JP2005300577A - Silver halide emulsion and silver halide photographic sensitive material using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a silver halide emulsion, having high sensitivity, giving high contrast gradation and superior granularity, and to provide a silver halide photographic sensitive material using the same. <P>SOLUTION: In the silver halide emulsion, comprising a dispersion medium and silver halide grains, ≥50% of the total projected area of the silver halide grains satisfies the following (i) to (iii) conditions: (i) hexagonal tabular grains, having (111) plane as the main plane and a shape with a major-to-minor side length ratio of ≤2.0, as seen from a direction perpendicular to the main planes; (ii) the hexagonal tabular grains, as hosts, have epitaxial bonding on at least one of the vertexes of the hexagon; and (iii) when the equivalent spherical diameter of the host grains is represented by D and that of the epitaxial bonding part present on the host grain vertex by d, the grains have the relation 0.030≤d÷D≤0.500. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a novel silver halide emulsion and a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material using the same.

  While silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials (hereinafter also referred to simply as light-sensitive materials) are said to be mature products with a very high degree of perfection, the required performance is high sensitivity, high image quality, little performance fluctuation due to storage conditions, etc. However, the required quality has been increasing in recent years. In particular, in terms of higher sensitivity and higher image quality, further improvements in performance are necessary in order to maintain the superiority of silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials due to recent technological advances in digital cameras.

  On the other hand, in order to achieve higher sensitivity and higher image quality, a technique for improving the sensitivity / grain size ratio per silver halide grain in a silver halide emulsion (hereinafter also simply referred to as an emulsion). Consideration has been ongoing.

  In general, it is known that silver halide grains contained in a silver halide emulsion have various shapes. For example, cubic, octahedral, tetradecahedral normal silver halide grains, tabular silver halide grains having one twin plane or a plurality of parallel twin planes, non-parallel twin planes There are tetrapotted and rod-shaped silver halide grains. Among these, tabular silver halide grains (hereinafter also simply referred to as tabular grains) are considered to have the following advantages as photographic characteristics.

  1. Since the ratio of the surface area to the particle volume (hereinafter also referred to as specific surface area) is large and a large amount of sensitizing dye can be adsorbed on the surface, the color sensitization sensitivity is relatively high with respect to the intrinsic sensitivity.

  2. When a silver halide emulsion containing tabular grains is applied and dried, the tabular grains are arranged in parallel to the support surface, so that the coating layer can be made thinner, resulting in the sharpness of the photosensitive material. Improvements can be made.

  3. Light scattering by silver halide grains is small, and an image with high resolution can be obtained.

  4). Since the sensitivity (inherent sensitivity) to blue light is low, the yellow filter density can be reduced or eliminated from the structure of the photosensitive material when used in the green photosensitive layer or the red photosensitive layer.

  5). When the same sensitivity as that of general grains is achieved, the amount of coated silver can be reduced due to the characteristics of the grain shape. As a result, the sensitivity / granularity ratio and natural radiation resistance are excellent.

  Examples of conventional techniques related to tabular grains include, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,434,226, 4,439,520, 4,414,310, 4,433,048, 4,414,306, 4,459,353, JP-B-4-36374, 5-15015, 6-44132, JP-A-6-43605, 6-43606, No. 6-214331, No. 6-222488, No. 6-230493, No. 6-258745, etc. disclose their production methods and techniques for use.

  As a method for sensitizing a tabular grain, there is a method using an epitaxial junction known in the art. As applications to high aspect ratio tabular emulsions, JP-A Nos. 8-69069, 8-101472, 8-101474, 8-101475, 8-1711162, 8-171163, 8-101473, 8-101 101476, 9-211763, U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,612,176, 5,614,359, 5,629,144, 5,631,126, 5,691 127, and 5,726,007. Furthermore, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for forming a large-size epitaxial layer at the apex of hexagonal tabular grains. However, it is still not sufficient for effective latent image formation.

The reason for this is that if the epitaxial size is increased, the latent image formation efficiency may be deteriorated, which may impair the advantages of tabular grains, and the epitaxial size formed at the apex may be hosted. It was discovered that by controlling the tabular grain size to an optimum ratio, the latent image formation efficiency can be further improved, and both the sensitivity and graininess are improved.
JP 2003-302718 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a silver halide emulsion capable of obtaining a high sensitivity, a high gradation, and excellent in graininess, and a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material using the same.

  The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following configurations.

(Claim 1)
In a silver halide emulsion containing a dispersion medium and silver halide grains, 50% or more of the total projected area of the silver halide grains contained in the silver halide emulsion satisfies the following conditions (i) to (iii): A silver halide emulsion characterized by
(I) Hexagonal tabular grains having a [111] plane as a main plane and a ratio of the maximum side length to the minimum side length as viewed from the direction perpendicular to the main plane is 2.0 or less (ii) It has hexagonal tabular grains as a host and has an epitaxial junction at at least one of the hexagonal apex parts. (Iii) The spherical equivalent particle diameter of the host grains is D, and the spherical equivalent grain diameter of the epitaxial junctions at the host grain apexes. d
0.030 ≦ d ÷ D ≦ 0.500
(Claim 2)
2. The silver halide emulsion according to claim 1, wherein 0.030 ≦ d ÷ D ≦ 0.180 in (iii).

(Claim 3)
In a silver halide emulsion containing a dispersion medium and silver halide grains, 50% or more of the total projected area of the silver halide grains contained in the silver halide emulsion satisfies the following conditions (i) to (iii): A silver halide emulsion characterized by
(I) Hexagonal tabular grains having a [111] plane as a main plane and a ratio of the maximum side length to the minimum side length as viewed from the direction perpendicular to the main plane is 2.0 or less (ii) Hexagonal tabular grain as a host, and at least one of the hexagonal apex parts has an epitaxial junction (iii) The host grain has a spherical equivalent particle diameter of D, an aspect ratio of A, and an epitaxial junction at the apex of the host grain Where d is the spherical equivalent particle diameter of
0.100 ÷ A ^1/2 ≦ d ÷ D ≦ 0.965 ÷ A ^1/2
(Claim 4)
A silver halide emulsion comprising a dispersion medium and silver halide grains, wherein the silver halide grains contained in the silver halide emulsion satisfy the following conditions (i) to (iii): .
(I) Hexagonal flat plate in which 50% or more of the total projected area has the [111] plane as the main plane, and the ratio of the maximum side length to the minimum side length when the shape is viewed from the direction perpendicular to the main plane is 2.0 or less (Ii) 50% or more of the total projected area having the hexagonal tabular grain as a host and having an epitaxial junction at at least one of the apex portions of the hexagon (iii) the average spherical equivalent particle size of the host grain Dave, the average spherical equivalent particle diameter of the epitaxial junction at the top of the host particle is dAve, and the ratio of the silver amount used for epitaxial formation to the silver amount of the host particle is M (%),
M ≧ 1,
0.900 × (M ÷ 100) ^1/3 −0.170 ≦ dAve ÷ DAve
≦ 0.900 × (M ÷ 100) ^1/3
Have a relationship.

(Claim 5)
A halogen having a silver halide emulsion layer on a support, wherein at least one of the silver halide emulsion layers contains the silver halide emulsion according to any one of claims 1 to 4. Silver halide photographic material.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a silver halide emulsion and a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material that are capable of obtaining a high-sensitivity, high-contrast gradation and having excellent graininess.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

  The silver halide grains in the present invention are composed of tabular silver halide host grains (hereinafter also referred to as tabular host grains) and silver halide crystals (hereinafter referred to as epitaxial) bonded to the host grains.

  The tabular grains in the present invention are classified as twins crystallographically. A twin is a crystal having one or more twin planes in one grain, and the classification of the form of twins in silver halide grains is described in a report by Klein and Moiser, “Photographie Korrespondenz”, Vol. 99, p. 99. , Vol. 100, p. 57. The tabular grains in the present invention preferably have two or more twin planes parallel to each other in the grains. These twin planes exist almost in parallel with the plane having the largest area among the planes forming the surface of the tabular grains ([111] plane, which is called the main plane). A particularly preferred form in the present invention is a case having two twin planes parallel to the main plane, and has a hexagonal shape (hereinafter referred to as hexagonal tabular grains or hexagonal tabular grains) when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the main plane.

  The hexagonal tabular grain in the present invention is a replica sample using a sample coated with silver halide grains so that the main plane is oriented parallel to the substrate, and the ratio of the maximum side length to the minimum side length is 2.0. It means the following hexagonal tabular grains, preferably 1.0 to 1.5, and more preferably 1.0 to 1.1. When the hexagonal apex is rounded, the intersection of extending adjacent sides is measured as the apex.

  The silver halide grains having 0 to 1 twin planes and two or more twin planes that are not parallel to each other, as described in the report by Klein and Moiser, are regular hexahedrons, regular octahedrons, triangular pyramids, rods, And an indefinite shape. Since these grains are not tabular grains having a high aspect ratio, they not only have a small effect of improving photographic properties, but also cause fogging in the chemical sensitization step, so it is preferable to reduce them as much as possible.

  In the present invention, the abundance ratio (number%) of silver halide grains having 0 to 1 twin planes and two or more twin planes not parallel to each other is preferably less than 10%, more preferably less than 3%. Most preferably it is less than 1%.

  The grains of the present invention have the above-described hexagonal tabular grains as a host and have an epitaxial junction at at least one of the hexagonal apex portions, preferably three or more, and more preferably have all six apexes. Most preferably, there is no epitaxial junction at a site other than the apex. Here, the apex portion means a portion in a circle having a radius of 1/3 of the length of the shorter side of the two sides adjacent to the apex when the tabular grain is viewed in the vertical direction from the main surface. Even in the case of a rounded circular shape, when a straight side can be identified, the length of each side of a hexagon formed by extending each side is used. In addition, the vertex can be identified as the point with the largest curvature.

  The position and occupied area of the epitaxial arrangement are preferably uniform among the grains. The positions are more preferably uniformly arranged at corners of 80% or more, and more preferably uniformly arranged at corners of 90% or more. The interparticle variation coefficient of the occupied area of the pitch arrangement is preferably 40% or less, more preferably 30% or less, still more preferably 20% or less, and most preferably 10% or less.

