A secure instrument and associated systems and methods of authentication, the secure instrument including a polymer substrate having a first surface and a second surface; an inner layer disposed on or over the first surface of the polymer substrate, the inner layer being a conductive, absorbing, or upconverting layer and including one or more gaps therein; and an opacity layer disposed on or over the inner layer disposed on or over the first surface of the polymer substrate.

A secure instrument and associated systems and methods of authentication, the secure instrument including a polymer substrate having a first surface and a second surface; an inner layer disposed on or over the first surface of the polymer substrate, the inner layer being a conductive, absorbing, or upconverting layer and including one or more gaps therein; and an opacity layer disposed on or over the inner layer disposed on or over the first surface of the polymer substrate.

A blister pack includes a housing having a plurality of cavities and a cover sealed to the housing and enclosing the cavities. The cover including a base layer, at least one security element, and a heat protective layer. The heat protective layer includes one of an amorphous polymer and a semi-crystalline polymer.

A semi-finished product method with a liquid crystal security feature includes unrolling and transporting a continuous film in a transporting direction and providing on the film a liquid crystal layer containing a substance whose absorption of polarized light depends on its orientation. The method includes at least one of (A) arranging a lacquer layer on the film and embossing it for a first alignment structure, and at least partly covering it with the liquid crystal layer, the first alignment structure able to cause liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer to align only in a first direction in first regions and only in a second direction, in second regions, and (B) embossing the liquid crystal layer while the liquid crystal layer is uncured providing a second alignment structure to cause liquid crystal molecules to align only in a third direction in third regions and only in a fourth direction, in fourth regions.

A semi-finished product method with a liquid crystal security feature includes unrolling and transporting a continuous film in a transporting direction and providing on the film a liquid crystal layer containing a substance whose absorption of polarized light depends on its orientation. The method includes at least one of (A) arranging a lacquer layer on the film and embossing it for a first alignment structure, and at least partly covering it with the liquid crystal layer, the first alignment structure able to cause liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer to align only in a first direction in first regions and only in a second direction, in second regions, and (B) embossing the liquid crystal layer while the liquid crystal layer is uncured providing a second alignment structure to cause liquid crystal molecules to align only in a third direction in third regions and only in a fourth direction, in fourth regions.

An optical product can reproduce a first 3D image of at least part of a first 3D object and a second 3D image of at least part of a second 3D object. The optical product comprises a surface configured, when illuminated, to reproduce by reflected or transmitted light, the first 3D image without reproducing the second 3D image at a first angle of view, and the second 3D image without reproducing the first 3D image at a second angle of view. Each portion of first portions can correspond to a point on a surface of the first 3D object, and comprise first non-holographic features configured to produce at least part of the first 3D image. Each portion of second portions can correspond to a point on a surface of the second 3D object, and comprise second non-holographic features configured to produce at least part of the second 3D image.

An optical product can reproduce a first 3D image of at least part of a first 3D object and a second 3D image of at least part of a second 3D object. The optical product comprises a surface configured, when illuminated, to reproduce by reflected or transmitted light, the first 3D image without reproducing the second 3D image at a first angle of view, and the second 3D image without reproducing the first 3D image at a second angle of view. Each portion of first portions can correspond to a point on a surface of the first 3D object, and comprise first non-holographic features configured to produce at least part of the first 3D image. Each portion of second portions can correspond to a point on a surface of the second 3D object, and comprise second non-holographic features configured to produce at least part of the second 3D image.

A security element (1) for a security paper, value document or the like, having a carrier (8) which has an areal region (3) which is divided into a multiplicity of pixels (4) which respectively includes at least one optically active facet (5), whereby the majority of the pixels (4) respectively have several of the optically active facets (5) of identical orientation per pixel (4), and the facets (5) are so oriented that the areal region (3) is perceptible to a viewer as an area that protrudes and/or recedes relative to its actual spatial form.

A security element (1) for a security paper, value document or the like, having a carrier (8) which has an areal region (3) which is divided into a multiplicity of pixels (4) which respectively includes at least one optically active facet (5), whereby the majority of the pixels (4) respectively have several of the optically active facets (5) of identical orientation per pixel (4), and the facets (5) are so oriented that the areal region (3) is perceptible to a viewer as an area that protrudes and/or recedes relative to its actual spatial form.

A security 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. At least one first or second segment can include one or more microstructures or one or more nanostructures configured to produce one or more colors for the first or second image.