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.

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 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.

The present invention relates to the technical field of security documents comprising a security feature, such as a windowed security thread, a security foil, a security patch, a hologram or an ink printed security feature, and a protective coating, and methods of manufacturing of said security documents. The security feature has a security feature thickness t.sub.f of at least about 5 μm (micrometers) and a security feature surface facing away from the substrate consisting of a first region adjacent to the edges of the security feature and a second region non-adjacent to the edges of the security feature. The protective coating covers the security feature surface facing away from the substrate, a first substrate surface adjacent to the edges of the security feature, and a second substrate surface, which is different from the substrate surface covered by the security feature and the first substrate surface. The protective coating covering the security feature surface facing away from the substrate and the first substrate surface is transparent, the protective coating covering the first region has a thickness t.sub.b1, the protective coating covering the second region has a thickness t.sub.b2, the protective coating covering the first substrate surface has a thickness t.sub.c, and the protective coating covering the second substrate surface has a thickness t.sub.a. The thickness t.sub.c is larger than the thickness t.sub.f, which is larger than the thickness t.sub.a; the thickness t.sub.b2 is larger than the thickness t.sub.a; and either the thickness t.sub.c is larger than the thickness t.sub.b1, which is larger than or equal to the thickness t.sub.b2; or the thickness t.sub.c is equal to the thickness t.sub.b1, which is larger than the thickness t.sub.b2. The variable protective coating thickness on the surface of the security document provides the inventive security document with an increased resistance against physical and chemical attacks from the environment, while maintaining the mechanical resistance properties required for such security documents.

An optical member utilizing light from a point light source is enabled to visually perceive a reproduced optical image with a desired color. An optical modulation device includes an optical member having a light control part to reflect or absorb light in a predetermined wavelength and to pass through light in other than the predetermined wavelength in light in at least a visible light band, in accordance with a reproduction reference image for reproducing an original image, and a light transmissive part to pass through light in at least the visible light range including the predetermined wavelength.

A method for producing pigments having a specified contour, comprises the steps of creating a pigment layer on a starting substrate; detaching from the starting substrate; and structuring the pigment layer into a plurality of the pigments; characterized by bringing into contact the pigment layer with an intermediate substrate, wherein the pigment layer adheres at least in sections to the intermediate substrate; and separating intermediate substrate and starting substrate.

A method for producing pigments having a specified contour, comprises the steps of creating a pigment layer on a starting substrate; detaching from the starting substrate; and structuring the pigment layer into a plurality of the pigments; characterized by bringing into contact the pigment layer with an intermediate substrate, wherein the pigment layer adheres at least in sections to the intermediate substrate; and separating intermediate substrate and starting substrate.

The disclosure relates to an optical security feature that is based on a single axis alignment of mirrors or facets in a structured surface that forms a micro mirror array. In an aspect, a device is described that includes a reflecting structure on a first layer, where the reflecting structure has a top surface with multiple embossed facets arranged in a spatial orientation that produces a flat ring optical effect upon incidence of light. In another aspect, a method for making the device is described that provides a reflecting layer and produces the reflecting structure on the reflecting layer with multiple facets arranged in the spatial orientation to produce the flat ring optical effect. In yet another aspect, an apparatus for making the device is described that includes a pressing device and a stamping device to transfer a pattern of the reflecting structure to a reflecting material.