Patent Application
20060231625
The present invention relates to a security label for securing or authenticating goods or services. The invention also relates to a method for producing such a security label and a method for reading it.
Covert security labels and tags are needed for many applications. Ideally, these should be difficult for unauthorised persons to detect, impossible to copy, and able to provide evidence of tampering. Also, it would be useful for such labels to be readable by readily available methods. This combination of properties is essential to a variety of potential government, military, and civilian covert security and covert tracking applications.
At present, one solution is the so-called radio-frequency identity (RF ID) card. This type of card or tag includes an inductive loop around its edges. Within and connected to the inductive loop is a microchip that includes security information. When the card is exposed to RF radiation, a current is induced in the loop. This causes sufficient current to be generated in the microchip to power it up and transmit secure data to an RF reader. In this way, data that is inaccessible without an RF reader can be transmitted to an authorised user. An advantage of these cards is that the microchip can be used to store a reasonable amount of information. However, whilst these RF ID cards are relatively secure, they are expensive to make, which prevents their use from being widespread.
An object of the present invention is to provide a security label or tag that is simple and relatively tamper resistant.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a security label in which a terahertz image or tag is defined or embedded. By terahertz image or tag it is meant an image or tag that can only be viewed using radiation that has a frequency in the range of 25 GHz-100 THz. Preferably, the radiation used to read the image is in the range of 100 GHz-100 THz, and ideally around 500 GHz.
Preferably, the image is defined in or covered by a material that is opaque to visible light. Here the term “opaque” is defined to mean opaque to visible wavelengths, but transparent to, or transmissive of, terahertz wavelengths. This means that the image cannot be seen by the unaided eye. This provides an immediate barrier to potential fraudsters. As a specific example, the image may be covered with a dielectric material that is opaque. In order to render an otherwise transparent polymer opaque, dyes may be introduced or one or both surfaces may be patterned with random roughness, akin to frosted glass, or gratings with features in x, y, z axes of such a size that visible light is scattered, but terahertz radiation is transmitted. Since visible wavelengths are much smaller than terahertz wavelengths, these surface features are on the scale of microns. Since they would be much smaller than the tag features, they would not affect the ability of the terahertz imaging system to read the label.
The terahertz image may comprise one or more frequency selective surfaces that produce a resonant characteristic that can be detected by a scanner. The frequency selective surface may contain fractal patterns with structures on one or more length scales so that the structure is resonant at one or more wavelengths.
The terahertz image may comprise one or more holograms. These may be sensitive to one or more frequencies and, according to the depth to which the hologram is patterned, may contain one or more images corresponding to different stimulus frequencies.
Additionally or alternatively, the terahertz image may be defined using wires, punched foil or any other metallic or dielectric medium that can be patterned to provide an image forming contrast.
The terahertz image may be formed in any suitable material such as polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate, polystyrene, epoxy, polyethylene, Teflon, nylon, polyvinylchloride, polyaniline, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene, alkyd resins, phenolic, polaymide, polyanhydride, polyimide, polyurethane, resorcinol, silicone and urea resins or any mouldable plastic capable of taking an imprint or embossment.
The label may be suitable for broadband (e.g. containing many wavelengths) or narrowband (only one or very narrow range of wavelengths) illumination. As such, the label could be used to form a terahertz watermark.
Preferably the label is laminated. The terahertz image or tag may be formed or defined in one of the layers of the label. The layers of the label may comprise paper and/or plastic. An embedded layer of paper or plastic may have a terahertz readable pattern printed onto it using conductive ink. The label may be flexible. The label may be rigid. The label may have the same shape as a credit card.
Information may be embedded as (a) amplitude modifying (grey scale or black and white) or (b) phase modifying (diffractive optic or hologram). The information could be plain text or encoded.
The terahertz image or tag may be designed to operate in either a transmission mode or a reflection mode.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for making a security label comprising embedding or encasing a terahertz image within a main body portion.
The method may further involve forming the terahertz image. The image may be defined by patterning any suitable substrate, for example a ceramic or semiconductor substrate such as silicon or any mouldable material, such as a mouldable plastic. This may be done using hot-embossing techniques or by etching, for example dry etching, such as reactive ion etching (RIE).
When hot embossing is used, preferably the terahertz image is defined in a mouldable plastic material such as any one or more of polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate, polystyrene, epoxy, polyethylene, Teflon, nylon, polyvinylchloride, polyaniline, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), alkyd resins, phenolic, polamide, polyanhydride, polyimide, polyurethane, resorcinol, silicone and urea thermosetting resins. These materials may be opaque either in their basic form, or made opaque by incorporation of a dye.