  As one of the most preferable embodiments in the case of using a silver halide emulsion containing silver halide grains having silver halide protrusions on the surface of the grains, the epitaxially arranged silver halide protrusions are formed at the corners of the host grains or at the corners thereof. It is preferably formed in a limited position in the vicinity, and a known method can be applied as a method for achieving this. In US Pat. No. 4,435,501, a method of adsorbing spectral sensitizing dyes and aminoazaindenes as a site director is disclosed and can be preferably applied to the present invention.

  In the particles of the present invention, the ratio of the hexagonal tabular grains serving as the host is D in the sphere equivalent particle diameter of the host grains, and d is the equivalent sphere equivalent grain diameter at the top of the host grain. ÷ D is 0.030 or more and 0.500 or less. Here, a maximum of 12 vertex epitaxials exist for one host hexagonal tabular grain. This is because there are cases in which two epitaxial points exist for two main planes above and below one vertex. All vertex epitaxials existing in one host particle have a ratio d ÷ D with the host particle sphere equivalent diameter of 0.030 or more and 0.500 or less. Preferably they are 0.030 or more and 0.180 or less, More preferably, they are 0.070 or more and 0.140 or less.

  The ratio of the hexagonal tabular grains contained in the silver halide emulsion of the present invention is 50% or more of the total projected area of the silver halide, preferably 70% or more, more preferably 90% or more. 50% or more of the total projected area means that 1,000 or more particles are measured indiscriminately.

In the grains of the present invention, it is preferable that the silver used for epitaxial formation contributes efficiently to the epitaxial formation, and the ratio of the silver amount used for epitaxial formation to the silver amount of the host grain is M ( %), The ratio dAve ÷ DAve between the average sphere equivalent particle diameter of the host particles and the average sphere equivalent particle diameter of the epitaxial is
0.900 × (M ÷ 100) ^1/3 −0.170 ≦ dAve ÷ DAve
≦ 0.900 × (M ÷ 100) ^1/3
Is preferred. The silver amount ratio M is preferably 1% or more, more preferably 1% to 15%, and still more preferably 2% to 10%.

  In the particles of the present invention, in order to prevent dispersion of the latent image, it is preferable to adjust the ratio of host particle to epitaxial particle size ratio d / D with respect to the aspect ratio of the host particles.

  The sphere equivalent particle diameter D of the silver halide grains is obtained by the following formula by obtaining the circle equivalent diameter and grain thickness of the main plane for each silver halide grain by the following method.

V (host tabular grain volume) = π × (circle equivalent diameter ÷ 2) ² × grain thickness D = 2 × (4 ÷ (3 × π)) ^1/3
The aspect ratio A is obtained by the following equation.

A = Equivalent circle diameter / particle thickness In the present invention, the equivalent circle diameter is rounded to 3 significant digits and the minimum digit is rounded off. The circle-equivalent diameter here is a diameter when a projected image when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the main plane of the tabular grain is converted into a circular image of the same area. The equivalent circle diameter can be obtained by photographing a silver halide grain with an electron microscope at a magnification of 5,000 to 70,000 and measuring the grain diameter on the print or the projected area.

  In the present invention, the projected area and thickness of individual grains for calculating the equivalent circle diameter and aspect ratio of silver halide grains can be determined by the following method.

  A sample is prepared by applying a latex ball with a known particle size as an internal standard on a support and silver halide grains so that the main plane is oriented parallel to the substrate, and shadowing the grains by carbon deposition from a certain angle. After performing the above, a replica sample is prepared by a normal replica method. An electron micrograph of the sample is taken, and the projected area and thickness of each particle are obtained using an image processing apparatus or the like. In this case, the projected area of the particle can be calculated from the projected area of the internal standard, and the thickness of the particle can be calculated from the length of the internal standard and the shadow of the particle.

  In the present invention, the equivalent spherical diameter d of the apex epitaxial portion can be estimated by taking a transmission electron micrograph by the replica method. That is, first, the diameter when the projected image of the apex epitaxial portion when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the main plane of the tabular grain is converted into a circular image of the same area is obtained. Next, the height of the epitaxial portion can be calculated from the length of the shadow of the vertex epitaxial portion. The host particle sphere equivalent diameter D is similarly calculated from the obtained value.

v (vertical epitaxial part volume) = π × (circle equivalent diameter ÷ 2) ² × epitaxial part height d = 2 × (4 ÷ (3 × π)) ^1/3
In the silver halide grains of the present invention, the area of one apex epitaxial portion when viewed from the main plane direction preferably occupies 1% to 15% of the projected area of the grains.

In the present invention, when the aspect ratio is A, the d ÷ D is
0.100 ÷ A ^1/2 ≦ d ÷ D ≦ 0.965 ÷ A ^1/2
It is preferable that it exists in the range. Here, it is preferable that all epitaxials at the vertices of one host tabular grain satisfy the relationship of the above formula.

  At that time, the aspect ratio A is preferably 8 or more, more preferably 10 or more, still more preferably 15 or more, and most preferably 20 or more.

  As a means for controlling d ÷ D, a method of simply increasing or decreasing the amount of silver used for epitaxial formation, a method of increasing or decreasing the coverage of dyes and / or other site directors added during epitaxial formation, the surface of host particles There are a method of controlling the adsorption strength of the dye by controlling silver iodide content, host grain pAg control, cation addition, and the like, and a method of localizing an epitaxial formation site by adding silver halide fine particles. In particular, when it is not desired to increase or decrease the amount of silver used or the amount of dye used in the epitaxial formation, it is possible to control the d ÷ D by controlling the pAg of the host grains, controlling the dye adsorption intensity by adding cations, or adding the silver halide fine particles. preferable. Also, the higher the aspect ratio of the host tabular grains, the more the uniformity of the epitaxial shape is impaired, and the control of d ÷ D becomes more difficult. It is important to increase the shape uniformity and particle size uniformity of the host particles.

  In the present invention, the equivalent-circle diameter of the tabular grains is preferably 0.6 μm or more, more preferably 1.0 μm or more, and most preferably 3.0 μm or more and 6.0 μm or less.

  In the present invention, the variation coefficient of the equivalent-circle diameter of the tabular grains is preferably 30% or less, more preferably 25% or less, further preferably 20% or less, and most preferably 10% or less. preferable.

  The thickness of the tabular grain in the present invention is preferably 0.25 μm or less, more preferably 0.20 μm or less, and particularly preferably 0.02 to 0.16 μm.

  In the present invention, the variation coefficient of the equivalent circle diameter is preferably 30% or less, more preferably 20% or less, and most preferably 10% or less.

  Further, the variation coefficient of the thickness of the tabular grain in the present invention is preferably 40% or less, more preferably 30% or less, further preferably 20% or less, and more preferably 10% or less. Most preferred.

  In general, the coefficient of variation is a value defined by the following equation.

Coefficient of variation (%) = (standard deviation / average value) × 100
That is, the variation coefficient of the equivalent circle diameter and the variation coefficient of the thickness of the tabular grain are defined by the following equations.

Coefficient of variation of equivalent circle diameter (%) = (standard deviation of equivalent circle diameter / average equivalent circle diameter) × 100
Coefficient of variation of thickness (%) = (standard deviation of thickness / average thickness) × 100
In the present invention, the abundance ratio (number%) of rod-like grains contained in the silver halide emulsion is preferably 0.5% or less.

  The average equivalent circle diameter is the arithmetic average of the equivalent circle diameter. The average thickness of the tabular grains is also an arithmetic average. The number of measured particles is indiscriminately 1,000 or more.

  The rod-like grains not only cause fogging in the chemical sensitization process as well as other grains having 0 to 1 twin planes and two or more twin planes not parallel to each other, but also in the emulsion coating process. Since the filter used for the purpose of removing the foreign matter may be clogged, it is preferable that the filter is as small as possible.

  In the present invention, the average distance between two or more twin planes parallel to the main plane is preferably 1 nm or more and 30 nm or less, more preferably 1 nm or more and 20 nm or less, and particularly preferably 1 nm or more and 12 nm or less.

  In the present invention, the inter-grain distance distribution of the twin plane distance is preferably 40% or less, and more preferably 30% or less. The twin plane can be observed with a transmission electron microscope. The specific method is as follows.

  First, a sample is prepared by coating a silver halide emulsion so that the tabular grains contained are oriented substantially parallel to the main plane on the support. This is cut using a diamond cutter to obtain a thin slice having a thickness of about 0.1 μm. The existence of twin planes can be confirmed by observing the thin slice with a transmission electron microscope. In the present invention, the average distance between two or more twin planes parallel to the main plane indicates a cross section cut substantially perpendicular to the main plane in the observation of a thin section using the transmission electron microscope. It can be obtained by arbitrarily selecting 100 or more tabular grains, obtaining the distance between twin planes, and averaging them.

  In the present invention, the distance between twin planes is a combination of factors affecting the supersaturation state during nucleation, such as gelatin concentration, temperature, iodine ion concentration, pBr, ion supply speed, stirring rotation speed, gelatin type, and the like. It is possible to control by selecting appropriately in. In general, the distance between twin planes can be reduced as nucleation is performed in a highly supersaturated state. Details regarding the supersaturation factor can be referred to, for example, descriptions in JP-A Nos. 63-92942 and 1-213637.

  The average silver iodide content of the silver halide grains contained in the silver halide emulsion according to the present invention is preferably 0.1 to 40 mol%, more preferably 0.3 to 30 mol%, More preferably, it is 0.5-20 mol%. In order to satisfy main photographic performance such as sensitivity and developability, the content is particularly preferably 2 to 8 mol%.

  The silver iodide content of the silver halide grains is determined by the EPMA method (Electron Probe Micro Analyzer method). Specifically, a sample in which silver halide grains are well dispersed so as not to contact each other is prepared, and irradiated with an electron beam while being cooled to −100 ° C. or lower with liquid nitrogen, and emitted from individual silver halide grains. By obtaining the characteristic X-ray intensity of silver and iodine, the silver iodide content of the individual silver halide grains can be determined.

