Abstract: A security element (1) for a security paper, value document or the like, having a carrier (8) which has an areal region (3) which is divided into a multiplicity of pixels (4) which respectively includes at least one optically active facet (5), whereby the majority of the pixels (4) respectively have several of the optically active facets (5) of identical orientation per pixel (4), and the facets (5) are so oriented that the areal region (3) is perceptible to a viewer as an area that protrudes and/or recedes relative to its actual spatial form.

Abstract: A security element (1) for a security paper, value document or the like, having a carrier (8) which has an areal region (3) which is divided into a multiplicity of pixels (4) which respectively includes at least one optically active facet (5), whereby the majority of the pixels (4) respectively have several of the optically active facets (5) of identical orientation per pixel (4), and the facets (5) are so oriented that the areal region (3) is perceptible to a viewer as an area that protrudes and/or recedes relative to its actual spatial form.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optically variable security element for securing valuable articles, having a substrate having opposing first and second main surfaces and, arranged on the first main surface, an optically variable pattern that comprises an embossing pattern and a coating. The coating comprises at least one imprinted line grid and a background layer that contrasts with the line grid. The embossing pattern comprises a two-dimensional grid of elevated and/or depressed embossing elements. Both are combined in such a way that substantially on every embossing element lies at least one line segment of a line in the line grid, and at least one of the parameters position of the line segment on the embossing element, orientation of the line segment on the embossing element and form of the line segment varies location dependently across the dimension of the optically variable pattern.

Abstract: An optically variable areal pattern has a reflection layer and a micromirror arrangement comprising a plurality of semitransparent micromirrors developed on the reflection layer. The micromirrors are inclined with respect to the reflection layer, such that, by specular reflection, light incident on the micromirror arrangement is reflected on the semitransparent micromirrors. The incident light is reflected partly in a first direction and partly in a second direction that is different from the first direction, in that it passes through the semitransparent micromirrors, impinges on the reflection layer, and is reflected there and, thereafter, again passes through the semitransparent micromirrors.

Abstract: An optically variable surface pattern is made available, having at least two partial areas with reflection elements, wherein the reflection elements of the first partial region on the one hand and the reflection elements of the second partial region on the other hand reflect impinging light in different reflection directions. The first partial region is so covered with a first glazing ink layer that a viewer, upon a change of the viewing angle at which the viewer views the optically variable surface pattern, sees the first partial region glow in a first color upon reaching a first viewing angle. The second partial region glows in a second color that is different from the first color upon reaching a second viewing angle.

Abstract: A security element for securing security papers, value documents and other data carriers, has a lenticular image that, from different viewing directions, displays at least two appearances. The lenticular image includes a lens grid composed of a plurality of microlenses and a laser-sensitive motif layer arranged spaced apart from the lens grid. The laser-sensitive motif layer comprises, in two or more motif layer sub-regions, different markings introduced by the action of laser radiation and that, when the motif layer is viewed with the lens grid, produce at least two appearances. The lens grid is divided into two or more lens grid sub-regions in which the microlenses each comprise differently refractive lens surface forms. The different lens grid sub-regions are congruent with the different motif layer sub-regions, and the markings of the motif layer sub-regions being produced by laser impingement of the lens grid sub-regions.

Abstract: An optically variable areal pattern has a reflection layer and a micromirror arrangement comprising a plurality of semitransparent micromirrors developed on the reflection layer. The micromirrors are inclined with respect to the reflection layer, such that, by specular reflection, light incident on the micromirror arrangement is reflected on the semitransparent micromirrors. The incident light is reflected partly in a first direction and partly in a second direction that is different from the first direction, in that it passes through the semitransparent micromirrors, impinges on the reflection layer, and is reflected there and, thereafter, again passes through the semitransparent micromirrors.

Abstract: An optically variable element, in particular a security element, has a transparent carrier layer, an at least partly transparent reflective layer formed on the carrier layer, and a transparent embedding layer formed on the reflective layer. The reflective layer is structured in a motif region such that the layer forms a multiplicity of partly transparent micromirrors which present a perceptible motif upon plan viewing of the motif region due to specular reflection of incident light. The refractive indices of the carrier and embedding layers differ in the visible spectrum by no more than 0.2 in order that the motif perceptible in plan view is not recognizable upon transmission viewing of the motif region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thin-film element (30) having an interference layer structure for security papers, value documents and the like, having at least two semitransparent absorber layers (34, 38) and at least one dielectric spacing layer (36) arranged between the at least two absorber layers. According to the present invention, it is provided that the two absorber layers (34, 38) are each formed from a material having a complex refractive index N whose real part n and imaginary part k differ at least in a portion of the visible spectral range by a factor of 5 or more.