When etching is used, the terahertz image may be defined in any suitable ceramic or semiconductor substrate. For example, the image may be defined in a silicon substrate. An advantage of this is that processing techniques for silicon are well known and in widespread use. In addition, when thin enough silicon can form a flexible layer. For use in security labels, this is a useful feature.
Where the image is a reflection mode image, the method may further involve coating the patterned substrate with a reflective material, such as metal. Of course the coating should be such as to substantially retain the relief pattern defined in the substrate. Metal may be deposited by a number of methods such as evaporation, sputter coating, electro-plating and electroless plating. Nickel, zinc and gold are examples of metals that could be used. Alternatively, spray painting or aerosol techniques may be used with or without a stencil or template.
Further methods for making the terahertz image include the use of techniques developed for patterning organic electronics. For example, the high-resolution, high-throughput, thermal imaging technique for dry-printing planar layers of conducting polymers as described in the paper: G. B. Blanchet, Y.-L. Loo, J. A. Rogers, F. Gao and C. R. Fincher, “Large area, high resolution, dry printing of conducting polymers for organic electronics,” Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 82, No. 3, p. 463, 20 Jan. 2003. This method could be used to pattern a planar layer of conductive material directly, in order to make an amplitude-contrast image or frequency-selective surface. It could equally be used to pattern a binary hologram for reflection or transmission mode, or even a multilevel hologram if multiple printing steps are employed. For a reflection mode hologram, the metal coating would be applied after printing, or may optionally be omitted if the printed polymer and the supporting substrate are conductive and sufficiently thick. For a transmission mode hologram, a lower conductivity polymer is preferred to improve transmission efficiency. In all cases the pattern may be laminated into the label.
Alternatively or additionally, the terahertz image may be formed by printing. The image may be formed by knitting or weaving using a combination of conductive, for example metallic, and non-conductive, for example non-metallic, fibres.
Where the image is a reflection mode image, it could be defined by any three-dimensional pattern made using a conductive material. For example, the pattern may be a metallic pattern and may be made using printing techniques including, but not exclusively, ink jet printing with conductive inks or rolling and laser printing using conductive inks and toners.
The step of embedding or encasing the terahertz image may involve encapsulating the image in an opaque material. The opaque material may comprise a ceramic or polymer based material.
The step of embedding or encasing the terahertz image may involve sandwiching the image between structural or protective layers to define a laminated structure. The main body layers may comprise paper and/or plastic and/or ceramic. Preferably, the paper and/or plastic and/or ceramic is opaque at visible wavelengths.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for determining secure information on a security label and/or authenticating a security label, the method comprising: irradiating the label with terahertz radiation; detecting radiation either transmitted or reflected from the label; and using the radiation detected to determine any secure information contained in the label and/or the authenticity of the label.
This method is provided to identify information included in a terahertz image that is embedded within a security label and/or authenticate the label using that terahertz image. In the event that no image or an erroneous, spurious or false image is detected using the terahertz radiation, this provides an indication that the security label is not authentic.
According to yet further aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for determining secure information on a security label or authenticating a security label, the system comprising: a source for irradiating the label with terahertz radiation; a detector for detecting radiation either transmitted or reflected from the label; and means for using the detected radiation to determine the secure information contained in the label and/or the authenticity of the label.
Information may be embedded as (a) amplitude modifying (grey scale or black and white) or (b) phase modifying (diffractive optic or hologram). In the former case, the means for using the detected radiation are operable to use the amplitude of the detected signal to determine the information. In the latter case, the means for using the detected radiation are operable to use the phase of the detected radiation to determine the information.
Various aspects of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIGS. 5(a) to (d) show the steps taken to make a security label using a hot-embossing technique;
FIGS. 6(a) to (f) show the steps taken to make a security label using a multi-level etching process;
The security tag in which the invention is embodied has one or more terahertz structures, preferably holographic terahertz structures, hidden inside it. By terahertz, it is meant that the images can only be viewed using an imager that uses radiation in the range 25 GHz to 100 THz, preferably 100 GHz to 100 THz. By holographic, it is meant structures created in relief, i.e. having three dimensions.
