JPH04181211A - Recording medium, method and device for recording - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To lower the shading and to prevent the discharge breakdown by laminating further a heater layer to heat a high polymer liquid crystal complex film up to a temp. less than a phase transition point or to make an electrode layer have a heating function. CONSTITUTION:The recording medium 10 forms the transparent electrode layer Et1 and the high polymer liquid crystal complex film 13 successively on the surface of a transparent substrate 11 and on the other surface of the substrate 11 an optical transparent heat layer 17 is laminated. On both the edges of the heater layer 17, the electrodes Et3, Et4 are respectively provided integrally. When those are connected with both terminals of a power source V1, electric current flow through the heater layer 17 and the heater layer 17 generates heat with generation of Joule heat. Hence the film 3 is also heated and the heating temp. is controlled so as to match in a range of an object contrast. Since the heating is necessary to be less than the transition point of the film 13, the use of a bias light together with in it recommended if a sufficient threshold is not obtained.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention applies an electric field corresponding to electromagnetic radiation information such as an optical image to a polymer liquid crystal composite film constituting a recording medium. The present invention relates to a recording medium that can record information with high resolution by recording information etc. in a scattered state, a recording method for recording image information etc. on the same, and a recording device that can realize this method.

[Technical background]

As the demand for recording various information signals at higher recording densities has increased, in recent years, high-density recording of information signals has become possible using information recording media created based on various structural and operating principles. Conventionally, for example, a recording layer of an information recording medium is irradiated with a recording electron beam whose intensity is modulated by an information signal, and the recording layer undergoes physical (or chemical) changes in accordance with the information signal. As an information recording medium that records information by causing Stable states are being developed. Such information recording media use, as a recording layer, a film formed on a substrate of a material that causes dislocation between stable states when optical, electrical, or thermal energy is applied. In view of this, proposals have begun to be made for information recording media that are equipped with a light modulating material layer or a charge retention layer and can record an information signal to be recorded as a high-resolution charge image.

[Prior art and the problem to be solved by the invention] At Honda Ganjin Co., Ltd., we are actively researching and developing recording media in this technical field day and night, and have already filed a patent application, for example, on Patent Application Hei 1-15.
No. 3762, "Charge Image Recording Media," introduces an information recording medium using a polymer liquid crystal composite film as a light modulating material, and Japanese Patent Application No. 1-160058, "Information Recording Medium," introduces a polymer liquid crystal memory film. Information record with! We are proposing g#.

A charge image recording medium using a polymer liquid crystal composite film is one in which a transparent electrode layer Et and a polymer liquid crystal composite film 13 are formed on one side of a transparent substrate (supporting member) 11, as shown in FIG. It has a structure in which a transparent electrode layer Et2 and a photoreceptor (photoconductive layer) 15 are laminated on one side of a transparent substrate 12, and are arranged facing each other with a small gap g interposed therebetween. and an electrode layer Et.

A parallel circuit of a power supply V2 and a resistor R (optional) is connected between Etz.

L is an imaging lens, and by closing the switch Sw (ON) and opening the shutter S, the resistance value of each part of the photoreceptor 15 changes depending on the brightness of the optical image of object #: 0, and the bright spot is changed. (lower resistance), correspondingly the strength of the electric field varies, and as a result, a charge distribution occurs on the surface of the polymer liquid crystal composite film 13. The polymer liquid crystal composite WA 13 reacts in response to the electric field based on this charge distribution, and information is recorded. Furthermore, if the polymer liquid crystal composite 1113 has memory properties, information is retained even if the surface charge disappears. In this case, the information does not necessarily need to be held as a charge image, and the photoreceptor 15 and the polymer liquid crystal composite film 13
It is also possible to use a recording medium 10 that has an integrated structure.

The operating point p3 of the polymer liquid crystal composite film 13 constituting the recording medium 10 is determined by a certain threshold voltage V as shown in FIG.
have. On the other hand, the photoconductor 15 that is not provided with countermeasures against dark 4 and current (dark potential) tends to have large dark potential spots.
It can also cause shading. Therefore, photoreceptor 1
5, it is desirable to take measures such as dark current suppression. As a means for suppressing dark current, the photoreceptor 15 and the electrode layer Et2
An insulating layer (blocking layer) is provided between the electrode layer E
There are methods such as mixing an additive having an effect of suppressing charge injection from t2 or increasing the dark resistance of the photoreceptor 15. By the way, if an image is not formed using photosensitive #15 without taking measures against dark potential, the dark part of the image will not reach the threshold voltage V of the polymer liquid crystal composite M13, as can be seen from FIG. Therefore, if the voltage applied by the power source (2) is increased, the dark potential can be increased, but discharge breakdown is likely to occur.

In an attempt to eliminate such inconveniences, the present applicant previously published Japanese Patent Application No. 2-58708 entitled "Imaging Method and Imaging Apparatus."

proposed a technique in which a bias light is installed near the recording medium and the recording medium is illuminated with the bias light to increase the dark potential and form an image without causing discharge breakdown. The present invention also provides that the dark areas of the formed image are
6 [Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention is directed to a method in which at least an electrode layer and a polymer liquid crystal composite film are laminated on a substrate. A recording medium characterized in that a heater layer is further laminated to heat the polymer liquid crystal composite film to a temperature below the phase transition point, or the electrode layer is provided with a heating function. or a recording medium in which at least an electrode layer and a polymer liquid crystal composite film are laminated on a substrate,
To provide a recording method and apparatus for recording by applying an electric field corresponding to recorded information, characterized in that recording is performed by heating a polymer liquid crystal composite film to a temperature below the phase transition point. This solves the above problem.

