A platelet-shaped magnetic effect pigment is provided for use in a printing ink, and includes a layer construction with a magnetic layer and at least one optical functional layer, such that the magnetic layer is based on a magnetic material having a column-shaped nanostructure and the magnetic columns respectively have a largely uniform preferential magnetic direction deviating from the platelet plane.

A laser marking system comprises a laser energy source that generates a laser beam, a laser controller configured to focus the laser beam over a field of view greater than a size of laser-markable items, and a start-up target that includes laser-safe material and is located within the field of view. The laser controller is further configured to point the laser beam at the start-up target during a start-up phase of the laser energy source and focus the laser beam on one of the laser-markable items after the start-up phase.

Provided are a hinged laminate body, a booklet, and a laminate body that are able to increase the installation area of a member for authenticity determination. A hinged laminate body is configured so as to be able to increase the installation area of a member for authenticity determination by being provided with: an upper transparent layer; watermarked paper that is arranged below the upper transparent layer; and a hinge layer that has a hinge portion protruding from the upper transparent layer in a plan view and that is arranged below the watermarked paper. The watermarked paper of the hinged laminate body is provided with: an inner watermarked paper section that is arranged between the upper transparent layer and the hinge layer; and an outer watermarked paper section that is provided to the hinge portion so as to be arranged contiguously with the inner watermarked paper section.

Provided are a hinged laminate body, a booklet, and a laminate body that are able to increase the installation area of a member for authenticity determination. A hinged laminate body is configured so as to be able to increase the installation area of a member for authenticity determination by being provided with: an upper transparent layer; watermarked paper that is arranged below the upper transparent layer; and a hinge layer that has a hinge portion protruding from the upper transparent layer in a plan view and that is arranged below the watermarked paper. The watermarked paper of the hinged laminate body is provided with: an inner watermarked paper section that is arranged between the upper transparent layer and the hinge layer; and an outer watermarked paper section that is provided to the hinge portion so as to be arranged contiguously with the inner watermarked paper section.

The present invention relates to a security device comprising a colloidal crystal which exhibits excellent visibility and is also easily manufactured. The security device, according to the present invention, comprises: a substrate; a groove part formed on the substrate; a colloidal crystal positioned in the groove part; and an aging film. The security device, according to the present invention, exhibits excellent security and visibility, and thus may be used for securities, credit cards, security cards, anti-forgery products, etc.

Provided is an information display medium that can enhance a forgery prevention effect. An information display medium (100) includes a light reflection layer (20) made of a metal or a metallic oxide and partially or fully placed on one surface of a substrate, and the light reflection layer (20) includes a first region (30) where first information is displayed by either of or a combination of an outline shape and a shape of an uneven region, and a second information display region (21a) where identification information formed by partial material removal of the light reflection layer (20), the second information display region being set to partially or fully overlap with the light reflection layer (20) where the first information is displayed in the first region (30).

A method of forming a security device includes: a holographic image layer, diffusion element, and barrier layer. A region of the barrier layer includes a heat-transformable material. The method further includes selectively applying heat at a plurality of positions within the region of the barrier layer, in accordance with a predetermined pattern, so as to modify the heat-transformable material such that the region of the barrier layer is selectively rendered passable to the diffusible substance at each of the plurality of positions, thereby permitting diffusion of the diffusible substance between the regions of the diffusion element and the holographic image layer such that, at a plurality of positions within the region of the holographic image layer and corresponding to the predetermined pattern, the volume hologram is dimensionally modified so as to become viewable in a second observable colour, different from the first observable colour.

A method for manufacturing a two-dimensional colored bar code comprising an arrangement of colored basic structural elements encoding at least one information element, the manufacturing method comprising determining, by data processing means, a set of colored basic structural elements corresponding to the at least one information element, at least one structural element of the set comprising a pattern; and forming the at least one structural element of the set on a backing, in order to create the arrangement of colored basic structural elements.

Moiré is an appealing visual effect observable when two or more repetitive patterns are superposed. We introduce a method for designing and fabricating level-line moirés on curved surfaces. These moiré shapes are obtained by superposing a partly absorbing or partly light deviating curved base layer and a curved revealing layer formed by a grating of transparent lines or cylindrical lenses. The distances between base layer and revealing layer are adapted to the locally varying distances between successive transparent lines or cylindrical lenses of the curved revealing layer grating. We demonstrate the quality of our method by rendered simulations and by fabrication. The resulting level-line moiré display devices can be manufactured using different fabrication techniques, from multi-material 3D printing to molding.

Techniques are described in which articles (e.g., security documents, traffic signage and personal protective equipment) are formed to include an infrared absorptive material. In some instances, the infrared absorptive material includes a reduced tungsten oxide, such as cesium tungsten oxide, calcium tungsten oxide, potassium tungsten oxide, or the like, and exposed to radiation such that one or more regions of the security document has a modified appearance, thereby providing a visual marking or information on the article. Example articles include at least one layer including a polymer and an infrared absorptive material including a reduced tungsten oxide. The layer includes a radiation-treated region that exhibits a first appearance under visible light and at least one non-radiation-treated region that exhibits a second, different appearance under visible light. The at least one radiation-treated region may be formed by exposing the at least one radiation-treated region to infrared light to change at least one property of the reduced tungsten oxide in the radiation-treated region compared to the reduced tungsten oxide in the non-radiation-treated region. The first appearance may be whiter than the second appearance.