Composite cards formed include a security layer comprising a hologram or diffraction grating formed at, or in, the center, or core layer, of the card. The hologram may be formed by embossing a designated area of the core layer with a diffraction pattern and depositing a thin layer of metal on the embossed layer. Additional layers may be selectively and symmetrically attached to the top and bottom surfaces of the core layer. A laser may be used to remove selected portions of the metal formed on the embossed layer, at selected stages of forming the card, to impart a selected pattern or information to the holographic region. The cards may be ‘lasered’ when the cards being processed are attached to, and part of, a large sheet of material, whereby the “lasering” of all the cards on the sheet can be done at the same time and relatively inexpensively.

Composite cards formed include a security layer comprising a hologram or diffraction grating formed at, or in, the center, or core layer, of the card. The hologram may be formed by embossing a designated area of the core layer with a diffraction pattern and depositing a thin layer of metal on the embossed layer. Additional layers may be selectively and symmetrically attached to the top and bottom surfaces of the core layer. A laser may be used to remove selected portions of the metal formed on the embossed layer, at selected stages of forming the card, to impart a selected pattern or information to the holographic region. The cards may be ‘lasered’ when the cards being processed are attached to, and part of, a large sheet of material, whereby the “lasering” of all the cards on the sheet can be done at the same time and relatively inexpensively.

A security document may include a laserizable first layer including a grayscale image formed by laserizing; a color pattern that is in alignment with the grayscale image; and a second layer arranged between the first layer and the pattern, such that the first layer is above the second layer, and the pattern is below the second layer. The second layer may be more opaque than the first layer, such that when observing the security document from the top, the grayscale image appears to be colored by the color pattern only when the bottom of the security document is being illuminated.

A security document may include a laserizable first layer including a grayscale image formed by laserizing; a color pattern that is in alignment with the grayscale image; and a second layer arranged between the first layer and the pattern, such that the first layer is above the second layer, and the pattern is below the second layer. The second layer may be more opaque than the first layer, such that when observing the security document from the top, the grayscale image appears to be colored by the color pattern only when the bottom of the security document is being illuminated.

A color image is disclosed. The color image comprises: a first layer including a holographic structure forming an arrangement of pixels each including sub-pixels of distinct colors; and color modulation means configured to select the color of the pixels by modifying the colorimetric contribution of the sub-pixels relative to each other in the pixels so as to reveal a customized color image. The color modulation means can comprise: regions of the holographic structure, called destroyed regions, which are locally destroyed by laser; masking means positioned facing the arrangement of pixels to locally mask all or part of the sub-pixels; or amplification means positioned facing the arrangement of pixels to locally amplify the lightness of all or part of the sub-pixels.

The invention relates to a method for detecting and/or identifying magnetic supraparticles using magnet particle spectroscopy (MPS) or magnet particle imaging (MPI), wherein magnetic supraparticles are provided, each of which contains a plurality of magnetic nanoparticles and which have a specific composition and/or structure. The magnetic supraparticles are exposed to at least one magnetic field, whereby at least one voltage and/or a voltage curve is induced based on the magnetic moment of the magnetic supraparticles. The at least one voltage and/or the voltage curve is detected as at least one measurement signal, and at least one spectrum is generated from the at least one measurement signal, said spectrum containing harmonics, each of which has an amplitude and a phase. The magnetic supraparticles are (uniquely) detected and/or identified using the at least one generated spectrum.

A method and system for writing a label (defined within a predetermined region of the sample 110), the label displaying a visible layout of light-modified regions in a predetermined spatial arrangement. The method comprises: modifying regions of a material within the label using light, wherein the modifying comprises using light of a first polarisation state to provide photo-induced optically active regions of a first type having a first optical activity state which is characteristic of having been formed by light of the first polarisation state, in order to encode covert information in the label using the locations of the first type of light-modified regions within the spatial arrangement of the label.

A method and system for writing a label (defined within a predetermined region of the sample 110), the label displaying a visible layout of light-modified regions in a predetermined spatial arrangement. The method comprises: modifying regions of a material within the label using light, wherein the modifying comprises using light of a first polarisation state to provide photo-induced optically active regions of a first type having a first optical activity state which is characteristic of having been formed by light of the first polarisation state, in order to encode covert information in the label using the locations of the first type of light-modified regions within the spatial arrangement of the label.

A security element with one or more first microstructures, wherein the first microstructures are provided in each case in one or more tracks which are curved at least in sections or in one or more sections of a track which are curved at least in sections, and/or in each case run along one or more tracks which are curved at least in sections or along one or more sections of a track which are curved at least in sections, and a method, wherein at least one file containing image points of one or more image elements is provided, which includes the locational arrangement of the image points, and one or more tracks which are curved at least in sections or one or more sections of one or more tracks which are curved at least in sections are determined from the locational arrangement of the image points, and in the one or more tracks or sections of tracks in each case one or more first microstructures are provided which, when illuminated, provide a first item of optically variable information.

A security element with one or more first microstructures, wherein the first microstructures are provided in each case in one or more tracks which are curved at least in sections or in one or more sections of a track which are curved at least in sections, and/or in each case run along one or more tracks which are curved at least in sections or along one or more sections of a track which are curved at least in sections, and a method, wherein at least one file containing image points of one or more image elements is provided, which includes the locational arrangement of the image points, and one or more tracks which are curved at least in sections or one or more sections of one or more tracks which are curved at least in sections are determined from the locational arrangement of the image points, and in the one or more tracks or sections of tracks in each case one or more first microstructures are provided which, when illuminated, provide a first item of optically variable information.