The invention generally relates to optical devices, in particular those for use in providing security to documents.
It is well known that various types of optical microstructures or optically variable devices (OVDs) can be used to protect valuable documents such as banknotes from counterfeiting. Such optical microstructure technologies include diffractive devices such as holograms, Kinegrams(R) and Exelgrams(R), and various other proprietary technologies of this type.
However, it has been found that as technology has developed, some types of diffractive OVDs, such as holograms, are now able to be simulated or copied using commercially available off-the-shelf holography systems such as dot matrix systems. There has been strong interest from security printers in trying to find alternative optical technologies that are more difficult, if not impossible, for counterfeiters to satisfactorily mimic using current technologies.
Alternative OVD technologies that have been developed in an effort to reduce the ability for counterfeiters to satisfactorily reproduce optical effects include micromirror and microlens based optical effects. However there are certain difficulties in trying to manufacture these micromirror, microprism or lenslet array technologies. These difficulties relate to the accuracy to which such micro-optical element arrays can be manufactured so as to produce light beam directional changes of sufficient precision.
Also, these micromirror and microlens arrays require a sufficient thickness of substrate to form the optical elements. This thickness often results in issues when stacking documents (in particular banknotes). Though each individual banknote may comprise an OVD structure that extends by 10 s of microns above the surface of the note, when a large number of notes are stacked together the cumulative effect of the OVD structures creates stacking problems (so-called “profile issues”).
In light of this, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical device comprising an arrangement of wavelength dependant optical phase modifying optical elements on a first surface of a substrate, each of the optical elements being in the form of an optical antenna and configured to produce a local phase and/or amplitude change to reflected and/or transmitted electromagnetic waves, the arrangement configured such that the combined action of each of the wavelength dependant optical phase modifying optical elements produces an pre-defined optical effect on reflection and/or transmission observable by a viewer when the arrangement is illuminated by an external electromagnetic source.
Typically, the electromagnetic source is a visible light source. The viewer may be a naked eye. Preferably, the observed optical effect is an image configured to change in form and/or colour with changing angle of view and/or changing angle of illumination.
Preferably, each of the optical elements is also a wavelength dependent optical amplitude modifying optical element.
In an embodiment, the optical device further comprises a plurality of pixel elements, wherein each pixel element comprises a plurality of wavelength dependant optical phase modifying optical elements, wherein each optical element is configured to cause a pre-defined local phase modulation of incident electromagnetic waves such that the combined phase modulation of the optical elements within a pixel element cause a characteristic interaction with the incident electromagnetic wave in the region of the pixel element. Each pixel element may have a maximum extent in at least one dimension of 100 microns. Optionally, each pixel element is configured to provide a focusing effect corresponding to the change in propagation of the incident electromagnetic wave, for example, wherein the focusing effect for each pixel element is configured to mimic a refractive cylindrical or spherical microlens. Alternatively, each pixel element may be configured to provide a change in propagation direction of the incident electromagnetic wave, for example, wherein each pixel element is configured to provide a change in propagation direction mimicking a refractive microprism or a reflective micromirror.
The optical elements may be in the form of two-limbed rods (e.g. having a “V”, “L” or “I” shape). In this case, each optical element may be rotated at any predetermined angle with respect to an axis normal to the surface of the device. Alternatively, the optical elements may be in the form of squares, circles, ellipses, rectangles or any other polygon. The optical antennae may be in the form of optical dielectric resonator antennas (DRA) of cylindrical or pill box shape, preferably wherein each optical element has predetermined diameter selected based on the required local phase or amplitude change for the optical element. Alternatively, the optical elements are in the form of square or rectangular box shaped structures, preferably wherein each optical element has at least one predetermined length selected based on the local phase or amplitude change required for the optical element.
Typically, the maximum surface extent of each wavelength dependant optical phase modifying optical element in at least one dimension may be less than 10 microns. Preferably, each optical element extends from the surface of the substrate by no more than 1 micron.