〔Example〕

Specific embodiments of the recording medium, recording method, and apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and subsequent figures. 1 to 3 are enlarged sectional views showing the configurations of the first to third embodiments of the recording medium of the present invention, and in the following figures, the same components are given the same numbers and detailed explanations will be given. is simplified.

The recording medium 10a shown in FIG. 1 has a transparent electrode layer Et and a polymer liquid crystal composite film 13 sequentially formed on one surface of a transparent substrate 11, and a light-transmitting layer Et on the other surface of the substrate 11. - It is constructed by laminating (or abutting) layers 17. At both ends of the heater layer 17, poles Et3. Etm is integrally provided, and when these are connected to both terminals of the power source 1 (direct current or alternating current may be used), a current flows through the heater layer 17, and the heater layer 17 generates heat due to the generation of Joule heat. That's why. As a result, the polymer liquid crystal composite film 13 is also heated, resulting in the characteristics shown by the broken line in FIG. 6, and the operating point (voltage) is also lowered to P2. The heating temperature (that is, the voltage of the power source 1) is controlled so that this operating point P2 matches the range of object contrast as shown in the figure.

However, since the heating needs to be at or below the transition point of the polymer liquid crystal composite film 13, if a sufficient reduction in the dark value cannot be obtained within that temperature, it is preferable to use the bias light in combination.

FIG. 2 shows a recording medium 10b according to a second embodiment of the present invention,
! The feature is that an insulating layer 14 is provided between the pole layer Et and the heater layer 17. This insulating layer 14 has thermal conductivity but does not conduct electricity.
can be provided on the polymer liquid crystal composite film 13 side with respect to the substrate 11, and heating of the polymer liquid crystal composite film 13 becomes more efficient than in the second practical example.

FIG. 3 shows a recording medium 10c according to a third embodiment of the present invention,
This is provided with a heatable electrode layer 18 which is an integrated electrode layer and heater layer. This simplifies the configuration and makes the heating of the polymer liquid crystal composite film 13 even more efficient.
In 10c, illustrations of the electrode layer Et2, photoreceptor 15, etc. shown in FIG. 5 are omitted.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the structure of a recording medium in which a polymer liquid crystal composite film 13 and a photoreceptor 15 are bonded together, and such a recording medium 10e
This enables recording with high -layer resolution.

Incidentally, in each of the above embodiments, a heating means is provided in the recording medium, but there is no need to be limited to this, and the recording medium 1 of the conventional configuration shown in FIG. To achieve this, a heating means may be provided on the recording apparatus side.

With this configuration, any conventional shape can be used as a recording medium. As a specific example of the configuration of the heating means, a well-known heater (not shown) may be installed near the recording medium 10, or an air blowing means (not shown) may be provided to apply hot air to the recording medium 10. That's good.

Further, when the recording medium is tape-shaped as shown in FIG. 4, at least one of the rollers R, R2 for running the recording medium 10d is used as a heating roller, and a power supply v3 is connected to it. It may be configured such that Joule heat is generated by connecting and passing a current to heat the polymer liquid crystal composite film 13 of the recording medium 10d.

In any case, the purpose of the present invention can be achieved by heating the recording medium before recording in this way.
Furthermore, the recording medium may be heated at the same time as recording, or the recording medium may be heated and recorded after the charge image is formed.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to information recording using a photoreceptor, but also applies to, for example, charge image information recorded on a first recording medium containing a charge retention layer to a second recording medium containing a polymer liquid crystal composite film. It can also be applied to technology for transferring onto a medium, and in this case, lowering the threshold voltage due to heating enables transfer with a low applied voltage.

〔effect〕

As described above, according to the recording medium, recording method, and apparatus of the present invention, various heating means are used to heat the polymer liquid crystal composite film constituting the recording medium, so that the drawbacks of the conventional example can be overcome. and reduce shading,
It has the excellent feature of preventing discharge damage.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 3 are enlarged sectional views (principal configuration diagrams) showing first to third embodiments of the recording medium of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the recording device of the present invention. 610.10a to 10e...Recording medium, 11.12.Substrate (supporting member), 13. ... Polymer liquid crystal composite film, 14 ... Insulating layer, 15
... Photoreceptor, 17 ... Heater layer, 18 ... Heatable electrode layer, Et, Et2 ... Transparent 11iii layer, Et
3. EtA...electrode, L...imaging lens, O...
Subject, R, R2...roller, S...shutter,
Sw...Switch, ■1~v3...Power supply. Patent applicant: Victor Japan Co., Ltd. Figure 71 Figure 12

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) In a recording medium comprising at least an electrode layer and a polymer liquid crystal composite film laminated on a substrate, a heater layer for heating the polymer liquid crystal composite film to a temperature below the phase transition point is further laminated. or the electrode layer has a heating function. (2) In a recording method and apparatus for recording by applying an electric field corresponding to recording information to a recording medium in which at least an electrode layer and a polymer liquid crystal composite film are laminated on a substrate, the polymer liquid crystal composite film has a phase transition point. A recording method or device characterized by recording by heating to the following temperature. (3) Applying electromagnetic radiation information to be recorded to the photoconductive layer of a recording medium in which at least a photoconductive layer and a polymer liquid crystal composite film are laminated between two electrode layers, and applying a voltage to the two electrode layers. A recording method and apparatus for recording information corresponding to electromagnetic radiation information, characterized in that recording is performed by heating the polymer liquid crystal composite film to a temperature below a phase transition point. (4) The recording method or apparatus according to claim 1, wherein recording is performed by taking means to suppress dark current generated in the photoconductive layer of the recording medium.