JP2003029385A - Developing processing method for silver halide photosensitive material - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a processing method for a silver halide photosensitive material by which color variation is improved and a color proof image comprising an area gradation image excellent in stability is formed. SOLUTION: The processing method for a silver halide photosensitive material in which the silver halide photosensitive material having a silver halide emulsion layer containing a silver halide emulsion having >=95 mol% average silver chloride content on a support is developed, bleach-fixed and stabilized using an automatic processing machine having a multistage countercurrent stabilization tank is characterized in that the silver halide photosensitive material is a color proof capable of outputting an area gradation image, the size of the output is >=(600 mm×900 mm) and a processing solution used in at least one step of the processing contains a compound of formula (1).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for processing a silver halide light-sensitive material which gives a stable finish, and more specifically, to a color proof image composed of an area gradation image having improved color variation and excellent stability. The present invention relates to a method for processing a silver halide light-sensitive material provided.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Silver halide light-sensitive materials (hereinafter also simply referred to as films or light-sensitive materials) have been widely used today because of their high sensitivity, excellent color reproducibility and suitability for continuous processing. Has been. Due to these characteristics, silver halide light-sensitive materials are used not only in the field of general photography for photography, but also in the field of printing, especially in the field of so-called proofs for checking the condition of the final printed matter in advance during printing. It is becoming widely used.

In the field of proofs described above, an image edited on a computer is outputted to a printing film, and the developed film is appropriately exchanged while subjecting it to decomposition exposure, whereby yellow (Y) and magenta (M) are applied. , Cyan (C)
It is performed to determine the suitability of the layout and color of the final printed matter by forming the respective images and the image of the final printed matter on the color photographic paper.

Recently, a method of directly outputting an image edited on a computer to a printing plate has gradually become popular. In such a case, a color image is directly obtained from data on the computer without using a film. It was desired to get.

For this purpose, various methods such as a fusion thermal transfer method, an electrophotographic method, an ink jet method have been tried, but a method capable of obtaining a high quality image is expensive and inferior in productivity. However, there is a drawback that the image quality is inferior in the method that is low in cost and excellent in productivity, and is inferior. Systems using silver halide photographic materials can form images with almost no noise (granular structure) and excellent sharpness, so high-quality image formation such as accurate halftone dot image formation is possible. On the other hand, on the other hand, it was possible to realize high productivity due to advantages such as continuous development processing and simultaneous writing of images in a plurality of color image forming units.

At the time of developing the proof light-sensitive material, an automatic developing machine is widely used at present, and more specifically, a plurality of processing tanks such as a color developing step, a bleach-fixing step and a stabilizing processing step are used. The developing process is performed while sequentially passing these through the photosensitive material. At this time, a multi-stage countercurrent type treatment tank having three or more stages is preferably used as the stabilizing treatment tank used in the color proof treatment.

In recent years, color proofs are often required to have a large image size.
There is a strong demand for a one-size image that can be processed. However, since the silver halide light-sensitive material is mainly subjected to liquid processing in a processing tank, color unevenness is likely to occur in the surface and it is difficult to obtain stable quality. This tendency becomes more remarkable as the size of the silver halide photosensitive material increases. Further, in a color proof that represents an image with halftone dots, which is an area gradation image, stricter color stability is required because the relative area of a white background is large.

On the other hand, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid ferric complex salt and 1,3-propylenediaminetetraacetic acid contained in the bleach-fixing solution are mainly contained in the processing step of the silver halide light-sensitive material consisting of color developing processing, bleach-fixing processing and stabilizing processing. Bleaching agents such as ferric iron complex salts and ferric iron complex salts of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid are brought into the stabilizing bath which is the next tank. As a result, the stabilizing liquid is colored and uneven tone of the silver halide light-sensitive material occurs. It is a factor. This tendency is that when using a multi-stage counter-current type stabilization treatment tank, each treatment tank is partitioned into small parts, so the composition of the liquid tends to fluctuate, the mixture of the liquid is poor, and uneven color tone is likely to occur. It is in.

Further, in the case of a color proof by the digital exposure system, the color density can be adjusted according to the exposure amount, and a function using color development of the intermediate exposure part such as reproduction of special color and overprint reproduction can be expected. However, this intermediate exposure section is particularly susceptible to color fluctuations, and is more susceptible to the processing unevenness caused by the above-described stabilization processing tank, resulting in a decrease in color stability.
Immediate improvement is required.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a method of processing a silver halide light-sensitive material having excellent image stability. More specifically, it is composed of an area gradation image having improved color variation and excellent stability. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for processing a silver halide light-sensitive material which forms a color proof image.

[0011]

The above objects of the present invention have been achieved by the following constitutions.

1. A silver halide light-sensitive material having a silver halide emulsion layer containing a silver halide emulsion having an average silver chloride content of 95 mol% or more on a support is provided with an automatic processor having a multi-stage countercurrent type stabilizing processing tank. In the processing method of performing development processing, bleach-fixing processing and stabilization processing, the silver halide light-sensitive material is a color proof capable of outputting an area gradation image, and the size of the output material is 600 mm × 90.
A processing method of a silver halide light-sensitive material, which is 0 mm or more, and a processing solution used in at least one step of the processing contains a compound represented by the general formula (1).

2. A silver halide light-sensitive material having a silver halide emulsion layer containing a silver halide emulsion having an average silver chloride content of 95 mol% or more on a support is provided with an automatic processor having a multi-stage countercurrent type stabilizing processing tank. In the processing method of performing development processing, bleach-fixing processing and stabilization processing, the silver halide light-sensitive material is a color proof capable of outputting an area gradation image, and the size of the output material is 600 mm × 90.
A silver halide photosensitive material having a length of 0 mm or more, wherein the processing solution used in at least one step of the processing contains a ferric complex salt of an N-alkyl-substituted N-substituted iminodiacetic acid having 1 to 3 carbon atoms. Material processing method.

3. A silver halide light-sensitive material having a silver halide emulsion layer containing a silver halide emulsion having an average silver chloride content of 95 mol% or more on a support is provided with an automatic processor having a multi-stage countercurrent type stabilizing processing tank. In the processing method of performing development processing, bleach-fixing processing and stabilization processing, the silver halide light-sensitive material is a color proof capable of outputting an area gradation image, and the size of the output material is 600 mm × 90.
A processing method of a silver halide light-sensitive material, which is 0 mm or more, and a processing solution used in at least one step of the processing contains a compound represented by the general formula (2).

4. Any one of the above items 1 to 3, wherein a circulating solution of a stabilizing solution used in the stabilizing process or a stabilizing solution not substantially used in the process is directly supplied to the surface of the silver halide photosensitive material in the air. 2. A method for processing a silver halide light-sensitive material according to item 1.

5. The processing solution capacity of the stabilizing tank is 3 to 7 L per tank, and the circulating amount of the stabilizing solution is 2 to 6 L /
4. The method for processing a silver halide photosensitive material described in any one of 1 to 3 above, wherein the processing time is min.

6. The pH of the bleach-fixing solution used in the bleach-fixing treatment is 3 or more and 5 or less.
Item 4. The method for processing a silver halide light-sensitive material according to any one of items 1 to 3.

7. The temperature of the treatment liquid in the stabilizing treatment tank is 35 ° C.
Any one of the items 1 to 3 above
5. A method for processing a silver halide light-sensitive material as described in the above item.

The details of the present invention will be described below. In the invention according to claim 1, in a processing method of performing development processing, bleach-fixing processing and stabilization processing using an automatic processor having a multi-stage countercurrent stabilization processing tank, a processing solution used in at least one step of the processing. However, one of the features is that it contains the compound represented by the general formula (1).

The compound represented by the general formula (1) will be described below. In the general formula (1), A ₁ to
A ₄ may be the same or different, and
Represents CH ₂ OH, —PO ₃ (M ₁ ) ₂ or —COOM. M
And M ₁ each represent a hydrogen atom, an ammonium group, an alkali metal atom (eg sodium, potassium) or an organic ammonium group (eg a methylammonium group, a trimethylammonium group etc.). X is or an optionally substituted C2-6 alkylene group _{- (B 1 O) n -B} 2 -
Represents B ₁ and B ₂ may be the same or different and each represents an optionally substituted alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms. As the alkylene group represented by X,
Examples thereof include ethylene, trimethylene and tetramethylene. Further, as the alkylene group represented by B ₁ and B ₂ ,
Methylene, ethylene, trimethylene and the like can be mentioned.
The substituent of the alkylene group represented by X, B ₁ or B ₂ is
Hydroxyl group, alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms (for example,
Methyl group, ethyl group, etc.) and the like. n represents an integer of 1 to 8, and preferably 1 to 4.

Specific preferred examples of the compound represented by the general formula (1) are shown below, but the invention is not limited thereto.

[0022]

[Chemical 3]

[0023]

[Chemical 4]

The compound represented by the general formula (1) can be synthesized by a method generally known to those skilled in the art.

Of these, particularly preferred compounds are (1-1), (1-3) and (1-14).

The compound represented by the general formula (1) is preferably used in a bleach-fixing solution, and the amount of the compound represented by the general formula (1) added to the bleach-fixing solution is an iron ion concentration. Is preferably 0.1 to 2.0 mol / L,
It is more preferably 0.15 to 1.5 mol / L.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the processing method of performing the developing process, the bleach-fixing process and the stabilizing process by using the automatic developing machine having the multi-stage counterflow type stabilizing tank, at least one step of the processing is performed. The treatment liquid used has 1 to 3 carbon atoms.
One of the features is that it contains the ferric complex salt of N-alkyl-substituted N-substituted iminodiacetic acid.

The second N-substituted iminodiacetic acid according to the present invention
In the iron complex salt, the alkyl group of N-alkyliminodiacetic acid is an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and is a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, or an isopropyl group. These alkyl groups may be substituted with a hydroxy group, and the number of hydroxy groups in the alkyl group is preferably 0-3.

The second N-substituted iminodiacetic acid according to the present invention
Specific compounds of the iron complex salt are listed below, but the invention is not limited thereto.

