A security document with unidirectional visual illumination is disclosed. A security feature is positioned within the document and not visible in normal ambient lighting conditions but becomes visible under specialized lighting conditions, for example in the presence of ultraviolet light. The security feature is constructible such that it is visible only from a single side of the security document, with the side being predeterminable regardless of the orientation of the specialized light.

In part, the disclosure relates to articles of manufacture, such as banknote, that include one or more precious materials formed as unitary structure and that is secured within the article and disposed below one or more tamper resistant elements such that the article is self-authenticating. The articles may include polymer-based notes, instruments and other substantially planar articles defined by a boundary and an upper surface and a lower surface such that a precious material is at least in part co-planar with a third surface sandwiched therebetween. The disclosure also relates to a flexible precious metal storage apparatus that includes three layers, one layer defines a cavity. The cavity is sized and arranged to have a precious metal layer deposited, printed, injected, grown, or otherwise at least partially surrounded by the boundary of the geometric shape.

A multispectral watermark and method for generating the multispectral watermark. A color pattern can be provided, which appears a single color/pattern under a first lighting condition. A watermark can be created based on the color pattern and under a second lighting condition comprising ultraviolet light, while the watermark is viewable with an infrared camera in an infrared spectrum. The watermark can be configured as a multispectral watermark with a metameric pair of inks with one ink of the metameric pair of inks using more CMYK toners that reflect in the infrared spectrum as compared to the other ink among the metameric pair of inks while simultaneously allowing more of the ultraviolet light or less of the ultraviolet light to reach a fluorescing media upon which the multispectral watermark is rendered.

A multispectral watermark and method for generating the multispectral watermark. A color pattern can be provided, which appears a single color/pattern under a first lighting condition. A watermark can be created based on the color pattern and under a second lighting condition comprising ultraviolet light, while the watermark is viewable with an infrared camera in an infrared spectrum. The watermark can be configured as a multispectral watermark with a metameric pair of inks with one ink of the metameric pair of inks using more CMYK toners that reflect in the infrared spectrum as compared to the other ink among the metameric pair of inks while simultaneously allowing more of the ultraviolet light or less of the ultraviolet light to reach a fluorescing media upon which the multispectral watermark is rendered.

Methods for product authentication, which include: providing an article having a substrate with an analyte encoded composition; obtaining a sample of the composition; applying the sample to a test device to obtain test results, analyzing test results from the test device using an electronic device communicatively connected to an authentication authority, wherein the electronic device transmits the test device code and the test results to the authentication authority and confirms or denies authentication after comparison to an authentication database of authentic test results.

Methods for product authentication, which include: providing an article having a substrate with an analyte encoded composition; obtaining a sample of the composition; applying the sample to a test device to obtain test results, analyzing test results from the test device using an electronic device communicatively connected to an authentication authority, wherein the electronic device transmits the test device code and the test results to the authentication authority and confirms or denies authentication after comparison to an authentication database of authentic test results.

Security element comprising a first material MAT1 and a second material MAT2 formed in or on a substrate, in such a manner that areas occupied by MAT1 and MAT2 overlap partially or fully, the first material MAT1 comprising a phosphorescent pigment (donor), the second material MAT2 comprising a fluorescent dye or pigment (acceptor), wherein the phosphorescent pigment present in MAT1 is capable of emitting phosphorescence radiation in at least one first phosphorescence emission wavelength range 1e upon excitation by electromagnetic radiation falling within a phosphorescence excitation wavelength range 1a, and the fluorescent dye or pigment present in MAT2 is capable of emitting fluorescence radiation in at least one second fluorescence emission wavelength range 2e upon excitation by electromagnetic radiation falling within an fluorescence excitation wavelength range 2a of the fluorescent dye or pigment, and said first phosphorescence emission wavelength range 1e of the phosphorescent pigment present in MAT1 overlaps with the excitation wavelength range 2a of the fluorescent dye or pigment present in MAT2, so that after irradiation of the security element with electromagnetic radiation within the phosphorescence excitation wavelength range 1a the emission of fluorescence radiation in the emission wavelength range 2e is observable.

Security element comprising a first material MAT1 and a second material MAT2 formed in or on a substrate, in such a manner that areas occupied by MAT1 and MAT2 overlap partially or fully, the first material MAT1 comprising a phosphorescent pigment (donor), the second material MAT2 comprising a fluorescent dye or pigment (acceptor), wherein the phosphorescent pigment present in MAT1 is capable of emitting phosphorescence radiation in at least one first phosphorescence emission wavelength range 1e upon excitation by electromagnetic radiation falling within a phosphorescence excitation wavelength range 1a, and the fluorescent dye or pigment present in MAT2 is capable of emitting fluorescence radiation in at least one second fluorescence emission wavelength range 2e upon excitation by electromagnetic radiation falling within an fluorescence excitation wavelength range 2a of the fluorescent dye or pigment, and said first phosphorescence emission wavelength range 1e of the phosphorescent pigment present in MAT1 overlaps with the excitation wavelength range 2a of the fluorescent dye or pigment present in MAT2, so that after irradiation of the security element with electromagnetic radiation within the phosphorescence excitation wavelength range 1a the emission of fluorescence radiation in the emission wavelength range 2e is observable.

A method for authenticating a security mark containing a photochromic compound can provide higher security performance. The method comprises a process of irradiating a security mark containing a photochromic compound with excitation light, a process of acquiring first security information on a time-dependent change in the absorption spectrum and/or reflection spectrum of the security mark after the irradiation with excitation light, and a process of checking the acquired first security information against previously acquired first security information on the security mark. In this method, the security mark preferably contains two or more photochromic compounds different from one another in color development and/or in quenching rate after the color development in a photochromic reaction.

A method for authenticating a security mark containing a photochromic compound can provide higher security performance. The method comprises a process of irradiating a security mark containing a photochromic compound with excitation light, a process of acquiring first security information on a time-dependent change in the absorption spectrum and/or reflection spectrum of the security mark after the irradiation with excitation light, and a process of checking the acquired first security information against previously acquired first security information on the security mark. In this method, the security mark preferably contains two or more photochromic compounds different from one another in color development and/or in quenching rate after the color development in a photochromic reaction.