ANALYSIS OF (SANITIZED) PROPOSAL FOR COLOR DUPLICATING SYSTEM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T01137A000100010002-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 18, 2010
• Sequence Number: 2
• Content Type: MEMO

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SURTECT: Analysis of
Proposal for Color Duplicating System
SA/RED, requested the Adv.nced Technology
Branch/RED, to evaluate the proposal o~ or a color dupli-
cating System. This proposal is dated 1 December 1969 and came to RED
througY
2. The objective of
in this proposal) is to produce a color
copying system with at least 500 lines/mm resolution. The basis for this
system would be a free-radical material.
3. At the present stage of development has some materials
that could be used in a color mode but it appears that they have a very
long way to go. This will be explained later.
kants to use the following approach to producing a color
copying system 1) Examine a*w alternative methods of color image formation4
for feasibilityiork in depth on one or two of these systems, based on the
feasibility study and then 3) work to fine tune the material that looks the
best at this stage.
5. Attachment A describes the five systems, their color formation
mechanism and the means of development. The analysis/synthesis filters
indicates the sizes of the colored imaging/reimaging particles and their
composition.
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6. The image recording/playback mode in four of the five proposed
systems is of the additive type, with its associated disadvantages. A
discussion of the additive vs. subtractive systems of color formation 6, -~,,d I-,,, Af ff,~h- (3,
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7. As an introduction, all "conventional," true color photographic
systems analyze a scene in terms of its red, green and blue components.
This practice is described in the theory of color vision and is followed
in every commercially available color film of the true color variety.
8. Because the scene is analyzed in terms of its red, green and blue
components, it is necessary to synthesize the scene in a similar fashion.
That is the image must modulate the amount of red, green and blue light
in amounts similar to their presence in the original scene. The means of
color modulation may be either additive or subtractive.)
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9-5. Ii valuating the proposal, I will examine the following areas:
What are some independent views of the materials; how do they STAT
present their proposed work in this document; and nalysis from the chemical,
physical and mechanical standpoint.
10. As independent inputs for this evaluation I contacted a project
monitor at Wright Patterson Air Force Base and referred to a materials
evaluation done at for NPIC. The project monitor
at WPAFB, has contracts with
for a camera speed 40 Free Radical
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film. He indicated that as of January 1970., still has significant STAT
problems with material stability and coating eveness. This substantiates
lgi eVa! ( )
the informationrem the SRI which indicated similar
problems with stability and eveness of coating.
The proposal itself suffers from poor organization and a tendency
to be misleading. For example, references from Mees an~
are used to support
out of context with the original source and often have no relationship to
also confuses work that is done and proven,
with work that is theoretical and yet to be performed.
1. The chemistry of Free Radical Imaging Systems has been established
but the modifications needed for the color duping systems, as proposed by
have not. The outstanding requirements are the establishment of
a panchromatic sensitized direct reversal system with neutral density (grey).
has produced pansensitized materials but they are not direct reversal
nor do they produce neutral blacks.
proposes a mechanism of spectral
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sensitization of its N-viny/carbozole material that is seriously in question;
associa e wl a photo-
inalca ow probability of success of this mode of
lon (see attachment c
A The physical problems with the proposed
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to the inherent disadvantage of additive color systems. - limited resolution
(estimated on the order of l/11-X that of 3414) and high base (~~e
density (requiring additional viewing light). The color reproduction cap-
abilities of additive systems may also be a problem.
A. In each of the systems, there are severe mechanical problems re-
lating to production of the original material and its additive screen and
processing of this material. The color filters used for imaging must be very
small to maintain resolution and must remain in registration throughout the
process. In a proposed dye-bleach system indicates it will use a STAT
tripack with between layer lamination so that the layers may be separated
for processing and then relaminated in exact register, for viewing; neither
the mechanics nor the chemistry of this system is simple. In another proposed
system, a solldent/Jeach is needed for reversal processing--then the process
is no longer dry, which is claimed as an advantage of Free Radical Systems.
i5 Recommendations.
On the basis of
present position in black and white tech-
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nology, with the associated stability and coating problems, it is recommended
that action on a color system be deferred. is now in the process STAT
of setting up a "commercial" type coater which it is hoped will resolve their
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stability/coating problems. On the basis of the literature and technology of
color photography, I would not advise supporting an additive color system.
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6. The image recording/playback mode in four of the five proposed
systems is of the additive type, with its associated disadvantages. A
-discussion of the additive vs. subtractive systems of color-formation
follows. -
7. As an introduction, all "conventional," true color photographic
systems analyze a scene in terms of its red, green and blue components.
