Defects in the silver halide photographic process

The imaging efficiency of today's photographic film and paper is influenced in a variety of ways. Among them, the incorporation of dopants is widely used to increase efficiency, control contrast or improve imaging deficiencies such as reciprocity law failure. Transition metal-organic ligand dopants are attractive because the organic ligand influences the photographic properties. Experimental studies have shown that many of these dopants incorporate well into the silver halide microcrystal even with large organic ligands. In this paper, experimental and computational results are presented on a variety of Ir-OL dopants in AgCl where OL is a small nitrogen and/or sulfur-containing heterocycle. Electron paramagnetic resonance methods provide information about the electronic structure, electron trapping properties and the stability of the electron trap state. These results are complemented by ab initio studies that give information about the optimum structure, charge compensation and the possibility of electron and hole trapping.     

Influence of a pulsed magnetic field on the silver halide photographic process

Imaging in Russian and foreign silver halide photographic materials exposed to light or a gas discharge under the influence of a pulsed magnetic field is studied. It is shown that a single 0.12-s-long 4.2 kOe pulse of the magnetic field (magnetic pulse) synchronized with a light flash considerably improves the photosensitivity of the materials, while not influencing it in the absence of the flash. The pre-exposure of the asprepared photomaterials and the materials after 8-year aging to a series of 250 magnetic pulses with the above parameters deteriorates the gas-discharge sensitivity of the former and raises the sensitivity of the latter.     

Analytical electron microscopy of silver halide photographic systems

Studies of silver halide (AgX) photographic materials and individual microcomponents by TEM/STEM/SEM/EDX, CL, EFTEM/EELS and digital image analysis techniques are reviewed. Electron-beam-AgX interactions are discussed to clarify relationships between the signals analysed in various operating AEM modes. An optimum strategy of structural and analytical diagnosis of complex silver halide photographic systems by a number of AEM methods is considered, using a number of examples (colour and black-and-white films, AgX microcrystals, and colour coupler dispersions). AEM applications to study of the main stages of the photographic process, i.e., chemical ripening, spectral sensitisation, latent image formation and development are also presented. Current trends and future directions in research of AgX-based photographic systems by AEM techniques are outlined.     

Formation of random and regular relief-phase structures on silver halide photographic emulsions by holographic methods

The formation of diffusers and microlens rasters on silver halide emulsions by holographic methods is considered. Two techniques for converting amplitude holographic recording to relief-phase recording, selective curing and irradiation of the emulsion gelatin by short-wavelength UV radiation, are compared.     

The absorption spectrum of polycrystalline silver halide fibres

The wavelength dependence of the attenuation in polycrystalline AgCl:AgBr fibre has been determined between 2.5 μm and 14 μm. The background attenuation as λ^-2 dependence as expected but there are also strong absorption peaks due to water and silver oxide which, to our knowledge, are observed for the first time in these fibres.     

On the formation of silver specks in silver halide crystals

This theoretical study summarizes ionic and electronic processes in AgBr crystals and the influence of its results on photographic process. It deals with the importance of surface generated interstitials which Gurney and Mott left untouched because of the non-availability of sufficient data at that time. The magnitude of various parameters,e.g., mean intra-electron-ion distance in a latent image site, the rate of neutralization of Ag⁺ ion with trapped electron and capture cross-section for combination of Ag⁺ ion with the trapped electron, etc. (as desired for understanding the theory of photographic process) are calculated at different temperatures. The results when used in our earlier papers (Singh and Sharma, 1974 and 1975, and Singh 1975) for calculating charged particle track characteristics theoretically were found to give good agreement with the published experimental data (Della Corteet al 1953 and Dyer and Hechman 1967). A model for the mechanism of latent image formation (silver speck) is discussed.     

The fractional ionic character of alkali and silver halide crystals

The fractional ionic character of alkali and silver halide crystals is defined in terms of the deviations from the additivity rule for polarizabilities of ions. The electronic polarizabilities of ions are calculated using an empirical relationship according to which the electronic polarizability of an ion can be assumed to be directly proportional to the cube of its radius. The calculated ionicities indicate that the alkali halides are nearly or more than 90% ionic and silver halides are much less ionic which is also evident from the Phillips ionicity scale.     

Ionic conductivity of mixed silver halide crystals

To evaluate the effects of mixed halides on the lattice defect parameters of the silver halides, we have measured the ionic conductivity both of the entire range of mixed AgBr-AgCl single crystals, aftd also of several iodide-doped crystals. For the AgBr-AgCl system, the intrinsic conductivity at a given temperature decreases monotonically from pure AgBr to pure AgCl. The deduced Frenkel defect formation energy varies only a little from 0 to 50 mole % AgCl, and then increases rapidly with further increase in AgCl content, closely paralleling the ratio of bulk modulus to dielectric constant. The defect formation energy in these crystals hence reflects the average macroscopic properties of the solid solution. For the iodide-doped crystals, however, the results are quite different. Small amounts-of iodide cause large increases in the conductivity of AgBr andiAgCl, especially in the latter. These results suggest that the elastic strain introduced by the oversized iodide ion exerts an appreciable local effect on the Frenkel defect formation, in contrast to the crystal-averaged response found for the AgBr-AgCl solid solutions. Furthermore, the Arrhenius plots for the conductivitiei of the AgBr: I specimens show curvature which suggests a temperature-dependent pairing of the solute.     