L-1: N-methyliminodiacetic acid L-2: N-ethyliminodiacetic acid L-3: N-hydroxymethyliminodiacetic acid L-4: N-β-hydroxyethyliminodiacetic acid L-5: N-propyl Iminodiacetic acid L-6: N-α, β-dihydroxyethyliminodiacetic acid L-7: N-α-hydroxyethyliminodiacetic acid In the above-exemplified compounds, L-1 and L- are particularly preferable.
2, L-3. The N-alkyliminodiacetic acid is characterized by being an iron (III) complex salt. It may be added in the form of a salt such as ammonium salt, potassium salt, sodium salt or the like, or a compound which donates free N-alkyliminodiacetic acid and iron (III) ions (iron chloride,
(Such as iron nitrate) may be contained by being produced by mixing in a liquid.

The second N-substituted iminodiacetic acid according to the present invention
The iron complex salt is preferably used in a bleach-fixing solution.
The preferable addition amount of the ferric iron complex salt of alkyliminodiacetic acid to the bleach-fixing solution is 0.01 mol to 0.
It is 5 mol / L, preferably 0.03 to 0.4 mol / L, and particularly preferably 0.05 to 0.3 mol / L.
It is preferable to add free N-alkyliminodiacetic acid so that N-alkyliminodiacetic acid is used in a range of 1.0 to 3 times the molar amount of the iron ion concentration. The amount of N-alkyliminodiacetic acid added to the preferred iron ion concentration is more preferably 1.1 to 2.5 times mol,
It is 1.3 to 2.2 times the molar amount. The ferric complex salt of N-alkyliminodiacetic acid is used in a bleach-fixing solution in the form of an iron salt, and in addition to free N-alkyliminodiacetic acid and a ferric salt (for example, iron nitrate (III), chloride The ferric complex can also be present in the bleach-fixing solution by adding iron (III) or the like to the solution.

In a third aspect of the present invention, in a processing method for performing development processing, bleach-fixing processing and stabilization processing by using an automatic processor having a multi-stage countercurrent stabilization processing tank, at least one step of the processing is performed. The treatment liquid to be used is characterized in that it contains the compound represented by the general formula (2), but particularly preferably it contains a ferric complex salt of β-alanine diacetate.

The ferric iron complex salt of β-alanine diacetate according to the present invention is preferably used in a bleach-fixing solution.
The preferable addition amount of the ferric complex of alanine diacetate to the bleach-fixing solution is 0.01 mol-5.0 mol / mol in iron ion concentration.
L, preferably 0.05 to 2.5 mol / L, particularly preferably 0.1 to 2.0 mol / L.

In the present invention, the average silver chloride content is 9
One of the features is a processing method in which a silver halide light-sensitive material having a silver halide emulsion layer containing 5% or more of a silver halide emulsion is processed by an automatic processor having a multi-stage countercurrent type stabilizing processing tank, which is preferable. It is preferable that the stabilizing treatment tank comprises three or more tanks, and it is preferable that at least one of the stabilizing treatment tanks other than the first treating tank and the last treating tank is provided with a heating means.

The automatic processor which can be used in the present invention is characterized in that it has a multi-stage countercurrent type stabilizing processing tank, and as an example thereof, it can be used in the present invention in FIG. The schematic block diagram of the development processing part of an automatic processor is shown.

The automatic developing machine 8 develops the photosensitive material P conveyed from an automatic exposure section (not shown) while conveying it at a constant speed. As shown below, a plurality of liquid tanks 1 and auxiliary tanks 2 connected to the liquid tanks 1 are provided side by side as a processing liquid container for storing the processing liquids to be brought into contact with each other. That is, a color developing tank 1A which is a part of a color developing solution container for storing a color developing solution which is brought into contact with the photosensitive material P for color developing processing of the photosensitive material P exposed in the automatic exposure section, and a color developing auxiliary. Tank 2A and color-developed photosensitive material P
The bleach-fixing tank 1B and the bleach-fixing auxiliary tank 2B, which are parts of the bleach-fixing solution container for storing the bleach-fixing solution that is brought into contact with the light-sensitive material P for bleach-fixing, and the bleach-fixing-processed photosensitive material P are stabilized. For processing, stabilizing tanks 1C, 1D, 1E and stabilizing auxiliary tanks 2C, 2D, 2E, which are a part of a plurality of stabilizing solution containers connected in a multi-stage countercurrent system for storing a stabilizing solution to be brought into contact with the photosensitive material P, are provided. And a drying unit 6 for drying the stabilized photosensitive material P.
The photosensitive material P dried in step 1 is sent to the external holder 9.

The stabilizing solution container is a part of the first stabilizing solution container for first stabilizing the bleach-fixed light-sensitive material P. The first stabilizing tank 1C and the first stabilizing auxiliary tank 2C.
A second stabilizing tank 1D and a second stabilizing auxiliary tank 2D, which are part of a second stabilizing solution container for stabilizing the photosensitive material P that has been stabilized in the first stabilizing tank 1C next time; Stabilizer 1
It has a third stabilizing tank 1E and a third stabilizing auxiliary tank 2E which are parts of a third stabilizing solution container for stabilizing the photosensitive material P which has been stabilized in D next. Then, an overflow pipe (not shown) for sending the stabilizing solution that exceeds the predetermined height to the second stabilizing tank 1D is provided at a predetermined height of the third stabilizing tank 1E, and the stabilizing solution that exceeds the predetermined height is provided. An overflow pipe (not shown) for feeding the first stabilizing tank 1C to the first stabilizing tank 1C is provided at a predetermined height of the second stabilizing tank 1D, and the first stabilizing tank 1C, the second stabilizing tank 1D, and the third stabilizing tank 1E are multistage. It is connected in a countercurrent method. In each of the liquid tanks of the development processing section of the automatic processor 8, a color temperature developing tank and a bleach-fixing tank are provided with a liquid temperature detecting tube and a heater linked to the tube.
It is controlled to a predetermined temperature.

Then, the silver halide light-sensitive material of the present invention,
Details of the processing method will be described below.

The present invention is characterized in that the silver halide emulsion layer constituting the silver halide light-sensitive material contains a silver halide emulsion having an average silver chloride content of 95% or more.
Is one.

Preferred forms of the silver halide light-sensitive material used in the present invention include silver chloride, silver chlorobromide, silver chloroiodobromide, in the case of a silver halide emulsion containing 95 mol% or more of silver chloride. Although it may have any halogen composition such as silver chloroiodide, silver chlorobromide containing 95 mol% or more of silver chloride, particularly a silver halide emulsion having a portion containing silver bromide in a high concentration Is preferably used, and silver chloroiodide containing 0.05 to 0.5 mol% of silver iodide near the surface is preferably used. The portion containing a high concentration of silver bromide in the silver halide emulsion having a portion containing a high concentration of silver bromide may be a so-called core / shell type silver halide emulsion or may form a complete layer. Alternatively, a so-called epitaxy-bonded region may be formed in which only regions having different compositions exist. It is particularly preferable that the portion in which silver bromide is present at a high concentration is formed at the apex of crystal grains on the surface of silver halide grains. The composition may change continuously or discontinuously.

The silver halide emulsion used in the present invention may be a surface latent image type silver halide emulsion which forms a latent image on the surface upon imagewise exposure, or an internal latent image whose grain surface is not previously fogged. Using image-type silver halide emulsion,
An internal latent image type halogenation that can directly obtain a positive image by performing fog treatment (nucleation treatment) after image exposure and then performing surface development, or by performing surface development while performing fog treatment after image exposure It may be a silver emulsion. The internal latent image type silver halide emulsion means an emulsion containing silver halide grains having a photosensitive nucleus mainly inside the silver halide crystal grains and forming a latent image inside the grains upon exposure. .

It is advantageous to incorporate heavy metal ions in the silver halide emulsion used in the present invention and containing 95% or more of silver chloride. This is expected to improve the so-called reciprocity law failure, prevent a decrease in sensitivity during high-illuminance exposure, or prevent softening in the shadow region. Examples of heavy metal ions that can be used for such purposes include, for example, Group 8 to Group 10 metals such as iron, iridium, platinum, palladium, nickel, rhodium, osmium, ruthenium, and cobalt, and cadmium, zinc, mercury, and the like. Examples include transition metals of group 12 and ions of lead, rhenium, molybdenum, tungsten, gallium, and chromium. Among them, iron, iridium,
Platinum, ruthenium, gallium and osmium metal ions are preferred. These metal ions can be added to the silver halide emulsion in the form of salt or complex salt. When the heavy metal ion forms a complex, examples of the ligand include cyanide ion, thiocyanate ion, cyanate ion, chloride ion, bromide ion, iodide ion, carbonyl, ammonia and the like. You can
Among them, cyanide ion, thiocyanate ion, isothiocyanate ion, chloride ion, bromide ion and the like are preferable. In order to contain a heavy metal ion in the silver halide emulsion, the heavy metal compound may be added to any of the steps during the physical ripening before the formation of silver halide grains, during the formation of silver halide grains or after the formation of silver halide grains. It can be added in place. To obtain a silver halide emulsion satisfying the above conditions,
The heavy metal compound can be dissolved with the halide salt and added continuously during all or part of the grain formation process. Alternatively, it can be prepared by forming silver halide fine particles containing these heavy metal compounds in advance and adding them. The amount of the heavy metal ions added to the silver halide emulsion is more preferably 1 × 10 ⁻⁹ mol or more and 1 × 10 ⁻² mol or less, and particularly preferably 1 × 10 ⁻⁸ mol or more and 5 × 10 1 mol per mol of silver halide. ^-5 mol or less is preferable.

One preferred form of the silver halide emulsion used in the present invention is an internal latent image type silver halide emulsion which has not been fogged in advance, and the internal latent image type silver halide grains have a large number of photosensitive nuclei. A silver halide grain having a portion inside the grain, which is characterized in that a latent image is mainly formed inside the grain.

An internal latent image type silver halide emulsion which has not been fogged in advance gives a positive image without being subjected to reversal processing by subjecting it to surface fog treatment, but the fog treatment may be effected by exposure to the entire surface. Alternatively, a fogging agent may be used for the chemical treatment, a strong developing solution may be used, or a heat treatment or the like may be used.