The structure of
In order to be detectable using a terahertz imaging system, the image embedded within the label has to have relief features that have one or more dimensions that can be detected using terahertz radiation. In practice, this means that the terahertz image has to be relatively thin. It should be noted that the actual thickness is related to the wavelength of the illuminating radiation. For example, a reflective mode hologram embedded in a polymer with a refractive index of 1.5 only needs to be 100□m thick for use at 1 THz, with individual relief features having a thickness that is the same or smaller than this. Some additional thickness is necessary to embed or laminate the image into a card or tag. The thin terahertz image or tag is embedded or defined within outer layers that protect it and provide the main body of the label. Because of its relative thinness, the terahertz image or tag is undetectable without terahertz imaging because no detectable reliefs appear on the surface of the medium in which it is hidden. Security can be further enhanced by ensuring that the material that covers the tag can block visible radiation. For example, the tag could be covered with paper or opaque plastic or any other such material that does not transmit light within the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum, but is transparent to terahertz radiation. Preferably, the label with its embedded terahertz image and outer layers is flexible.
The security label with its terahertz tag may be designed to operate in either a transmission mode or a reflection mode.
By reflection mode it is meant that the terahertz tag is adapted to reflect radiation and the imaging system is operable to interpret that reflected radiation. As noted previously, the tag of
By transmission mode it is meant that the terahertz tag transmits terahertz radiation and the imaging system is operable to interpret radiation that is transmitted through the tag.
For both the reflection and transmission mode labels of
For a reflection mode holographic grating, the maximum depth dR is halved, and there is no dependence on ns if the reflection coating on the grating is deep enough to ensure that it behaves as a metal at the frequency in question, so that dR=λ/2ni. To fulfil this requirement, the coating should have a depth that is greater than approximately 4.6 skin depths, where skin depth δ=1/[√(πfμσ)] (metres), with f=frequency in hertz, μ=μr×μ0 is the permeability of the material in Henrys/metre (μ0=4π×10−7 Hendrys/metre), σ is the conductivity of the material in Siemens/metre. Of course, thinner coatings could work, but this would be with a reduced efficiency.
The buried terahertz structure can be any recognisable pattern that is only visible to a terahertz imaging system operating either in reflection or transmission mode. Examples include the aforementioned holograms, but may include simple wires, punched foil or any other metallic or dielectric medium that can be patterned to provide an image forming amplitude and/or phase contrast. These images could be a hologram, a shadow pattern or a reflected pattern. The structure could be made from any suitable material such as polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate, polystyrene, epoxy, polyethylene, Teflon, nylon, polyvinylchloride, thermosetting resins of the alkoyd, phenolic, polyamide, polyanhydride, polyimide, polyurethane, resorcinol, silicone and urea types or any mouldable plastic capable of taking an imprint or embossment.
Terahertz images or structures may be replicated inexpensively using established techniques including, but not limited to hot embossing, either roll or press, injection moulding, UV casting, multi-level etching, or printing using a conductive ink.
FIGS. 5(a) to (d) show the steps in a hot embossing process. In this, a master tool or stamp 36 is used to stamp a pattern in a heated substrate 38, which can be of any suitable dielectric material, as shown in
FIGS. 6(a) to (f) show the steps in a multi-level etching process for forming a four level phase shifting plate suitable for use in a transmission mode label. In a first step a suitable substrate 50, such as silicon, is coated with photo-resist 52, such as SU-8, see
Once the slot 56 is defined, a second layer of resist 58 is applied to the substrate and another photo-mask is used create a further mask 60 over the already etched surface, as shown in FIGS. 6(d) and (e). A second etch is then performed, thereby to define a three-dimensional stepped portion 62 of the substrate, as shown in
Once the relief patterns of
When the holographic or other structure hidden inside the label is irradiated with terahertz radiation, it creates a distinct pattern of radiation, which can be detected by one or more sensors that may be scanned across the space to be imaged. The specific nature of the pattern is not restricted in any way, and thus it is possible to encode information, such as name and number, or even graphical pictures, or for example a watermark or such like.
Terahertz radiation transmitted through the label 76 is received at a movable detector 78. Ideally, in practice this would be a hand held detector 78. The detector 78 converts the received optical signal into an electrical signal. This is passed to a current amplifier 80, and then converted using an analogue to digital converter and digital signal processor (DSP) 82 into a suitable format for display on a readout system 84 that provides a user interface (not shown). The nature of the signal processing will of course depend on the nature of the output that is to be presented to the user. For example, the readout 84 may provide a direct representation of the image detected or may alternatively be adapted to merely provide an authentication signal indicative of whether the label is or is not authentic. In the latter case, the imaging system has to include means for using the detected radiation to determine whether the label is authentic.
