1. at said desired selected portions from said one stable condition to the other condition to record in said' layer any desired, pattern and ' the step of applying a solvent to said material which dis solves those portions of said layer, which are in one of said conditions at a greater rate than those portions of said layer which are in the other of said, conditions, so that an image is produced corresponding to said desired pattern. - 3 - . * The method of forming an image comprising the step of providing a layer of memory material which is capable of having selected portions thereof undergo a physical change in structure, bet^een at least t»o stable conditions, and wherein said memory material is a thin film co-tailed on a support ing substrate which substrate is essentially non-reactive with the memory material under the conditions of the transformation of the memory material · from one structure condition to the other, the step of selectively applying energy to said, layer at any desired selected portions thereof for altering and transformin said layer of memory material, at said desired, portions from said one stable, structure condition to the other structure condition to record in said layer any desired pattern, and the step of applying a solvent to said layer which dissolves those portion? of said layer which are in one of said, condi tions at a greater rate than those portions of said layer which ar \ in the other of said "conditi ons , so that an image is produced corresponding to said desired pattern wherein the undissolved portion of said, layer of memory material form the high part of said image and said substrate forms the low part of said image. The method of forming an image comprising the step of providing a layer of non-silicate glass-like memory material which is capable of having selected portions ther of undergo a physical change in structure between at least two stable conditions, said layer normally being in one of said condi tions and being capable. of being altered to the other condition b the application of energy, to produce a substantial differential in the solubility in specific solvent media, the step of selectively applying energy to selected portions of said layer so as to transform the portions subjected, to said energy to th other structure condition to record in said la er any desired pattern and ·. the step of applying a. solvent medium to said, layer of memory materiel and dissolving those portions of the memory mater ial which have the. greater solubility, so that an image is produc correspond ins; to said desired pattern . , - 5 - The method of formin . an image comprising . the step of providing a layer of inorganic memory materi which is capable, of havinsr selected portions thereof morphologica ly altered, betwee one stable structure condition and. at least on other stable structure condition by the application of energy, wherein the chemical constitution of the memory material in said alternate morrholosrical structure conditions is substantially the same and wherein a substantial differential of the solubility in selective solvent media is generated by the trans ormatio of the memory material to said other morphological structure condition, the step of a plvins; energy to selected areas of said other morphological structure condition havlnec different solubility characteristics and the step of applying a selective solvent medium to the said layer of memory material and dissolving the memory material having the greater solubility in said solvent medium to form an image . - 6 - The method of Claim 1 in which, the memory ma/terial is a film provided on a substrate, which substrate is chemically essentially non-reactive with said memory material under the conditions applied in the tra sformation. • - 7 - . The -method of Claim 1 in which the memory material is a chalcogenlde composition comprising as the effective component at least one element of Group VI of the Periodic System other than oxygen. in elementary form. - 8 - The method of Claim 1 In which the memory material is a non-silicate glass-like material. - q - The method of Claim 1 in which the memory material has essentially the same chemical constitution in said alternate physi cal structure conditions. The method of Claim 1 in which the memory material is an inorganic glass-like .material . The method of Claim 2 in which the memor material is a film provided on a substrate, wherein the substrate is chemically essentially non-reactive with said, memory material under the cond tions ar>Olied in the transformation step. . - 12 - The method of Claim 2 in which the memory material has essentially the same chemical constitution in said alternate phys cal structure conditions. ! ' - 13 - The method of Claim 2 in which the memory material is capable of being reversibly switched betw.een said, alternate physi cal structure conditions by the application of different levels o energy. The method of Claim' 2 in which the emnry material is an Inorganic glass-like material. - 15 - The method of Claim 3 in which the memory material is a non-silicate glass-like material. ■ . '-'9- " - 16 - " The method of Claim 3 in which the memory material has essentially the same chemical constitution in said alternate phys cal conditions. - 17 - The method of Claim 3 in which the memory material is an inorganic material. .