Abstract: A banknote having a substrate with polymeric outer surfaces, including one or more coatings applied to at least one of the outer surfaces, at least one coating being a paper feel layer which provides a feel, substantially similar to that of a paper banknote, wherein the paper-feel layer includes tactile particles, to provide the paper-feel, and the tactile particles are conductive and/or the paper-feel layer includes conductive particles, or at least one of the or each coating includes conductive particles, to improve antistatic properties of the banknote.

Abstract: A micro-optic device, including: a substrate; a plurality of image elements; and a plurality of focusing elements, each focusing element focuses light towards, or causes light to be diverged from or constructively interfere at a real or imaginary focal point, the focusing elements causing the image elements to be sampled so as to project imagery which is observable to a user from at least a first viewing angle, wherein a first focusing structure including at least a first group of the focusing elements and a first imagery structure including at least a first group of the image elements are integrated into a first unitary structure on a first side of the substrate.

Abstract: A security document, including: a polymer substrate; at least one print layer disposed on one or both sides of the polymer substrate; and a security feature including an image area embodied within the polymer substrate and at least partially covered by the at least one print layer, wherein the security feature is an optical security feature formed in the image area.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods of producing substrate level multi-tonal images.

Abstract: A security device is disclosed including a substrate and one or more focusing elements or lens structures located on one side of the substrate. The security device includes a plurality of image elements associated with each focusing element wherein the image elements include at least first and second groups of image elements. Each image element may be composed of pixels located in an object plane to be viewable through the associated focusing element. Each image element comprises a diffractive grating element or sub-wavelength grating element which when illuminated by a light source generates a diffraction image observable at a range of viewing angles around the device. Image elements of the first group are visible in a first range of viewing angles and image elements of the second group are visible in a second range of viewing angles. The security device is particularly suitable for use on security documents, such as banknotes. A method of forming a security device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A security element formed on a substrate having a printing side and a viewing side is provided, the security element including: a first image portion provided on the printing side of the substrate, the first image portion including one or more micro-image elements; a second image portion provided on the printing side and/or the viewing side of the substrate; and a plurality of focussing elements disposed on or in the viewing side of the substrate for observing the one or more micro-image elements; wherein the first image portion and the second image portion are integrated into at least one distinguishable security element when observed from the viewing side of the substrate.

Abstract: A security device is disclosed including a substrate and one or more focusing elements or lens structures located on one side of the substrate. The security device includes a plurality of image elements associated with each focusing element wherein the image elements include at least first and second groups of image elements. Each image element may be composed of pixels located in an object plane to be viewable through the associated focusing element. Each image element comprises a diffractive grating element or sub-wavelength grating element which when illuminated by a light source generates a diffraction image observable at a range of viewing angles around the device. Image elements of the first group are visible in a first range of viewing angles and image elements of the second group are visible in a second range of viewing angles. The security device is particularly suitable for use on security documents, such as banknotes. A method of forming a security device is also disclosed.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to producing micro-image elements on a substrate for a security document, the method comprising: producing a plurality of microstructure units comprising three-dimensionally structured formations in a clear or pale relief layer on the substrate; and applying a coloured ink fluid to the relief layer, wherein the coloured ink fluid accumulates preferentially in regions of high surface curvature on each microstructure unit to provide contrasting areas of different ink density.

Abstract: A banknote having a substrate with polymeric outer surfaces, including one or more coatings applied to at least one of the outer surfaces, at least one coating being a paper feel layer which provides a feel, substantially similar to that of a paper banknote, wherein the paper-feel layer includes tactile particles, to provide the paper-feel, and the tactile particles are conductive and/or the paper-feel layer includes conductive particles, or at least one of the or each coating includes conductive particles, to improve antistatic properties of the banknote.

Abstract: A security document, including: a polymer substrate; at least one print layer disposed on one or both sides of the polymer substrate; and a security feature including an image area embodied within the polymer substrate and at least partially covered by the at least one print layer, wherein the security feature is an optical security feature formed in the image area.

