Why was dye sublimation used?
True continuous-tone dye-sublimation technology provides professional photo prints with superb color reproduction. In dye-sublimation printing, colors are not laid down as individual dots, as is done in inkjet printers. The printer uses a four-pass ribbon, (yellow/magenta/cyan/clear overcoat). The print head heats up as it passes over the ribbon, causing the dyes to vaporize and permeate the glossy surface of the paper before they return to solid form. The vaporized colors permeate the surface of the paper, creating a gentle gradation at the edges of each pixel, instead of the conspicuous border between dye and paper produced by inkjets. And because the color infuses the paper, it is also less vulnerable to fading and distortion over time, creating the perfect media for photo quality printouts.
