VALUE DOCUMENT HAVING SECURITY MARKING WITH VARYING DECAY TIME AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING THE SECURITY MARKING

Abstract

A value document has a security marking in the form of two luminescent substances whose the emission spectra partially overlap in a primary emission range. The emission spectra have a degree of overlap of less than 80% and more than 5%, wherein the luminescent substances have different individual decay times in the primary emission range. The individual decay times of the luminescent substances differ from each other by more than 50% with reference to the shortest individual decay time.

Claims

1.-21. (canceled)

22. A value document having a security marking in the form of at least two inorganic luminescent substances whose emission spectra partially overlap in a primary emission range, wherein the emission spectra have a degree of overlap of less than 80% and more than 5%, wherein the luminescent substances have different individual decay times in the primary emission range, wherein the individual decay times of the luminescent substances differ by more than 50% with reference to the shortest individual decay time.

23. The value document according to claim 22, wherein the emission spectra of the luminescent substances have a degree of overlap of less than 65%.

24. The value document according to claim 22, wherein directly adjacent intensity maxima of two different luminescent substances differ from each other by less than 200 nm, and are mutually spaced apart by more than 20 nm.

25. The value document according to claim 22, wherein the individual decay times of the luminescent substances differ by more than 75%, with reference to the shortest individual decay time.

26. The value document according to claim 22, wherein the individual decay times of the luminescent substances are in the range of 50 s to 5000 s, wherein in particular the individual decay time of a first luminescent substance is in the range of 100 s to 200 s and the individual decay time of a second luminescent substance is in the range of 400 s to 1000 s.

27. The value document according to claim 22, wherein a spectral profile of an overall decay time in the primary emission range of the combination of the luminescent substances has at least one minimum and/or at least one maximum and/or at least one inflection point, in particular within a wavelength range of at least 50 nm.

28. The value document according to claim 22, wherein the luminescent substances are present in such a mixing ratio that the individual intensities integrated over the primary emission range differ from each other by less than 50% with reference to the greatest integrated individual intensity of the luminescent substances.

29. The value document according to claim 22, wherein the luminescent substances are formed such that at least 90%, of the overall emission of the luminescent substances is emitted at least in a sub-range of the primary emission range.

30. The value document according to claim 22, wherein the luminescent substances can be excited in the primary emission range.

31. The value document according to claim 22, wherein the luminescent substances can be excited at the same wavelength, wherein the integrated individual intensity of each luminescent substance amounts to at least 50% of the maximum integrated individual intensity of this substance at optimum excitation.

32. The value document according to claim 22, wherein the luminescent substances each comprise a host lattice doped with at least one rare earth metal.

33. The value document according to claim 32, wherein a first luminescent substance comprises an inorganic host lattice doped with ytterbium and/or neodymium and a second luminescent substance comprises an inorganic host lattice doped with ytterbium and/or neodymium.

34. The value document according to claim 32, wherein an overall content of one or several rare earth metals in a first luminescent substance amounts to less than 3 wt.-%, and an overall content of one or several rare earth metals in a second luminescent substance amounts to more than 5 wt. %.

35. The value document according to claim 32, wherein at least one luminescent substance comprises a rare-earth-doped rare earth phosphate.

36. The value document according to claim 32, wherein at least one luminescent substance comprises a rare earth phosphate doped with ytterbium and/or neodymium, wherein in particular a first luminescent substance contains a rare earth phosphate doped with ytterbium and/or neodymium and a second luminescent substance contains a rare-earth garnet structure doped with ytterbium and/or neodymium.

37. The value document according to claim 32, wherein a luminescent substance comprises a rare-earth-doped niobate, tantalate, vanadate or tungstate.

38. The value document according to claim 32, wherein a luminescent substance comprises a niobate, tantalate, vanadate or tungstate doped with ytterbium and/or neodymium, wherein in particular a first luminescent substance comprises a niobate, tantalate, vanadate or tungstate doped with ytterbium and/or neodymium and a second luminescent substance comprises a rare-earth garnet structure doped with ytterbium and/or neodymium.

