Abstract: A system and method for authenticating an item such as a banknote, including a photoluminescent material absorbing an incident radiation from a radiation source and emitting an emitted radiation having a spectral signature with a decay time after removal of the radiation source, and a sensor detecting the spectral signature in the emitted radiation during the decay time.

Abstract: A system and method for authenticating an item, including a photoluminescent material disposed on or in a substrate and capable of absorbing an incident radiation from a radiation source and emitting an emitted radiation having a spectral signature with a decay time after removal of the radiation source, and a photoauthentication device capable of being disposed in contact with the substrate and including the radiation source and a camera, where, in connection with providing the incident radiation and measuring the emitted radiation, the photoauthentication device is translated across the substrate while the photoauthentication device is disposed in contact with the substrate, and after translation across or over the substrate and the radiation source is not providing the incident radiation, the photoauthentication device is static with respect to the substrate and the camera is disposed over the photoluminescent material emitting the emitted radiation when the emitted radiation is measured.

Abstract: A method and system for authenticating an item includes irradiating the item, the item including a polymer substrate including a polymer material and a doping material and configured to emit a radiation spectrum having a spectral signature in response to the irradiating, the doping material capable of absorbing or scattering radiation at a specific wavelength to generate the spectral signature, detecting the spectral signature, and determining a code associated with the spectral signature.

Abstract: A method for determining a radius of elements suspended in a medium includes binding the elements to nanoparticles to form bound element-nanoparticle aggregates, superposing first and second Doppler-shifted optical waves having a variable frequency shift between them in the medium such that there is a gain in energy of the first optical wave with respect to the second optical wave, varying the frequency shift and measuring the gain while varying the frequency shift to determine the value of the frequency shift at which there is a peak in the gain, determining the radius of the bound element-nanoparticle aggregates based on the value of the frequency shift at which there is a peak in the gain, and determining the radius of the elements based on the radius of the bound element-nanoparticle aggregates.

Abstract: Systems and methods for authenticating a product using a magnetic code are disclosed. The systems and methods include detection of a magnetic code on the product using a device comprising a magnetometer, correlating the detected magnetic code to a symbolic code, determining whether the symbolic code matches a symbolic code stored in a database, and receiving, by the device, a signal indicating that the product is authentic if the symbolic code matches a symbolic code stored in the database.

Abstract: A method for enhancing the structural strength of a porous substrate having pores therein is disclosed. The method includes soaking the porous substrate in a solution having a first solvent and at least one polymer dissolved in the first solvent at a specific temperature and pressure, such that the solution is deposited within pores of the porous substrate, soaking the porous substrate in a second solvent, such that the first solvent diffuses into the second solvent, and such that the at least one polymer remains within the pores of the porous substrate, and flushing out the second solvent from the porous substrate.

Abstract: A detection method and system includes applying a gas to an article, the article including a gasochromic material capable of emitting a radiation emission spectrum in the presence of the gas, the article further including a first absorptive material capable of absorbing radiation in a first narrow bandwidth within the emission spectrum to produce a first narrow bandwidth absorption line in the emission spectrum, irradiating the article in the presence of the gas; and detecting the emission spectrum having the first narrow bandwidth absorption line.

Abstract: A system and method for authenticating an item such as a banknote, including a photoluminescent material absorbing an incident radiation from a radiation source and emitting an emitted radiation having a spectral signature with a decay time after removal of the radiation source, and a sensor detecting the spectral signature in the emitted radiation during the decay time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a stack of secure instruments such as banknotes is disclosed. Each secure instrument or banknote includes a substrate, visual data and a security feature. The apparatus includes a chamber configured to contain a supercritical fluid at a temperature and a pressure and for a duration sufficient to disinfect or decontaminate the banknotes and not compromise the security feature and the visual data of the banknotes, a structure for holding the stack of banknotes in the chamber so that the supercritical fluid circulates through and around the banknotes to remove one or more substances into the supercritical fluid, and a strapping machine configured to secure a securing mechanism to the stack of banknotes.

Abstract: A system and method for authentication includes a photoluminescent label including a photoluminescent material having a decay time, the photoluminescent material being configured to absorb an incident radiation from a radiation source and to emit an emitted radiation having a spectral signature after removal of the radiation source, and a sensor configured to measure the spectral signature in the emitted radiation during the decay time.

