Photosensitive microcapsules, photosensitive materials utilising such microcapsules and imaging processes using such materials

Photosensitive microcapsules are disclosed which include an internal phase containing a photosensitive composition having a spectral sensitivity range within which the composition hardens upon exposure to radiation. The microcapsules have associated therewith a colour former and an absorber compound which reduces the sensitivity of the microcapsules to actinic radiation over a portion of the spectral sensitivity range. The microcapsules are useful in the formation of polychromatic images. The spectral sensitivity may be adjusted such that three sets of microcapsules having distinctly different spectral sensitivities and individually containing colour formers for full colour imaging can be provided on a single surface and discriminately exposed in a manner which corresponds to the red, green and blue components of an original.