Preferably, the pre-defined optical effect includes an image which appears to the naked eye to lie above or below first surface of the substrate.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a double layer optical device, comprising a first optical device according to the first aspect and a second optical device according to the first aspect located opposite the first optical device, preferably in a spaced apart manner, wherein the image observed looking through the first optical device onto the second optical device is a composite image.
Preferably, the wavelength dependant optical phase modifying optical elements are formed from an embossed and cured radiation curable ink applied to the first surface or formed from a directly embossed substrate, preferably wherein the substrate is a polymer substrate.
Optionally, the optical device is incorporated into a document, such as a banknote or cheque, preferably affixed to or formed directly onto a document substrate of the document.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing the optical device of the first aspect, including the steps of: preparing a shim having an inverse profile to a required profile of the arrangement of optical elements; applying to a surface of a substrate, preferably a transparent substrate, a radiation curable ink; embossing the radiation curable ink with the shim, and curing the radiation curable ink, thereby forming the arrangement of optical elements.
Advantageously, the present invention provides a novel approach to the design of optically variable micro- and nano-structures. For example, the cumulative phase change resulting from the combined interactions of a plurality of optical elements can produce similar interactions with an incoming light wave to those produced by micromirrors, microprisms, and microlenses, which are known in the art of optical security devices. The optical elements beneficially have a relatively small surface profile, in particular when compared to the aforementioned structures known in the art of optical security devices, while providing similar optical effects.
Also advantageously, the optical elements typically have a smaller footprint than conventional micromirrors, microprisms, and microlenses, enabling for an increased resolution focussing or reflection capability when compared to these conventional technologies.
Security Document or Token
As used herein the term security documents and tokens includes all types of documents and tokens of value and identification documents including, but not limited to the following: items of currency such as banknotes and coins, credit cards, cheques, passports, identity cards, securities and share certificates, driver's licenses, deeds of title, travel documents such as airline and train tickets, entrance cards and tickets, birth, death and marriage certificates, and academic transcripts.
The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, applicable to security documents or tokens such as banknotes or identification documents such as identity cards or passports formed from a substrate to which one or more layers of printing are applied. The diffraction gratings and optically variable devices described herein may also have application in other products, such as packaging.
Security Device or Feature
As used herein the term security device or feature includes any one of a large number of security devices, elements or features intended to protect the security document or token from counterfeiting, copying, alteration or tampering. Security devices or features may be provided in or on the substrate of the security document or in or on one or more layers applied to the base substrate, and may take a wide variety of forms, such as security threads embedded in layers of the security document; security inks such as fluorescent, luminescent and phosphorescent inks, metallic inks, iridescent inks, photochromic, thermochromic, hydrochromic or piezochromic inks; printed and embossed features, including relief structures; interference layers; liquid crystal devices; lenses and lenticular structures; optically variable devices (OVDs) such as diffractive devices including diffraction gratings, holograms and diffractive optical elements (DOEs).
Substrate
As used herein, the term substrate refers to the base material from which the security document or token is formed. The base material may be paper or other fibrous material such as cellulose; a plastic or polymeric material including but not limited to polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), biaxially-oriented polypropylene (BOPP); or a composite material of two or more materials, such as a laminate of paper and at least one plastic material, or of two or more polymeric materials.
Transparent Windows and Half Windows
As used herein the term window refers to a transparent or translucent area in the security document compared to the substantially opaque region to which printing is applied. The window may be fully transparent so that it allows the transmission of light substantially unaffected, or it may be partly transparent or translucent partially allowing the transmission of light but without allowing objects to be seen clearly through the window area.
A window area may be formed in a polymeric security document which has at least one layer of transparent polymeric material and one or more opacifying layers applied to at least one side of a transparent polymeric substrate, by omitting least one opacifying layer in the region forming the window area. If opacifying layers are applied to both sides of a transparent substrate a fully transparent window may be formed by omitting the opacifying layers on both sides of the transparent substrate in the window area.
A partly transparent or translucent area, hereinafter referred to as a “half-window”, may be formed in a polymeric security document which has opacifying layers on both sides by omitting the opacifying layers on one side only of the security document in the window area so that the “half-window” is not fully transparent, but allows some light to pass through without allowing objects to be viewed clearly through the half-window.