Abstract: A banknote comprising a substrate and a plurality of print layers printed by the same print process type printed onto the substrate, wherein at least one of the print layers is an indicia layer and at least one of the print layers is a tactile layer. Also, a method of producing a plurality of banknotes including: providing a substrate, in the form of a web, to a print press including a plurality of print units of the same print process type, wherein the web will pass through each of the plurality of print units, and at least part of the web is printed in a print run; printing a print layer on to the substrate at each of the plurality of print units, wherein at least one of the print layers is an indicia layer and at least one of the print layers is a tactile layer.

Abstract: A micro-optic device, including: a substrate; a plurality of image elements in an image plane; and a plurality of focusing elements, each focusing element focusing light to a focal point on the image plane and magnifying any portion of an image element falling within the focal point to thereby produce an image pixel projected to a user at one or more viewing angles, the focal point having an extent smaller than the image element, wherein each image element includes an image sub-element having a different discernible level of brightness to elsewhere in the image element, the brightness of each projected image pixel being dependent on the proportion of the focal point filled with the image sub-element, and wherein each image sub-element has one or more attributes in the image plane, such that, from a given viewing angle, the brightness of each projected image pixel is dependent on each attribute of each image sub-element.

Abstract: An optical device, preferably a security device for a security document, including a substrate having a first side and a second side, an arrangement of microlenses located on the first side and an arrangement of microimages such that the microimages are viewable or can be made viewable through the microlenses, wherein the arrangement of microlenses includes first and second microlenses and wherein the arrangement of microimages includes first and second microimages, wherein the first microlenses and first microimages are configured for providing a first visual effect and wherein the second microlenses and second microimages are configured for providing a second visual effect, and wherein the first microlenses are of a different height with respect to the substrate than the second microlenses.

Abstract: A micro-optic device, including: a transparent substrate; first lens elements on a first side of the substrate that reveal first image elements on a second side of the substrate; and second lens elements on the second side of the substrate that reveal second image elements on the first side of the substrate.

Abstract: A micro-optic device, including: a substrate; a plurality of image elements; and a plurality of focusing elements, each focusing element focuses light towards, or causes light to be diverged from or constructively interfere at a real or imaginary focal point, the focusing elements causing the image elements to be sampled so as to project imagery which is observable to a user from at least a first viewing angle, wherein a first focusing structure including at least a first group of the focusing elements and a first imagery structure including at least a first group of the image elements are integrated into a first unitary structure on a first side of the substrate.

Abstract: A micro-optic device, including: a transparent substrate; first lens elements on a first side of the substrate that reveal first image elements on a second side of the substrate; and second lens elements on the second side of the substrate that reveal second image elements on the first side of the substrate.

Abstract: A micro-optic device, including: a substrate; a plurality of image elements; and a plurality of focusing elements, each focusing element focuses light towards, or causes light to be diverged from or constructively interfere at a real or imaginary focal point, the focusing elements causing the image elements to be sampled so as to project imagery which is observable to a user from at least a first viewing angle, wherein a first focusing structure including at least a first group of the focusing elements and a first imagery structure including at least a first group of the image elements are integrated into a first unitary structure on a first side of the substrate.

Abstract: A micro-optic device, including: a transparent substrate; first lens elements on a first side of the substrate that reveal first image elements on a second side of the substrate; and second lens elements on the second side of the substrate that reveal second image elements on the first side of the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for in-line manufacture of a security document with a structured security element is provided in which a continuous web of document substrate is fed through a series of processing stations. The processing stations include a station for forming a structured security element in a radiation sensitive coating applied to the document substrate, and at least one station for applying at least one additional layer to the document substrate excluding the security element area. In a security document manufactured with the method or apparatus, the additional layer or layers have a combined thickness which is preferably substantially equal to the height of the structured security element or which differs from the height of the structured security element by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A tactile security feature for a banknote and a method for its production using in-line on a web-based process are disclosed. The security feature comprises a printed indicia layer including a design element and a printed enhanced tactility layer, which has at least a first enhanced tactility area overlapping the design element, such that the design element appears to have tactility due to the overlap with the enhanced tactility area. Preferably the tactile layer contains tactile particles. In addition, a banknote produced by the above method, a banknote having a single-ink system, and a coating for banknotes including a tactile security feature are disclosed.