- 1Q - The method of Claim k in which the memory material is a . film provided on a substrate , which substrate is essentially non-reactive with said memory material under the conditions applied i the transformation step. - 1Q - The method of Claim 1, in which the energy is applied in at least two steps to. exceed said threshold value. - 20 - The method of Claim U- in the differential' in the solubility of the alternate structure conditions comprises a rati of at least 2 to 1. - 21 - The method of Claim 3 in which the solubility in a selec tive solvent of the memory material in those portions of the laye which have been subjected to the said energy is. increased in said The method of Claim 3 i which the solubility in a sele tive solvent of the memory material in those portions of the lay which have been subjected to said energy, is decreased in said altered portions so tha a negative Image is formed. - 23 - The method of Claim 3, in which the memory' material Is amorphous and changes in those portions where it is subjected, to the imaging effects- of energy, into an at least partial crystall state . ' - 2k - The method of Claim 3» in which the memory material is crystalline and changes in those portions where it is subjected t the Imaging effects of energy, into a generally amorphous state. - 25 - The method of Claim 3, in which at least two layers of memory material are provided, one of said layers being in one of Said physical structure conditions, and the other layer disposed thereon being in another of said physical · structure , con itions , whereby only sufficient energy need be applied, to alter the atom structure condition in the selected, areas of said top layer to th structure condition of the lower layer. - 26 - The method of Claim 3 In which the memory materiel is. pr which substrate is chemically essentially non-reactive with said memory material under the conditions applied in said transformation, step. - 27 - The method of Claim 3 ^ 1,Thich the memor material is p vided in form of a thin film 0f planar crystallites disposed on substrate wherei said substrate is chemically essentially non-reactive with said memory material under the conditions applied the physical transformation ster-. v - 28 - The method of Claim 3 l^ which the memory material is p vided in form of a film of jagged crystallites disposed on a sub strate, wherein said, substrate is chemically essentially non-rea tive with said memory material under the conditions of the physi transf rmation step. - 2o - The method of Claim 3 In which the substrate is a metal which is chemically essentially non-r^sc ive with said memory ma ial under the conditions allie in the p ysical transformation step. - 30 - The method of Claim 3 in which said substrate Is a hydr phillc material. The me hod of Claim 3 in which said substrate is an ol phillc material. - 32 - The method of Claim 3 in which said' substrate is an org ic material which is chemically essentially non-reactive with sai memory material under the conditions applied in the physical tran formation step. . .. - 33 - The method of Claim 3» i which the said memory material is a hydrophlUc material and the substrate is an oleophilic mate - 3^. - The method of Claim 3 in which said me ory material is oleophilic material and the substrate is a hydrophllic material. - 35 - The method of Claim 3 in which the said substrate is dis posed on an underlayer of a material of different chemical compos tion and Including the further step of arsplyi^ a solvent for sai substrate, which Is not a solvent for said memory material, to sa lmace obtained in said first dissolution step, so that a deepened relief image is formed. - 3 - - 37 - The method of Cl im 3^ which comprises the further step of removing said memory material i said high areas by the treatment with a solvent for said memory material, - 3 - The method of Claim 3 in which the memory material is generally . amorphous.., and in which said memory materia], is transformed upon subjecting it to said energy into a crystalline condi tion wherein the crystals or crystallites have a size of no more than 1000 Angstroms. - 3° - The method of Claim 3 in which the transformation of the memory material from one -physical structure condition to the othe physical structure condition under the effects of the energy is completed in less than. 30 seconds. - θ - The method of Claim 3 in. which the transforma ion of the memory material from one physical structure conditio to the othe physical structure condition under the effects of the energy is completed in less than 1 second. - iH - The method of Claim 3 in which the transformation of the memory material from one physical structure condition to the othe physical structure condition is effected in two steps, whereby th physical structure condition to the other physical structure condition. The method of Claim 4l in which the first step producin -. t,be_ latent image in the layer of memory material is effected by •actinic electromagnetic radiation and the second step produci g the actuai.