Abstract: Disclosed are security articles and methods and systems for authenticating security articles using a plurality of stimuli. According to one embodiment, an illustrative secured article includes an embedded feature wherein differential activation of phosphorescent or fluorescent materials creates a machine readable response through the simultaneous presence of a source of electromagnetic radiation and a specific gas environment. A detector detects a differential spectral emission across the security feature that results from the change in gas environment. The spectral emission may be compared to an expected emissive signature to determine authenticity of the security article.

Abstract: A method for enhancing the structural strength of a porous substrate having pores therein is disclosed. The method includes soaking the porous substrate in a solution having a first solvent and at least one polymer dissolved in the first solvent at a specific temperature and pressure, such that the solution is deposited within pores of the porous substrate, soaking the porous substrate in a second solvent, such that the first solvent diffuses into the second solvent, and such that the at least one polymer remains within the pores of the porous substrate, and flushing out the second solvent from the porous substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed are security articles and methods and systems for authenticating security articles through the application if temperature related stimuli. Carefully synthesized nanostructures are formed to exhibit a large number of defect states within the bulk of the nanostructure. The large number of surface defects create a plurality of electron trap states below the conduction band of the composition and/or a plurality of hole states above the valance band such that excitations are induced by small changes in energy at or around kT. In this manner, a security article formed using the synthesized nanostructures produces measurable changes in spectral output based on small changes in temperature at or about room temperature. This allows the security article to be verified at high speeds with low power requirements for induced temperature change.

Abstract: Systems and methods for authenticating a product using a magnetic code are disclosed. The systems and methods include detection of a magnetic code on the product using a device comprising a magnetometer, correlating the detected magnetic code to a symbolic code, determining whether the symbolic code matches a symbolic code stored in a database, and receiving, by the device, a signal indicating that the product is authentic if the symbolic code matches a symbolic code stored in the database.

Abstract: Disclosed are security articles and methods and systems for authenticating security articles using a plurality of stimuli. According to one embodiment, an illustrative secured article includes an embedded feature wherein differential activation of phosphorescent or fluorescent materials creates a machine readable response through the simultaneous presence of a source of electromagnetic radiation and a specific gas environment. A detector detects a differential spectral emission across the security feature that results from the change in gas environment. The spectral emission may be compared to an expected emissive signature to determine authenticity of the security article.

Abstract: Disclosed are security articles and methods and systems for authenticating security articles using a plurality of stimuli. According to one embodiment, an illustrative security feature includes an encoded feature wherein differential activation of phosphorescent or fluorescent materials creates a machine readable code through the simultaneous presence of a source of electromagnetic radiation and a specific gas environment. A detector detects a differential spectral emission across the security feature that results from the change in gas environment. The spectral emission may be compared to an expected emissive signature to determine authenticity of the security article.

Abstract: Disclosed are security articles and methods and systems for authenticating security articles through the application if temperature related stimuli. Carefully synthesized nanostructures are formed to exhibit a large number of defect states within the bulk of the nanostructure. The large number of surface defects create a plurality of electron trap states below the conduction band of the composition and/or a plurality of hole states above the valance band such that excitations are induced by small changes in energy at or around kT. In this manner, a security article formed using the synthesized nanostructures produces measurable changes in spectral output based on small changes in temperature at or about room temperature. This allows the security article to be verified at high speeds with low power requirements for induced temperature change.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a stack of secure instruments such as banknotes is disclosed. Each secure instrument or banknote includes a substrate, visual data and a security feature. The apparatus includes a chamber configured to contain a supercritical fluid at a temperature and a pressure and for a duration sufficient to disinfect or decontaminate the banknotes and not compromise the security feature and the visual data of the banknotes, a structure for holding the stack of banknotes in the chamber so that the supercritical fluid circulates through and around the banknotes to remove one or more substances into the supercritical fluid, and a strapping machine configured to secure a securing mechanism to the stack of banknotes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a stack of secure instruments is disclosed. Each secure instrument includes a substrate, visual data and a security feature. The method and apparatus include exposing the stack to a supercritical fluid at a temperature and a pressure and for a duration sufficient to clean each secure instrument and not compromise each security feature and each visual data, and maintaining a securing mechanism on the stack during exposure of the stack to the supercritical fluid such that cleaning each secure instrument includes one or more substances from each secure instrument into the supercritical fluid.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a stack of secure instruments is disclosed. Each secure instrument includes a substrate, visual data and a security feature. The method and apparatus include exposing the stack to a supercritical fluid at a temperature and a pressure and for a duration sufficient to clean each secure instrument and not compromise each security feature and each visual data, and maintaining a securing mechanism on the stack during exposure of the stack to the supercritical fluid such that cleaning each secure instrument includes one or more substances from each secure instrument into the supercritical fluid.