The whole surface exposure is carried out by immersing the imagewise exposed light-sensitive material in a developing solution or other aqueous solution or moistening it and then uniformly exposing the whole surface. The light source used here may be any light source as long as it has light in the photosensitive wavelength region of the photographic light-sensitive material,
Further, high illuminance light such as flash light may be applied for a short time, or weak light may be applied for a long time. Further, the time of the whole surface exposure can be varied within a wide range so that the best positive image can be finally obtained depending on the photographic light-sensitive material, the development processing conditions, the kind of the light source used and the like. Further, it is most preferable that the exposure amount of the whole surface exposure gives a predetermined range of exposure amount in combination with the photosensitive material. Usually, when the exposure amount is excessively increased, the minimum density is increased or desensitized, and the image quality tends to be deteriorated. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-95 discloses the technology of the fogging agent that can be used in the light-sensitive material of the present invention.
No. 283, page 18, right column, line 39 to page 19, left column, line 41 is preferably used.

The particles used in the present invention may have any shape. One preferable example is (1
It is a cube having a (00) plane as a crystal surface. Also,
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,183,756 and 4,225,6
66, JP-A-55-26589, JP-B-55-42
737 and The Journal of Photographic Science (J. Photogr. Sci.) 2
Particles having a shape such as an octahedron, a tetradecahedron, and a dodecahedron can be prepared by the method described in the literature such as 1, 39 (1973) and the like, and can also be used. Further, grains having twin planes may be used.

The grains used in the present invention are preferably grains having a single shape, but it is particularly preferable to add two or more monodispersed silver halide emulsions to the same layer.

The particle size of the particles used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but in view of photographic properties such as rapid processability and sensitivity, it is preferably 0.1 to 1.2 μm, more preferably 0.2. Is in the range of 1.0 μm.

The grain size distribution of the silver halide grains of the present invention is
Monodisperse silver halide grains having a coefficient of variation of 0.22 or less, more preferably 0.15 or less, and particularly preferably two or more monodisperse emulsions having a coefficient of variation of 0.15 or less are added to the same layer. Is.

The coefficient of variation referred to in the present invention is a coefficient representing the breadth of the particle size distribution and is defined by the following equation.

Coefficient of variation = S / R (where S is the standard deviation of the grain size distribution and R is the average grain size). The apparatus and method for preparing the silver halide emulsion used in the present invention are in the art. Various known devices and methods can be used.

The silver halide emulsion used in the present invention is
It may be obtained by any of the acidic method, the neutral method and the ammonia method. The silver halide grains may be grown at one time, or may be grown after forming seed grains. The method for making seed particles and the method for growing seed particles may be the same or different.

The method of reacting the soluble silver salt with the soluble halide salt may be any of a forward mixing method, a back mixing method, a simultaneous mixing method, a combination thereof, etc., but a method obtained by the simultaneous mixing method. Is preferred. Further, as one type of the simultaneous mixing method, the pAg controlled double jet method described in JP-A-54-48521 may be used. Further, a device for supplying an aqueous solution of a water-soluble silver salt and a water-soluble halide salt from an addition device arranged in the reaction mother liquor as described in JP-A-57-92523, 57-92524, etc., German Published Patent No. 2 , 921, 16
No. 4, etc., a device for continuously adding the water-soluble silver salt and water-soluble halide salt aqueous solution while changing the concentration, and the reaction mother liquor is taken out of the reactor as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-501776 and the like. You may use the apparatus etc. which perform grain formation, keeping the distance between silver halide grains constant by concentrating by an outer filtration method.

If necessary, a silver halide solvent such as thioether may be used. Further, a compound having a mercapto group, a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound or a compound such as a sensitizing dye may be added and used during the formation of silver halide grains or after the completion of grain formation.

The negative-working silver halide emulsion of which 95% or more is composed of silver chloride used in the present invention is preferably subjected to a chemical sensitizing treatment. For example, a sensitizing method using a gold compound,
A sensitizing method using a chalcogen sensitizer can be appropriately selected and used in combination. As the chalcogen sensitizer, for example, a sulfur sensitizer, a selenium sensitizer, a tellurium sensitizer and the like can be used, and the sulfur sensitizer is preferable. Examples of the sulfur sensitizer include thiosulfate, allylthiocarbamidothiourea, allylisothiocyanate, cystine, p-toluenethiosulfonate, rhodanine, and inorganic sulfur. The amount of the sulfur sensitizer added cannot be unconditionally specified depending on the type of silver halide emulsion to be applied and the expected effect size,
Approximately 5 × 10 ^{-10 to} 5 × 10 per mol of silver halide
^-5 mol, preferably 5 x 10 ^{-8 to} 3 x 10 ^-5 mol.

As the gold sensitizer, various gold complexes other than chloroauric acid, gold sulfide and the like can be added. Examples of the ligand compound used include dimethyl rhodanine, thiocyanic acid, mercaptotetrazole, and mercaptotriazole. The amount of gold compound used varies depending on the type of silver halide emulsion, the type of compound used, the ripening conditions, etc., but is usually 1 × 10 ⁻⁴ to 1 × 10 ⁻⁸ mol per mol of silver halide. Is preferable, and more preferably 1 × 10 ⁻⁵ to 1 × 1.
It is ^0-8 mol. A reduction sensitization method may be used as the chemical sensitization method for the silver halide emulsion containing 95% or more of silver chloride used in the present invention.

For the silver halide emulsion used in the present invention
Is the fog generated during the process of preparing the silver halide light-sensitive material.
To prevent, reduce performance fluctuation during storage,
Known fog prevention for the purpose of preventing fog
Agents and stabilizers can be used. Good for the above purposes
As examples of favorable compounds, JP-A-2-146036-7
Compounds represented by the general formula (II) described in the lower column of the page
And more preferable specific compounds
Then, for example, (IIa-
1) to (IIa-8), (IIb-1) to (IIb-7)
Examples thereof include compounds such as compound. These compounds
Is a silver halide emulsion grain preparation process depending on its purpose.
Preparation of coating solution at the end of chemical sensitization process
It is added in a process such as a process. In the presence of these compounds
When chemical sensitization is carried out, 1 mol per mol of silver halide
× 10^-Five~ 5 x 10^-FourPreferably used in molar amounts
It If added at the end of chemical sensitization, silver halide
1 x 10 per mole^-6~ 1 x 10 ^-2Molar amount is preferred
Really 1 × 10^-Five~ 5 x 10^-3Molar is more preferred. Paint
Add to the silver halide emulsion layer in the cloth liquid preparation process
In some cases, 1 × 10 1 per mol of silver halide^-6~ 1 x 1
0^-1An amount of about 1 mol is preferable and 1 × 10^-Five~ 1 x 10^-2
Molar is more preferred. Layers other than the silver halide emulsion layer
When added to the²1 hit
× 10^-9~ 1 x 10^-3Amounts on the order of moles are preferred.

The silver halide photosensitive material according to the present invention comprises
Dyes having absorption in various wavelength regions can be used for the purpose of preventing irradiation and halation.
For this purpose, any of the known compounds can be used. Particularly, as the dye having absorption in the visible region, AI-1 to JP-A-3-251840, page 308, can be used.
The dye No. 11 and the dye described in JP-A-6-3770 are preferably used.

The silver halide photosensitive material according to the present invention is
The silver halide closest to the support in the silver halide emulsion layer
At least one layer is colored on the side closer to the support than the emulsion layer.
It is preferable to have a hydrophilic colloid layer, which is white
It may contain a color pigment. For example, rutile type dioxide
Titanium, anatase type titanium dioxide, barium sulfate, sulfur
Barium thearate, silica, alumina, zirconium oxide
Um, kaolin, etc. can be used for various reasons
Therefore, titanium dioxide is particularly preferable. White pigment treated
A hydrophilic colloid, such as gelatin, that can penetrate liquid
Dispersed in an aqueous binder solution. Applying white pigment
The coating amount is preferably 0.1 to 50 g / m ²In the range of
More preferably 0.2 to 5 g / m²Is the range.

Between the support and the silver halide emulsion layer closest to the support, in addition to the white pigment-containing layer, if desired, an undercoat layer or a non-photosensitive hydrophilic layer such as an intermediate layer at an arbitrary position. A colloidal layer can be provided.

In the silver halide light-sensitive material of the present invention,
It is preferable to add a fluorescent whitening agent because the white background can be further improved. The fluorescent whitening agent is not particularly limited as long as it is a compound capable of absorbing ultraviolet rays and emitting fluorescence of visible light,
One preferable form is a compound having at least one sulfonic acid group in the molecule, and another preferable form is a solid fine particle compound having an optical brightening effect.

The silver halide photosensitive material according to the present invention comprises
It has a layer containing a spectrally sensitized silver halide emulsion in a specific region of a wavelength range of 400 to 900 nm. The silver halide emulsion contains one kind or a combination of two or more kinds of sensitizing dyes.

Known compounds can be appropriately selected and used as the spectral sensitizing dye used in the silver halide emulsion according to the present invention. For example, as a blue-sensitive sensitizing dye, JP-A-3-251840 can be used. BS-1 ~ described on page 28
8 can be preferably used alone or in combination. As the green-sensitizing sensitizing dye, GS-1 to 5 described on page 28 of the same publication are preferably used. As the red-sensitive sensitizing dye, RS-1 to 8 described on page 29 of the same publication
Is preferably used. The sensitizing dye may be added at any time from the formation of silver halide grains to the end of chemical sensitization. Further, as a method of adding these dyes, water or methanol, ethanol, fluorinated alcohol, acetone, may be added as a solution by dissolving in a water-miscible organic solvent such as dimethylformamide,
The sensitizing dye may be added as a solution or emulsion or suspension of a water-miscible solvent having a density of more than 1.0 g / ml.