  By the above method, the silver iodide content of the silver halide grains obtained for each silver halide grain is obtained for 100 or more silver halide grains, and the average is obtained as the average silver iodide content.

  The tabular grains in the present invention preferably have a plurality of silver halide phases having different silver iodide contents inside the grains. It is also preferable that the core-shell type silver halide grains have a high or low silver iodide content in the silver halide phase outside the grain interior relative to the silver iodide content in the grain interior. The number of silver halide phases having different silver iodide contents in the grain is arbitrary, but it is preferably 3 or more, more preferably 4 or more, and more preferably 5 or more. preferable.

  In the present invention, the average silver iodide content in the outermost layer of the main plane part of the silver halide grains described in JP-A-11-153841 is preferably 8 mol% or more, more preferably 10 mol% or more, and 12 mol. % Or more is more preferable. Further, the average silver iodide content of the outermost surface of the side part is preferably 8 mol% or less, more preferably 5 mol% or less, still more preferably 3 mol% or less.

  In the present invention, the surface silver iodide content of the silver halide grains means the silver iodide content in the silver halide phase including the surface of the silver halide grains and having a depth of 5 nm from the surface of the silver halide grains.

  The average silver iodide content (mol%) of the outermost layer of silver halide grains is determined by the following method.

The surface silver iodide content of the silver halide grains is determined by the XPS method (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) as follows. That is, the sample was cooled to −110 ° C. or less in an ultrahigh vacuum of 1.333 × 10 ⁻⁶ Pa or less, and MgKα was irradiated as an X-ray for probe with an X-ray source voltage of 15 kV and an X-ray source current of 40 mA. 2, Br3d, I3d3 / 2 electrons are measured. The integrated intensity of the measured peak is corrected with a sensitivity factor, and the halide composition of the outermost layer is determined from these intensity ratios.

  The XPS method is conventionally disclosed in JP-A-2-24188 as a method for determining the silver iodide content on the surface of silver halide grains. However, when the measurement was performed at room temperature, the exact silver iodide content of the outermost layer could not be obtained because the sample accompanying the X-ray irradiation was destroyed. We have succeeded in accurately determining the silver iodide content of the outermost layer by cooling the sample to a temperature at which destruction does not occur. As a result, in particular for particles such as core / shell particles having different surface and internal compositions, and particles having a high and low iodine layer localized on the outermost surface, the measured value at room temperature is X-ray. It was found that the true composition differs greatly due to silver halide decomposition and halide (especially iodine) diffusion upon irradiation.

  Specifically, the XPS method used here is as follows.

  A 0.05% by mass aqueous solution of proteolytic enzyme (pronase) was added to the emulsion and stirred at 45 ° C. for 30 minutes to decompose gelatin. This is centrifuged to settle the emulsion grains and the supernatant is removed. Next, distilled water is added to disperse the emulsion grains in distilled water, and the supernatant is removed by centrifugation. The emulsion grains are re-dispersed in water and thinly coated on a mirror-polished silicon wafer to obtain a measurement sample. Using the sample thus prepared, surface iodine measurement was performed by XPS. In order to prevent destruction of the sample due to X-ray irradiation, the sample is cooled to −110 to −120 ° C. in the XPS measurement chamber.

  As a probe X-ray, MgKα was irradiated at an X-ray source voltage of 15 kV and an X-ray source current of 40 mA, and measurement was performed on Ag3d5 / 2, Br3d, and I3d3 / 2 electrons. The integrated intensity of the measured peak is corrected with a sensitivity factor, and the halide composition of the outermost layer is determined from these intensity ratios.

  The average silver iodide content of the outermost surface layer of the main plane part in the present invention is determined using the XPS method after coating so that the main planes of the tabular grains are oriented in parallel to the silicon wafer. When coating the emulsion grains on a silicon wafer, the grains are prevented from agglomerating or overlapping. A dispersion aid may be used to prevent particle aggregation. The produced measurement sample is preferably confirmed using an optical microscope or SEM.

  The silver halide emulsion of the present invention contains a dispersion medium and tabular grains. Here, the dispersion medium is a compound having a protective colloid property against silver halide grains, and it is preferably present in the emulsion production process from the nucleation process to the grain growth process. Examples of the dispersion medium that can be preferably used in the present invention include gelatin and hydrophilic colloid. Examples of gelatin include alkali-treated gelatin, acid-treated gelatin having a molecular weight of about 100,000, oxidized gelatin, Bull. Soc. Sci. Photo. Japan. No. 16. An enzyme-treated gelatin as described in P30 (1966) can be preferably used. Examples of hydrophilic colloids include gelatin derivatives, graft polymers of gelatin and other polymers, proteins such as albumin and casein; cellulose derivatives such as hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose and cellulose sulfates, sodium alginate, starch derivatives Sugar derivatives such as: polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol partial acetal, poly-N-vinyl pyrrolidone, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, polyvinyl imidazole, various kinds such as copolymers such as polyvinyl virazole The synthetic hydrophilic polymer substance can be used.

  In the production process of the silver halide emulsion of the present invention, gelatin having a methionine content of 20 μmol or less per gram of gelatin or a gelatin having a methionine content of 20 μmol or less and an average molecular weight of 40,000 or less per gram of gelatin is dispersed. It is preferable to use it as a medium. Here, the methionine content is more preferably 10 μmol / g or less, still more preferably 5 μmol / g or less, and most preferably 0 to 3 μmol / g. The average molecular weight of gelatin is more preferably 30,000 or less, and even more preferably 10,000 to 20,000. These gelatins may be added in any process, but are preferably contained during nucleation.

  The tabular grains in the present invention preferably have dislocation lines. The form of dislocation lines can be selected as appropriate. For example, it is possible to select dislocation lines that exist linearly with respect to a specific direction of the crystal orientation of the grains, or curved dislocation lines. Furthermore, it exists throughout the entire particle, or exists only in a specific part of the particle, for example, a form in which dislocation lines exist only in the fringe part (outer peripheral part) of the particle, or dislocations only in the main plane. It is also possible to select from a form in which lines are present or a form in which dislocation lines are concentrated near the apex. The tabular grains in the present invention preferably have dislocation lines at least in the fringe part of the grains, and more preferably have dislocation lines in the fringe part and the main plane part. The tabular grains in the present invention preferably have 10 or more dislocation lines in the fringe part, and more preferably 20 or more.

  The dislocation lines possessed by silver halide grains are described in, for example, F. Hamilton, Photo. Sci. Eng. 11 (1967) 57, and T.W. Shiozawa, J. et al. Soc. Photo. Sci. It can be observed by a direct method using a transmission electron microscope at a low temperature described in Japan 35 (1972) 213. In other words, silver halide grains taken out carefully so as not to apply pressure to the grains from the emulsion are placed on an electron microscope mesh to prevent damage (printout, etc.) due to electron beams. Observation is performed by the transmission method with the sample cooled. At this time, the thicker the particle, the more difficult it is to transmit the electron beam. Therefore, it is possible to observe more clearly using a high acceleration voltage electron microscope. From the particle photograph obtained by such a method, the number and position of dislocation lines in each particle can be known.

  In the silver halide emulsion of the present invention, the silver halide grains corresponding to 50% or more of the total projected area of the silver halide grains preferably have 10 or more dislocation lines in the fringe portion, and preferably 70% or more. More preferred.

  In this invention, having a dislocation line in a fringe part means that a dislocation line exists in the vicinity of an outer peripheral part of a tabular grain, a ridge line, or a vertex. Specifically, the fringe part is a line segment that observes a tabular grain perpendicular to the main plane and connects the center of the main plane of the tabular grain (the center of gravity when the main plane is regarded as a two-dimensional figure) and the apex. When the length of L is L, the area outside the figure connecting the points whose distance from the center is 0.50 L with respect to each vertex is indicated.

  As a method for introducing dislocation lines into silver halide grains, for example, a method of adding an aqueous solution containing iodine ions such as potassium iodide and a water-soluble silver salt solution by a double jet, or a method of adding silver iodide fine particles The origin of dislocation lines at a desired position using a known method such as a method of adding only a solution containing iodine ions, a method using an iodide ion releasing agent as described in JP-A-6-11781 Dislocations can be formed. Among these methods, a method of adding an aqueous solution containing iodine ions and a water-soluble silver salt solution by a double jet, a method of adding silver iodide fine particles, and a method of using an iodine ion releasing agent are preferable. The method of adding is more preferable.

  When introducing dislocation lines into silver halide grains by a method of adding silver iodide fine grains, the average grain diameter of the silver iodide fine grains is preferably 0.08 μm or less, more preferably 0.05 μm or less, and More preferably, it is 03 μm or less. The variation coefficient of the particle diameter of the silver iodide fine particles is preferably 40% or less, and more preferably 30% or less. It is more preferably 20% or less, and most preferably 10% or less.

  An example of preferable reaction conditions when dislocation lines are introduced into the silver halide emulsion of the present invention by a fine grain emulsion containing silver iodide is shown below.

  The temperature at which the fine grain emulsion containing silver iodide is added is preferably 80 ° C. to 30 ° C., more preferably 70 ° C. to 40 ° C. The amount of the fine grain emulsion containing silver iodide to be added is preferably 1 to 5 mol% based on the total silver halide amount after the completion of grain growth in terms of silver iodide amount.

  The iodine ion releasing agent referred to in the present invention is a compound that releases iodine ions by reaction with a base or a nucleophilic reagent represented by the following general formula (1).

General formula (1)
R-I
In the general formula (1), R represents a monovalent organic group. R is, for example, an alkyl group, alkenyl group, alkynyl group, aryl group, aralkyl group, heterocyclic group, acyl group, carbamoyl group, alkyloxycarbonyl group, aryloxycarbonyl group, alkylsulfonyl group, arylsulfonyl group, sulfamoyl group. It is preferable that R is preferably an organic group having 30 or less carbon atoms, more preferably 20 or less, and still more preferably 10 or less.