-'- transformati on is effected bv heat. - ii-3 - '■ The method of Claim 3 in which said energy comprises el tromagnetic radiation. - ii - The method of Claim 3 n which said energy comprises he "remor: material is heated to a temperature above its transition temperature. - 5 - The method of Claim 3 in which said energy comprises li _ I . _ The method of Claim 3 in which said energy comprises a combination of light and. infrared radiation. - - The method o Claim i which at least part of the ene The method of Claim 3 in which the dissolution of the memory material having the greater solubility in said selective solvent Is effected in an. electrical field. _ 4Q - . ~ . The method of Claim 48 in which the solvent for the memo material is an electrolyte. - 50 - •The method of Claim 8 in which the solvent for the memo material comprises an additive which is an electrolyte. - 51 - The method of Claim 3» in which the memory material has electrical conductivity different from said substrate, and in which, after removal of the memory materia] having the greater solubility, the areas havi g the greater conductivity are plated in an electrical field by the use of a plating solution for said areas havlnc: the greater conductivity. - 52 - The method of Claim 51 in which the memory material remaining after the solution step on the substrate, has the higher conductivity, such that the remaining areas of memory material ar plated in the electrical field. _ 53 _ higher conductivity, such that the exposed areas of the substrate are plated in the electrical field. - 5^ - The method of Claim 3. in which the substrate is one which is transmisslve for light and in which" the film of memory material is a very thin film of highly opaoue memory material. - 55 - . The method of Claim 3 in which the memory material contains admixed a photo-dissociable salt. - 56 - .. The method of Claim 3» in which the iTiemor material contains admixed, a r»hot o-reducible salt. - 57 - The method of Claim 2 , in which the memory material contains . admixed, a nhotn-di ssociable salt. The method of Claim 2, in which the memory material contains admixed a. photo-reducible salt. . _ 59 _ The method of Claim 3 In which the film of the memory ma erial has a thickness from lCfO Ansrstroms to 5 thousandths of an The method of Claim 59» i which the memory material is highly opaque . - 61 - The method of Claim 3 In which the "film of the memory material has a thickness from about 1/10 micron to about micron - 62 - The method of forming an active electrical component com pr sing the step of providing a l^yer of memory material which c be switched between at least two different electricall conductiv states and which is further capable of having selected portions altered between, one normal physical structure condition and anoth physical structure condition in response to application of energy the step of selectively applying energy to said layer at any desired selected portions thereof for altering -said Ipyer at said desired selected, portions from sajd one normal physical stru ture condition to the other physical structure condition in accor ance with any desired pattern, and the step of applying a solvent to said layer which dissolves those portions of said layer which are in' one of said phys cal structure conditions at a greater rate than those portions of said layer whic are in the othe of said physical structure cond tions, so that at least some portion of said, memory material remains, forming said electrical component. - 63 - The . method of Claim 62 in which said memory material disposed. on a substrate x^hich is electrically essentially non conductive. ■ ■' · - 6 - The method of Claim 62, in which said memory material is disposed on a substrate, -which is an electrical semiconductor. v. - 66 - ' The method of Claim 62 in. which said memory material is disposed on a substrate which is an electrical conductor. - 67 - ■The method of Claim 62 in which the memory material is disposed on a substrate and in which a plurality of electrical components are formed in the said' dissolution step. - 6R - The method of Claim 3 in which the memory material has suitable electrical properties, for use in an electrical circuit and wherein at least' part of the image formed by the residual mem ory material serves as at least one electrical component. - 6° - The method of Claim 3 in which the memory material conic-rises catalytic amounts of .a material, which is capable of prorao ing the transformation of- the memory material from one tjhysical The method of Claim 3 , In which Is provided: ad Jacent to the layer of memory material a thin layer of a catalytic material, which is capable , by diffusing Into' the layer of memory n-terlal , of promoting the physical change from one structure cord ItJ on 'to the other structure condition. For iho Applicant Oil II.INHOLD COHN AND PARTNERS