Abstract: Optical device, and preferably a security device for a security document, and methods for the production thereof, the device including a diffractive optical element (DOE) including a plurality of subregions, wherein each subregion is configured to produce a projected image corresponding to a frame of an animation, wherein the animation includes both a static component and a variable component, and wherein the sub-regions are arranged such that when the DOE is illuminated by a point light source and moved in at least one direction, the animation is viewable as a projected image.

Abstract: A hybrid security device for security documents and the like, with the microstructure for a first optically variable device (OVD) and the microstructure for a second OVD mutually interlace or interspersed. The first microstructure has a height profile that differs from that of the second microstructure by more than 0.5 microns. Suitable fabrication processes for the hybrid security device are also disclosed.

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 method for producing a security document comprising a volume hologram, including the steps of: applying an optically sensitive material onto a first surface of a substrate in a first region of the first surface; and irradiating the optically sensitive material with patterned radiation configured for recording a volume hologram within the optically sensitive material.

Abstract: A security element including: a plurality of focusing elements, a plurality of image regions where each image region is associated with a focusing element, each image region is printed with at least two layers, the first layer is offset by a first predetermined amount from a reference axis in the image region, the second layer is offset by a second predetermined amount from a reference axis in the image region, each layer being in different colors, and each image region includes at least a first and second sub-region, wherein a first image is formed in a first range of viewing angles from the first sub-region and a second image is formed in a second range of viewing angles from the second sub-region.

Abstract: A security document includes a substrate including a first surface and a second surface; a foil located in a region of the substrate on the first surface and including a first security element: and a second security element located in a different region of the substrate. The first and second security elements are configured to provide a visual effect when overlapping. The second security element is formed from an embossable material applied directly to the surface of the substrate. A method is for the production thereof.

Abstract: A security element and a method of printing a security element using a rotary printing process, the security element including a plurality of image elements, the method including: providing a transparent or translucent substrate having a printing side; and printing an image layer onto at least a portion of the printing side of the substrate, wherein the image layer is contiguous and includes an extended edge region and an image region, wherein at least a portion of the extended edge region is printed before the image region, and wherein the image region includes unprinted and printed areas.

Abstract: A security document is formed from a transparent plastics substrate having opacifying layers applied to its front and rear surfaces except in at least one window region. A diffractive device provided in the window region, the diffractive device operating in the near infrared (NIR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum, whereby when the security document is passed through an edge detection apparatus that operates in the near infrared (NIR) region, the diffractive device diverts a detector beam of edge detection apparatus away from an edge detector used to detect an edge of the security document, thereby avoiding false positive edge detection results.

Abstract: A security document or device is provided which includes at least one area formed from a transparent plastics material which is exposed on at least one side to form a window or half-window, and a first color shifting ink composition and a second color shifting ink composition which both include different color pigments and interference pigments but which both, at a first viewing angle, exhibit substantially the same color when the interference pigments are viewable, and at other angles exhibit different colors when viewing the color pigments.

Abstract: A security device comprises a transparent substrate having an opacifying layer disposed on at least one surface. A reflective grating layer comprises one or more arrangements of grooves, and a liquid crystal material layer is disposed over at least a portion of the grating layer. The arrangements of grooves have a groove spacing such that liquid crystal molecules within the liquid crystal material layer are substantially aligned so as to polarise optical radiation passing therethrough. The security device further includes apertures formed in the opacifying layer and the grating layer comprising a transmissive diffractive optical element (DOE). The security device thereby comprises a transmissive security feature, visible when viewed in transmission mode by the naked eye, in combination with a covert, reflective security feature, visible only using a suitably oriented polariser.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for viewing or authenticating a diffractive device and a diffractive security device (1) are provided in which a first diffractive relief structure (200) is responsive to a first wavelength of visible monochromatic light, a second diffractive relief structure (200) is at least partially interlaced with the first diffractive relief structure (100) and responsive to a second wavelength of visible monochromatic light, and a third diffractive relief structure (400) is at least partially interlaced with the first and second diffractive relief structures (100, 200) and responsive to a third wavelength of visible monochromatic light.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a security document comprising the steps of providing a transparent plastics substrate, applying a radiation curable ink directly to at least side of the substrate and simultaneously embossing and curing with radiation different regions in the same area of the ink on one side of the substrate with at least two different embossed relief structures, each forming a different type of diffractive security element integrated within the same area to form a composite security device.

Abstract: An optical security device (10; 700) is provided which includes a transparent or translucent substrate (15; 705), at least one first array of repeating elements (20; 720) in or on a first side (16; 706) of the substrate (15; 705), at least one second array of repeating elements (30; 730) on a second side of the substrate. The second array of repeating elements (20; 720) is substantially in register with the first array of elements (30; 730), whereby a first image (130; 725) is visible when viewing the device from the first side, and a second image (200; 735) is visible when viewing the device from the second side. The brightness or colour levels of repeating image elements (30; 720, 730) on at least one side of the substrate may be modulated region-wise to produce a greyscale or coloured image.

Abstract: An optical security device, including a substrate (102) having a first surface and a second surface; and a metallic nanoparticle ink (104) provided intermittently in at least one area on the first surface (102) to produce a reflective or partially reflective patch or patches; wherein a high refractive index coating (106) is applied over the area or areas (108) in which the metallic nanoparticle ink is provided, the high refractive index coating (106) adhering to the first surface (102) where the metallic nanoparticle ink is not present, thereby retaining the metallic nanoparticle ink (104) between the first surface (102) and the high refractive index coating (106).

Abstract: A security document and a method of manufacturing a security document are provided in which a radiation curable ink is applied to at least one side of a substrate including at least one region of transparent plastics material forming a window or half-window area. The ink is embossed while soft and cured with radiation to form an embossed security device within the window or half-window area including one or more of a diffractive structure, a lens structure or other security element having a relief structure.

Abstract: A security document or device is provided which includes at least one area formed from a transparent plastics material which is exposed on at least one side to form a window or half-window, and a first colour shifting ink composition and a second colour shifting ink composition which both include different colour pigments and interference pigments but which both, at a first viewing angle, exhibit substantially the same colour when the interference pigments are viewable, and at other angles exhibit different colours when viewing the colour pigments.

Abstract: A polarising security element for polarising light of a predetermined wavelength including a first dielectric material having a refractive index nb and at least one polarising region of mutually parallel segments of a second material having a refractive index np which is different from nb, the second material being a dielectric or conducting material. The segments of the second material are in contact with the first material and the segments have a width and/or an average spacing which is less than a predetermined range of wavelengths. A method of manufacturing such a security element in which a relief structure is embossed in the layer of the first dielectric material, the relief structure includes mutually parallel peaks and troughs, and the second layer of dielectric or conducting material is applied on the relief structure to form the at least one polarising region of mutually parallel segments.