  R preferably has a substituent, and the substituent may be further substituted with another substituent. Preferred examples of the substituent include halide, alkyl group, alkenyl group, alkynyl group, aryl group, aralkyl group, heterocyclic group, acyl group, acyloxy group, carbamoyl group, alkyloxycarbonyl group, aryloxycarbonyl group, alkylsulfonyl group, Arylsulfonyl group, sulfamoyl group, alkoxy group, aryloxy group, amino group, acylamino group, ureido group, urethane group, sulfonylamino group, sulfinyl group, phosphoric acid amide group, alkylthio group, arylthio group, cyano group, sulfo group, A carboxyl group, a hydroxy group, a nitro group, etc. are mentioned.

  As the iodine ion releasing agent represented by the general formula (1), iodoalkanes, iodoalcohol, iodocarboxylic acid, iodoamide and derivatives thereof are preferable, and iodoamide, iodoalcohol and derivatives thereof are more preferable. More preferred are iodoamides substituted with, and the most preferred example is (iodoacetamido) benzenesulfonate.

  Specific examples of iodine ion releasing agents that can be preferably used in the present invention are shown below.

  In the present invention, when an iodine ion releasing agent and a nucleophilic reagent are reacted to release iodine ions, examples of the nucleophilic reagent include hydroxide ions, sulfite ions, thiosulfate ions, sulfinates, and carboxylates. , Ammonia, amines, alcohols, ureas, thioureas, phenols, hydrazines, sulfides, hydroxamic acids, etc., hydroxide ions, sulfite ions, thiosulfate ions, sulfinates, Carboxylic acid salts, ammonia and amines are preferred, and hydroxide ions and sulfite ions are more preferred.

  An example of preferable reaction conditions when introducing dislocation lines into the silver halide emulsion of the present invention with an iodine ion releasing agent is shown below.

  The reaction temperature is preferably 80 ° C to 30 ° C, and more preferably 70 ° C to 40 ° C. The pAg immediately before dislocation line introduction is preferably 7.0 or more and 10.0 or less, and more preferably 7.5 or more and 9.5 or less. The amount of iodine ion releasing agent to be added is preferably 1 to 5 mol% with respect to the total silver halide amount after the completion of grain growth. The pH during the iodine ion releasing reaction is preferably 7.0 or more and 11.0 or less, and more preferably 8.0 or more and 10.0 or less. When a nucleophilic agent other than hydroxide ions is used, the amount of the nucleophilic agent is preferably 0.25 to 2.0 times the amount of the iodine ion releasing agent. It is more preferable that it is not less than 1.5 times and not more than 1.5 times, and preferably not less than 0.8 times and not more than 1.2 times.

  The silver halide emulsion of the present invention preferably contains at least one of a polyvalent metal atom ion, a polyvalent metal atom complex or a polyvalent metal atom complex ion inside or on the surface of the silver halide grain.

  Examples of the polyvalent metal atom ions, polyvalent metal atom complexes or polyvalent metal atom complex ions include Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Mg, Al, Ca, and Sc. Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Se, Sr, Y, Mo, Zr, Nb, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Ba, La, W, Au, Hg, Tl , Pb, Bi, Ce and U, etc., metal atoms, ions, complexes thereof and salts (including complex salts) from the 3rd to 7th periods (most commonly 4th to 6th periods) of the periodic table of elements ), And at least one selected from compounds containing these can be used, but it is preferable to select from a single salt or a metal complex.

  When selecting from a metal complex, a 6-coordinate complex, a 5-coordinate complex, a 4-coordinate complex, and a 2-coordinate complex are preferable, and an octahedral 6-coordinate complex and a planar 4-coordinate complex are more preferable.

As the ligand constituting the complex, CN ⁻ , CO, NO ₂ ⁻ , 1,10-phenanthroline, 2,2′-bipyridine, SO ₃ ⁻ , ethylenediamine, NH ₃ , pyridine, H ₂ O, NCS ⁻ , NCO ⁻ , O ₃ , SO ₄ ²⁻ , OH ⁻ , N ₃ ⁻ , S ²⁻ , F ⁻ , Cl ⁻ , Br ⁻ , I ^{− and the} like can be used.

  The following known techniques can be applied to incorporate a polyvalent metal into the silver halide emulsion used in the present invention.

  For example, B.I. H. Carroll, “Iridium Sensitization, A Literal Review”, Photographic Science and Engineering, Vol. 24, No. 6, November / December 1980, pages 265-267, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,951,933, 2 No. 3,628,167, No. 3,687,676, No. 3,761,267, No. 3,890,154, No. 3,901,711, No. 3,901,713. 4,173,483, 4,269,927, 4,413,055, 4,477,561, 4,581,327, 4, No. 643,965, No. 4,806,462, No. 4,828,962, No. 4,835,093, No. 4, No. 02,611, No. 4,981,780, No. 4,997,751, No. 5,057,402, No. 5,134,060, No. 5,153,110, 5,164,292, 5,166,044, 5,204,234, 5,166,045, 5,229,263, 5,252 No. 5,451, No. 5,252,530, EPO No. 0244184, No. 0488737, No. 0488601, No. 0368304, No. 0405938, No. 0509674, No. 0563946, WO No. The technique described in 93/02390 or the like can be applied. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,847,191, 4,933,272, 4,981,781, 5,037,732, 937,180, 4,945,035, No. 5,112,732, EPO No. 0509674, No. 0513738, WO 91/10166, No. 92/16876, German Patent No. 298,320, US Pat. No. 5,360,712 The techniques described in US Pat. No. 5,024,931 can be applied.

  Also, Research Disclosure, Vol. 367, November 1994, Item 36736, provides an easy-to-understand description of criteria for selecting shallow electron trap dopants. In the present invention, it is preferable to use a hexacoordinate complex ion as shown below among at least one selected from the group consisting of a polyvalent metal atom, its ion and its complex, and its ion.

[ML ₆ ] ⁿ
Where M is a full frontier orbital polyvalent metal ion, preferably Fe ²⁺ , Ru ²⁺ , Os ²⁺ , Co ³⁺ , Rh ³⁺ , Ir ³⁺ , Pd ⁴⁺ or Pt ⁴⁺ , L ₆ represents a hexacoordinated complex ligand that can be independently selected, provided that at least 4 of the ligands are anionic ligands, and at least 1 of the ligands (preferably at least 3 and optimally at least 4). ) Is more electronegative than any halide ligand and n represents 2-, 3- or 4-. Specific examples of hexacoordinate complex ions that can provide a shallow electron trap are shown below.

SET-1 [Fe (CN) ₆ ] ^4-
SET-2 [Ru (CN) ₆ ] ^4-
SET-3 [Os (CN) ₆ ] ^4-
SET-4 [Rh (CN) ₆ ] ^3-
SET-5 [Ir (CN) ₆ ] ^3-
SET-6 [Fe (pyrazine) (CN) ₅ ] ^4-
SET-7 [RuCl (CN) ₅ ] ^4-
SET-8 [OsBr (CN) ₅ ] ^4-
SET-9 [RhF (CN) ₅ ] ^3-
SET-10 [ ^{IrBr (CN)} ₅ ] ^3-
SET-11 [FeCO (CN) ₅ ] ^3-
SET-12 [RuF ₂ (CN) ₄ ] ^4-
SET-13 [OsCl ₂ (CN) ₄ ] ^4-
SET-14 [RhI ₂ (CN) ₄ ] ^3-
SET-15 [IrBr ₂ (CN) ₄ ] ^3-
SET-16 [Ru (CN) ₅ (OCN)] ^4-
SET-17 [Ru (CN) ₅ (N3)] ^4-
SET-18 [Os (CN) ₅ (SCN)] ^4-
SET-19 [Rh (CN) ₅ (SeCN)] ^3-
SET-20 [Ir (CN) ₅ (HOH)] ^2-
SET-21 [Fe (CN) ₃ Cl ₃ ] ^3-
SET-22 [Ru (CO) ₂ (CN) ₄ ] ^3-
SET-23 [Os (CN) Cl ₅ ] ^4-
SET-24 [Co (CN) ₆ ] ^3-
SET-25 [Ir (CN) ₄ (oxalate)] ^3-
SET-26 [In (NCS) ₆ ] ^3-
SET-27 [Ga (NCS) ₆ ] ^3-
In the present invention, when an Ir compound is used, preferred compound examples include K ₂ IrCl ₆ , K ₃ IrCl ₆ , K ₂ IrBr _{6 and the} like.

Specific examples of other polyvalent metal compounds preferably used in the present invention include InCl ₃ , K ₄ Fe (CN) ₆ , K ₃ Fe (CN) ₆ , K ₄ Ru (CN) ₆ , Pb (NO _{3). 2} ) and hydrates thereof.

  In the present invention, at least one selected from the group consisting of a polyvalent metal atom, its ion and its complex is used. Ir, Ru, Os, Fe, Rh, Co, In, Ga, Ge, Pd or Pt And the like, and their ions and complexes thereof are particularly preferably used.

  In the present invention, in order for silver halide emulsion to contain at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvalent metal atoms, ions and complexes thereof, and ions, doping is performed during physical ripening of silver halide grains. Alternatively, doping may be performed during the formation process of the silver halide grains (generally during the addition of the water-soluble silver salt and the water-soluble alkali halide), or doping is performed while the silver halide grain formation is temporarily stopped. And then further particle formation may be continued. Further, doping may be performed after the formation of silver halide grains, and at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvalent metal atoms, ions and complexes thereof, and ions may be introduced on the surface of the silver halide grains. Introduction of at least one selected from the group consisting of a polyvalent metal atom, its ion and its complex, and its ion is nucleation and physical ripening in the presence of the polyvalent metal atom, its ion and its complex and its ion, It can be carried out by forming particles.

The concentration of at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvalent metal atoms, ions and complexes thereof, and ions used in the present invention is generally 1 × 10 ⁻⁷ to 1 × 10 6 per mol of silver halide. The range of ^-2 mol is appropriate, more preferably in the range of 1 × 10 ⁻⁶ to 1 × 10 ⁻³ mol, and particularly preferably in the range of 2 × 10 ⁻⁶ to 1 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol.

