A thermal transfer recording sheet including a substrate and a yellow coloring material layer, a magenta coloring material layer, and a cyan coloring material layer frame-sequentially formed on the substrate, wherein at least one of the yellow coloring material layer, the magenta coloring material layer, and the cyan coloring material layer contains a compound with a specified structure.

An example of an imaging medium includes a substrate, a color-forming layer on the substrate, and a registration mark. The color-forming layer includes a repeated pattern. A repeat of the pattern includes four adjacent color-forming stripes including a black-forming stripe, a cyan-forming stripe, a magenta-forming stripe, and a yellow-forming stripe, or a grid of four color-forming sections including i) a color-forming section selected from the group consisting of black-forming, cyan-forming, light cyan-forming, yellow-forming, magenta-forming, and light magenta-forming, ii) a cyan-forming section, iii) a magenta-forming section, and iv) a yellow-forming section.

A thermal transfer sheet which can be produced with enhanced working efficiency and is identifiable, and a thermal transfer printing device which uses the thermal transfer sheet are provided. A thermal transfer sheet 5 includes a substrate 50, and a yellow dye layer 51, a magenta dye layer 52 and a cyan dye layer 53 disposed on the substrate 50. An interval between the yellow dye layer 51 and the magenta dye layer 52 is different from an interval between the magenta dye layer 52 and the cyan dye layer 53. Alternatively, the yellow dye layer 51 and the magenta dye layer 52 overlap partially, and the magenta dye layer 52 and the cyan dye layer 53 overlap partially. The transfer printing device identifies the type of the thermal transfer sheet 5 based on the interval between the dye layers or the widths of the overlaps.

Systems and methods where multi-color graphics on a substrate are printed at a first resolution, and single color data is printed at a second, higher resolution using the same print head. The multi-color graphics can be a printed photograph of a person, a printed logo, or any printed feature that is printed using multiple colors. The single color data can be printed alphanumeric text such as a person's name, address, account number or any other data that is printed using a single color.

In a thermal transfer recording sheet including a base material and a colorant layer, the colorant layer includes a yellow dye layer containing a yellow dye, a magenta dye layer containing a magenta dye, and a cyan dye layer containing a cyan dye, and the cyan dye includes a compound represented by Formula (1a) or Formula (1b): ##STR00001##
where R.sub.1 to R.sub.7 are substituents, X.sup. is an anion, and the compound of Formula (1b) has at least one anionic substituent.

A thermal transfer recording sheet including a substrate and a yellow coloring material layer, a magenta coloring material layer, and a cyan coloring material layer frame-sequentially formed on the substrate, wherein at least one of the yellow coloring material layer, the magenta coloring material layer, and the cyan coloring material layer contains a compound with a specified structure.

There is provided a thermal transfer sheet capable of being identified by a thermal transfer printing apparatus, as well as being capable of preventing color property changes in high-resolution printing and reducing production cost. The thermal transfer sheet 5 of an embodiment includes a dye layer 52 and a protective layer 54 on one surface of a substrate 50. The protective layer 54 contains an invisible light absorbing material and is provided with an identification mark 55 having at least one of a recessed portion and a protruding portion.

The present invention provides a Sublimation thermal transfer sheet capable of coping with high-speed printers, securing desired densities, and further excellent in the lightfastness and the durability of the print, and a combination of the Sublimation thermal transfer sheet and a transfer receiving article. In the Sublimation thermal transfer sheet provided with at least a yellow colorant layer, a magenta colorant layer, and a cyan colorant layer provided in this order on a substrate, as being frame sequentially, predetermined colorants are contained in predetermined contents in the yellow colorant layer and the magenta colorant layer.

A method for forming a print obtained by transferring a transfer layer from which a removal region has been accurately removed onto a transfer receiving article and a method for peeling off a transfer layer by which a removal region of the transfer layer can be accurately removed. The method for forming a print comprises, by using a transfer film in which a transfer layer is provided on one surface of a support, a thermal transfer sheet in which a peel-off layer is provided on one surface of a substrate, and a transfer receiving article, a step of removing a removal region of the transfer layer of the transfer film by means of the peel-off layer of the thermal transfer sheet and a step of transferring the transfer layer from which the removal region has been removed onto the transfer receiving article.

A sublimation thermal transfer sheet having first, second, and third dye layers frame sequentially provided on a surface of a substrate in this order, and a back-face layer provided on another surface of the substrate. The first, second, and third dye layers contain an each individual sublimable dye and an each individual binder resin. One of the first and second dye layers further contains a releasing agent selected from a first group consisting of silicone oils, silicone-modified resins and phosphoric esters, and another dye layer further contains either one or both of at least a releasing agent selected from the first group and a cellulosic resin. The third dye layer (1) contains no releasing agent of the first group, or (2) contains the releasing agent at an amount of not more than 0.3% by weight based on the total weight of the solid content of the third dye layer.