Alternatively, it is possible for the substrates to be formed from an substantially opaque material, such as paper or fibrous material, with an insert of transparent plastics material inserted into a cut-out, or recess in the paper or fibrous substrate to form a transparent window or a translucent half-window area.
Opacifying Layers
One or more opacifying layers may be applied to a transparent substrate to increase the opacity of the security document. An opacifying layer is such that LT<L0, where L0 is the amount of light incident on the document, and LT is the amount of light transmitted through the document. An opacifying layer may comprise any one or more of a variety of opacifying coatings. For example, the opacifying coatings may comprise a pigment, such as titanium dioxide, dispersed within a binder or carrier of heat-activated cross-linkable polymeric material. Alternatively, a substrate of transparent plastic material could be sandwiched between opacifying layers of paper or other partially or substantially opaque material to which indicia may be subsequently printed or otherwise applied.
Refractive Index n
The refractive index of a medium n is the ratio of the speed of light in vacuum to the speed of light in the medium. The refractive index n2 of a lens determines the amount by which light rays reaching the lens surface will be refracted, according to Snell's law:
n
1·sin (θ1)=n2·sin (θ2)
where θ1 is the angle between an incident ray and the normal at the point of incidence at the lens surface, θ2 is the angle between the refracted ray and the normal at the point of incidence, and n1 is the refractive index of air (as an approximation n1 may be taken to be 1).
Embossable Radiation Curable Ink
The term embossable radiation curable ink used herein refers to any ink, lacquer or other coating which may be applied to the substrate in a printing process, and which can be embossed while soft to form a relief structure and cured by radiation to fix the embossed relief structure. The curing process does not take place before the radiation curable ink is embossed, but it is possible for the curing process to take place either after embossing or at substantially the same time as the embossing step. The radiation curable ink is preferably curable by ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Alternatively, the radiation curable ink may be cured by other forms of radiation, such as electron beams or X-rays.
The radiation curable ink is preferably a transparent or translucent ink formed from a clear resin material. Such a transparent or translucent ink is particularly suitable for printing light-transmissive security elements such as sub-wavelength gratings, transmissive diffractive gratings and lens structures.
In one particularly preferred embodiment, the transparent or translucent ink preferably comprises an acrylic based UV curable clear embossable lacquer or coating.
Such UV curable lacquers can be obtained from various manufacturers, including Kingfisher Ink Limited, product ultraviolet type UVF-203 or similar. Alternatively, the radiation curable embossable coatings may be based on other compounds, eg nitro-cellulose.
The radiation curable inks and lacquers used herein have been found to be particularly suitable for embossing microstructures, including diffractive structures such as diffraction gratings and holograms, and microlenses and lens arrays. However, they may also be embossed with larger relief structures, such as non-diffractive optically variable devices.
The ink is preferably embossed and cured by ultraviolet (UV) radiation at substantially the same time. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the radiation curable ink is applied and embossed at substantially the same time in a Gravure printing process.
Preferably, in order to be suitable for Gravure printing, the radiation curable ink has a viscosity falling substantially in the range from about 20 to about 175 centipoise, and more preferably from about 30 to about 150 centipoise. The viscosity may be determined by measuring the time to drain the lacquer from a Zahn Cup #2. A sample which drains in 20 seconds has a viscosity of 30 centipoise, and a sample which drains in 63 seconds has a viscosity of 150 centipoise.
With some polymeric substrates, it may be necessary to apply an intermediate layer to the substrate before the radiation curable ink is applied to improve the adhesion of the embossed structure formed by the ink to the substrate. The intermediate layer preferably comprises a primer layer, and more preferably the primer layer includes a polyethylene imine. The primer layer may also include a cross-linker, for example a multi-functional isocyanate. Examples of other primers suitable for use in the invention include: hydroxyl terminated polymers; hydroxyl terminated polyester based co-polymers; cross-linked or uncross-linked hydroxylated acrylates; polyurethanes; and UV curing anionic or cationic acrylates. Examples of suitable cross-linkers include: isocyanates; polyaziridines; zirconium complexes; aluminium acetylacetone; melamines; and carbodi-imides.