39. A method for identifying the security marking of a value document according to claim 22, comprising the following steps of: exciting the luminescent substances through at least one excitation pulse, detecting an overall intensity of the emitted radiations of the luminescent substances at least in one detection channel comprising at least a sub-range of the primary emission range, in particular of the overlap range, determining a decay time in the at least one detection channel, and identifying the security marking on the basis of the determined decay time.

40. The method according to claim 39, wherein the sum of the detection channels is given by a range of at most 200 nm, around a wavelength at which the overall spectral intensity of the emissions of the luminescent substances has a focal point in the primary emission range.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein for at least one detection channel a luminescence intensity is determined at at least two at exactly two points in time, and a decay time is determined from these at least two intensities.

42. A security feature for manufacturing a value document according to claim 22, comprising at least two inorganic luminescent substances whose emission spectra partially overlap in a primary emission range, wherein the emission spectra have a degree of overlap of less than 80% and more than 5%, wherein the luminescent substances have different individual decay times in the primary emission range, wherein the individual decay times of the luminescent substances differ from each other by more than 50% with reference to the shortest individual decay time.

Description

[0079] The invention will now be described on the basis of embodiment examples, wherein reference is made to the attached figures. There are shown:

[0080] FIG. 1 diagrams for illustrating the time profile of the spectral intensities of a combination of luminescent substances with significantly different decay times for different detection channels;

[0081] FIG. 2 diagrams illustrating the overlap of two emission spectra (2A), the resulting overall intensity (2B), and the effective rise time (2C) and the definition of the primary emission range.

[0082] FIG. 3 a diagram representing the overall decay time of a combination of two Yb luminescent substances;

[0083] FIG. 4 a diagram representing the overall decay time of a combination of two Nd luminescent substances;

[0084] FIG. 5 a diagram representing the overall decay time of a combination of a Nd luminescent substance and a Nd/Yb luminescent substance;

[0085] FIG. 6 a diagram representing the overall decay time of a combination of a Nd/Yb luminescent substance and a Nd/Yb luminescent substance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE IMAGES

[0086] FIG. 1, which illustrates the time profile of the spectral intensities within different detection channels in the case of a combination of luminescent substances with significantly different decay times, has already been described.

[0087] FIG. 2A schematically shows the emission spectra of two different luminescent substances. The emission spectra complement each other in a sub-range of their (spectral) expansion. This area is hatched.

[0088] FIG. 2B shows the resulting overall intensity. The primary emission range P is the area between the dotted lines. It extends on both sides of the maximum overall intensity up to the wavelength at which the overall intensity falls below 10% of the maximum value for the first time (.sub.1 or .sub.2).

[0089] FIG. 2C shows schematically the effective decay time as a function of the wavelength in the primary emission range. It results in this example when the first luminescent substance (solid line) has a shorter decay time than the second luminescent substance (dashed line).

[0090] FIG. 3 shall be considered first, where there is shown, by way of example, a measurement of the overall spectral decay time of a combination of two Yb luminescent substances. In FIG. 3, the overall decay time (in microseconds, s) is plotted against the emission wavelength (in nanometers, nm) in the range of 940 nm to 1065 nm. The measured data points are interconnected by a solid data line. The first luminescent substance employed is an ytterbium-doped lanthanum phosphate, having an ytterbium content of 1.5 percent by weight and a decay time of 900 s. The second luminescent substance employed is an ytterbium-doped yttrium-aluminum garnet, having an ytterbium content of 39 percent by weight and a decay time of 400 s.

[0091] Upon excitation of the absorption bands of the ytterbium, both luminescent substances luminesce in the range between 940 and 1065 nm, wherein the respective emissions partially overlap (degree of overlap 37%). The wavelength range stated in FIG. 2 comprises the primary emission range of the luminescent substances used. The luminescent substances were mixed with each other in such a quantitative ratio that they luminesce with the same intensity upon simultaneous excitation.