As a method for dispersing the sensitizing dye, other than the method of mechanically pulverizing and dispersing into fine particles of 1 μm or less in an aqueous system using a high speed stirring type disperser, JP-A-58-105141 is used.
As described in JP-B No. 60-6496, a method of mechanically pulverizing and dispersing into fine particles of 1 μm or less in an aqueous system under conditions of pH 6 to 8 and 60 to 80 ° C., and a surface tension of 380 μN / cm described in JP-B-60-6496. A method of dispersing in the presence of a surfactant to be suppressed below, a method of dissolving in an acid substantially free of water and having a pKa of not more than 5 described in JP-A No. 5080826.
A method in which the solution is added to an aqueous solution and dispersed, and the dispersion is added to a silver halide emulsion can be used. Water is preferably used as the dispersion medium for dispersion, but a small amount of an organic solvent may be included to adjust the solubility, or a hydrophilic colloid such as gelatin may be added to enhance the stability of the dispersion. As a dispersion device that can be used to prepare a dispersion liquid, for example, JP-A-4-125631
In addition to the high-speed stirring type disperser shown in the figure, a ball mill, a sand mill, an ultrasonic disperser, etc. may be mentioned. Further, in using these dispersing devices, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-125
As described in No. 632, a method of performing pre-treatment such as dry pulverization in advance and then performing wet dispersion may be adopted.

The silver halide emulsion used in the present invention is
One kind or a combination of two or more kinds of sensitizing dyes may be contained.

The coupler used in the silver halide light-sensitive material according to the present invention forms a coupling product having a spectral absorption maximum wavelength in a wavelength region longer than 340 nm by a coupling reaction with an oxidant of a color developing agent. Any compound to be obtained can be used. Particularly, as a typical example, a yellow dye-forming coupler having a spectral absorption maximum wavelength in a wavelength range of 350 to 500 nm, a wavelength range of 500 to 6 is used.
A magenta dye-forming coupler having a spectral absorption maximum wavelength at 00 nm and a cyan dye-forming coupler having a spectral absorption maximum wavelength in a wavelength range of 600 to 750 nm are typical.

A magenta coupler used in the silver halide light-sensitive material of the present invention is disclosed in JP-A-6-95283.
The compound represented by the general formula [M-1] described in the right column of No. 7, page 7 is preferable because of good spectral absorption characteristics of the color forming dye. Specific examples of preferable compounds include compounds M-1 to M-19 described on pages 8 to 11 of the same item. Still another specific example is European Published Patent No. 273,712 6-2.
Compounds M-1 to M-61 described on page 1 and Compounds 1 to 223 described on pages 36 to 92 of No. 235,913, other than the above representative examples. You can

The magenta coupler can also be used in combination with other types of magenta couplers, and usually silver halide 1
1 × 10 ⁻³ to 1 mol per mol, preferably 1 × 10 ⁻²
It can be used in the range of up to 8 × 10 ^-1 mol.

The magenta image formed in the silver halide light-sensitive material of the present invention has a spectral absorption λ _max of 530.
˜560 nm, and λL _0.2 is
It is preferably 580 to 635 nm. λL _0.2 is a wavelength longer than the wavelength at which the maximum absorbance is 1.0 on the spectral absorbance curve of a magenta image, and the absorbance is 0.2.
Refers to the wavelength.

The magenta image forming layer of the silver halide photographic material according to the present invention preferably contains a yellow coupler in addition to the magenta coupler. The difference in pKa between these couplers is preferably within 2, and more preferably within 1.5. A preferred yellow coupler contained in the magenta image-forming layer of the present invention is a coupler represented by the general formula [Y-Ia] described in JP-A 6-95283, page 12, right column. Among the couplers represented by the general formula [Y-1] of the publication, particularly preferable one is a coupler represented by [M-1] when combined with a magenta coupler represented by the general formula [M-1]. Is a coupler having a pKa value not lower than 3 by more than 3 than the pKa value of. Specific examples of the compound of the yellow coupler are described in JP-A-6-95.
No. 283, compounds Y-1 and Y-described on pages 12 to 13
In addition to 2, compounds (Y-1) to (Y-58) described on pages 13 to 17 of JP-A-2-139542 can be preferably used, but the compounds are not limited thereto.

As the cyan coupler contained in the cyan image forming layer in the silver halide light-sensitive material of the present invention, known phenol type, naphthol type or imidazole type and azole type couplers can be used. For example, a phenol-based coupler substituted with an alkyl group, an acylamino group or a ureido group, a naphthol-based coupler formed from a 5-aminonaphthol skeleton, and a 2-equivalent naphthol-based coupler having an oxygen atom introduced as a leaving group are representative. It Among them, preferred compounds include the general formula [C described in JP-A-6-95283, page 13
-I] and [C-II].

The cyan coupler is usually used in the silver halide emulsion layer in an amount of 1 × 10 ^-3 to 1 per mol of silver halide.
It can be used in an amount of 1 mole, preferably 1 × 10 ^-2 to 8 × 10 ^-1 mole.

As the yellow coupler contained in the yellow image forming layer in the silver halide light-sensitive material of the present invention, known acylacetanilide type couplers can be preferably used. Specific examples of the yellow coupler include compounds described on pages 5 to 9 of JP-A-3-241345, compounds represented by Y-I-1 to Y-I-55, or JP-A-3-209466. Of 1
The compounds described on pages 1 to 14 and the compounds represented by Y-1 to Y-30 can also be preferably used. Further, couplers represented by the general formula [Y-I] described on page 21 of JP-A-6-95283 can also be mentioned. A yellow image formed by the light-sensitive material according to the present invention preferably has a spectral absorption λ _max of 425 nm or more, and λ L _0.2
Is preferably 515 nm or less. The spectral absorption λL _0.2 of the yellow color image is as described in JP-A-6-95283.
This is a value defined by the contents of lines 1 to 24 in the right column of page No. 21, and represents the magnitude of unnecessary absorption on the long wave side in the spectral absorption characteristic of the yellow dye image.

The yellow coupler is usually used in the silver halide emulsion layer in an amount of 1 × 10 ^-3 to 1 mol per mol of silver halide.
It can be used in an amount of 1 mol, preferably 1 × 10 ^-2 to 8 × 10 ^-1 mol.

In order to adjust the spectral absorption characteristics of the magenta color image, cyan color image and yellow color image in the present invention, it is preferable to add a compound having a color tone adjusting action. As a compound for this purpose, JP-A-6-952 is known.
The compounds represented by the general formulas [HBS-I] and [HBS-II] on page 22 of No. 83 are preferable, and the compounds represented by the general formula [HBS-II] on page 22 of the same issue are more preferable.

An anti-fading agent can be used in combination with each of the magenta, cyan and yellow couplers according to the present invention in order to prevent fading of the formed dye image due to light, heat, humidity and the like. As a preferable compound, JP-A-2-665 is known.
No. 41, page 3, phenyl ether compounds represented by formulas I and II; JP-A-3-174150, phenol compound represented by formula IIIB; and JP-A 64-90445 represented by formula A. Amine compounds, the general formula XI described in JP-A-62-182741
The metal complexes represented by I, XIII, XIV and XV are particularly preferable for magenta dyes. Further, the compound represented by the general formula I ′ described in JP-A No. 1-196049 and JP-A No. 5-1
The compound represented by the general formula II described in No. 1417 is particularly preferable for yellow and cyan dyes.

When an oil-in-water type emulsion dispersion method is used as a method of adding a coupler or other organic compound used in the silver halide light-sensitive material of the present invention, it is usually a water-insoluble high boiling point having a boiling point of 150 ° C. or higher. If necessary, a low boiling point and / or water-soluble organic solvent is also used in combination in an organic solvent to dissolve, and a surfactant is emulsified and dispersed in a hydrophilic binder such as an aqueous gelatin solution. As a dispersing means, a stirrer, a homogenizer, a colloid mill, a flow jet mixer, an ultrasonic disperser or the like can be used. After the dispersion or at the same time as the dispersion, a step of removing the low boiling point organic solvent may be added. Examples of the high boiling point organic solvent that can be used to dissolve and disperse the coupler and the like include, for example, dioctyl phthalate, diisodecyl phthalate,
Phthalates such as dibutyl phthalate, phosphates such as tricresyl phosphate and trioctyl phosphate, and phosphine oxides such as trioctylphosphine oxide are preferably used. The high-boiling point organic solvent preferably has a dielectric constant of 3.5 to 7.0. It is also possible to use two or more high boiling point organic solvents in combination.

A compound preferable as a surfactant used for dispersing the photographic additives used in the silver halide light-sensitive material of the present invention and adjusting the surface tension at the time of coating has 8 to 30 carbon atoms in one molecule. Examples thereof include those containing a hydrophobic group and a sulfonic acid group or a salt thereof. Specific examples thereof include A-1 to A-11 described in JP-A No. 64-26854. A surfactant having a fluorine atom substituted in the alkyl group is also preferably used. These dispersions are usually added to a coating solution containing a silver halide emulsion, but it is preferable that the time from dispersion to addition to the coating solution and the time from addition to the coating solution and coating are short and 10 hours each. It is preferably within 3 hours, more preferably within 3 hours and within 20 minutes.

The silver halide light-sensitive material of the present invention comprises
It is preferable to add a compound that reacts with an oxidized product of a developing agent to a layer between the light-sensitive layers to prevent color turbidity, or to a silver halide emulsion layer to improve fog and the like. As a compound for this purpose, for example, a hydroquinone derivative is preferable, and a dialkylhydroquinone such as 2,5-di-t-octylhydroquinone is more preferable. A particularly preferred compound is JP-A-4-13305.
A compound represented by the general formula II described in No. 6,
Compounds II-1 to II-14 and 17 described on pages 14 to 17
The compound 1 described in the page is mentioned.

In the silver halide light-sensitive material of the present invention, it is preferable to add an ultraviolet absorber to prevent static fog and improve the light resistance of dye images. Benzotriazoles are mentioned as a preferable ultraviolet absorber, and as a particularly preferable compound, JP-A-1-250 is known.
A compound represented by the general formula III-3 described in JP-A No. 944, a compound represented by the general formula III described in JP-A No. 64-66646, and UV-1L to U described in JP-A No. 63-187240.
V-27L, the compound represented by the general formula I described in JP-A-4-1633, and the compound represented by the general formulas (I) and (II) described in JP-A-5-165144.

The silver halide light-sensitive material of the present invention comprises
It is preferable to contain an oil-soluble dye or pigment because the whiteness is improved. Typical examples of oil-soluble dyes are compounds 1 to 27 described on pages 8 to 9 of JP-A-2-842.

