Disclosed is a microcapsule composed of a transparent capsule wall material and configured to contain therein color particles selected from among color magnetic pigment particles and color pigment particles, magnetically color-tunable particles, and a solvent, thus exhibiting a superior structural color expression effect compared to a conventional microcapsule, and realizing a full range of colors, thereby enabling use thereof as a print medium.

A drawing and erasing apparatus includes a light source section that includes a plurality of laser elements different from each other in emission wavelength, a multiplexer that multiplexes a plurality of types of laser light beams outputted from the plurality of laser elements, a scanner section that performs scanning with multiplexed light outputted from the multiplexer on a reversible recording medium including a plurality of recording layers, the plurality of recording layers being reversible and different from each other in developed color hue, and a controller that controls a main scanning speed and a sub-scanning speed of the scanner section to cause the scanner section to perform overlapping scanning of a predetermined region on the reversible recording medium during erasure of information written on the reversible recording medium.

A thermosensitive recording medium according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a recording layer that includes a coloring compound having electron-donating property, a developer having electron-accepting property, a photothermal conversion agent, and a polymer material; and a protective member that is stacked on the recording layer, and has a convexo-concave shape in a plane.

A thermosensitive recording medium according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a recording layer that includes a coloring compound having electron-donating property, a developer having electron-accepting property, a photothermal conversion agent, and a polymer material; and a protective member that is stacked on the recording layer, and has a convexo-concave shape in a plane.

A laser marking system (10) comprises a marking controller (11) operable to control a plurality of laser diodes (13) to emit light through optical fibre (14) such that the emitting, ends of the optical fibres (14) form a multi-emitter array. Light emitted from the emitting ends of the optical fibres (14) is focussed by a lensing arrangement (15) on a substrate (16). The lensing arrangement (15) is substantially telecentric such that the non-telecentric angle, θ.sub.t, of the telecentric lens assembly satisfies (Formula I) where θ.sub.1/2 is the half angle divergence of the emitter beam and 1/F is the fraction of the emitter spot diameter d.sub.o that corresponds to the maximum acceptable displacement in the image plane.

A method for forming a Data Matrix Code or like two dimensional code on a beverage can tab uses a laser having a focal ratio of between 40 and 70 to produce spots having an average diameter of between 200 and 400 microns. The code is smaller than 6 mm by 6 mm, at least 12 modules by 12 modules, and smaller than 21 modules by 21 modules, thereby providing sufficient quantity of unique codes for use with commercial beverage can quantities. Preferably each module is formed by one laser spot. Alternatively, nine spots may be used to form a module.

A method for forming a Data Matrix Code or like two dimensional code on a beverage can tab uses a laser having a focal ratio of between 40 and 70 to produce spots having an average diameter of between 200 and 400 microns. The code is smaller than 6 mm by 6 mm, at least 12 modules by 12 modules, and smaller than 21 modules by 21 modules, thereby providing sufficient quantity of unique codes for use with commercial beverage can quantities. Preferably each module is formed by one laser spot. Alternatively, nine spots may be used to form a module.

This marking system is provided with: a marking device which has a marking unit which gives a mark for managing the quality of a product, a housing part which houses one or more temperature indicating materials, and a providing unit which provides, to the marking unit, a temperature indicating material selected by the housing part; and a control device which has a storage unit that stores temperature-indicating material information on a developing temperature or/and a decoloring temperature of each of the temperature-indicating materials included in the housing part; and a processing unit that acquires, from a server or an input unit, an appropriate temperature of the product, selects, on the basis of the acquired appropriate temperature of the product and the temperature-indicating material information, a temperature-indicating material, and notifies the providing unit of details of providing the selected temperature-indicating material.

This marking system is provided with: a marking device which has a marking unit which gives a mark for managing the quality of a product, a housing part which houses one or more temperature indicating materials, and a providing unit which provides, to the marking unit, a temperature indicating material selected by the housing part; and a control device which has a storage unit that stores temperature-indicating material information on a developing temperature or/and a decoloring temperature of each of the temperature-indicating materials included in the housing part; and a processing unit that acquires, from a server or an input unit, an appropriate temperature of the product, selects, on the basis of the acquired appropriate temperature of the product and the temperature-indicating material information, a temperature-indicating material, and notifies the providing unit of details of providing the selected temperature-indicating material.

A recording medium according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a recording layer and an optical thin film. The recording layer includes a heat-sensitive color-developing composition and a photothermal conversion material. The photothermal conversion material absorbs a wavelength in an infrared region and generates heat. The optical thin film is provided on one surface of the recording layer. The optical thin film reflects the wavelength in the infrared region and transmits a wavelength in a visible region.