epitaxial protrusions.
  • the minimum AEM detection limit was a halide concentration of 0.5 M %.
  • Emulsion E-1 Emulsion D-5 was remade, except that the spectral sensitizing dyes were replaced with 0.37 mmole/Ag mole Dye 3 and 1.10 mmole/Ag mole Dye 4.
  • Emulsion E-2 was prepared similarly to Emulsion E-1, except that 17 ⁇ mole per mole of total silver of SET-2 was added during epitaxial deposition.
  • This emulsion was prepared to demonstrate that decreasing the thickness of the host tabular grains further is not detrimental to photographic speed and results in a further reduction in granularity.
  • Emulsion F was prepared using a modification of the procedure of Example 3 of Antoniades et al U.S. Patent 5,250,403.
  • Silver bromide grain nuclei were generated in a continuous double jet stirred reaction vessel at a pBr of 2.3, a temperature of 40°C, a nuclei suspension density of 0.033 mole of silver bromide per liter, an average residence time of 1.5 seconds, and an average oxidized gelatin concentration of 2 g/L.
  • the grain nuclei generation was carried out by mixing at steady state in the continuous reaction vessel a solution of oxidized gelatin (2.4 g/L) at 1 L per minute with a sodium bromide solution (0.47 M) at 0.1 L per minute and a silver nitrate solution (0.4 M) at 0.1 L per minute.
  • the output of the continuous precipitation were allowed to come to steady state before being used in the subsequent precipitation steps.
  • the silver bromide grain nuclei were transferred to a semi-batch reaction vessel over a period of 1 minute. Initially the semi-batch reaction vessel was at a pBr of 3.2, a temperature of 70°C and a pH of 4.5. The semi-batch reaction vessel initially contained oxidized gelatin at a concentration of 2 g/L and a total volume of 13 L that was subsequently maintained at this level by ultrafiltration. The initial conditions within the semi-batch reaction vessel were chosen to minimize Ostwald ripening while the silver bromide grain nuclei were being introduced.
  • the pBr of the semi-batch reaction vessel was changed to 1.6 by rapidly adding a sodium bromide solution. This step promoted twinning of the grain nuclei to form tabular grain nuclei.
  • the twinned nuclei were allowed to ripen at a pBr of 1.6 for 1 minutes while the temperature of the semi-batch reaction vessel was maintained at 70°C.
  • the pBr within the reaction vessel was increased to 1.9 using ultrafiltration washing over a period of less than 10 minutes.
  • the reactants added, mixed in the continuous reaction vessel were a solution of oxidized gelatin (pH 4.5, 5 g/L, 0.5 L/min), a silver nitrate solution (0.67 M), and a mixed salt solution of sodium bromide and potassium iodide (0.67 M, 2.8 M% iodide).
  • the silver nitrate solution flow rate was ramped from 0.02 L/min to 0.08 L/min over a period of 30 minutes and the from 0.08 L/min to 0.13 L/min over 30 minutes, and finally from 0.13 to 0.14 L/min over a period of 10 minutes.
  • the pBr of the continuous reaction vessel during this growth step was maintained at 2.6 by controlled the mixed salts solution flow rate.
  • the contents of the continuous reaction vessel were maintained at 30°C.
  • the pBr of the semi-batch reactor during growth was controlled at a pBr of 1.9 by the direct addition of a sodium bromide solution to this reaction vessel as required, and the temperature of the contents of the semi-batch reaction vessel was maintained at 70°C.
  • the continuous reaction vessel was used for mixing reactants while the semi-batch reaction vessel was used for grain growth.
  • Emulsion F was sensitized similarly as Emulsion D-5, except that a combination of a spectral sensitizing dyes Dye 6 (2.99 mmole/Ag mole) and Dye 8, anhydro-3,3'-bis(3-sulfopropyl)-11-ethylnaphtho[1,2-d]dithiazolocarbocyanine hydroxide, triethylammonium salt, (0.33 mmole/Ag mole) were used and the amount of the silver halide epitaxy was increased to 10 percent, based on the silver in the host tabular grain emulsion.
  • Table XII provides a comparison with Emulsion D-5.
  • Emulsions D-5 and F have approximately the same average ECD and are about the same speed. However, emulsion F has only about half the average tabular grain thickness of emulsion D-5. Therefore, it is apparent that the thickness reduction introduces no speed penalty. On the other hand, the granularity of Emulsion F is significantly lower than that of Emulsion D-5. This demonstrates a significantly improved speed-granularity relationship for thinner tabular grain emulsions satisfying the requirements of the invention.