Abstract: An optically variable surface pattern is made available, having at least two partial areas with reflection elements, wherein the reflection elements of the first partial region on the one hand and the reflection elements of the second partial region on the other hand reflect impinging light in different reflection directions. The first partial region is so covered with a first glazing ink layer that a viewer, upon a change of the viewing angle at which the viewer views the optically variable surface pattern, sees the first partial region glow in a first color upon reaching a first viewing angle. The second partial region glows in a second color that is different from the first color upon reaching a second viewing angle.

Abstract: A security element for manufacturing value documents, such as banknotes, checks or the like, comprises a top on which a microrelief structure is developed that has at least two sub-regions that each comprise a plurality of groove- and/or rib-shaped structural elements that lie adjacent to one another and extend along a longitudinal direction, and are reflecting or backscattering. The longitudinal directions of the sub-regions are different, and the structural elements are each not resolvable with the naked eye with respect to the width transverse to the longitudinal direction, and fan out incident parallel light achromatically in a fan that lies transverse to the longitudinal direction and has an opening angle of at least 30°.

Abstract: A security element for a security paper, value document or the like, having a carrier which has a reflective areal region which is divided into a multiplicity of reflective pixels. The area of each pixel is smaller than the area of the reflective areal region by at least one order of magnitude. Each pixel has at least one reflective facet which is formed in a surface of the carrier, and the at least one reflective facet reflects light incident along a predetermined direction on the areal region directionally in a reflection direction predefined by the orientation of the facet. The orientations of the facets of different pixels have a substantially random variation over the reflective areal region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optically variable surface pattern having a substrate that comprises a first and a second surface region, the two surface regions being developed in such a way that the first surface region presents, in a first solid angle range (?1) a bulged-appearing first view, and the second surface region presents, in a second solid angle range (?2) that is different from the first solid angle range (?1), a bulged-appearing second view.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for verifying value documents involves a substrate having at least one light-transmissive region with a first information item. A separate display comprises a gridded arrangement of pixels and a second information item is displayed through the separate display at least regionally to correlate with the first information item. A further information item not recognizable and/or readable to a viewer without auxiliary means is hidden in the first and/or second information item. The substrate is placed with its first information item over the second information item which is displayed on the separate display, and the hidden information item becomes recognizable and/or readable. The first information item is formed by light-transmissive diffractive structures whose surface is furnished with an at least partly reflective coating formed from elements arranged in a gridded manner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a security element for security papers, value documents and the like with at least one microstructure which has a visual appearance that is viewing angle-dependent in transmission, whereby the at least one microstructure is formed from an arrangement of a multiplicity of structure elements with a characteristic structure spacing of 1 ?m or more. According to the invention it is provided that the security element contains at least one motif image which, through the viewing angle-dependent visual appearance of the microstructure, is visible in transmission from certain viewing angles, and invisible in transmission from other viewing angles, and that the microstructure and the motif image together have a thickness of 50 ?m or less.

Abstract: A method for producing a microstructure on a carrier by: (a) manufacturing a donor foil by forming an embossed structure with elevations and depressions in a first foil material and applying a transfer layer to the embossed structure, (b) manufacturing an acceptor foil by applying an adhesive layer to a second foil material, (c) laminating the donor foil and the acceptor foil by means of the adhesive layer, the transfer layer on the elevations of the embossed structure bonding to the adhesive layer, and (d) transferring the bonded regions of the transfer layer to the acceptor foil by separating the donor foil and the acceptor foil from each other, thereby forming in the acceptor foil a first microstructure from the transferred regions of the transfer layer, and/or forming in the donor foil a second microstructure complementary to the first microstructure.

Abstract: An optically variable element, in particular a security element, has a transparent carrier layer, an at least partly transparent reflective layer formed on the carrier layer, and a transparent embedding layer formed on the reflective layer. The reflective layer is structured in a motif region such that the layer forms a multiplicity of partly transparent micromirrors which present a perceptible motif upon plan viewing of the motif region due to specular reflection of incident light. The refractive indices of the carrier and embedding layers differ in the visible spectrum by no more than 0.2 in order that the motif perceptible in plan view is not recognizable upon transmission viewing of the motif region.