In the silver halide light-sensitive material of the present invention, it is advantageous to use gelatin as a binder, but if necessary, other gelatin, gelatin derivatives, graft polymers of gelatin and other polymers, and gelatin other than gelatin can be used. Hydrophilic colloids such as proteins, sugar derivatives, cellulose derivatives, and synthetic hydrophilic polymer substances such as single or copolymers can also be used. As a hardener for these binders, it is preferable to use a vinyl sulfone type hardener or a chlorotriazine type hardener alone or in combination. It is preferable to use the compounds described in JP-A Nos. 61-249054 and 61-245153. Further, in order to prevent the growth of molds and bacteria that adversely affect photographic performance and image storability, it is preferable to add an antiseptic agent and an antifungal agent as described in JP-A-3-157646 to the colloid layer.
Further, in order to improve the physical properties of the surface of a silver halide light-sensitive material or a processed sample, a protective layer is provided in JP-A-6-11854.
It is preferable to add a slip agent or a matting agent described in JP-A No. 3-73250 and JP-A No. 2-73250.

Any material may be used as the reflective support for the silver halide light-sensitive material according to the present invention. For example, paper coated with polyethylene or polyethylene terephthalate, paper support made of natural pulp or synthetic pulp. Body, vinyl chloride sheet, polypropylene which may contain white pigment, polyethylene terephthalate support, baryta paper and the like can be used. Of these, a support having a waterproof resin coating layer on both sides of the base paper is preferable. As the water resistant resin, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate or a copolymer thereof is preferable. The support having a water resistant resin coating layer on the surface of paper is usually 50 to 3
A material having a smooth surface having a mass of 00 g / m ² is used, but for the purpose of obtaining a proof image, a base paper having a weight of 130 g / m ² or less is preferably used in order to bring the feeling of handling to that of a printing paper. 70-120 g / m
The base paper of ² is preferably used. As the reflective support used in the present invention, those having random irregularities and those having a smooth surface can be preferably used.

As the white pigment used for the reflective support, inorganic and / or organic white pigments can be used, and preferably inorganic white pigments are used. For example,
Sulfates of alkaline earth metals such as barium sulfate, carbonates of alkaline earth metals such as calcium carbonate, finely divided silicic acid, silicas such as synthetic silicates, calcium silicate, alumina, hydrated alumina, titanium oxide , Zinc oxide, talc,
Examples include clay. The white pigment is preferably barium sulfate or titanium oxide. The amount of the white pigment contained in the water resistant resin layer on the surface of the support is preferably 13% by mass or more, and more preferably 15% by mass in order to improve the sharpness.

The dispersity of the white pigment in the water resistant resin layer of the paper support used in the present invention is described in JP-A-2-28640.
It can be measured by the method described in No. When measured by this method, the degree of dispersion of the white pigment is preferably 0.20 or less as the coefficient of variation described in the above publication,
It is more preferably 15 or less.

The resin layer of the paper support having the waterproof resin layers on both sides used in the present invention may be a single layer or a plurality of layers. It is preferable to form a plurality of layers and to include a white pigment at a high concentration on the side in contact with the emulsion layer, because the sharpness is greatly improved and a proof image is formed. The center surface average roughness (SRa) of the reflective support has a value of 0.15 μm.
It is more preferable that the thickness is m or less, and further 0.12 μm or less, because the effect of good gloss can be obtained.

The silver halide photosensitive material according to the present invention comprises
If necessary, after subjecting the reflective support surface to corona discharge, UV irradiation, flame treatment, etc., directly or undercoat layer (adhesiveness of support surface, antistatic property, dimensional stability, abrasion resistance, hardness) , One or more subbing layers for improving antihalation properties, frictional properties and / or other properties).

In the silver halide light-sensitive material of the present invention,
Each silver halide emulsion layer (color-forming layer) is laminated and coated on a support, and in addition thereto, an intermediate layer, a filter layer, a protective layer and the like can be arranged if necessary. The order of the constituent layers from the support may be any order.

When coating a photographic light-sensitive material using a silver halide emulsion, a thickener may be used to improve coatability. The coating method that can be used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but an extrusion coating method and a curtain coating method that can simultaneously apply two or more layers are particularly useful.

In the present invention, the size of the output product is 6
One feature is that the size is 00 mm × 900 mm or more, preferably 600 mm × 900 mm to 700 mm ×
It is 1050 mm. When producing such a large-sized output product, the effects of the configuration of the present invention can be exhibited at all.

As the exposure light source of the exposure apparatus used in the present invention, any known light source can be preferably used, but a laser or a light emitting diode (hereinafter referred to as LED) is more preferably used.

As the laser, a semiconductor laser (hereinafter,
LD) is compact and the light source has a long life, so that it is preferably used.

LDs are used for applications such as optical pickups for DVDs, music CDs, bar code scanners for POS systems, and applications such as optical communication, and are said to be inexpensive and obtain relatively high output. It has advantages. L
Specific examples of D include aluminum-gallium-indium-arsenic (650 nm), indium-gallium-phosphorus (-700 nm), gallium-arsenic-phosphorus (61
0-900nm), gallium aluminum arsenic (7
60 to 850 nm) and the like. Recently, a laser that oscillates blue light has also been developed, but at present, it is advantageous to use an LD as a light source having a wavelength longer than 610 nm.

As a laser light source having an SHG element, light emitted from an LD or YAG laser is converted into light having a half wavelength by an SHG element and emitted, and a suitable light source is obtained because visible light is obtained. It is used as a light source in the green to blue region where there is no. An example of this type of light source is a YAG laser combined with an SHG element (532 nm). Examples of the gas laser include a helium / cadmium laser (about 442 nm), an argon ion laser (about 514 nm), and a helium neon laser (about 544 nm, 633 nm). In particular, a helium neon laser is preferably used as a G light source.

As the LED, one having the same composition as that of the LD is known, but various LEDs from blue to infrared have been put to practical use.

As the exposure light source used in the present invention, each laser may be used alone, or these lasers may be combined and used as a multi-beam. In the case of LD, for example, by arranging 10 LDs, a beam composed of 10 light fluxes can be obtained. On the other hand, in the case of a helium neon laser, the light emitted from the laser is split into, for example, 10 light beams by a beam separator. In the case of a helium neon laser, a light beam having a relatively regular shape can be easily obtained.

In the case of an LD, the intensity of the exposure light source used in the present invention may be directly modulated to change the value of the current flowing through each LD, or may be an AOM (acousto-optical element). The strength may be changed by using another element. In the case of a gas laser, a device such as AOM or EOM (electro-optical element) is generally used.

One feature of the present invention is that it is a color proof capable of outputting an area gradation image.
The area gradation image in the present invention does not express the light and shade on the image by the light and shade of the color of each pixel, but expresses it by the size of the area of the part that has developed a specific density. Can be considered synonymous with.

Usually, in the case of area gradation exposure, the purpose can be achieved by developing Y, M and C colors. More preferably, it is preferable to perform exposure by selectively using two or more exposure amounts so that black ink is produced at a density higher than the color density of a single color. In order to identify that a single color such as M or C has been developed on the black ink, it is preferable to selectively use the exposure amount of three or more values. In printing, a plate of a special color may be used, but in order to reproduce this, it is preferable to use exposures of four or more values separately.

In the case of a laser light source, the beam diameter is 25
It is preferably not more than μm, more preferably 6 to 22 μm. If it is smaller than 6 μm, it is preferable in terms of image quality, but adjustment is difficult or the processing speed is reduced. On the other hand, if it is larger than 25 μm, the unevenness becomes large and the sharpness of the image also deteriorates. By optimizing the beam diameter, it is possible to write a high-definition image without unevenness at high speed.

In order to draw an image with such light, it is necessary for a light beam to scan the silver halide photosensitive material, but the photosensitive material is wound around a cylindrical drum and rotated at a high speed while being perpendicular to the direction of rotation. A cylindrical outer surface scanning method in which a light beam is moved in any direction may be adopted, and a cylindrical inner surface scanning method in which a silver halide photosensitive material is brought into close contact with a cylindrical recess to be exposed can also be preferably used. It is also possible to adopt a plane scanning method in which a polyhedral mirror is rotated at a high speed and a silver halide photosensitive material conveyed thereby is exposed by moving a light beam at a right angle to the conveying direction. The cylindrical outer surface scanning method is more preferably used in order to obtain a high quality and large image.

In order to perform exposure by the cylindrical outer surface scanning system, the silver halide photosensitive material must be brought into close contact with the cylindrical drum accurately. In order for this to be done accurately, it must be accurately aligned and transported. The silver halide light-sensitive material used in the present invention can be preferably used because the light-exposed side surface of which is wound outside can be more accurately aligned. From the same viewpoint, the support used in the silver halide photosensitive material used in the present invention has appropriate rigidity, and the Taber rigidity is preferably 0.8 to 4.0.

The drum diameter can be arbitrarily set according to the size of the silver halide photosensitive material to be exposed.
The number of rotations of the drum can be set arbitrarily, but an appropriate number of rotations can be selected depending on the beam diameter of the laser beam, the energy intensity, the writing pattern and the sensitivity of the photosensitive material.
From the viewpoint of productivity, it is preferable that scanning exposure can be performed at a higher rotation speed, but specifically, it is 200 to 3000 per minute.
Rotation is preferably used.

The silver halide photosensitive material may be fixed to the drum by mechanical means, or a large number of minute holes capable of being sucked may be provided on the surface of the drum according to the size of the photosensitive material. It is also possible to suck the photosensitive material and bring it into close contact. It is important for the photosensitive material to be in intimate contact with the drum as much as possible in order to prevent problems such as image unevenness.

The aromatic primary amine developing agent used in the development processing of the silver halide photosensitive material according to the present invention is
Known compounds can be used. The following compounds may be mentioned as examples of these compounds.