Metallic Nanoparticle Ink
As used herein, the term metallic nanoparticle ink refers to an ink having metallic particles of an average size of less than one micron.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be appreciated that the embodiments are given by way of illustration only and the invention is not limited by this illustration. In the drawings:
The document 2 includes first and second opacifying layers 7a, 7b applied to opposite sides of the document substrate 9. This is particularly useful for transparent or translucent document substrates 9, as the opacifying layers 7a, 7b act to reduce the transparency of the document 2 in the regions in which the layers 7a, 7b are present.
In the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
In the embodiment of
Though not shown in the figures, it is also possible for the document 2 to be inherently opaque (or substantially opaque), for example where the document substrate 9 is paper or a paper composite material. In this case, the opacifying layers 7a, 7b are not necessarily required. The optical device 4 can be formed onto the opaque document substrate 9 (in a similar manner to the embodiments of
Generally, there exists a number of ways for forming an optical device 4 onto a document 2 such that the optical device 4 is either viewable from one side only or both sides of the document 2, as required for the particular implementation.
The optical device 4 typically provides a security function, that is, the optical device 4 acts to decrease the susceptibility of the document 2 to counterfeiting. The optical device 4 can be referred to as a “security device” or “security token” when used for this purpose. A document 2 requiring protection to counterfeiting is often referred to as a “security document”.
Referring to
It should be appreciated that, optical elements in all embodiments described herein can be considered to be in the form of optical antennae. It should also be appreciated that the interaction that an optical element, as described herein, with electromagnetic radiation is not diffractive in nature. Instead, it is an abrupt phase, and potentially also an amplitude, change caused by the individual optical element, which when repeated amongst many optical elements, in pre-defined arrangements and forms, causes a defined optical interaction to occur. These types of interactions are discussed in Nanfang Yu et al, “Light propagation with phase discontinuities: generalized laws of reflection and refraction”, Science 334, p333, 2011 and Zou et al., “Dielectric resonator nanoantennas at visible frequencies”, Optics Express, Vol 21, No. 1, p. 1344, 2013.
According to an embodiment, as shown in
According to another embodiment, with reference to
The embodiment shown in
According to another embodiment, as shown in
Optical elements 12 correspond to structures which each act to impose sudden phase changes on incident light waves. The sudden phase change is both local (i.e. occurring in the vicinity of a particular optical element 12) and controlled (i.e. the degree of phase change is proportional to the shape and orientation of the particular optical element 12). The optical elements 12 can therefore be considered as optical antennae. The optical elements 12 typically have a height less than 1 micron, preferably less than 500 nanometres, more preferably less than 250 nanometres. The optical elements 12 can have at least one length dimension, if not both length dimensions, less than 10 microns, preferably less than 1 microns, and more preferably less than 750 nanometres.
The pixel elements 14 typically will have at least one length dimension less than 100 microns, preferably less than 50 microns. The optical elements 12, and the pixel elements 14, are therefore able to provide relatively high resolution optical effects similar to existing lens (e.g. microlens) and mirror (e.g. micromirror) optical effects, without the bulk geometry requirements of these conventional optical elements.
Considering the specific example shown in
The local phase change caused by a particular optical element 12 is in part determined by the diameter of the optical element 12. Similar to the embodiment of
Other shapes of optical elements 12 are possible. For example, optical elements 12 with a square, rectangular, or other polygon shaped cross-section are envisaged.
As shown in
The arrangement of optical elements 12 can also provide a structural colour effect where the phase shifting or deflection effect is a function of the wavelength of the incoming light as (e.g) as shown by the equation sin (θ)=pΔ/2πa of Zou et al.
Further modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2015101129 | Aug 2015 | AU | national |
2015903337 | Aug 2015 | AU | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/AU2016/050763 | 8/18/2016 | WO | 00 |