Disclosed herein are devices that change their appearance and/or physical properties when under an external influence, and methods for their production and use. Such devices may be used as features of any type of items, documents, billboards, posters, display devices, advertisements and other items etc. and may be adapted to include decipherable content. Such devices also afford new techniques for a user to check quickly and easily whether the item is a legitimate or a counterfeit copy, either by hand-manipulation of the device, or with the assistance of an additional screening tool.

Systems and methods are described for securing credentials with optical security features formed by quasi-random optical characteristics (QROCs) of credential substrates. A QROC can be a pattern of substrate element locations (SELs) on the substrate that includes some SELs that differ in optical response from surrounding SELs. During manufacturing, a QROC of a substrate can be characterized, hidden by a masking layer, and associated with a substrate identifier. During personalization, personalization data can be converted into an authentication graphic formed on the substrate by de-masking portions of the masking layer according to a de-masking pattern. The graphic formation can result in a representation that manifests a predetermined optical response only when the de-masking pattern is computed with knowledge of the hidden QROC. The authentication graphic and optical response can facilitate simple human authentication of the credential without complex or expensive detection equipment.

Systems and methods are described for securing credentials with optical security features formed by quasi-random optical characteristics (QROCs) of credential substrates. A QROC can be a pattern of substrate element locations (SELs) on the substrate that includes some SELs that differ in optical response from surrounding SELs. During manufacturing, a QROC of a substrate can be characterized, hidden by a masking layer, and associated with a substrate identifier. During personalization, personalization data can be converted into an authentication graphic formed on the substrate by de-masking portions of the masking layer according to a de-masking pattern. The graphic formation can result in a representation that manifests a predetermined optical response only when the de-masking pattern is computed with knowledge of the hidden QROC. The authentication graphic and optical response can facilitate simple human authentication of the credential without complex or expensive detection equipment.

A transaction card having a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer is metal and the second layer is a polymer, polycarbonate, or carbon. The metal layer may be stainless steel plated with gold.

An optical device includes an array of lenses and a plurality of first and second segments disposed under the array of lenses. At a first viewing angle, the array of lenses presents a first image for viewing without presenting the second image for viewing, and at a second viewing angle different from the first viewing angle, the array of lenses presents for viewing the second image without presenting the first image for viewing. In some examples, individual ones of the first and second segments can comprise specular reflecting, transparent, diffusely reflecting, and/or diffusely transmissive features. In some examples, individual ones of the first and second segments can comprise transparent and non-transparent regions. Some examples can incorporate more than one region producing an optical effect.

A multilayer laminate identification document including an outer layer having a contoured surface image formed therein via laser ablation. The contoured surface image has contours based on a digital monochrome image, and has a first appearance when viewed in reflected light at a first angle and a second, different appearance when viewed in reflected light at a second, different angle. The multilayer laminate identification document is formed by generating a second digital monochrome image with continuous pixel patterns from a first digital monochrome image, and irradiating the surface of the identification document with a laser using the second digital monochrome image as a guide to form a contoured surface image in the surface of the identification document.

A multilayer laminate identification document including an outer layer having a contoured surface image formed therein via laser ablation. The contoured surface image has contours based on a digital monochrome image, and has a first appearance when viewed in reflected light at a first angle and a second, different appearance when viewed in reflected light at a second, different angle. The multilayer laminate identification document is formed by generating a second digital monochrome image with continuous pixel patterns from a first digital monochrome image, and irradiating the surface of the identification document with a laser using the second digital monochrome image as a guide to form a contoured surface image in the surface of the identification document.

The present invention relates to an element comprising a surface area with a specific, optically effective surface relief microstructure (12). The surface relief microstructure has a surface modulation of top regions (13) and bottom regions (14), wherein in a first lateral direction of the surface area there is in average at least one transition from a top to a bottom region or vice versa within every 20 micrometer, and in a second lateral direction of the mask, which is perpendicular to the first direction, there is in average at least one transition from a first to a second zone or vice versa within every 200 micrometer. In the microstructure, (i) in the first direction the lateral arrangement of the transitions is non-periodic, and (ii) the top regions substantially lie in the same top relief plateau (15) and the bottom regions substantially lie in the same bottom relief plateau (16).

The present invention relates to an element comprising a surface area with a specific, optically effective surface relief microstructure (12). The surface relief microstructure has a surface modulation of top regions (13) and bottom regions (14), wherein in a first lateral direction of the surface area there is in average at least one transition from a top to a bottom region or vice versa within every 20 micrometer, and in a second lateral direction of the mask, which is perpendicular to the first direction, there is in average at least one transition from a first to a second zone or vice versa within every 200 micrometer. In the microstructure, (i) in the first direction the lateral arrangement of the transitions is non-periodic, and (ii) the top regions substantially lie in the same top relief plateau (15) and the bottom regions substantially lie in the same bottom relief plateau (16).

The invention relates to an anti-copy optical element comprising a caustic layer and a mask layer configured to simultaneously display a visible image reproducing a reference image and form a projected image containing a visible caustic pattern reproducing a reference pattern, upon illumination of the optical element with a light source, the projected image being distinct from the reference image. The invention also relates to a method for designing a relief pattern of a light-redirecting surface of said caustic layer consistently with the transmission properties of the mask layer.