Provided is a multilayer lamination film for laser printing that does not require a special ink that discolors by laser light irradiation, and that makes it possible to obtain a printed line having high visibility by irradiation of laser light having a power sufficiently low to avoid damaging a base film. The multilayer lamination film for laser printing includes at least a base material layer, a printing layer, and a sealant layer. The printing layer is a layer made of an ink composition enabling printing by means of laser light. The ink composition is made of white ink containing at least a titanium oxide and a binder resin, the binder resin containing a crystalline component.

The present invention concerns a method for the partial dyeing, in particular for the colour laser engraving, of plastic components, in particular thermoplastic plastic components, more particularly thermoplastic plastic components, comprising a layer construction as well as the resulting partially dyed, preferably colour laser engraved plastic components, in particular thermoplastic plastic components.

A method of imparting color to a plastic substrate comprising applying to the substrate, or incorporating within the substrate, a diacetylene compound of general formula (I) wherein n=1 to 20; R.sup.1=an optionally substituted C.sub.1-20 alkyl group which may contain heteroatoms; T=H, an optionally substituted C.sub.1-20 alkyl group which may contain heteroatoms or (CH.sub.2).sub.mC(O)-Q.sup.2R.sup.2; Q.sup.1=NH, CO, NHCONH, OCONH, COS, NHCSNH or NR.sup.3, wherein m, Q.sup.2 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from the same groups as n, Q.sup.1 and R.sup.1 respectively; R.sup.3 is an optionally substituted C.sub.1-20 alkyl group which may contain heteroatoms; and irradiating the substrate to impart color to the substrate is described.

Provided is light irradiation method for irradiating a light absorbing material with light beam having wavelength absorbable by light absorbing material, including applying to light absorbing material, energy that enables light absorbing material to fly, by pressure in a vaporized region higher than or equal to outside pressure, wherein vaporized region is present at interface between a transparent body and light absorbing material in a manner to surround an optical axis. Also provided is flying body generating method including irradiating a surface of a base material opposite to a surface over which light absorbing material is disposed with laser beam to fly light absorbing material in an emitting direction of laser beam, wherein vaporized region having pressure higher than or equal to outside pressure is generated along outer circumference of a region irradiated with laser beam at interface between base material and light absorbing material.

The invention relates to a method for transferring colored markings or labels onto plastic surfaces by means of a laser beam, to a transfer medium for carrying out said method and to articles, the plastic surfaces of which are laser-marked or laser-labeled by way of such a method.

A laser manufacturing system including a spatial light modulator (SLM) with a rectangular array of electrically actuated two-dimensional (2D) diffractors arranged to form multiple pixels spaced linearly along a long-axis thereof, each pixel including a plurality of 2D diffractors electrically ganged together and arranged along a short-axis perpendicular to the long-axis. The system further includes a laser and optics to illuminate the SLM, and projection optics to project modulated light from the SLM onto a surface of a workpiece to form an anamorphic image of the SLM that is demagnified along the long-axis of the SLM and tightly focused along the short-axis to form a condensed line beam to mark the workpiece. The line beam has a sinc.sup.2 profile along the short-axis and a top-hat along the long-axis. Demagnification and the resulting long-axis length at the workpiece is chosen based on the pulse-energy of the laser and targeted peak fluence.

Printing multi-color images on non-vinyl plastic identification documents in identification document printing systems. A non-linear pixel density adjustment curve is used to adjust the pixel density data of a multi-color image to be printed which adjusts the power applied to the thermal print head. The use of a non-linear pixel density adjustment curve to adjust the pixel density data improves the quality of the resulting multi-color printed image, reduces mass transfer of the dye donor layer, and reduces breaking of the carrier film of the print ribbon.

A method of manufacturing a spacecraft is disclosed including electing an outer cover material for the spacecraft, the outer cover material having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface being electrically conductive, and the method further includes partially exposing the outer surface of the outer cover material to laser source to achieve a marking on the outer surface.

A method of marking the surface of a mechanical part with a predefined graphic having a holographic type effect, the method including using a laser source to apply a succession of laser pulses to the outside surface of a part for marking, with different masks being interposed between the laser source and the outside surface of the part, each mask having a particular pattern, each laser pulse having a power density of at least 20 MW/cm.sup.2 and a duration that is less than or equal to 100 ns.

A method for the transformation of material (e.g. plastic material) into an optically modulating state via laser radiation is described. The optically modulating state may be a state in which light is emitted at a different wavelength than it is absorbed. The plastic material to may be a thermoplastic or elastomeric material, or an organic polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate and polycycloolefin. The laser radiation may comprise the application of an amount of energy of about 0.1 nJoule/m2 to about 100 Joule/m2 and/or may comprise a radiation of a wavelength of about 355 nm to about 1064 nm. The optically modulating state of the plastic material may absorb light in a wavelength spectrum of about 380 nm to about 540 nm and/or a wavelength spectrum of about 635 nm to about 655 nm. The optically modulating state of the plastic material may emit light in a wavelength spectrum of about 550 nm to about 800 nm. The transformation of the plastic material may comprise the generation of optically modulating elements on the surface of said plastic material, selected from the group comprising geometrical forms, geometrical pattern, spots, dots, lines, circles, squares, characters, symbols, drawings, barcode and datamatrixcode. The material may be used as component for the manufacture of a device, microfluidic device, system, cartridge or instrument. Based on the employment of the material the usability of a device or system and/or of any procedure, function or method carried out with it or in it may be determined and/or controlled.