This practice is described in the theory of color vision and is followed
in every commercially available color film of the true color variety.
8. Because the scene is analyzed ih terms of its red, green and blue
in amounts similar to their presence in the original scene. The means of
In additive systems,
a re
varying amounts of red, green and blue light mixed to produce a given
color. The earliest means of color photography used three projectors, one
with the red separation positive (the black and white transparency of the
scene as recorded with a red fitler) and a red filter, the green separation
positive and the green filter,, and the blue separation positive and a blue
filter. The image from each of these projectors was overlapped and the
colors in the original scene were reconstructed. The three projector mode
of color reconstruction is unwieldy and requires precise registration so
its analogue was developed. If small particles or beams of red, blue and
green light are presented to the eye, it will integrate the three signals
seeing them as a single color. This the method of reconstruction used in
color televisions and color mosaic photographic systems.
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In the subtractive synthesis method of reconstruction dyes of
cyan (absorbs red, transmits blue and green), magenta (absorbs green,
transmits red and blue) and yellow (absorbs blue, transmits red and green)
are overlapped in varying amounts yielding all colors the dyes can repro-
duce. Examples of these types of materials are conventional color films,
as SO 242, SO 121, Ektachrome, etc.
Each of the systems has its advantages and disadvantages. The
additive systems requires simple processing treatment, since it is nothing
more than a black and white panchromatic sensitive emulsion overlayed with
a grid of red, green and blue filters. Its simplicity of processing
must he weighted against its significant disadvantages. The color filter
screen used for exposure and viewing limits resolution to the diameter
of the individual color filters. This screen must be kept in accurate
registration with the sensitive material. Another disadvantage of the
additive system is the loss of light through the filters. Red, green,
and blue filters each absorb 2/3 of the spectrum and therefore 2/3 of
the incident light. If only one color is present, for example, the material
will appear to have a base fog density of-about .48. From a theoutical
standpoint, the additive system may not provide color reproduction of as
high as quality as the subtractive system.
The subtractive system provides good color reproduction and has
higher resolution..than the additive systems. The disadvantages are that
the-dyes used in color films may fade more readily than those used in the
filters of the additive systems. Also, the-additive system requires_a-
complex-processing procedure and producing the emulsion itself is dif -trt.
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D-R-A-F-T
29 January 1970
RESOLUTION OF ADDITIVE SYSTEMS
As described in Appendix B the additive system of color imaging
requires a screen of filters for both analyzing the spectral components
of the scene and for imaging these observed colors. The size of these
filters is essentially the limiting factor in resolution of these materials,
as each filter can be considered an imaging center.
mentions filter sizes on the order of .2 to .3 microns as
goals of the process. They believe they can get filter sizes of
1 micron with present technology. It is interesting to compare these
values with the estimated grain size of a high resolution fine grain film
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like 34OY. discusses grain sizes for typical photographic STAT
materials; on the basis of this. 45microns was chosen as a reasonable
(if not large) grain size. The area would then be .166micron2. This
is about 1/4 the area of each of the imaging centers in the proposed
work. As a rule of thumb resolution can be expected to change
in a linear relationship with imaging center diameter. If this is the
case the resolution of the additive screen system would be at best 1/2
of the 3404 (considerably less than the 500 l/rrnn desired).
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Discussion of Spectral Sensitization of N-Vinylcarbozole
In the proposal concerning a color duplicating system,
describes a mechanism of spectral sensitization that has been questioned
by two members of the Advanced Technology Branch and a photo-chemist from
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'polymerization (of N-Vinylcarbozole) can STAT
be made to take place at a specific wavelength by energy transfer tech-
niques if the monomer is adjacent to a color center." These color centers
are starch grains, dispersed throughout the finder which contains the
photosensitive N-vinyl carbozole and the activator, carbon tetratromide.
The mechanism of spectral sensitization via "energy transfer techniques"
is in question because in silver halide systems it is necessary that the
sensitizing dye actually be absorbed to the surface of the silver halide
crystals. When this condition is met there will be energy transfer from
the dye to the Ag X crystal, resulting in sensitization to these wavelengths
the dye absorbs. In th they describe a similar technique
but with no contact between the dye (starch grain) and the sensitive media
(the N-vinylcarbozole).
For the above reaction to work it would require very significant engrgy
to polymerize the n-Vinycarbozole; there is a very significant question as
to whether this energy could be provided by absorbtion of the proper wave-
lengths by the dyed starch granules.
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