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Claims (10)

  1. Emulsion améliorée sensible aux rayonnements comprenant
    (1) un milieu dispersant,
    (2) des grains d'halogénures d'argent, y compris des grains tabulaires
    (a) ayant des faces principales {111},
    (b) contenant plus de 70 pourcent en moles de bromure et au moins 0,25 pourcent en moles d'iodure, par rapport à l'argent,
    (c) représentant plus de 90 pourcent de la surface totale projetée des grains,
    (d) présentant un diamètre circulaire équivalent moyen d'au moins 0,7 µm,
    (e) présentant une épaisseur moyenne inférieure à 0,07 µm, et
    (f) ayant des sites de sensibilisation chimique formant une image latente sur les surfaces des grains tabulaires, et
    (3) un colorant sensibilisateur spectral adsorbé à la surface des grains tabulaires,
    caractérisée en ce que
    les grains tabulaires contiennent moins de 10 pourcent en moles d'iodure et
    les sites de sensibilisation chimique superficiels contiennent des protubérances d'halogénures d'argent déposées par épitaxie d'une structure à réseau cristallin cubique à faces centrées du type sel gemme formant des jonctions épitaxiales avec les grains tabulaires, ces protubérances
    (a) étant limitées aux parties des grains tabulaires les plus proches des bords périphériques et représentant moins de 50 pourcent des faces principales {111} des grains tabulaires,
    (b) contenant une concentration de chlorure d'argent supérieure d'au moins 10 pourcent en moles à celle des grains tabulaires, et
    (c) présentant une concentration d'iodure plus élevée que les portions des grains tabulaires s'étendant entre les faces principales {111} et formant des jonctions épitaxiales avec les protubérances.
  2. Emulsion améliorée selon la revendication 1, caractérisée aussi en ce que lesdits grains tabulaires contiennent moins de 6 pourcent en moles d'iodure.
  3. Emulsion améliorée selon la revendication 2, caractérisée aussi en ce que lesdits grains tabulaires contiennent moins de 4 pourcent en moles d'iodure.
  4. Emulsion améliorée selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3, caractérisée aussi en ce que lesdites protubérances contiennent 1 à 15 pourcent en moles d'iodure.
  5. Emulsion améliorée selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisée aussi en ce que lesdites protubérances contiennent des concentrations d'ion chlorure supérieures d'au moins 15 pourcent en moles à celles desdits grains tabulaires.
  6. Emulsion améliorée selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 5, caractérisée aussi en ce que lesdites protubérances représentent 0,3 à 25 pourcent en moles de l'argent total.
  7. Emulsion améliorée selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 6, caractérisée aussi en ce que les protubérances d'halogénures d'argent déposées par épitaxie sont situées sur moins de 25 pourcent des faces principales {111} des surfaces de grains tabulaires.
  8. Emulsion améliorée selon la revendication 7, caractérisée aussi en ce que les protubérances d'halogénures d'argent déposées par épitaxie sont principalement situées à proximité d'au moins l'un des bords et coins des grains tabulaires.
  9. Emulsion améliorée selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 8, caractérisée aussi en ce que les grains tabulaires représentent plus de 97 pourcent de la surface totale projetée des grains.
  10. Elément photographique comprenant
    un support,
    une première couche d'émulsion aux halogénures d'argent appliquée sur le support et sensibilisée de manière à produire un enregistrement photographique lorsqu'elle est exposée à une lumière spéculaire dans la plage de longueurs d'onde visibles allant de 400 à 700 nm, et
    une seconde couche d'émulsion aux halogénures d'argent capable de produire un second enregistrement photographique, appliquée au-dessus de la première couche d'émulsion aux halogénures d'argent pour recevoir la lumière spéculaire visible destinée à exposer la première couche d'émulsion aux halogénures d'argent, la seconde couche d'émulsion aux halogénures d'argent étant capable d'agir comme un milieu de transmission pour la distribution d'au moins une partie de la lumière visible destinée à l'exposition de la première couche d'émulsion aux halogénures d'argent sous la forme d'une lumière spéculaire, cet élément photographique étant caractérisé en ce que la seconde couche d'émulsion aux halogénures d'argent comprend une émulsion améliorée selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 9.
EP19950420235 1994-08-26 1995-08-21 Emulsions aux grains tabulaires ultraminces à sensibilité améliorée (II) Expired - Lifetime EP0699946B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (10)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US297195 1994-08-26
US08/297,195 US5576168A (en) 1994-08-26 1994-08-26 Ultrathin tabular grain emulsions with sensitization enhancements
US08/297,430 US5503971A (en) 1994-08-26 1994-08-26 Ultrathin tabular grain emulsions containing speed-granularity enhancements
US296562 1994-08-26
US297430 1994-08-26
US08/296,562 US5503970A (en) 1994-08-26 1994-08-26 Ultrathin tabular grain emulsions with novel dopant management
US08/359,251 US5494789A (en) 1994-08-26 1994-12-19 Epitaxially sensitized ultrathin tabular grain emulsions
US359251 1994-12-19
US451881 1995-05-26
US08/451,881 US5582965A (en) 1994-08-26 1995-05-26 Ultrathin tabular grain emulsions with sensitization enhancements (II)

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EP0699946B1 true EP0699946B1 (fr) 2001-01-17

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JP4053742B2 (ja) 2000-09-19 2008-02-27 富士フイルム株式会社 ハロゲン化銀写真乳剤
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Publication number Publication date
EP0699946A1 (fr) 1996-03-06
JPH08171162A (ja) 1996-07-02
DE69519906T2 (de) 2001-07-19
DE69519906D1 (de) 2001-02-22

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