History
Introduced in the 1980s, Cibachrome Micrographic film was available in two different versions: Master Film and Print Film. Released in both 35mm and sheet format, this film was known for its incredibly high resolution, high light stability, and excellent archival properties.
Technology
P-5 Silver Decolorization Process (SDB)
Size of Emulsion Grains
During the bleaching process, a colorless halo forms around each silver grain. The size of each halo depends on the grain size, and naturally, the larger the grain size, the more the sharpness of the image will degrade.
Diffusion of Azo Dyes
The dyes used are water soluble. In gelatin layers, molecules tend to aggregate into bigger sizes so the ability to diffuse is reduced. Good dyes fulfill the properties of good color, fast bleachability, and high stability.
Layer Structure
For silver dye bleach film, the top layer is always yellow, the middle layer is magenta, and the lowest layer is cyan. The layer structure has a large impact on the sharpness of the color, specifically, the thickness of the layers. Thinner layers of gelatin between the dyes will increase the sharpness of the image, but if too thin, the weight imbalance between them may degrade the quality of the protective coating.
Permanence and Light Fading
The permanence of the final image is dependent on the chemical properties and the application method of the dyes. The yellow dye tends to be the least stable and will fade first under unfavorable conditions. Despite this, SDB film holds strong in face of extreme conditions. In two tests of high humidity and temperature, with one test having a Relative Humidity of 40% and a temperature of 90 degrees C, and a second test having a RH of 60% in a temperature range of 60 – 85 degrees C, SDB films showed almost no deterioration. On the other hand, chromogenic films deteriorated badly
Le patrimoine Cibachrome 
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