  In the present invention, in order to contain polyvalent metals in the silver halide emulsion, they may be directly dispersed in the emulsion, or those dissolved in a solvent such as water, methanol, ethanol or the like alone or in a mixed solvent. A method of adding an additive to a silver halide emulsion is generally applicable in the art. In addition, at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvalent metal atoms, ions and complexes thereof, and ions may be added to the silver halide emulsion together with the silver halide fine particles, or A silver halide emulsion containing at least one selected from the group consisting of metal atoms, ions and complexes thereof, and ions can also be added to the silver halide emulsion.

  Regarding the production method of adding silver halide fine particles containing at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvalent metal atoms, ions and complexes thereof, and ions, the method described in JP-A-11-212201 is used. You can refer to it.

  The silver halide emulsion of the present invention is preferably silver bromide, silver iodobromide or silver iodobromochloride, and particularly preferably silver iodobromide or silver iodobromochloride. The silver chloride content of the host tabular grains is preferably 0 to 50 mol%, more preferably 0 to 30 mol%, and still more preferably 0 to 10 mol%. The host tabular grains in the present invention preferably contain a silver halide emulsion having a plurality of silver halide phases having different silver iodide contents inside the silver halide grains, and the tabular grains are formed from a plurality of phases having different halide compositions. It is preferable that the core-shell type particles are. The core-shell type particles preferably have three or more phases with different halide composition ratios, more preferably have four or more phases, and more preferably have five or more phases. The halide composition ratios of adjacent phases are preferably different by 1 mol%, more preferably different by 3 mol% or more. The silver halide emulsion of the present invention can have an arbitrary halide composition, but is preferably silver iodobromide or silver iodochlorobromide. The adjacent phases of the core-shell type grains preferably have a silver iodide content of 1 mol% or more, preferably 3 mol% or more. The volume ratio of each phase of the core-shell type particles to the whole particles is 1% or more, preferably 3% or more, more preferably 5% or more. The core-shell type particle may have a lower or higher iodine content, and may alternately have a phase having a high iodine composition and a phase having a low iodine composition. The outermost layer of the core-shell type grain is preferably a low iodine phase having a silver iodide content of less than 3 mol%, more preferably less than 1 mol%, and particularly preferably no silver iodide. .

  In order to avoid structural breakdown of the host grains, the epitaxial portion of the present invention preferably has a higher total solubility than the total solubility of silver halide forming the host grains. Therefore, it is preferable that the silver chloride content of the epitaxial portion is higher. Specifically, it is preferably 20% or more, more preferably 50% or more, and still more preferably 80% or more. Since silver chloride forms a face-centered cubic lattice structure like silver bromide, it facilitates epitaxial deposition.

  The silver halide emulsion of the present invention may be reduction sensitized. The reduction sensitization may be carried out by adding a reducing agent to a protective colloid aqueous solution in which silver halide milk grain growth is performed, or by using a protective colloid aqueous solution in which silver halide grain growth is performed under a low pAg condition of pAg 7.0 or less. Or under high pH conditions of pH 7.0 or higher by ripening or grain growth of silver halide grains. These methods may be performed in combination.

  When a reducing agent is used in the present invention, thiourea dioxide, ascorbic acid and its derivatives, stannous salts, borane compounds, hydrazine derivatives, formamidine sulfinic acid, silane compounds, amines and polyamines, sulfites and the like may be used. Preferably, thiourea dioxide, ascorbic acid and its derivatives, and stannous salts are preferably used.

When a reducing agent is used, the addition amount is preferably 1 × 10 ⁻² to 1 × 10 ⁻⁸ mol per mol of silver halide, but more preferably 1 × 10 ⁻³ to 1 × 10 ⁻⁷ mol.

In the present invention, when reduction sensitization is carried out under a low pAg condition where the silver halide grain growth is carried out under a low pAg condition of pAg 7.0 or less, a silver salt is added to the protective colloid aqueous solution. After the appropriate pAg, the silver halide grains are preferably ripened or grown. The silver salt is preferably a water-soluble silver salt, particularly preferably an aqueous solution of silver nitrate. The pAg at the time of aging is suitably 7.0 or less, preferably 2.0 to 5.0. (Here, the pAg value is a common logarithm of the reciprocal of the Ag ⁺ concentration.)
In the present invention, when reduction sensitization is performed by setting the protective colloid aqueous solution in which silver halide grain growth is performed to a high pH condition of pH 7.0 or higher, an alkaline compound is added to the protective colloid aqueous solution. After a suitable pH, the silver halide grains are ripened or grown. As the alkaline compound, for example, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, ammonia and the like can be used, but other than ammonium compounds are preferable.

  As a method for adding a reducing agent, a silver salt for reduction ripening, and an alkaline compound, rush addition may be used, or addition over a certain period of time. In this case, constant rate addition or function addition may be performed. Further, the necessary amount may be added in several divided portions. Prior to the addition of the soluble silver salt and / or soluble halide into the reaction vessel, it may be present in the reaction vessel, or it may be mixed with the soluble halide solution and added together with the halide. Further, the addition may be performed separately from the soluble silver salt and the soluble halide.

In the present invention, an oxidizing agent can be used for deactivation of the reducing agent and other purposes, for example, hydrogen peroxide (water) and its adducts: H ₂ O ₂ , NaBO ₂ , H ₂ O ₂ -3H ₂ O, _{2NaCO 3 -3H 2 O 2, Na} 4 P 2 O 7 -2H 2 O 2, 2Na 2 SO 4 -H 2 O 2 -2H 2 O , etc., peroxy acid _{salts: K 2 S 2 O 3,} K 2 C 2 O ₃ , K ₄ P ₂ O ₃ , K ₂ [Ti (O ₂ ) C ₂ O ₄ ] -3H ₂ O, peracetic acid, ozone, I ₂ , thiosulfonic acid and the like.

In the present invention, the above oxidizing agent can be used for purposes other than deactivation of the reducing agent. The addition amount of the oxidizing agent is affected by the amount of the reducing agent, reduction sensitization conditions, addition timing of the oxidizing agent, addition conditions of the oxidizing agent, etc., but 1 × 10 ⁻³ per mole of the reducing agent used. ˜1 × 10 ⁵ mol is preferred.

  The oxidant may be added anywhere during the silver halide emulsion production process. It can also be added prior to the addition of the reducing agent.

  As a method for adding the oxidizing agent, a method in which an additive is generally added to the silver halide emulsion can be applied in the art. For example, it can be dissolved in an appropriate organic solvent typified by alcohols or added as an aqueous solution.

In addition, after adding the oxidizing agent, a reducing substance can be newly added to neutralize the excess oxidizing agent. These reducing substances are substances that can reduce the oxidizing agent, sulfinic acids, di- and trihydroxybenzenes, chromans, hydrazine and hydrazides, p-phenylenediamines, aldehydes, aminophenols, Examples include enediols, oximes, reducing sugars, phenidones, sulfites, and ascorbic acid derivatives. The amount of the reducing substance ^{is, 1 × 10 -3 ~1 × 10} 3 mol amount per mol of the oxidizing agent to be used is preferred.

  Various methods well known in the art can be used to form silver halide grains in the production of the silver halide emulsion of the present invention. That is, a single jet method, a double jet method, a triple jet method, a silver halide fine particle supply method, or the like can be used in any combination. A method of controlling the pH and pAg in the liquid phase in which silver halide is produced in accordance with the growth rate of silver halide can also be used. Formation of silver halide grains is preferably performed under conditions close to the critical growth rate.

  A seed emulsion can also be used in the production of the silver halide emulsion of the present invention. When a seed emulsion is used, the silver halide grains in the seed emulsion may have a regular crystal structure such as a cube, octahedron, or tetradecahedron, or may have a spherical or plate shape. It may have an irregular crystal form. Any ratio of the [100] plane and the [111] plane can be used in these particles. The silver halide grains in the seed emulsion to be used may be a composite of these crystal forms or a mixture of grains having various crystal forms. Twin silver halide grains having twin planes. And twin silver halide grains having two opposite parallel twin planes are particularly preferable.

  In the present invention, a method known in the art can be applied as a condition for silver halide nucleation and ripening regardless of whether a seed emulsion is used or a seed emulsion is not used.

  In the production of the silver halide emulsion of the present invention, a silver halide solvent known in the art can be used. If possible, the use of the silver halide solvent during the formation of the host tabular grain is effective for nucleation. It should be avoided except for later aging.

  For the production of the silver halide emulsion of the present invention, any of an acidic method, a neutral method and an ammonia method can be used, but an acidic method or a neutral method is preferred.

  In the production of the silver halide emulsion of the present invention, halide ions and silver ions may be mixed at the same time, or the other may be mixed while either one is present. In consideration of the critical growth rate of silver halide crystals, halide ions and silver ions can be added sequentially or simultaneously by controlling the pAg and pH in the mixing vessel. You may change the halogen composition of a silver halide grain using the conversion method in the arbitrary steps of silver halide formation.

  In the present invention, when silver halide fine grains are used, the silver halide fine grains may be prepared in advance prior to the preparation of the silver halide grains in the present invention, or in parallel with the preparation of the silver halide grains. It may be prepared. When prepared in parallel as in the latter case, as shown in JP-A-1-183417, JP-A-2-44335, etc., a reaction vessel in which silver halide fine particles are formed into silver halide grains in the present invention is used. It can be produced by using a separately provided mixer, but a preparation container is provided separately from the mixer, and the silver halide fine particles once prepared by the mixer are used here. It is preferable to prepare it arbitrarily so as to be suitable for the growth environment in the reaction vessel in which the above is prepared, and then supply it to the reaction vessel.

  As a method for preparing the silver halide fine particles, an acidic and neutral environment (pH ≦ 7) is preferable when the reduction-sensitized fine particles are not intended to be prepared. When preparation of reduction sensitized fine particles is intended, silver halide fine particles may be prepared by appropriately combining the above reduction sensitization techniques.

  In order to produce the silver halide fine particles, a water-soluble silver salt containing silver ions and an aqueous solution containing halide ions may be mixed while appropriately controlling the supersaturation factor. Regarding the control of the supersaturation factor, descriptions in JP-A-63-92942 and JP-A-63-111244 can be referred to.