[0092] When the overall decay time of the emissions at specific wavelengths of the emissions is determined, the values of FIG. 3 are obtained. For a measurement of the overall decay time of the emissions, the two luminescent substances are excited together in the absorption band of the ytterbium by a same excitation pulse (flash of light). The excitation pulse is turned on at a particular point in time and subsequently turned off. The time profiles of the intensities of the two luminescent substances each have a rise phase in which the intensity increases from zero to a maximum value, and a decay phase in which the intensity drops starting from the maximum value. The measurements of the overall intensity take place at defined points in time, wherein the measurements can take place at equidistant points in time, but also non-equidistant points in time. From the time profile of the overall intensity, the overall decay time of the emissions at specific wavelengths can be determined.

[0093] For this purpose, the intensity values I.sub.100 after 100 s and I.sub.400 after 400 s are measured within the scope of the examples, and the effective decay time is ascertained as follows:

=300 s/ln(I.sub.400/I.sub.100)

For example, if the intensity values at two other times are taken as the basis or a different algorithm is applied, respectively different overall decay time curves will result. In order to imitate the measurement data or check criteria of such features according to the invention, it is therefore required to know the measurement parameters exactly, whereby the protective effect is significantly increased.
The overall spectral decay time has a local maximum, a local minimum and an inflection point.

[0094] When the overall decay time of the emissions is measured in a first wavelength range of 960 nm to 1000 nm (corresponding to a first detection channel) and in a second wavelength range of 1000 nm to 1040 nm (corresponding to a second detection channel), then for the first detection channel an average value of the overall decay time of approximately 700 s is obtained, and for the second detection channel an average value of the overall decay time of approximately 550 s is obtained. On the basis of the two overall decay times the combination of luminescent substances can be identified reliably and securely.

[0095] FIGS. 4 to 7 show exemplary measurements of the overall spectral decay time of combinations of two different luminescent substances. In order to avoid unnecessary repetitions, only the differences to FIG. 3 are explained in each case, and otherwise reference is made to the explanations there.

[0096] FIG. 4 shows the overall spectral decay time of a combination of two Nd luminescent substances. The first luminescent substance employed is a neodymium-doped lanthanum phosphate, having a neodymium content of 4.7 percent by weight and a decay time of 100 s. The second luminescent substance employed is a neodymium-doped lutetium tantalate, having a neodymium content of 1 percent by weight and a decay time of 300 s. When the absorption bands of the neodymium are excited, both luminescent substances luminesce in the range of 1040 nm to 1110 nm, wherein the respective emissions partially overlap (degree of overlap 43%). The wavelength range stated in the diagram of FIG. 4 contains the primary emission range of the luminescent substances used. The overall spectral decay time has a local maximum, a local minimum and an inflection point.

[0097] When the overall decay time of the emissions is measured in a first wavelength range of 1040 nm to 1075 nm (corresponding to a first detection channel) and in a second wavelength range of 1075 nm to 1110 nm (corresponding to a second detection channel), then for the first detection channel an average value of the overall decay time of approximately 190 s is obtained, and for the second detection channel an average value of the overall decay time of approximately 260 s is obtained. Alternatively, when the overall decay time is measured in several smaller ranges (1040 nm-1050 nm; 1050 nm-1060 nm; 1060 nm-1070 nm; 1070 nm-1080 nm; 1080 nm-1090 nm; 1090 nm-1100 nm; 1100 nm-1110 nm), this results in respective overall decay times on average of approximately 129 s, 181 s, 244 s, 229 s, 231 s, 284 s and 289 s.

[0098] FIG. 5 shows the overall spectral decay time of a combination of a Nd luminescent substance and a Nd/Yb luminescent substance. The first luminescent substance employed is a neodymium-doped lanthanum phosphate, having a neodymium content of 4.7 percent by weight and a decay time of 100 s. The second luminescent substance employed is am yttrium-aluminum garnet doped with equal proportions of neodymium and ytterbium, having a dopant content of 19.5 percent by weight and a decay time of 500 s. The first and second luminescent substances are used in a relative intensity ratio of 5 to 6. Upon excitation of the absorption bands of the neodymium, both luminescent substances luminesce in the range of 960 nm to 1090 nm, wherein the respective emissions partially overlap (degree of overlap 12%). The wavelength range stated in the diagram of FIG. 5 contains the primary emission range of the luminescent substances used. The overall spectral decay time is constant over a wide range, then decreases monotonically and subsequently increases again.

