Lith Development Kinetics and Halftone Dot Formation

The growth of image density during development of a lithographic film occurs in two distinct stages. The initial stage, the induction period, comprises nearly the entire period of development but accounts for only a fraction of the final developed density. The second stage, lith effect development. The imaging response of the lith process actually rests with the processes occurring during the induction period. The author focuses on the kinetics of the induction period development and their relation to halftone dot formation. A model of lith induction period development is derived that is in agreement with a number of experimentally observed induction period effects.