  The pAg for producing the silver halide fine particles is preferably 3.0 or more, more preferably 5.0 or more in order to suppress the generation of reduced silver nuclei in the silver halide fine particles themselves. More preferably, it is 8.0 or more.

  The temperature for producing the silver halide fine grains is preferably 50 ° C. or lower, more preferably 40 ° C. or lower, and most preferably 35 ° C. or lower.

  In addition, as the protective colloid used in producing the silver halide fine particles, the above-mentioned protective colloid-forming substances used in the production of silver halide grains in the present invention can be used.

  When the silver halide fine particles are formed at a low temperature, coarsening of the grain size due to Ostwald ripening after the formation of the silver halide fine particles can be suppressed. However, since gelatin tends to coagulate at a low temperature, JP-A-2-166422. It is preferable to use a low molecular weight gelatin described in No. 1 or the like, a synthetic molecular compound having a protective colloid action on silver halide grains, or a natural polymer compound other than gelatin. The concentration of the protective colloid is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 2% by mass or more, and further preferably 3% by mass or more.

  The grain size of the silver halide fine particles is preferably 0.1 μm or less, more preferably 0.05 μm or less.

  The silver halide fine particles can contain the above-described reduction sensitization and optionally metal ions as required.

  In the production of the silver halide emulsion of the present invention, it is preferable that at least a part of the growth step is a concentration operation of the silver halide emulsion by an ultrafiltration method. When producing a tabular grain-containing emulsion having a high aspect ratio, such as the silver halide emulsion of the present invention, the dilution environment is preferred, and therefore, the ultrafiltration method is preferably applied in order to improve productivity. In the case of performing the concentration operation of the silver halide emulsion using the ultrafiltration method, the silver halide emulsion production facility disclosed in JP-A-10-339923 can be preferably used.

  In the present invention, the ultrafiltration concentration mechanism is connected to the reaction vessel with a pipe or the like, and the reaction solution solution is circulated between the reaction vessel and the concentration mechanism at an arbitrary flow rate by the reaction solution circulation mechanism such as a pump. A mechanism that can be stopped, and further has a device that detects the volume of an aqueous solution containing a salt extracted from the reactant solution by the concentration mechanism, and the amount of which can be arbitrarily controlled. It is a facility equipped with. In addition, other functions can be added as necessary.

  In the present invention, the concentration by ultrafiltration can be preferably applied in the following (1), (2) or a combination of (1) and (2).

  (1) In the step of forming silver halide grains, the volume of the reaction solution is reduced using the above-described concentration mechanism.

  (2) Using the above-described concentration mechanism in the step of forming silver halide grains, an aqueous solution containing an amount of soluble matter equal to or less than the amount of the additive solution for silver halide formation is removed from the reactant solution. Removing, keeping the volume of the reactant solution substantially constant, or suppressing an increase in volume.

  Further, reducing the volume of the reactant solution by the method (1) before the dislocation line introducing step leads to an improvement in the ratio of dislocation line particles, which is a preferable mode.

  The ultrafiltration may be performed by interrupting silver halide grain growth at any point in the process of silver halide grain formation, or may be performed for an arbitrary period while continuing silver halide grain growth. It may be carried out a plurality of times during the silver grain formation process, but preferably before the completion of silver halide grain formation, more preferably during silver halide grain growth or during silver halide grain growth. preferable.

  Using the ultrafiltration, unnecessary water-soluble salts can be removed and desalted in the process of forming silver halide grains. In addition, a reducing agent, an oxidizing agent, a halogen ion releasing compound, a silver halide solvent, a polyvalent metal atom, a polyvalent metal atom ion, a polyvalent metal atom complex or a polyvalent metal atom complex ion added when forming silver halide grains The unreacted material such as the unreacted material, the undoped residue, etc. can be removed and deactivated. Furthermore, control of the distance between silver halide grains, control of the growth conditions of silver halide grains used for controlling the pH and pBr of silver halide grains, control of the volume of the reaction solution during the formation of silver halide grains, concentration, etc. Can be implemented.

  Regarding ultrafiltration using membrane separation, Chemical Engineering Handbook, Revised 5th Edition (Chemical Engineering Association, Maruzen), pages 924-954, RD 102, 10208 and 131, 1312, or Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 59-43727, JP-A-62-27008, JP-A-62-113137, JP-A-57-209823, JP-A-59-43727, JP-A-62-113137, JP-A-61-219948, JP-A-62-230535, JP-A-63-40137, Reference can also be made to the methods described in JP-A-63-40039, JP-A-3-140946, JP-A-2-172816, JP-A-2-172817, JP-A-4-22942 and the like. In the present invention, it is preferable to use an apparatus or a method described in JP-A-11-339923 or JP-A-11-231448 for ultrafiltration.

  In the production of the silver halide emulsion of the present invention, the temperature at the time of low-temperature nucleation of the silver halide grains is preferably 40 ° C. or less, more preferably 30 ° C. or less, and further preferably 25 ° C. or less. . The high temperature ripening temperature of the silver halide emulsion of the present invention is preferably 55 ° C. or higher, more preferably 58 ° C. or higher and 90 ° C. or lower, and further preferably 62 ° C. or higher and lower than 77 ° C.

  In the production of the silver halide emulsion of the present invention, one or more desalting steps can be provided during grain formation. The desalting step here is to wash the silver halide emulsion with water to remove soluble salts. Regarding the desalting step, reference can be made to RD17643, Item II, which is preferably carried out by a flocculation method using an inorganic salt, an anionic surfactant or an anionic polymer (for example, polystyrene sulfonic acid). it can. The desalting step is preferably performed at a time of less than 10% by volume, and more preferably performed at a time of less than 5% by volume with respect to the volume after the growth of silver halide grains. In the production of the silver halide emulsion of the present invention, desalting is preferably performed after the grain growth step.

  More specifically, in order to remove unnecessary soluble salts from the precipitated product or the emulsion after physical ripening, a Nudell water washing method in which gelatin is gelled may be used, or inorganic salts and anionic surfactants may be used. A precipitation method using an anionic polymer (for example, polystyrene sulfonic acid) or a gelatin derivative (for example, acylated gelatin or carbamoylated gelatin) can be used. In addition, ultrafiltration using the above membrane separation can be preferably used for desalting.

  In the silver halide emulsion of the present invention, the above nucleation and / or silver halide fine particles are formed using a mixer provided outside the reaction vessel in the formation of silver halide grains using the supply of silver halide fine particles. It is preferable to form A mixer provided outside the reaction vessel continuously forms the nucleus and / or silver halide fine particles, and continuously supplies the nucleus and / or silver halide fine particles to the reaction vessel. It is preferable that Regarding the continuous nucleation facility, refer to the descriptions in JP-A-11-338087, JP-A-11-38659, JP-A-2000-75431, JP-A-2000-29155, JP-A-2000-112049, etc. I can do it.

  The capacity of the continuous method nucleation facility is preferably small, and it is preferable to simultaneously generate nuclei by connecting a plurality of devices in parallel according to a desired production amount.

  In the present invention, it is preferable to use polyalkylene oxide compounds described in US Pat. No. 5,252,453 and the like.

  In the present invention, the surface of silver halide grains described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,680,256, 4,684,607, 4,680,254, 4,680,255, etc. An index control agent can also be used.

  In the present invention, the [111] face and [100] face ratio on the side surfaces of the tabular grains can be arbitrarily selected, but the [100] face on all side faces is preferably 20% or more, preferably 30% or more. More preferably.

  In the present invention, when reduction sensitization is performed during the formation of silver halide grains, a radical scavenger or other additive that controls oxidation of silver nuclei can be used.

  In the production of the silver halide emulsion of the present invention, conditions other than those described above are described in JP-A Nos. 61-6643, 61-14630, 61-112142, 62-157024, 62-18556, Appropriate conditions with reference to 63-29442, 63-151618, 63-163451, 63-220238, 63-31244, RD38957 I and III, RD40145 XV Can be selected.

  When a color light-sensitive material is constituted using the silver halide emulsion of the present invention, a silver halide emulsion that has been subjected to physical ripening, chemical ripening and spectral sensitization is used.

  Additives used in such a process are described in the IV and V terms of RD38957, the XV term of RD40145, and the like.

  As the known photographic additive that can be used in the present invention, those of RD38957, items II to X, and RD40145, items I to XIII can also be used.

  The silver halide photographic light-sensitive material of the present invention can be provided with red, green and blue light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layers, and each layer can contain a coupler. The coloring dye formed from the coupler contained in each of these layers preferably has a spectral absorption maximum at least 20 nm apart. As the coupler, a cyan coupler, a magenta coupler, or a yellow coupler is preferably used. As a combination of each emulsion layer and a coupler, a yellow coupler and a blue photosensitive layer, a magenta coupler and a green photosensitive layer, and a cyan coupler and a red photosensitive layer are usually used, but the combination is not limited thereto. Other combinations may be used.

  In the present invention, a DIR compound can be used. Specific examples of DIR compounds that can be used include D-1 to D-34 described in JP-A-4-114153, and these compounds can be preferably used in the present invention.

  Specific examples of DIR compounds that can be used in the present invention include, in addition to the above, US Pat. Nos. 4,234,678, 3,227,554, 3,647,291, 3,958,993, 4,419,886, 3,933,500, JP-A-57-56837, 51-13239, US Pat. No. 2,072,363, Nos. 2,070,266 and RD40145 described in the item XIV.

  Specific examples of couplers that can be used in the present invention are described in Section II of RD40145.

  The additive used in the present invention can be added by the dispersion method described in VIII of paragraph RD40145.

  In the present invention, a known support described in the above-mentioned RD38957 item XV can be used.

  In the silver halide photographic light-sensitive material of the present invention, auxiliary layers such as a filter layer and an intermediate layer described in the item XI of RD38957 can be provided.

  The silver halide photographic light-sensitive material of the present invention can have various layer configurations such as a normal layer, a reverse layer, and a unit configuration described in RD38957, item XI.

  The silver halide emulsion of the present invention is a color negative film for general use or movie, a color reversal film for slide or television, a color paper, a color positive film, and a variety of silver halide colors represented by the color reversal paper. It can be preferably applied to a photographic material.

