Abstract:
A security element comprising a first and a second pattern formed in or on a substrate is described, the first pattern (105; 205) being formed by discrete elements (105a-105g; 205a-205c) of a first material that are distributed over a first region (101) of the substrate (100; 200), the second pattern (106; 206) being formed by discrete elements (106a-106i; 206a-206c) of a second material that are distributed over a second region (102) of the substrate (100; 200), said second material being different from said first material, said first and second regions of the substrate overlapping, wherein the discrete elements of at least one of the first and second patterns are distributed randomly, a part of the discrete elements of the first pattern (105; 205) overlap with a part of the discrete elements of said second pattern (106; 206), and the security element is defined by the first pattern (105; 205), the second pattern (106; 206) and a third pattern (107; 207) associated with the overlap of some or all of the discrete elements of said first and second patterns.
Abstract:
A printing ink having a first fluorescent dye acting as donor and a second fluorescent dye acting as acceptor. The first fluorescent dye, upon excitation by electromagnetic radiation falling within an excitation wavelength range λ1a of the first fluorescent dye, is capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation in at least one first emission wavelength range λ1e, said first emission wavelength range λ1e of the first fluorescent dye overlapping with at least one excitation wavelength range λ2a of the second fluorescent dye, to thereby excite the second fluorescent dye to emit electromagnetic radiation in a second emission wavelength range λ2e.
Abstract:
The present invention describes a method for marking an object (18), the object (18) having a surface of a conductive material. The method comprises a step of applying an electric spark to the surface such that the material is at least one of partially melted and partially ablated by the electric spark, thereby forming a pattern on the object (18). Further, the present application relates to a marking system (10) for marking an object (18) using a spark generator (12) having a counter electrode (14) and a connector (16) for electrically connecting the spark generator (12) to the surface of the object (18) to be marked. Further, the present application relates to an authenticating system for authenticating or identifying an object (18) marked by the above described method for marking the object (18).