CD-1: N, N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine CD-2: 2-amino-5-diethylaminotoluene CD-3: 2-amino-5- (N-ethyl-N-laurylamino) toluene CD-4: 4- [N-ethyl-N- (β-hydroxyethyl) amino] aniline CD-5: 2-methyl-4- [N-ethyl-N- (β-
Hydroxyethyl) amino] aniline CD-6: 4-amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N-
[Β- (Methanesulfonamide) ethyl] aniline CD-7: N- (2-amino-5-diethylaminophenylethyl) methanesulfonamide CD-8: N, N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine CD-9: 4 -Amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N-
Methoxyethylaniline CD-10: 4-amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N
-(Β-Ethoxyethyl) aniline CD-11: 4-amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N
-(Γ-Hydroxypropyl) aniline In the present invention, a color developer containing the above developing agent is
It can be used in any pH range, but from the viewpoint of rapid processing, p
H is preferably 9.5 to 13.0, and more preferably used in a pH range of 9.8 to 12.0.

The processing temperature in the color developing step which can be used in the present invention is preferably 35 ° C. or higher and 70 ° C. or lower. The higher the temperature, the shorter the treatment time is, which is preferable. However, in view of the stability of the treatment liquid, it is preferable that the treatment liquid temperature is not too high, and the treatment temperature is preferably 37 ° C or higher and 60 ° C or lower.

The color development time is conventionally about 3 minutes and 30 seconds, but in the present invention, it is preferably 40 seconds or less, more preferably 25 seconds or less.

To the color developing solution, known developer component compounds can be added in addition to the above-mentioned color developing agent. Usually, an alkaline agent having a pH buffering action, a chloride ion, a development inhibitor such as benzotriazole, a preservative,
A chelating agent or the like is used.

The silver halide light-sensitive material of the present invention is subjected to bleach-fixing solution treatment and stabilizing treatment after color development.

In the bleach-fixing treatment, as a bleach-fixing solution, imidazole and its derivatives described in JP-A No. 64-295258 or the general formulas [I] to [I] described in the same specification.
X] and at least one of these exemplified compounds are preferably contained. In addition to the above-mentioned accelerators, pages 51 to 1 of JP-A-62-123459.
Exemplified compounds described on page 15 and JP-A-63-17445
Exemplified compounds described on pages 22 to 25 of the publication No.
The compounds described in 3-95630 and 53-28426 can be similarly used.

In addition to the above, the bleach-fixing agent may contain a halide such as ammonium bromide, potassium bromide, sodium bromide, various fluorescent whitening agents, defoaming agents or surfactants.

As the fixing main agent used in the bleach-fixing agent in the present invention, thiocyanate and thiosulfate are preferably used.

As the bleach-fixing agent, in addition to these fixing main agents, p
It is desirable to include an H buffer, an alkylamine, a polyethylene oxide, and a rehalogenating agent such as an alkali halide or an ammonium halide such as potassium bromide, sodium bromide, sodium chloride or ammonium bromide.

A bleach-fixing agent is disclosed in JP-A 64-29525.
It is preferable to add the compound represented by the general formula [FA] described in No. 8, page 56 and the exemplified compounds, and not only the effects of the present invention are better exhibited but also a small amount of a light-sensitive material is processed for a long period of time. Another effect is that sludge generated in the processing liquid having fixing ability is extremely small.

In the invention according to claim 6, p of the bleach-fixing solution is
The feature is that H is 3 or more and 5 or less, and preferably 3.5 or more and 5.0 or less.

The stabilizing solution preferably contains a chelating agent having a chelate stability constant of 8 or more for ferric ions. Here, the chelate stability constant refers to L. G.
Sillen A. E. Martel, "Stab
ility Constants of Metal-
Ion Complexes ”, The Chemical
al Society, London (1964),
S. Chaberek A .; E. By Martell, ”
Organic Sequencing Agen
ts ", Wiley (1959), etc., means a commonly known constant.

As a chelating agent having a chelate stability constant of 8 or more with respect to ferric ion, JP-A-3-1827 can be used.
Examples thereof include those described in No. 50.

The amount of the above chelating agent used is preferably 0.01 to 50 g, and more preferably 0.05, per 1 L of the stabilizing solution.
Good results are obtained in the range of up to 20 g.

Further, as a preferable compound to be added to the stabilizing solution, an ammonium compound can be mentioned. The amount of the ammonium compound added is preferably in the range of 0.001 to 1.0 mol, more preferably 0.002 to 2.0, per 1 L of the stabilizing solution.
It is in the molar range.

The stabilizer preferably contains a sulfite salt. Further, it is preferable that the stabilizing solution contains a metal salt in combination with the chelating agent. Examples of such metal salts include B
a, Ca, Ce, Co, In, La, Mn, Ni, B
i, Pb, Sn, Zn, Ti, Zr, Mg, Al or S
There are metal salts of r, halides, hydroxides, sulfates,
It can be supplied as an inorganic salt such as carbonate, phosphate or acetate, or as a water-soluble chelating agent. The amount used is preferably in the range of 1 × 10 ^-4 to 1 × 10 ^-1 mol, and more preferably in the range of 4 × 10 ^-4 to 2 × 10 ^-2 mol, per 1 L of the stabilizing solution.

In the stabilizing treatment according to the present invention, a multi-stage countercurrent type treating tank is used. In the invention according to claim 5, the treating tank has a size of 3 to 7 L and a circulating amount of the stabilizing solution is 2 L. ~
The feature is that it is 6 L / min. The time required for the stabilization treatment is preferably 20 to 90 seconds for each tank. The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that the treatment temperature of the stabilizing treatment is 35 ° C. or higher, and preferably 35 to 38 ° C. As the heating means for the stabilizing tank of the present invention, the stabilizing solution may be heated using an independent heater, or may be heated by following temperature control using a heater for the bleach-fixing tank or the developing tank.

The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the circulating solution of the stabilizing solution used in the stabilizing processing or the stabilizing solution which is not substantially used in the processing is directly supplied to the surface of the silver halide photosensitive material in the air. Is. The circulating solution of the stabilizing solution in the present invention means a stabilizing solution which is present in the stabilizing tank and circulates, and a stabilizing solution which is not substantially used for the treatment is preferably a stable replenishing solution. Further, supplying directly to the surface of a silver halide photosensitive material in air means, specifically, when a silver halide photosensitive material is conveyed from one processing tank to the next processing tank in a multi-stabilization tank, There is a method in which it is carried out in a region where it moves from the liquid to the air supply in a part, or the stable liquid is supplied to its surface, or it exits the final stabilizing tank and moves to the next drying section. The latter is preferable.

The method of supplying the stabilizing solution is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of efficiency, the method of spraying in a shower on the surface of the silver halide photosensitive material is most preferable.

The development processing apparatus used for the development processing of the silver halide light-sensitive material according to the present invention may be a roller transport type which conveys the light-sensitive material by sandwiching it between rollers arranged in a processing tank. It may be an endless belt system in which the photosensitive material is fixed and conveyed,
A method of forming a processing tank in the shape of a slit and supplying the processing liquid to the processing tank while conveying the photosensitive material, a spray method of spraying the processing liquid, and a web method of contacting a carrier impregnated with the processing liquid. A method using a viscous treatment liquid can also be used. When processing a large amount, a running process is carried out using an automatic processor. At this time, the smaller the replenishing amount of the replenisher is, the more preferable the processing form from the environmental suitability is the tablet form as a replenishing method. The method described in Kokai Giho 94-16935 is the most preferable.

[0126]

Examples Example 1 <Preparation of silver halide light-sensitive material> High density polyethylene on one side and anatase type titanium oxide on the other side 15
Polyethylene laminated paper reflective support having a weight per square meter of 115 g laminated with molten polyethylene dispersed at a content of mass% (Taber stiffness = 3.5, P
Y value = 2.7 μm, middle paper mass 85 g / m ² )
Immediately after preparing a coating solution for each layer having the constitution shown in (3), it was applied on the side of the polyethylene layer containing titanium oxide, and further, on the back side, gelatin 6.00 g / m ² , silica matting agent 0.65 g / m ² was applied to prepare a multilayer silver halide light-sensitive material. The addition amount of silver halide shown in Table 1 is shown in terms of silver.

[0127]

[Table 1]

In the preparation of the above sample, each coupler was
It was dissolved in a high boiling point solvent described in the table and ultrasonically dispersed, and added as a dispersion. At this time, (SU-1) was used as a surfactant. Also, as a hardener (H-
1) and (H-2) were added. Surfactants (SU-2) and (SU-3) were appropriately added as coating aids to adjust the surface tension. Further, the total amount of (F-1) in each layer was 0.
It was added so that the amount would be 04 g / m ² .

SU-1: sodium tri-i-propylnaphthalene sulfonate SU-2: sulfosuccinate di (2-ethylhexyl) sodium salt SU-3: sulfosuccinate di (2,2,3,3,4) , 4,
5,5-octafluoropentyl) sodium salt H-1: tetrakis (vinylsulfonylmethyl) methane H-2: 2,4-dichloro-6-hydroxy-s-triazine sodium HQ-1: 2,5-di -T-octylhydroquinone HQ-2: 2,5-di [(1,1-dimethyl-4-hexyloxycarbonyl) butyl] hydroquinone HQ-3: 2,5-di-sec-dodecylhydroquinone and 2,5- Mixture of di-sec tetradecylhydroquinone and 2-sec-dodecyl-5-sec-tetradecylhydroquinone in a mass ratio of 1: 1: 2 SO-1: trioctylphosphine oxide SO-2: di (i-decyl) phthalate SO -3: oleyl alcohol SO-4: tricresyl phosphate SO-5: (4-dodecylbenzene) p- toluenesulfonamide PVP: Polyvinylpyrrolidone

[0130]

[Chemical 5]

[0131]

[Chemical 6]

The method for preparing each silver halide emulsion used for preparing the above-mentioned sample 101 is shown below. (Preparation of blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion) In 1 liter of a 2% gelatin aqueous solution kept at 40 ° C., the following (solution A) and (solution B) were controlled at pAg = 7.3 and pH = 3.0. Simultaneously added, the following (solution C) and (solution D) were added to pAg =
Simultaneous addition was performed while controlling the pH to 8.0 and pH = 5.5. At this time, pAg was controlled by the method described in JP-A-59-45437, and pH was controlled by using a sulfuric acid or sodium hydroxide aqueous solution.

