Abstract: A coated steel component is provided. The coated steel component includes a substrate composed of a steel sheet which can be supplied to a hot-forming process. The coated steel component also possesses a non-metallic coating on the basis of silicon, in a layered structure. The layered structure includes three functional layers having the composition SiOxNyCz, wherein x lies between 30 and 70%, y lies between 0 and 35%, and z lies between 0 and 50%.

Abstract: In various exemplary embodiments, a smart card module is provided. The smart card module includes a carrier and a layer stack at least partly covering the carrier. The layer stack includes a reflection layer, a light-transmissive layer arranged above the reflection layer, and a partly light-transmissive silver layer arranged above the light-transmissive layer. The partly light-transmissive silver layer is configured for reflecting part of light impinging on the partly light-transmissive silver layer.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a smart card module is provided. The smart card module may include an electronic circuit in or on a carrier, a smart card module contact layer, which is coupled to the electronic circuit and provides a plurality of smart card module contacts, a mirror layer on the smart card module contact layer, said mirror layer at least partly covering the smart card module contacts, and an optically translucent, electrically conductive oxide layer, which covers the mirror layer. The optically translucent, electrically conductive oxide layer includes a plurality of regions of different layer thicknesses for providing different color components.

Abstract: In various exemplary embodiments, a smart card module is provided. The smart card module includes a carrier and a layer stack at least partly covering the carrier. The layer stack includes a reflection layer, a light-transmissive layer arranged above the reflection layer, and a partly light-transmissive silver layer arranged above the light-transmissive layer. The partly light-transmissive silver layer is configured for reflecting part of light impinging on the partly light-transmissive silver layer.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a smart card module is provided. The smart card module may include an electronic circuit in or on a carrier, a smart card module contact layer, which is coupled to the electronic circuit and provides a plurality of smart card module contacts, a mirror layer on the smart card module contact layer, said mirror layer at least partly covering the smart card module contacts, and an optically translucent, electrically conductive oxide layer, which covers the mirror layer. The optically translucent, electrically conductive oxide layer includes a plurality of regions of different layer thicknesses for providing different color components.

Abstract: A non-metallic coating for a steel substrate or for a coated steel substrate includes a first layer fabricated from at least one of a silicon oxide, a silicon nitride, and a silicon oxynitride, as well as a second layer fabricated from chromium nitride. The second layer has a thickness between 3 nm and 30 nm, and the first layer and the second layer together form a stacked-layer structure having a total thickness of not more than 300 nm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a corresponding apparatus for identifying a product (1) or information relating to the product (1). In the method, a concealed code on the product (1) is identified, wherein the code is given by a set of ellipsometric parameters, and the method comprises the following steps of: measuring ellipsometric variables for at least one defined point (8) on a surface (9) of the product (1), comparing the measured ellipsometric variables with at least one reference code, and determining a match between the measured ellipsometric variables and the reference code or one of the reference codes or determining a mismatch with each reference code.

Abstract: A coated steel component is provided. The coated steel component includes a substrate composed of a steel sheet which can be supplied to a hot-forming process. The coated steel component also possesses a non-metallic coating on the basis of silicon, in a layered structure. The layered structure includes three functional layers having the composition SiOxNyCz, wherein x lies between 30 and 70%, y lies between 0 and 35%, and z lies between 0 and 50%.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing tamper-proof identification elements, and to tamper-proof identification elements produced according to said method and consisting respectively of at least one layer (2) reflecting electromagnetic waves (3), a spacer layer, and a layer consisting of metallic clusters (4). According to said method, a partial or all-over layer reflecting electromagnetic waves is applied to a carrier substrate (1), followed by at least one partial and/or all-over polymer layer having a defined thickness (3), and a layer consisting of metallic clusters which is produced by means of a method using vacuum technology or from systems based on solvents is then applied to said spacer layer(s).