  In order to develop these silver halide color photographic light-sensitive materials, for example, T.W. H. James, The Theory of The Photographic Process Forth Edition, pages 291-334 and Journal of the American Chemical Society, 3rd, 73rd. , Page 100 (1951), known per se developers can be used, and development can be carried out by the usual methods described in RD38957 XVII to XX and RD40145 XXIII. Can be processed.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although an Example demonstrates this invention, this invention is not limited to these.
EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Example 1
<< Preparation of host tabular emulsion >>
A host tabular grain emulsion was prepared by the following procedure.

[Low temperature nucleation process]
In a reaction vessel, 10.47 L of an aqueous gelatin solution of pBr2.0 containing 70.7 g of gelatin A (average molecular weight 100,000, methionine content 5 μmol / g gelatin) was kept at 20 ° C., and described in JP-A-62-160128. While stirring at high speed using a mixing stirrer, the pH was adjusted to 1.90 using 0.5 mol / L sulfuric acid. Then, using the double jet method, the following S-1 solution and X-1 solution were added at a constant flow rate over 1 minute to perform nucleation.

Solution S-1: 88.75 ml of 1.25 mol / L silver nitrate aqueous solution
Solution X-1: 88.75 ml of 1.25 mol / L potassium bromide aqueous solution
[Temperature raising process]
After completion of the nucleation step, the following G-1 solution using gelatin A was added, and the temperature was raised to 65 ° C. over 55 minutes. The pBr was continuously controlled from 2.5 to 1.9 using a 1.75 mol / L potassium bromide aqueous solution immediately after the start of temperature increase.

Solution G-1: 1260 ml of an aqueous solution containing 52.0 g of gelatin A and 3.78 ml of a 10% by weight methanol solution of the following surfactant A Surfactant A: [CH (CH ₃ ) CH ₂ O] ₁₇ [(CH ₂ CH ₂ O) _n COCH ₂ CH ₂ COONa] ₂ (n = 2.85)
[High temperature aging process]
After reaching a temperature of 65 ° C., an aqueous solution containing ammonium nitrate was added, an aqueous potassium hydroxide solution was added to adjust the pH to 11.3, and the mixture was held for 6 minutes and 30 seconds. Then, the pH was adjusted to 6 using a 56% aqueous acetic acid solution. Adjusted to .1.

[Growth process-1]
After completion of the high temperature ripening step, while maintaining the temperature at 65 ° C., the pH is 6.1 using a 56% aqueous acetic acid solution and the pBr is controlled to 1.8 using a 1.75 mol / L potassium bromide aqueous solution. While using the double jet method, the following S-2 solution and X-2 solution were added while accelerating the flow rate.

Solution S-2: 1.25 mol / L silver nitrate aqueous solution 1130 ml
Solution X-2: 1130 ml of 1.25 mol / L potassium bromide aqueous solution
After the addition of each of the above solutions, desalting and washing with a flocculation precipitation method using a demole (Kao Atlas) aqueous solution and a magnesium sulfate aqueous solution, adding the gelatin A, and dispersing well to prepare a seed emulsion. Prepared.

[Growth process-2]
Further grain growth was performed using the seed emulsion prepared in the growth step-1. As the stirring device, a mixing stirring device described in JP-A-2-160128 was used. Moreover, when removing a soluble component from a reaction liquid by ultrafiltration, the apparatus of Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 10-339923 was used.

  A reaction mother liquor having a volume of 24.0 L by adding 345.8 g of the gelatin A to 0.159 ml of a 10% by weight methanol solution of the surfactant A equivalent to 0.359 mol of the seed emulsion and pure water, While maintaining the pAg at 8.8 with a 1.75 mol / L potassium bromide aqueous solution at 60 ° C., the following S-3 solution and the following X-3 solution were added using the double jet method while accelerating the flow rate. At this time, the soluble component of the reaction solution was removed by ultrafiltration to keep the volume of the reaction solution constant.

S-3 solution: 3730 ml of 1.75 mol / L silver nitrate aqueous solution
Solution X-3: 3730 ml of 1.75 mol / L potassium bromide aqueous solution
Subsequently, the following S-4 solution and the following X-4 solution were added while accelerating the addition flow rate.

S-4 solution: 303 ml of 1.75 mol / L silver nitrate aqueous solution
Solution X-4: 303 ml of an aqueous solution containing 1.698 mol / L potassium bromide and 0.053 mol / L potassium iodide
Next, 6.0 L of the soluble component of the reaction solution was removed by ultrafiltration over 25 minutes.

  Subsequently, the following N-1 solution was added over 8 minutes and held for 2 minutes, and then the pAg was adjusted to 9.4 with a 1.75 mol / L aqueous solution of potassium bromide.

N-1 solution: 1733 ml of an aqueous solution containing an average grain size of 0.03 μm, a silver iodide fine grain emulsion equivalent to 0.350 mol of a grain size variation coefficient of 20%, and 51.98 g of gelatin
Subsequently, the following S-5 solution and the following X-5 solution were added while accelerating the addition flow rate.

S-5 solution: 1011 ml of 1.75 mol / L silver nitrate aqueous solution
Solution X-5: aqueous solution 1011 ml containing 1.663 mol / L potassium bromide and 0.088 mol / L potassium iodide
Subsequently, the following S-6 solution and the following X-6 solution were added while accelerating the flow rate.

S-6 solution: 605 ml of 1.75 mol / L silver nitrate aqueous solution
X-6 solution: 605 ml of 1.75 mol / L potassium bromide aqueous solution
After completion of the addition, according to the method described in JP-A-5-72658, after adding an aqueous solution containing 360 g of chemically modified gelatin (modified ratio 95%) in which the amino group is phenylcarbamoylated, the pH is adjusted to desalinate and After washing with water, an alkali-treated inert gelatin having an average molecular weight of 100,000 was added and well dispersed, and the pH was adjusted to 5.8 and the pAg was adjusted to 8.9 at 40 ° C. A tabular emulsion was prepared as described above.

<< Preparation of Comparative Emulsion Em-1 >>
Epitaxial deposition was performed by the following method. The addition amount of each material and solution is shown as a ratio with respect to 1 mol of silver in the host tabular grains.

  The host tabular grain emulsion was dissolved at 40 ° C., then 0.02 mol of NaCl aqueous solution, 0.005 mol of N-1 solution and N-2 solution (average particle size 0.03 μm, variation coefficient of particle size) 0.005 mol of an aqueous solution containing 20% silver chlorobromide fine grain emulsion and gelatin) was added. After adding 0.005 mol of silver nitrate aqueous solution, 60 μmol of toluenethiosulfonic acid soda, and then a sensitizing dye described in the 9th layer of the color light-sensitive material sample described later are added so that the particle coverage is 85%. The emulsion was held at 40 ° C. for 40 minutes. Subsequently, 0.0373 mol NaCl aqueous solution and 0.0028 mol N-1 solution were added. 0.0375 moles of aqueous silver nitrate solution was added over 1 minute and the epitaxial was deposited with a 15 minute hold time. Chemical sensitization was then performed.

<< Preparation of Comparative Emulsion Em-2 >>
Epitaxial deposition was performed by the following method. The addition amount of each material and solution is shown as a ratio with respect to 1 mol of silver in the host tabular grains.

The host tabular grain emulsion was dissolved at 40 ° C. and 3 × 10 ⁻³ mol of the N-1 solution described above was added. Next, a sensitizing dye described in the ninth layer of the color light-sensitive material sample described below is added at a ratio of 70% of the saturated coating amount, and then 1.5 × 10 ⁻² mol of an aqueous KBr solution is added, / Liter of silver nitrate (3.0 × 10 ⁻² mol) and NaCl aqueous solution (2.7 × 10 ⁻² mol) were added at a constant flow rate over 2 minutes by the double jet method. The silver potential at the end of the addition was +85 mV with respect to the saturated calomel electrode. An aqueous KBr solution was added to adjust the silver potential to +50 mV with respect to the saturated calomel electrode.

<< Preparation of Comparative Emulsion Em-3 >>
Epitaxial deposition was performed by the following method. The addition amount of each material and solution is shown as a ratio with respect to 1 mol of silver in the host tabular grains.

The host tabular emulsion was dissolved at 40 ° C., and 7 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol of 0.3% KI aqueous solution was added. Immediately thereafter, 0.32 mol of a 4.3 mol / liter silver nitrate aqueous solution, 120 ml of an aqueous solution containing 1.8 mol / liter NaCl and 1.2 mol / liter KBr, and N-3 solution (average particle size of 0.1 mm). A suitable amount of a silver iodobromide fine grain emulsion having a particle size variation coefficient of 20% and an aqueous solution containing gelatin was added simultaneously. During the addition, it was kept at +100 mV with respect to the silver potential. After completion of addition. An aqueous KBr solution was added to adjust the silver potential to +70 mV with respect to the saturated calomel electrode.

<< Preparation of Tabular Emulsion Em-4 >>
In preparing the tabular emulsion Em-2, the tabular emulsion Em-4 was prepared in the same manner except that the sensitizing dye described in the ninth layer of the color light-sensitive material sample described later was added at a ratio of 95% of the saturated coating amount. Prepared.

<< Preparation of Tabular Emulsion Em-5 >>
In the preparation of the tabular emulsion Em-4, the host tabular grain emulsion was dissolved at 40 ° C., and then the silver potential was adjusted to +100 mV with respect to the saturated calomel electrode by adding an aqueous silver nitrate solution. Emulsion Em-5 was prepared.

<< Preparation of Tabular Emulsion Em-6 >>
In the preparation of tabular emulsion Em-5, tabular emulsion Em-6 was prepared in the same manner except that pAg was maintained at 9.3 while adding S-3 solution and X-3 solution in the growth step-2. Was prepared.

<< Preparation of Tabular Emulsion Em-7 >>
In the preparation of tabular emulsion Em-5, tabular emulsion Em-7 was prepared in the same manner except that pAg was kept at 9.54 during the addition of S-3 solution and X-3 solution in the growth step-2. Was prepared.