(Solution A) Sodium chloride 3.42 g Potassium bromide 0.03 g Water was added to 200 ml (Solution B) Silver nitrate 10 g Water was added to 200 ml (Solution C) Sodium chloride 102.7 g Potassium hexachloroiridium (IV) ate 4 × 10 ^-8 mol Potassium hexacyanoferrate (II) 2 × 10 ^-5 mol Potassium bromide 1.0 g Water added 600 ml (D liquid) Silver nitrate 300 g Water added 600 ml After the addition is complete, Kao Atlas Demol Desalination was performed using a 5% aqueous solution of N and a 20% aqueous solution of magnesium sulfate, and then mixed with a gelatin aqueous solution to obtain an average particle size of 0.71 μm.
m, variation coefficient of particle size distribution 0.07, silver chloride content 99.
5 mol% of monodisperse cubic emulsion EMP-101 was obtained.

The following compounds were sequentially added to the above EMP-101 and optimally chemically sensitized at 60 ° C. to obtain a blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion Em-B101.

Sodium thiosulfate 0.8 mg / mol AgX Chloroauric acid 0.5 mg / mol AgX Stabilizer: STAB-1 3 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX Stabilizer: STAB-2 3 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX stabilizer: STAB-3 3 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX sensitizing dye: BS-1 4 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX sensitizing dye: BS-2 1 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX bromide Potassium 0.2 g / mol AgX STAB-1: 1-phenyl-5-mercaptotetrazole STAB-2: 1- (4-ethoxyphenyl) -5-mercaptotetrazole STAB-3: 1- (3-acetamidophenyl) -5 -Mercaptotetrazole Then, in the preparation of the above EMP-101, (solution A)
And (B solution) and (C solution) and (D) addition time were appropriately changed in the same manner as in EMP-101, with an average particle size of 0.64 μm and a coefficient of variation of particle size distribution of 0. 0
7. Monodisperse cubic emulsion E having a silver chloride content of 99.5 mol%
MP-102 was obtained.

Then, the above blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion E
A blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion Em-B102 was prepared in the same manner as in the preparation of m-B101 except that EMP-102 was used instead of EMP-101.
And a 1: 1 mixture of Em-B102 was used as the blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion described in Layer 7.

[0137]

[Chemical 7]

(Preparation of Green-Sensitive Silver Halide Emulsion) In the preparation of EMP-101, (solution A) and (B)
Liquid), (C liquid), and (D liquid), except that the addition time was appropriately changed, a monodisperse cube having an average particle size of 0.40 μm, a coefficient of variation of 0.08, and a silver chloride content of 99.5%. Emulsion EMP-103 was prepared.

Using EMP-103, the following compounds were sequentially added and optimally chemically sensitized at 55 ° C. to prepare a green light-sensitive silver halide emulsion Em-G101.

Sodium thiosulfate 1.5 mg / mol AgX chloroauric acid 1.0 mg / mol AgX Stabilizer: STAB-1 3 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX Stabilizer: STAB-2 3 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX stabilizer: STAB-3 3 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX sensitizing dye: GS-1 2 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX sensitizing dye: GS-2 2 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX sodium chloride 0.5 g / mol AgX Then, in the preparation of EMP-103, (A solution) and (B
(Liquid) and the addition time of (C liquid) and (D liquid) were appropriately changed in the same manner as in EMP-103, average particle diameter 0.50 μm, coefficient of variation 0.08, silver chloride content 9
A 9.5% monodisperse cubic emulsion EMP-104 was obtained.

The above green light-sensitive silver halide emulsion Em-G1
In the preparation of 01, instead of EMP-103, EMP-
A green light-sensitive silver halide emulsion Em-G102 was prepared in the same manner except that No. 104 was used.
A 1: 1 mixture of G102 was used as the green light sensitive silver halide emulsion described in Layer 5.

[0142]

[Chemical 8]

(Preparation of Red-Sensitive Silver Halide Emulsion) The following compounds were sequentially added to the above-prepared EMP-103 and optimally chemically sensitized at 60 ° C. to obtain a red-sensitive silver halide emulsion Em. -R101 was prepared.

Sodium thiosulfate 1.8 mg / mol AgX chloroauric acid 2.0 mg / mol AgX Stabilizer: STAB-1 2 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX Stabilizer: STAB-2 2 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX stabilizer: STAB-3 2 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX stabilizer: STAB-4 1 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX sensitizing dye: RS-1 1 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX sensitizing dye RS-2 1 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX Supersensitizer: SS-1 2 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX Next, the following compounds were sequentially added to the prepared EMP-103, Optimal chemical sensitization was performed at 60 ° C. to prepare a red-sensitive silver halide emulsion Em-R102.

Sodium thiosulfate 1.8 mg / mol AgX chloroauric acid 2.0 mg / mol AgX Stabilizer: STAB-1 2 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX Stabilizer: STAB-2 2 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX stabilizer: STAB-3 2 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX stabilizer: STAB-4 1 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX sensitizing dye: RS-1 2 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX sensitizing dye : RS-2 2 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX Supersensitizer: SS-1 2 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol / mol AgX STAB-4: 1 of p-toluenethiosulfonic acid Em-R101 and Em-R102 The 1: 1 mixture was used as the red-sensitive silver halide emulsion described in the third layer.

[0146]

[Chemical 9]

<< Exposure Treatment >> The silver halide light-sensitive material prepared above (hereinafter referred to as a sample) was 650 mm × 950 m.
After cutting into a sheet of m, the following exposure was performed.

[Exposure Conditions] As exposure light sources, B, G, and
An exposure head was used in which 10 LEDs of each R were arranged in the sub-scanning direction and exposure of adjacent 10 pixels could be performed once. Also,
Ten LEDs are arranged in the main scanning direction so that the same pixel can be sequentially exposed.

The sample was exposed to light using the above-mentioned LED, and the exposure level was the cyan density measured by status T of a densitometer (X-rite 508 Gmode measurement value) manufactured by Macbeth Co. after the development processing shown below. As 1.0
The exposure amount that gives the density of About the prepared sample, unexposed area, solid area, 2400 dpi, halftone dot 50%
After scanning exposure was performed using an exposure pattern in which 10 patches of 10 points were alternately arranged, each of them was subjected to the development processing-1 to the development processing-15 shown below. The term "dpi" in the present invention means the number of dots per 2.54 cm (1 inch).

[Development processing] (Development processing-1) <Automatic developing machine> Developing tank: 20 L (liquid temperature 37 ° C), bleach-fixing tank: 8 L (liquid temperature 37 ° C), three-stage multi-stage countercurrent system stability Tank: The first to third stabilizing tanks have a capacity of 5 L (liquid temperature 30 ° C.),
A digital consensus model 570 manufactured by Konica Co., Ltd., which is an automatic processor consisting of a drying section (air conditioning at 55 ° C.) was used. The circulation in the stabilizing tank was performed by a submerged circulation system with a circulation rate of 3 L / min.

<Development processing conditions> In development processing-1, the following development processing steps and processing solutions were used.

Processing step Processing temperature Processing time Replenishment amount Color development 37.0 ± 0.3 ° C. 120 seconds 200 ml / m ² Bleach-fixing 37.0 ± 0.3 ° C. 60 seconds 200 ml / m ² First stability 30.0 ± 1.0 ° C. 37 seconds − Second stability 30.0 ± 1.0 ° C. 37 seconds − Third stability 30.0 ± 1.0 ° C. 37 seconds 350 ml / m ² Drying 50 to 70 ° C. 37 seconds <Color developer tank Liquid and Replenisher> Tank liquid Replenisher Pure water 800 ml 800 ml Triethylenediamine 2 g 3 g Diethylene glycol 10 g 10 g Potassium bromide 0.01 g-potassium chloride 3.5 g-potassium sulfite 0.25 g 0.5 g N-ethyl-N- (β- Hydroxyethyl) -4-aminoaniline sulfate 2.9 g 4.8 g N, N-disulfoethylhydroxylamine 20.4 g 18.0 g triethano Aluminamine 10.0 g 10.0 g Diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid sodium salt 2.0 g 2.0 g Optical brightener (4,4'-diaminostilbene disulfonic acid derivative) 2.0 g 2.5 g Potassium carbonate 30 g 30 g The pH of the tank solution was adjusted to 10.0, and the pH of the replenisher solution was adjusted to 10.6.

[0153]   (Bleaching fixer tank solution and replenisher)   Diethylenetriamine ferric ammonium acetate dihydrate 65 g   Diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid 3g   Ammonium thiosulfate (70% aqueous solution) 100 ml   2-amino-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole 2.0 g   Ammonium sulfite (40% aqueous solution) 27.5 ml   Add water to bring the total volume to 1 liter and adjust the pH to 7.0 with potassium carbonate or glacial acetic acid. It was adjusted.

[0154]   (Stabilizer tank liquid and replenisher)   o-Phenylphenol 1.0 g   5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one 0.02 g   2-Methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one 0.02 g   Diethylene glycol 1.0g   Optical brightener (Chinopearl SFP) 2.0g   1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid 1.8 g   Zinc sulfate 0.5g   Magnesium sulfate heptahydrate 0.2g   PVP (Polyvinylpyrrolidone) 1.0 g   Ammonia water (25% ammonium hydroxide aqueous solution) 2.5 g   Nitrilotriacetic acid trisodium salt 1.5 g   Add water to bring the total volume to 1 liter, and adjust the pH to 7.5 with sulfuric acid or ammonia water. Arranged

Each of the processing solutions prepared above was put into each processing tank of the automatic developing machine, and the above-mentioned sheet-shaped exposed sample was subjected to the above-mentioned development processing to output an image.

<Development processing-2> In the above-mentioned development processing-1, in place of the diethylenetriamine ferric ammonium pentaacetate dihydrate used in the bleach-fix solution tank solution and the replenisher,
Development Process-2 was carried out in the same manner except that the same amount of ferric ethylenediaminedisuccinate complex salt was used.