[0099] When the overall decay time of the emissions is measured in a first wavelength range of 970 nm to 1010 nm (corresponding to a first detection channel), in a second wavelength range of 1010 nm to 1050 nm (corresponding to a second detection channel), and a third wavelength range of 1050 nm to 1090 nm (corresponding to a third detection channel), then for the first detection channel an average value of the overall decay time of approximately 500 s is obtained, for the second detection channel an average value of the overall decay time of approximately 400 s is obtained, and for the third detection channel an average value of approximately 200 s is obtained.

[0100] FIG. 6 shows the overall spectral decay time of a combination of a Nd/Yb luminescent substance and a Nd/Yb luminescent substance. The first luminescent substance employed is yttrium oxysulfide doped with neodymium and ytterbium in the ratio 1: 4, having a dopant content of 30 percent by weight and a decay time of 120 s. The second luminescent substance employed is an yttrium-aluminum garnet doped with equal proportions of neodymium and ytterbium, having a dopant content of 19.5 percent by weight and a decay time of 500 s. Upon excitation of the absorption bands of the neodymium, both luminescent substances luminesce in the range of 940 nm to 1070 nm, wherein the respective emissions partially overlap (degree of overlap 33%). The wavelength range stated in the diagram of FIG. 6 contains the primary emission range of the luminescent substances used. The overall spectral decay time has several local maxima and several local minima.

[0101] When the overall decay time of the emissions is measured in a first wavelength range of 940 nm to 1005 nm (corresponding to a first detection channel) and in a second wavelength range of 1005 nm to 1070 nm (corresponding to a second detection channel), then for the first detection channel an average value of the overall decay time of approximately 270 s is obtained, and for the second detection channel an average value of the overall decay time of approximately 330 s is obtained.

[0102] FIG. 7 shows the overall spectral decay time of a combination of an Er luminescent substance and an Yb luminescent substance. The first luminescent substance employed is an erbium-doped lanthanum oxysulfide, having a dopant content of 2 percent by weight and a decay time of 1000 s. The second luminescent substance employed is an ytterbium-doped yttrium-aluminum garnet, having a dopant content of 39 percent by weight and a decay time of 400 s. Upon simultaneous excitation of the overlapping absorption bands of the ytterbium and the erbium, both luminescent substances luminesce in the range of 960 nm to 1050 nm, wherein the respective emissions partially overlap (degree of overlap 34%). The wavelength range stated in the diagram of FIG. 7 contains the primary emission range of the luminescent substances used. The overall spectral decay time has several local maxima and several local minima.

[0103] When the overall decay time of the emissions is measured in a first wavelength range of 960 nm to 1005 nm (corresponding to a first detection channel) and in a second wavelength range of 1005 nm to 1050 nm (corresponding to a second detection channel), then for the first detection channel an average value of the overall decay time of approximately 710 s is obtained, and for the second detection channel an average value of the overall decay time of approximately 470 s is obtained.

[0104] The combinations of the luminescent substances of FIGS. 3 to 7 can each be used as security marking for a value document according to the invention.

[0105] As can be seen from the above description, the invention offers great advantages over the security markings and evaluation methods known in the state of the art, in which the luminescent substances used in combination have an identical emission wavelength or at least only slightly different emission wavelengths. In particular, with the luminescent substances used in combination according to the invention, a very high protection against imitation can be achieved. In addition, these allow a relatively simple, fast and reliable identification of the security feature. Thus, the security feature used according to the invention can be used in particular also in time-critical application cases, in which a fast evaluation method is essential, for example for analysis on banknote processing machines running at high speed.