<< Preparation of Tabular Emulsion Em-8 >>
In the preparation of the above tabular emulsion Em-5, a tabular shape was similarly obtained except that gelatin B (average molecular weight 20,000, methionine content 5 μmol / g gelatin) was used instead of gelatin A used in the low temperature nucleation step. Emulsion Em1-8 was prepared.

<< Preparation of Tabular Emulsion Em-9 >>
In the preparation of the tabular emulsion Em-8, tabular emulsion Em-9 was prepared in the same manner except that the pAg was maintained at 9.3 during the addition of the S-3 solution and the X-3 solution in the growth step-2. Was prepared.

<< Preparation of Tabular Emulsion Em-10 >>
In the preparation of the tabular emulsion Em-8, tabular emulsion Em-10 was prepared in the same manner except that the pAg was maintained at 9.54 during the addition of the S-3 solution and the X-3 solution in the growth step-2. Was prepared.

<< Preparation of Tabular Emulsion Em-11 >>
In the preparation of the tabular emulsion Em-5, after adding a sensitizing dye described in the ninth layer of the color light-sensitive material sample described later at a ratio of 95% of the saturated coating amount, the calcium nitrate concentration was adjusted to 250 ppm. Tabular emulsion Em-11 was prepared in the same manner except that the aqueous solution was added.

<< Preparation of Tabular Emulsion Em-12 >>
In the preparation of the tabular emulsion Em-11, instead of adding a 0.1 mol / liter silver nitrate aqueous solution (3.0 × 10 ⁻² mol) and an NaCl aqueous solution (2.7 × 10 ⁻² mol) by the double jet method, N— A tabular emulsion Em-12 was prepared in the same manner except that 4 liquids (an aqueous solution containing a silver chloride fine grain emulsion having an average particle size of 0.03 μm and a coefficient of variation of 20% and gelatin) were added and ripened for 30 minutes. did.

<< Preparation of Tabular Emulsion Em-13 >>
Tabular emulsion Em-13 was prepared in the same manner as in the preparation of tabular emulsion Em-12 except that the amount of N-4 solution added was 0.15 mol per mol of host tabular grains.

<< Preparation of Tabular Emulsion Em-14 >>
Tabular emulsion Em-14 was prepared in the same manner as in the preparation of tabular emulsion Em-12, except that the amount of N-4 solution added was 0.30 mol per mol of host tabular grains.

  Table 1 shows the characteristics of the tabular emulsions Em-1 to Em-14 prepared by the above method.

  In addition, after obtaining the sphere equivalent particle diameter of the host particle D, the sphere equivalent particle diameter of the apex epitaxial junction, and the aspect ratio A of the host particle, respectively, according to the above-mentioned methods, Table 1 is satisfied. The projected area ratio of the particles is described. Further, the sphere equivalent particle size Dave of the host particles is described as the average value DAve of D, the sphere equivalent particle size of the epitaxial junctions is the average value dAve of d, and the aspect ratio of the host particles is the average value AAve of A.

<< Chemical sensitization of tabular emulsion >>
Each of the tabular emulsions Em-1 to Em-14 prepared above was heated to 57 ° C., and then the sensitizing dye and trimethyl compound described in the ninth layer of the color light-sensitive material sample described later at a silver potential of 50 mV and pH 6.5. Furylphosphine selenide, chloroauric acid, potassium thiocyanate, sodium thiosulfate pentahydrate is added to ripen for optimum sensitivity, and 6-methyl-4hydroxy-1,3,3a, Color sensitization and chemical sensitization were performed by adding 7-tetrazaindene, compound (1-6) described in JP-A No. 2002-90957, silver iodide fine particles, cooling the mixture, and solidifying by cooling.

<< Preparation of silver halide photographic material >>
Samples 101 to 114, which are silver halide photographic light-sensitive materials, are formed by sequentially forming the layers having the compositions shown in Tables 2 to 4 on the triacetyl cellulose film support having a thickness of 120 μm with the undercoat layer from the support side. Was made. In addition, unless otherwise indicated, the addition amount of each raw material described in the table is expressed in grams per 1 m ² . Silver halide and colloidal silver are shown in terms of silver amount, and sensitizing dye (shown as SD) is shown in moles per mole of silver.

  Here, as the silver iodobromide emulsion G described in the ninth layer below, samples 101 to 114 were prepared using the color sensitized and chemically sensitized tabular emulsions Em-1 to Em-14, respectively. did. The coating liquid for each constituent layer was applied within 1 hour after the addition of each additive listed in the table was completed.

  Table 5 shows the characteristics of the silver iodobromide emulsion used in the preparation of the above samples.

  Each emulsion other than Emulsion M listed in Table 5 was sensitized with the addition of sensitizing dyes listed in Tables 2 to 4, and then subjected to chemical sensitization so that the fog and sensitivity relationships were optimized according to conventional methods. What was given was used.

  In addition, in preparation of each sample, in addition to the above-mentioned composition, OIL-3, coating aids SU-1, SU-2, SU-3, dispersion aid SU-4, viscosity modifier V-1, and stabilizer Two types of polyvinylpyrrolidone (AF-1, AF-2) having ST-1, weight average molecular weight: 10,000 and weight average molecular weight: 100,000, calcium chloride, inhibitors AF-3, AF-4, AF- 5, AF-6, AF-7, hardener H-1 and preservative Ase-1 were added. The structure of the compound used for the sample is shown below.

<< Exposure and development process >>
Each sample prepared as described above was subjected to the following exposure and development processing. The exposure is performed for 1/200 second using a light source having a color temperature of 5400 ° K. through an optical wedge, and then the development described in paragraphs [0220] to [0227] of JP-A-10-123651. Color development processing was performed according to the processing steps.

<Each characteristic evaluation>
(Measurement of sensitivity)
Next, each developed sample is measured for magenta density with a densitometer manufactured by X-rite, a characteristic curve consisting of density D-exposure amount LogE is created, and the exposure dose giving an optical density of minimum density of magenta density + 0.20 Was defined as sensitivity, and relative sensitivity with the sensitivity of sample 101 as 100 was determined.

(Measurement of gradation)
In the above characteristic curve, S1 is the reciprocal of the exposure amount giving the minimum density of magenta density + 0.10 and S2, and S2 is the reciprocal of the exposure amount giving the optical density of minimum density + 0.30. .20 / (S1-S2) is defined as the gradation, and is shown as a relative gradation where the gradation of the sample 101 is 100.

(Evaluation of graininess)
The RMS value at a position giving an optical density of the minimum magenta density + 0.20 of each sample was measured using green light, and the RMS value of the sample 101 was expressed as a relative value of 100. The RMS value was measured by scanning the measurement target portion of each sample with a microdensitometer (slit width 10 μm, slit length 180 μm) equipped with Eastman Kodak's Latten filter (W-99). It was determined as a standard deviation of density values of several thousand or more.

  Table 6 shows the evaluation results obtained as described above.

  As is apparent from Table 6, it can be seen that the sample using the silver halide emulsion of the present invention is excellent in all of the characteristics of sensitivity, gradation and graininess as compared with the comparative example. In particular, an emulsion satisfying claim 2 has a large improvement in sensitivity, an emulsion satisfying claim 3 has a marked improvement in graininess in high aspect ratio grains, and an emulsion satisfying claim 4 has a large gradation-contrast effect.

Claims (5)

In a silver halide emulsion containing a dispersion medium and silver halide grains, 50% or more of the total projected area of the silver halide grains contained in the silver halide emulsion satisfies the following conditions (i) to (iii): A silver halide emulsion characterized by
(I) Hexagonal tabular grains having a [111] plane as a main plane and a ratio of the maximum side length to the minimum side length as viewed from the direction perpendicular to the main plane is 2.0 or less (ii) It has hexagonal tabular grains as a host and has an epitaxial junction at at least one of the hexagonal apex parts. (Iii) The spherical equivalent particle diameter of the host grains is D, and the spherical equivalent grain diameter of the epitaxial junctions at the host grain apexes. d
0.030 ≦ d ÷ D ≦ 0.500
Having a relationship 2. The silver halide emulsion according to claim 1, wherein 0.030 ≦ d ÷ D ≦ 0.180 in (iii). In a silver halide emulsion containing a dispersion medium and silver halide grains, 50% or more of the total projected area of the silver halide grains contained in the silver halide emulsion satisfies the following conditions (i) to (iii): A silver halide emulsion characterized by
(I) Hexagonal tabular grains having a [111] plane as a main plane and a ratio of the maximum side length to the minimum side length as viewed from the direction perpendicular to the main plane is 2.0 or less (ii) Having a hexagonal tabular grain as a host and having an epitaxial junction at at least one of the hexagonal vertices (iii) the spherical equivalent particle diameter of the host particle is D, the aspect ratio is A, and the epitaxial junction at the vertex of the host grain Assuming that the spherical equivalent particle diameter is d,
0.100 ÷ A ^1/2 ≦ d ÷ D ≦ 0.965 ÷ A ^1/2
Having a relationship A silver halide emulsion comprising a dispersion medium and silver halide grains, wherein the silver halide grains contained in the silver halide emulsion satisfy the following conditions (i) to (iii): .
(I) Hexagonal flat plate in which 50% or more of the total projected area has the [111] plane as the main plane, and the ratio of the maximum side length to the minimum side length when the shape is viewed from the direction perpendicular to the main plane is 2.0 or less (Ii) 50% or more of the total projected area having the hexagonal tabular grain as a host and having an epitaxial junction at at least one of the apex portions of the hexagon (iii) the average spherical equivalent particle size of the host grain Dave, the average spherical equivalent particle diameter of the epitaxial junction at the top of the host particle is dAve, and the ratio of the silver amount used for epitaxial formation to the silver amount of the host particle is M (%),
M ≧ 1,
0.900 × (M ÷ 100) ^1/3 −0.170 ≦ dAve ÷ DAve
≦ 0.900 × (M ÷ 100) ^1/3
Have a relationship. A halogen having a silver halide emulsion layer on a support, wherein at least one of the silver halide emulsion layers contains the silver halide emulsion according to any one of claims 1 to 4. Silver halide photographic material.