<Development Processing-3 and Development Processing-4> Diethylenetriamine ferric ammonium acetate 2 used as the bleach-fix solution tank solution and the replenisher in Development Processing-1 above.
Instead of water salt, the same amount of ferric iron complex complex of methyliminodiacetic acid,
Development processing-3 and development processing-4 were performed in the same manner except that the ferric complex of β-alanine diacetate was changed.

<Development Treatment-5, Development Treatment-6> In the above-mentioned Development Treatment-2, the development treatment-5 in which the stabilizing tank volume was changed from 5 L to 2 L, and the circulating amount of the stabilizing solution was 3 L / min to 1 L.
Development processing-6 was carried out by changing to / min.

<Development Processing-7 to Development Processing-9> The same development processing as in Development Processing-2 to Development Processing-4 except that the pH of the fixing bleaching solution is changed from 7.0 to 4.5. -7 to development processing-9 were performed.

<Development Processing-10 to Development Processing-12> The same development processing as in Development Processing-2 to Development Processing-4 except that the temperature of the stabilizing solution was changed to 30 to 37 ° C.
10 to Development processing-12 was performed.

<Development Processing-13 to Development Processing-15> In the above Development Processing-2 to Development Processing-4, the circulation system of the stabilizing solution is changed to the submerged circulation method, and the third stabilizing tank and the drying section are replaced. In the same manner as above, except that the shower injection with the stable replenisher was changed, development processing-13 to development processing-15 were performed.

Development Processing-1 to Development Processing-15
The characteristics of are listed in Table 2. The abbreviations of bleaching agents in Table 2 represent the following compounds.

BF-1: Diethylenetriamine ferric ammonium ammonium acetate dihydrate BF-2: Ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid ferric iron complex salt BF-3: Methyliminodiacetic acid ferric iron complex salt BF-4: β-alanine diferric acetate Complex Salt << Characteristic Evaluation of Treated Sample >> (Measurement of Color Difference Variation ΔE ₁ of White Background) The color difference of the developed samples prepared in the above-described Development Process-1 to Development Process-15 was measured according to the following method. .

For the color difference measurement, a white background portion (unexposed portion) was measured with a spectrocolorimeter CM-2022 manufactured by Minolta Co., Ltd. using a geometric condition d-0 of illumination and light reception and a xenon pulse light source, and 2 °. L ^* , a ^* , b ^{* at} field of view, auxiliary standard light D50
Value was measured at 10 points and the average value was calculated, and the color difference ΔE ₁ from the undeveloped polyethylene laminated paper reflective support was calculated by the following formula.

ΔE ₁ = (ΔL ^{* 2} + Δa ^{* 2} + Δb ^{* 2} ) ^1/2 Note that ΔL ^* , Δa ^* , and Δb ^* represent the difference between the two conditions.

(Measurement of Color Difference Fluctuation ΔE ₂ at Black 50% Halftone Area) In the same manner as the above-described measurement of color difference variation on a white background, the black 50% halftone area of each sample and the reference black 50% halftone area are measured. Color difference ΔE ₂
Was measured by the same method.

(Measurement of In-Plane Density Variation of 50% Halftone Dotted Area) For a sample whose entire surface was exposed to 50% halftone dot area, cyan density was representatively made by Macbeth Co. at 100 arbitrary points on the sample. Densitometer (X-rite508Gmo
de measurement value), and the standard deviation (σ) of the cyan density value
Was calculated, and this was used as a measure of in-plane concentration variation.

Table 2 shows the results obtained as described above.

[0169]

[Table 2]

As is clear from Table 2, the development processing-2 to the development processing-15 using the bleaching agent according to the present invention are different from the development processing-1, which is a comparison, in the white background portion and the black 50% halftone dot portion. It can be seen that the variation in color difference (ΔE) is small, and the in-plane density variation is small even when processing a large-sized sample. Further, the stabilizing tank volume is set to 3 to 7 L, the stabilizing solution circulation amount is set to 2 to 6 L, the shower method is used as a circulating method, the stabilizing solution temperature is set to 35 ° C. or higher, and bleach-fixing is performed. It was confirmed that the effect was further exhibited by setting the pH of the liquid in the range of 3 to 5.

Example 2 The silver halide light-sensitive material prepared in Example 1 was 550 m
m x 850 mm, 650 mm x 950 mm, 750 mm
The same as Example 1 was cut into three sizes of × 1050 mm.
After exposure by the same method, development processing-1 to development processing-
4. Development processing-13 to development processing-15 were carried out, and Example 1
In the same way as the above, color difference variation ΔE in the white background ₁And ink 50% web
Color difference variation ΔE₂And the in-plane concentration variation σ
The results obtained are shown in Table 3.

[0172]

[Table 3]

As is clear from Table 3, in the comparative example, the fluctuation tends to be small in the sample having a small size area, but the fluctuation increases as the size increases.
On the other hand, development processing using the bleaching agent according to the present invention-
2 to development processing-4 and development processing-13 to development processing-15
It is understood that, even if the size of the silver halide light-sensitive material to be processed is large, the in-plane density variation is suppressed to a low level.

Example 3 The silver halide light-sensitive material described in Example 1 was 650 mm ×
After cutting into a 950 mm sheet and exposing in the same manner, each time the silver halide light-sensitive material was processed under the development processing conditions described in Example 1, while supplementing as described in the above processing conditions, After the silver halide light-sensitive material was subjected to a running treatment for 10 consecutive days at 10 m ² / day, the color difference variation ΔE ₁ in the white background portion and the color difference variation ΔE in the black 50% halftone dot portion were obtained by the method described in Example 1. ₂ and the in-plane concentration variation σ were measured, and as a result, the difference in effect between the comparative example and the present invention was more remarkable than the result of Example 1. That is, it was confirmed that the color difference variation (ΔE) in the white background portion and the black 50% halftone dot portion was smaller than that in the comparative example, and the in-plane density variation was smaller even when processing a large size sample. . Further, the stabilizing tank volume is set to 3 to 7 L, the stabilizing solution circulation amount is set to 2 to 6 L, the shower method is used as a circulating method, the stabilizing solution temperature is set to 35 ° C. or higher, and bleach-fixing is performed. By setting the pH of the liquid in the range of 3 to 5,
It was confirmed that the effect was further exerted.

[0175]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method of processing a silver halide light-sensitive material for forming a color proof image having an area gradation image which is improved in color variation and is excellent in stability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of a development processing unit of an automatic developing machine used in the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 liquid tank 1A color development tank 1B Bleach-fixing tank 1C 1st stabilizing tank 1D 2nd stabilizing tank 1E Third stabilizing tank 2A color development auxiliary tank 2B bleach-fixing auxiliary tank 2C 1st stability auxiliary tank 2D 2nd stability auxiliary tank 2E 3rd Stability Auxiliary Tank 3A Replenishing color developer supply section 3B Replenishing bleach-fixing agent supply section 3E Replenishment stabilizer supply section 4 Photosensitive material transport section 6 Drying section 8 Automatic processor P photosensitive material

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A silver halide light-sensitive material having a silver halide emulsion layer containing a silver halide emulsion having an average silver chloride content of 95 mol% or more on a support is provided in a multi-stage countercurrent stabilization processing tank. In a processing method of performing development processing, bleach-fixing processing and stabilizing processing using an automatic developing machine, the silver halide light-sensitive material is a color proof capable of outputting an area gradation image, and the size of the output material is 600 mm. × 900
A method for processing a silver halide light-sensitive material, wherein the processing solution having a size of at least 1 mm and a processing solution used in at least one step of the processing contains a compound represented by the following general formula (1). [Chemical 1] [In the formula, A ₁ , A ₂ , A ₃ and A ₄ are each —CH ₂ OH, —
It represents PO ₃ (M ₁ ) ₂ or —COOM, which may be the same or different. M and M ₁ each represent a hydrogen atom, an ammonium group, an alkali metal atom or an organic ammonium group. X is an alkylene group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms - represents a _{- (B 1 O) n -B} 2. n represents an integer of 1 to 8, B ₁ and B ₂ may be the same or different and each represents an alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms. ] 2. A silver halide light-sensitive material having a silver halide emulsion layer containing a silver halide emulsion having an average silver chloride content of 95 mol% or more on a support is provided in a multi-stage countercurrent stabilization processing tank. In a processing method of performing development processing, bleach-fixing processing and stabilizing processing using an automatic developing machine, the silver halide light-sensitive material is a color proof capable of outputting an area gradation image, and the size of the output material is 600 mm. × 900
mm or more, and the processing solution used in at least one step of the processing contains a ferric complex salt of an N-alkyl-substituted N-substituted iminodiacetic acid having 1 to 3 carbon atoms. Material processing method. 3. A multi-stage countercurrent stabilization processing tank is used for a silver halide light-sensitive material having a silver halide emulsion layer containing a silver halide emulsion having an average silver chloride content of 95 mol% or more on a support. In a processing method of performing development processing, bleach-fixing processing and stabilizing processing using an automatic developing machine, the silver halide light-sensitive material is a color proof capable of outputting an area gradation image, and the size of the output material is 600 mm. × 900
A method for processing a silver halide light-sensitive material, characterized in that the processing liquid having a size of at least 1 mm is used and the processing liquid used in at least one step of the processing contains a compound represented by the following general formula (2). [Chemical 2] Wherein, X, Y, Z are each -CH ₂ -, - (C
Represents a or -CH0H- - H _{2) 2.} N is 0 or 1
Represents ] 4. A stabilizing liquid circulating liquid used in the stabilizing treatment,
4. A silver halide light-sensitive material according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a stabilizing solution which is not substantially used for processing is directly supplied to the surface of the silver halide light-sensitive material in air. Processing method. 5. The stabilizing solution tank has a processing solution capacity of 3 to 7 L per tank, and a stabilizing solution circulation rate of 2 to 6 L / m.
in any one of Claims 1-3 characterized by the above-mentioned.
5. A method for processing a silver halide light-sensitive material as described in the above item. 6. The bleach-fixing solution used in the bleach-fixing treatment has a pH of 3 or more and 5 or less.
4. The method for processing a silver halide light-sensitive material according to any one of 3 to 3. 7. The method of processing a silver halide photographic material according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the processing solution in the stabilizing processing tank is 35 ° C. or higher.