Primer layers having improved reflectivity and thermal insulation properties are provided for use in microencapsulated thermal imaging sheets. Primer layers having a polymeric binder, of about 3% to about 60% by weight, relative to the total weight of the primer layer, of a white particulate, a primer substrate, and hollow particulate particles improve the reflectivity, color development, color density, and thermal insulation of microcapsule imaging sheets including the same. A black back-coat applied to the substrate on a side opposite the primer layer further enhances the Dmax and E.sub.10 of microcapsule imaging sheets and prevents premature exposure of microcapsule imaging sheets in stacked media.

Microcapsules including a polymeric shell and an internal phase including a non-photopolymerizable reactive diluent are provided for use in microcapsule imaging sheets. Imaging sheets including microcapsules which include a non-photopolymerizable reactive diluent, and which exhibit improvements in color development (Dmax), discoloration (yellowing) resistance, mechanical properties (e.g., peel strength), and temperature latitude of imaging sheets including leuco dyes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a water-developable flexographic printing plate precursor, a flexographic printing plate, and a photosensitive resin composition, which can maintain good water developability and can suppress adhesion and aggregation of dispersion in the developer in a case of repeated use and disposal of the aqueous developer. The water-developable flexographic printing plate precursor of the present invention is a water-developable flexographic printing plate precursor including a photosensitive layer, in which the photosensitive layer contains water-dispersible particles, and the water-dispersible particles have a core containing a polymer and having a glass transition temperature of 0° C. or lower and have a shell containing a polymer and having a glass transition temperature of 10° C. or higher.

A photosensitive microcapsule having a shell encapsulating a core material. The core material can comprise a benefit agent and the shell can comprise a photosensitive polymer. The photosensitive polymer can include one or more photosensitive moieties having a substituted amine and a 1,3 dione moiety. The core material can be released from the photosensitive microcapsule upon exposure to an electromagnetic radiation field selected from the group consisting of infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation and mixtures thereof.

An imprint apparatus that forms a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate using a mold having a pattern formation area. The imprint apparatus includes a mold measurement unit configured to measure a position of the pattern formation area of the mold, a light modulation element configured to control an intensity distribution of irradiation light applied to the substrate, an irradiation light measurement unit configured to measure a position of the irradiation light, and a control unit configured to control the position of the irradiation light with respect to the position of the pattern formation area based on a measurement result of the position of the pattern formation area by the mold measurement unit and a measurement result of the position of the irradiation light by the irradiation light measurement unit.

Disclosed are a zinc-based metal organic nanoparticle and a preparation method therefor, and a photoresist. The zinc-based metal organic nanoparticle has a core-shell structure, and the general formula is Zn.sub.xO.sub.y[A].sub.2x[B].sub.2, wherein x is 2 or 3, and 2xy4x, Zn.sub.xO.sub.y is a kernel of the core-shell structure, A is a first organic ligand, B is a second organic ligand, the first organic ligand A and the second organic ligand B together form an outer shell of the core-shell structure, the first organic ligand A is selected from one or more of a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic group and a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group, and the second organic ligand B is selected from one or more of an organic amine and a derivative thereof.

Provided is an apparatus which is advantageous in view of reduction of consumption of a replacement gas. An apparatus for forming a pattern on a substrate using a mold includes a gas supply unit, a positioning unit and a controller. The controller controls a gas supply unit and a positioning unit and, causes second contact between a second shot region different from a first shot region and the mold after first contact between a first shot region having a material supplied thereon among the plurality of shot regions and the mold and controls the positioning unit so that a second gap which is the distance at the time of changing a relative position between the mold and the substrate in a surface direction from the first shot region to the second shot region is shorter than a first gap which is the distance at the time of gas supply.

An imprint apparatus cures an imprint material by irradiating the imprint material with light while the imprint material on a substrate is in contact with a pattern region of a mold. The imprint apparatus includes a first supply unit configured to supply a first gas to a gap between the substrate and the mold, the first gas accelerating filling of recessed portions of the pattern region with the imprint material, and a second supply unit configured to supply a second gas to the gap, the second gas inhibiting curing of the imprint material.

Microcapsules including a color-filtering shell and a core comprising a leuco dye or dye precursor, a photoinitiator or photosensitizer, and a photohardenable or photosoftenable material are provided for use in microcapsule imaging sheets. The imaging sheets including such microcapsules reduce undesirable crosstalk among the microcapsules of various colors and provide significantly improved color fidelity of the image thus reproduced.

A photo-curable resin composition is provided that is capable of forming a resin layer having solvent resistance and capable of easily forming a releasing layer on the resin layer. According to the present invention, a photo-curable resin composition comprising a silicone oligomer having an alkoxy group bonded to a silicon atom and a (meth)acrylate compound is provided.