Abstract: The invention relates to a platelike color effect pigment having the following structure: a) a metallic reflective core; b) a spacer layer made of a dielectric material, and; c) an, all in all, semitransparent absorber layer comprising, in essence, discrete metal particles that have an average diameter of 1 to 100 nm and optionally at least one other protective layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of analyzing the age and/or quality of certain natural products, for example foods. The invention also relates to devices for analyzing said age and/or quality as well as to methods for preparing such devices, to methods for analyzing natural products and to their use.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a corresponding apparatus for identifying a product (1) or information relating to the product (1). In the method, a concealed code on the product (1) is identified, wherein the code is given by a set of ellipsometric parameters, and the method comprises the following steps of: measuring ellipsometric variables for at least one defined point (8) on a surface (9) of the product (1), comparing the measured ellipsometric variables with at least one reference code, and determining a match between the measured ellipsometric variables and the reference code or one of the reference codes or determining a mismatch with each reference code.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for checking the authenticity of an anti-forgery marking with colors which change depending on the angle of observation, comprising a) several first light sources, emitting in a given spectral range, whereby the light sources are different from each other with regard to the wavelength of the emission maximum thereof and the first light sources (1) are housed in a housing (5) such as to irradiate the surface (O), with the housing (5) placed thereon, at a given first angle (?1), b) a first means (2) for measuring the intensity of the light reflected from the surface (O) arranged at a second angle (?2) and c) a means (7) for the automatic comparison of measured intensities with the reference intensities stored for at least one given color for each light source (1).

Abstract: The invention relates to a platelike color effect pigment having the following structure: a) a metallic reflective core; b) a spacer layer made of a dielectric material, and; c) an, all in all, semitransparent absorber layer comprising, in essence, discrete metal particles that have an average diameter of 1 to 100 nm and optionally at least one other protective layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to forgery-proof marking for objects, such as check cards, banknotes, labels, and the like, comprising a plastic transparent film (1) having a first and second surface, whereby a series of layers is applied to the second surface. When viewed from the first surface, the color of this series of layers changes according to the viewing angle, and the series of layers is formed from an absorber layer provided on the second surface, from a spacer layer (3) overlying the absorber layer, and from a mirror layer (2) overlying the spacer layer (3). In order to improve the machine identification of the authenticity of the marking, the invention provides that the absorber layer is comprised of metallic clusters (4).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing tamper-proof identification elements, and to tamper-proof identification elements produced according to said method and consisting respectively of at least one layer (2) reflecting electromagnetic waves (3), a spacer layer, and a layer consisting of metallic clusters (4). According to said method, a partial or all-over layer reflecting electromagnetic waves is applied to a carrier substrate (1), followed by at least one partial and/or all-over polymer layer having a defined thickness (3), and a layer consisting of metallic clusters which is produced by means of a method using vacuum technology or from systems based on solvents is then applied to said spacer layer(s).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for checking the authenticity of an anti-forgery marking with colours which change depending on the angle of observation, comprising a) several first light sources, emitting in a given spectral range, whereby the light sources are different from each other with regard to the wavelength of the emission maximum thereof and the first light sources (1) are housed in a housing (5) such as to irradiate the surface (O), with the housing (5) placed thereon, at a given first angle (?1), b) a first means (2) for measuring the intensity of the light reflected from the surface (O) arranged at a second angle (?2) and c) a means (7) for the automatic comparison of measured intensities with the reference intensities stored for at least one given colour for each light source (1).

Abstract: The invention relates to forgery-proof marking for objects, such as check cards, banknotes, labels, and the like, comprising a plastic transparent film (1) having a first and second surface, whereby a series of layers is applied to the second surface. When viewed from the first surface, the color of this series of layers changes according to the viewing angle, and the series of layers is formed from an absorber layer provided on the second surface, from a spacer layer (3) overlying the absorber layer, and from a mirror layer (2) overlying the spacer layer (3). In order to improve the machine identification of the authenticity of the marking, the invention provides that the absorber layer is comprised of metallic clusters (4).