Noise gratings in silver halide volume holograms

Diffraction efficiencies of 70% have been reported for planar gratings in silver halide emulsion. The main obstacle in increasing the efficiency is the granular structure of the recording material which causes scattering of the input light both at recording and at reconstruction. This study concentrates on the effect of noise gratings recorded when the incident beam interferes with its own scattered radiation. The experimental evaluation is divided into two parts. Firstly, one single beam is used for recording a holographic plate, and the transmitted intensity of the reconstructing beam illuminating the developed hologram is measured as a function of incident angle and wavelength. Dips in the measured intensity are associated with the reconstruction of a strong scattered beam. Secondly, a main grating is recorded by two incident beams, which also interfere with the field scattered by the grains and give rise to noise gratings. When a beam is incident upon the developed hologram at the same angle and wavelength as one of the recording beams then besides the desired beam the scattered radiation is also reconstructed. This may reduce the otherwise available efficiency by several percent.     

Higher-order harmonics in bleached silver halide holograms

A large number of plane wave holograms were recorded in Agfa-Gevaert 8E75HD holographic plates, at a wide range of bias exposures and fringe visibilities. The plates were processed by various combinations of developers (AAC, Pyrogallol and Catechol) and bleaching agents (R-9 and EDTA). The phase gratings were studied by phase-contrast microscopy, using a high-power immersion (100×) objective. The phase-contrast photomicrographs were Fourier analysed. Thus, first-, second-, and third-order modulations of the refractive index as a function of bias exposure and visibility of the recording interference pattern could be determined. The ratio of the amplitudes of higher-order modulations to that of the first-order can serve as a measure of the nonlinearity of the holographic recording.     

Sonoelectrochemical recovery of silver from photographic processing solutions

This paper describes the effect of ultrasound upon the electrochemical recovery of silver from photographic processing solutions using a newly designed electrochemical cell--SonoEcoCell. Rates of deposition of silver (obtained potentiostatically) were studied in the model 'fix' solutions (dilute aqueous Na2S2O3/NaHSO3 at a stainless steel cylinder electrode in both the absence and the presence of ultrasound. Under silent conditions, the magnitude of the cathodic potential is a major factor in the removal of silver. Under 20 kHz sonication, the rate of deposition of silver increases with increasing ultrasonic intensity. The cathode efficiency is also enhanced under insonation. The position of the ultrasonic probe with respect to the rotating cylinder electrode (RCE) was studied. It was found that for a 'face-on' geometry (probe parallel to the electrode) led to higher rate constants compared with a 'side-on' geometry (probe perpendicular to the electrode). The effect of coupling an RCE with ultrasound upon these rate constants employing the two geometry was also investigated. It was found that, employing either the face-on or the side-on geometry alone, improved rate constants were obtained below approximately 1500 and 2000 rpm, respectively.     

Multiple holographic transmission gratings in silver halide emulsion

Holograms, recorded in silver halide emulsion by a plane reference wave andN cylindrical object waves, are measured as a function of the replay beam angle both for sequential and simultaneous recording. A theoretical model, based on coupled-wave differential equations, is presented. Numerical results for theN=3 case are compared with experiments and good agreement is found. Cross-modulation effects caused by simultaneous recording are discussed and are shown to be detrimental to the fidelity of reproduction of the original object beams. The results are relevant to more general hologram configurations, e.g., display holograms.     

Dielectric loss measurements on silver halide sheet crystals

Abstract

A series of studies on the partial X-ray diffuse scattering intensities from ternary alloys analysed through synchrotron radiation experiments has been reviewed. An intensity expression for the short-range order diffuse scattering has been developed, which is necessary in understanding the separation method of an observed X-ray diffuse intensity into partial intensities contributed from different origins. Techniques have been described in detail mainly concerning the Cu₂NiZn alloy, which have shown the benefits of the anomalous scattering effect of synchrotron radiation. The negative partial intensity maximum for the Cu-Ni pair found in the Cu-Ni-Zn alloy has been discussed from the viewpoints of crystallography and thermodynamics. In addition, at the end of the paper, local atomic arrangements causing the diffuse scatterings have been discussed.     

The nature of capture center “interaction” in silver halide phosphors

It is shown that luminescence flashes in silver chloride stimulated by long-wave light were due to the photoemission of electrons from precolloidal and colloidal silver centers. The effect of electron redistribution over localization levels in AgCl phosphors was investigated.Presented at the 12th All-Union Conference on Phosphor Crystal Luminescence (L'vov, January 1964).Thus, the study of the effect of electron redistribution over localization levels makes it possible to gain a better understanding of capture levels in phosphors (as noted by N. A. Tolstoi [26]), but also to confirm the ionic mechanism of the decline of the light sum in deep traps in the case of silver chloride.     

The influence of trapping centres on the photoelectron decay in silver halide

Photoelectron is the foundation of latent image formation, the decay process of photoelectrons is influenced by all kinds of trapping centres in silver halide. By analysing the mechanism of latent image formation it is found that electron trap, hole trap, and one kind of recombination centre where free electron and trapped hole recombine are the main trapping centres in silver halide. Different trapping centres have different influences on the photoelectron behaviour. The effects of all kinds of typical trapping centres on the decay of photoelectrons are systematically investigated by solving the photoelectron decay kinetic equations. The results are in agreement with those obtained in the microwave absorption dielectric spectrum experiment.     

The sensitivity of silver halide grains and its response to charged particles

The theoretical contents of this paper summarize some of the recent research work and the influence of its results on clarifying certain more disputed aspects of photographic sensitivity. It deals with the importance of surface generated interstitials a topic which Gurney and Mott did not consider because of the lack of sufficient data at that time. Some parameters (e.g. mean intra-electron ion distance ($\text{x}$) in a latent image site and ionic neutralization time, τ_n) involving the concentration of interstitials are derived. A theoretical relation for the concentration of effective ionization is discussed in order to explain the effects of ionization on the variation of sensitivity of electron sensitive nuclear emulsions at different temperatures. The computed results are found to be in good agreement with available published data of Dyer and HecKman [29]. The most sensitive range of temperatures suitable for exposure purposes for different ionizing charged particles is also suggested.