HEAT-SINK IMAGING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECORDING SURFACE TOPOLOGY

摘要

A HEAT-SINK IMAGING METHOD AND APPARATUSFOR RECORDING SURFACE TOPOLOGYAbstract of the DisclosureThe recording of surface topology is obtained by firstbringing the surface into contact with the imaging material-coatedside of a dry process dispersion type recording film comprising atransparent substrate on which is coated a very thin, high opticaldensity, opaque body of imaging material, preferably coated witha thin abrasion-resistant protective layer. Radiantenergy is then momentarily directed to the imaging materialthrough the transparent substrate. When the heat generated bythe absorbed radiant energy is above a given threshold value at aparticular location of the imaging material, the material deformsand disperses thereat to form connected or unconnected globuleswith spaces therebetween. Upon termination of the radiant energy,that dispersed material becomes frozen in place. It was discoveredthat when a surface having projections and/or depressions, (forexample, like that found on the surface of animal or plant tissueis brought into contact with the recording film as described, atleast the projecting portions thereof act as high resolution heatsinks which carry away heat from the imaging material in accor-dance with the intimacy of contact between the surface involvedto be recorded and the side of the recording film contacted there-by, so that heavily heat-sinked points remain opaque and pointsunengaged by the surface become relatively transparent, to providea high resolution picture of the surface topology of the contact-ing body.