A process is described for producing a direct digital, halftone color proof of an original image on a dye-receiving element, the proof being used to represent a printed color image obtained from a printing press, comprising: a) generating a set of electrical signals which is representative of the shape and color scale of an original image; b) contacting a dye-donor element comprising a support having thereon a dye layer and an infrared-absorbing material with a first dye-receiving element comprising a support having thereon a polymeric, dye image-receiving layer; c) using the signals to imagewise-heat by means of a diode laser the dye-donor element, thereby transferring a dye image to the first dye-receiving element; and d) retransferring the dye image to a second dye image-receiving element which has the same substrate as the printed color image.

Process for forming images by heating, imagewise, to a temperature above a softening temperature, but below the thermal decomposition temperature, a solid layer of a mixture of a thermoplastic, amorphous, organic polymer and a liquid plasticizer therefor, the mixture being capable of existing in a metastable state and a stable state for a period sufficient to convert the stable polymer to the metastable state, heating the entire surface of the layer to a temperature between the softening temperature of the stable and metastable states, and converting the softened exposed image areas to a visible image by applying finely divided colored particles to the layer and removing them from nonexposed areas or by thermal transfer. The simple procedure is a dry process, and images of high quality and stability are obtained rapidly.

Method and apparatus for producing a hardcopy reproduction of image information. A uniform layer of toner particles is applied to a surface. A receiver sheet with a thermoplastic outer layer is placed over the layer of toner particles, the thermoplastic layer contacting the layer of toner particles. An electrostatic attraction is established between the layer of toner particles and the receiver sheet. The thermoplastic layer is imagewise exposed to heat to selectively soften the thermoplastic layer, allowing the toner particles opposite the softened thermoplastic to migrate into the layer. The receiver sheet is then removed from the surface, taking with it the migrated particles in an imagewise pattern.

A laser-induced melt transfer process is described in which a melt viscosity modifier is used to facilitate the melt transfer process.

A laser-induced melt transfer process is described which utilizes a melt viscosity modifier and in which a post-transfer treatment is used to substantially eliminate back-transfer.