The present invention relates to a production method and to a device for document security applications including various latent images on each side. The invention comprises: depositing, according to an established pattern, at least one layer of metallized material, forming a holographic element on at least one part of one of the surfaces of a confinement substrate; defining different regions on the surface of the substrate; inducing different alignment directions for orienting a liquid crystal according to the previously defined regions; doping the liquid crystal with at least one dichroic dye; placing the liquid crystal over at least one confinement substrate, covering the holographic element; adding a second confinement substrate, forming a sandwich-type structure; and polymerizing the liquid crystal, forming a sheet.

A diffractive security device is disclosed including at least a first diffractive structure defined in a carrier layer. The first diffractive structure is an on-axis diffractive zone plate structure of a continuously curved surface configured such that when the device is illuminated by on-axis light a first diffraction pattern generated by the first diffractive structure can be viewed from at least a first side of the device at substantially all viewing angles, the first diffraction pattern exhibiting a reference point or reference line relative to which other features of the first diffraction pattern appear to move when the viewing angle is changed.

A security article may include a substrate. The security article may include a layer of security ink. The layer of security ink may include a set of color-shifting interference particles. The security article may include a layer of magnetic color-shifting ink. The layer of magnetic color-shifting ink may include a set of magnetically aligned magnetic particles. A color-shifting property of the layer of security ink and a color-shifting property of the layer of magnetic color-shifting ink may have a threshold level of similarity to create a color matching effect.

The invention relates to a data carrier comprising a storage layer forming a plurality of first surface elements (6). The storage layer (2) has at least one optical characteristic, which is optically anisotropic and which varies spatially between the first surface elements (6). A cover layer (3) over the storage layer (2) forms a plurality of second surface elements (10), each acting as a polarization filter for a predetermined polarization direction. The predetermined polarization direction varies between the second surface elements (10). The storage layer can contain in particular bacteriorhodopsin in the form of a purple membrane. The invention also relates to a method for the production and reading of a data carrier of this type.

A method for the production of a multilayer body, in particular a security element, includes: a) producing a metal layer on a substrate; b) partial demetalization of the metal layer to form a first item of optical information in a first area of the multilayer body; c) applying a partial lacquer layer in a second area of the multilayer body to form a second item of optical information, wherein the partial lacquer layer extends at least partially beyond the metal layer; d) structuring the partial metal layer in the second area using the partial lacquer layer as mask.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a decorative panel which, while having weather resistance, exhibits an excellent gloss-matte effect through relative gloss differences, and can present tone gradations in surface gloss areas. A decorative panel has at least a surface coat layer, and a surface printing layer that is provided to part of the surface, said layers being laminated in the stated order on a heat-resistant substrate, wherein the surface coat layer is formed to a thickness of 5 or greater from a resin composition that contains a fluororesin and a delustering agent, the gloss value of the surface printing layer (at a light incidence angle of 60) being 10 or less, and the gloss value of the surface printing layer (at a light incidence angle of 60) being higher by 10 or greater than the gloss value of the surface coat layer surface (at a light incidence angle of 60).

A value and safety document comprises a substrate having a front side and a back side. An ink layer is applied to the front or back sides of the substrate. A first motif is incorporated into the ink layer, and is combined with a second motif. The second motif is arranged on the same side of the substrate as the first motif. The second motif is configured in the form of an emboss structure comprising a plurality of raised emboss elements having areas of different orientation. The emboss structure forms the second motif having a second tilt or motion effect, by different groups of emboss elements, having different characteristic parameters, reflecting incident light in different spatial areas. The emboss elements have respectively a lateral dimension of less than 30 m and a height of less than 10 m. The first motif is adapted at least partially to the second motif.

A moir magnification device for authenticating security articles, the moir magnification device comprising: an array of micro focusing elements; and an array of micro images; wherein the array of micro focusing elements and the array of micro images are correspondingly aperiodic such that the micro focusing elements generate moir magnifications of the micro image when viewing the device at predetermined viewing angles. A device such as this raises the complexity and difficulty of the task facing would-be counterfeiters. The use of an aperiodic micro focusing element array and micro image array is not immediately apparent, as the moir magnifications observed by the viewer appear the same as that of a regular device with periodic arrays. In this way, the aperiodic aspect of the design remains covert until the moir device is more closely and deliberately analysed.

The invention relates to the field of the protection of security documents such as for example banknotes and identity documents against counterfeit and illegal reproduction. In particular, the invention relates to processes for producing optical effect layers (OELs) comprising a motif made of at least two areas made of a single hardened layer on a substrate comprising a photomask.

A substrate is printed with front side and back side markings. The front side when viewed with reflected light includes: a first marking printed with a first gradient of two colors; a second marking printed with a second gradient of two colors; a first symbol printed with a third gradient of two colors; a second symbol printed with a fourth gradient of two colors; a third symbol printed with a fifth gradient of two colors; and a fourth symbol printed with a sixth gradient of two colors. The back side when viewed with reflected light includes: a third marking printed with the fourth gradient; a fourth marking printed with the third gradient; a fifth symbol printed with the second gradient; a sixth symbol printed with the first gradient; a seventh symbol printed with the sixth gradient; and an eighth symbol printed with the fifth gradient.