A new concept of bi-luminescent security pigments includes lanthanide doped rare-earth compound with rare-earth free compound and its ink formulation. The unique features of this bi-luminescent security ink is that it emits two different colors when it is illuminated by using two different excitation wavelengths. This important feature makes it most suitable for printing of security codes or QR codes/security images on currency, important official documents, food and medicinal packaging etc. The prospective use of this bi-luminescent security ink provides a ground-breaking opening for easily printable, highly stable and unclonable bi-luminescent security codes for anti-counterfeiting applications.

The invention relates to a process for securing an identification document and to a secure identification document. More particularly, the process uses UV sensitive ink(s) to define a pattern only visible under UV radiations, by printing a first layer of a transparent ablation varnish (13), printing a layer (14) of UV sensitive ink(s) over said first layer of transparent ablation varnish, removing parts of the layer (14) of UV sensitive ink(s), by means of a laser beam, some remaining areas of said UV sensitive ink(s) defining said pattern to be revealed in color under UV radiations, and some areas, where the UV sensitive ink(s) has been removed and the laser beam has interacted with the ablation varnish (13), absorbing the UV radiations with effect of creating black color. Other systems and methods are disclosed.

The invention relates to a process for securing an identification document and to a secure identification document. More particularly, the process uses UV sensitive ink(s) to define a pattern only visible under UV radiations, by printing a first layer of a transparent ablation varnish (13), printing a layer (14) of UV sensitive ink(s) over said first layer of transparent ablation varnish, removing parts of the layer (14) of UV sensitive ink(s), by means of a laser beam, some remaining areas of said UV sensitive ink(s) defining said pattern to be revealed in color under UV radiations, and some areas, where the UV sensitive ink(s) has been removed and the laser beam has interacted with the ablation varnish (13), absorbing the UV radiations with effect of creating black color. Other systems and methods are disclosed.

The invention concerns a security element for a security document comprising a structure layer and diffractive first and second relief structures, wherein the relief structures viewed parallel to the plane of the structure layer are arranged in different planes of the security element, wherein the first relief structure adjoins a partial first reflection layer and the second relief structure adjoins a partial second reflection layer, and whereinif the first reflection layer is towards a viewera second item of information generated by the second relief structure is at least partially concealed andif the second reflection layer is towards the viewera first item of information generated by the first relief structure is at least partially concealed, and processes for the production of such security elements and security documents formed therewith.

The invention concerns a security element for a security document comprising a structure layer and diffractive first and second relief structures, wherein the relief structures viewed parallel to the plane of the structure layer are arranged in different planes of the security element, wherein the first relief structure adjoins a partial first reflection layer and the second relief structure adjoins a partial second reflection layer, and whereinif the first reflection layer is towards a viewera second item of information generated by the second relief structure is at least partially concealed andif the second reflection layer is towards the viewera first item of information generated by the first relief structure is at least partially concealed, and processes for the production of such security elements and security documents formed therewith.

A flexible band configured to be connected to a data page and to a booklet, wherein the flexible band extends along a main direction and includes an upper side and a lower side as well as a plurality of apertures, wherein the flexible band includes at least one security element, wherein the security element is provided by at least one security print pattern; or the security element is provided by at least one security thread; or the security element is provided by at least one security print pattern in combination with at least one security thread.

A flexible band configured to be connected to a data page and to a booklet, wherein the flexible band extends along a main direction and includes an upper side and a lower side as well as a plurality of apertures, wherein the flexible band includes at least one security element, wherein the security element is provided by at least one security print pattern; or the security element is provided by at least one security thread; or the security element is provided by at least one security print pattern in combination with at least one security thread.

A method of producing a security document includes the steps of producing a first part of a color image by color laser marking a security document precursor; and producing a second part of the color image by a second imaging technique different from laser marking. The resulting security document is more difficult to falsify.

An anti-counterfeiting structure includes a substrate having a surface, and an device structure positioned on the surface. A side opposite to the side on which the substrate is positioned with respect to the device structure is an observation side, and the device structure comprises an optical device layer that emits predetermined light towards the observation side, and an information portion that contains given information. The information portion comprises a first substance having optical transparency, wherein the first substance is changeable to a second substance having a different optical characteristic from the first substance by laser irradiation, and the second substance representing information. The device structure has a display surface that is a surface opposite to the surface on which a surface of the substrate, and is configured so as to display information contained in the information portion via the display surface.

A security feature for a valuable document, includes at least one unit of information, a luminescent material designed to emphasize the unit of information being provided in the region of said unit of information.