The present disclosure is drawn to printing systems. In one example, a printing system can include an inkjet print head and a plasma generator. The inkjet print head can be used to form a printed image on a media substrate. The plasma generator can be positioned with respect to the inkjet print head to treat the printed image after application to the media substrate.

A vapor deposition mask (100A) includes a base film (10A) including a plurality of first openings (13A) and containing a polymer; a composite magnetic layer (20A) formed on the base film (10A), the composite magnetic layer (20A) including a solid portion (22A) and a non-solid portion (23A); and a frame (40A) joined to a peripheral portion of the base film (10A). The plurality of first openings (13A) are formed in a region corresponding to the non-solid portion (23A); and the composite magnetic layer (20A) contains soft ferrite powder having an average particle diameter shorter than 500 nm and a resin.

An article includes a substrate and a graphical component forming an image and an optical component which includes magnetic pigment flakes aligned so as to form a frame pattern which surrounds the image. When light is incident upon the pigment flakes from a light source, light reflected from the frame pattern forms a dynamic frame which surrounds the image and appears to move as the substrate is tilted with respect to the light source. The image appears to be stationary when the dynamic frame appears to move.

In a printed article, pigment flakes are magnetically aligned so as to form curved patterns in a plurality of cross-sections normal a continuous imaginary line, wherein radii of the curved patterns increase along the imaginary line from the first point to the second point. When light is incident upon the aligned pigment flakes from a light source, light reflected from the aligned pattern forms a bright image which appears to gradually change its shape and move from one side of the continuous imaginary line to another side of the continuous imaginary line when the substrate is tilted with respect to the light source.

Information is written onto the surface of an object using both an optically identifiable pattern and subregions that exhibit differing magnetic properties. The optically identifiable pattern is printed onto a printed region on the surface of the object using a printing medium that contains magnetic particles. The printed region includes both a first subregion that exhibits a first prevailing magnetization direction and a second subregion that exhibits a second prevailing magnetization direction. The first magnetization direction differs from the second magnetization direction. The first and second magnetization directions are imparted to the first and second subregions by magnetic fields being applied to the magnetic particles. An edge between the first subregion and the second subregion does not coincide with any boundary of the optically identifiable pattern. The printed region contains both optically encoded information and magnetically encoded information. Additional information is decoded using both the optically and magnetically encoded information.

A method for producing an electrically conductive thin film on a substrate is disclosed. Initially, a reducible metal compound and a reducing agent are dispersed in a liquid. The dispersion is then deposited on a substrate as a thin film. The thin film along with the substrate is subsequently exposed to a pulsed electromagnetic emission to chemically react with the reducible metal compound and the reducing agent such that the thin film becomes electrically conductive.

In a printed article, pigment flakes are magnetically aligned so as to form curved patterns in a plurality of cross-sections normal a continuous imaginary line, wherein radii of the curved patterns increase along the imaginary line from the first point to the second point. When light is incident upon the aligned pigment flakes from a light source, light reflected from the aligned pattern forms a bright image which appears to gradually change its shape and move from one side of the continuous imaginary line to another side of the continuous imaginary line when the substrate is tilted with respect to the light source.

A method for producing an electrically conductive thin film on a substrate is disclosed. Initially, a reducible metal compound and a reducing agent are dispersed in a liquid. The dispersion is then deposited on a substrate as a thin film. The thin film along with the substrate is subsequently exposed to a pulsed electromagnetic emission to chemically react with the reducible metal compound and the reducing agent such that the thin film becomes electrically conductive.

The present invention provides a method for applying multiple ink and/or coating layers on a substrate. At least one of the ink and/or coating layers contains one or more photoinitiators, and at least one of the ink and/or coating layers does not contain any photoinitiators. In certain embodiments, all of the ink and/or coating layers are wet trapped and the entire print construct is cured by exposure to UV radiation after all of the ink and/or coating layers have been applied. In certain embodiments, the wet trapping method of the present invention can be used to prepare laminates.

In one aspect, a method is described. The method may include exposing a printing surface to a first plasma in order to increase a hydrophilicity of the printing surface. The method may further include, after increasing the hydrophilicity of the printing surface, depositing a printing material on the printing surface. Additionally, the method may include, after depositing the printing material on the printing surface, exposing the printing surface to a second plasma in order to increase a hydrophobicity of the printing surface.