Optionally, the information in the terahertz label may be encoded. In this case, rather than displaying the encoded version of the image, the imaging system may include a decoder for decoding the information and providing the decoded information to a user in a human readable format.
In the label in which the invention is embodied, a terahertz image is provided. In the examples described above, the terahertz image is a holographic structure. However as noted before, other structures could be used. As a specific example, fractal structures may be used. Details of these may be found in “Fractals Form, chance and dimensions” by B. B. Mandelbrot, 1977, ISBN 0-7167-0473-0. These can be patterned in a preferably planar layer of conductive material, such as conductive ink or metal foil, having unique spectral signatures containing multiple resonances. This type of tag may be read using a single short pulse such as that provided by existing terahertz systems, and taking a Fourier transform of the received signal to obtain the spectral response. As before, these types of labels may be adapted to be used in a transmission or reflection mode.
For fractal patterns, the spectral signature, i.e. the frequency of the resonances, of the tag is/are determined by the physical dimensions of the elements of that pattern. An example of this type of fractal pattern is the H-tree, as shown in
An advantage of using fractal structures is that the spectral signature may vary with the rotation of the label, and the polarisation of the interrogating electromagnetic pulse. This provides additional difficulties for the counterfeiter. Of course, in some circumstances, this may not be desired. In such cases, polarisation and orientation invariance may be achieved by creating two layers of the pattern, one layer being rotated 90 degrees with respect to the other and separated by a thin dielectric spacer (not shown). For example, this could be achieved by printing on both sides of a piece of paper. A further advantage of using fractal patterns is that the conductive fractal pattern component of the tag need only have a thickness that is greater than 4.6 skin depths. This means that at 1 THz, a gold fractal pattern would need only to be approximately 100 nm thick, with additional thickness being provided by the outer layers of the tag as previously described. Of course, thinner layers may be used for the fractal pattern, but these would suffer from reduced efficiency.
A yet further advantage of a fractal structure is that the x-y dimensions of the pattern may be made smaller than the wavelengths of the interrogating radiation, allowing a more compact label to be produced. For example, at 100 GHz the free-space wavelength is 3 mm yet reflectivity may be obtained from a fractal pattern as small or smaller than 1 mm by 1 mm, whereas a solid metal pattern such as a counterfeiter might use, would not reflect nor would it have the distinct spectral signatures. For further details see L. Zhou, W. Wen, C. T. Chan and P. Sheng, “Reflectivity of planar metallic fractal patterns”, Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 82, Number 7, pages 1012-1014, 17 Feb. 2003.
The security label in which the invention is embodied can be used for many different applications. For example, it could be used as a means to authenticate documents, including banknotes, with a terahertz “watermark” sandwiched in paper or embossed into a plastic banknote. Alternatively the frequency-selective or fractal version of the tag could be integrated into the metallic ribbon device used in some existing banknotes. In some cases, for example banknotes, the opaque covering layer(s) may be omitted to suit production processes. While this leaves the pattern in full view it still provides a strong degree of protection against counterfeiting because a significant amount of effort would need to be expended in order to make a copy of the pattern. In such cases, the pattern may be integrated into the overall decorative aspects of the document or banknote, which may additionally conceal its role as a terahertz anti-counterfeiting pattern. Equally it could be used as a tag for a door-entry system, a label for packaging, in anti-counterfeiting measures, baggage tracking, or customs/excise security. In any case, it provides numerous advantages. For example, it can be used to securely store a significant amount of information without needing a microchip. This means that a relatively high level of security can be provided for a relatively low cost. A further advantage is that terahertz radiation is non-ionising. This is useful when the security labels are to be attached to, for example, foodstuffs or photographic equipment or other such sensitive goods, because it means that damage can be minimised or avoided during the scanning process. Also, since the terahertz tags embedded within the labels are very thin, they would be damaged in the event that an unauthorised party tried to expose the image by for example de-laminating the label. This in effect makes the labels tamper-proof.
A skilled person will appreciate that variations of the disclosed arrangements are possible without departing from the invention. For example, although a discrete label has been described, it will be appreciated that the label could form an integral part of another body, for example it may be an integral part of packaging. Accordingly, the above description of a specific embodiment is made by way of example only and not for the purposes of limitation. It will be clear to the skilled person that minor modifications may be made without significant changes to the operation described.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| V0305606.6 | Mar 2003 | GB | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/GB04/01074 | 3/12/2004 | WO | 4/14/2006 |
