Abstract: The invention concerns an optical security element and a process for the production of an optical security element in the form of a multilayer body having a projection element (8) in a first region of the security element for converting light transmitted through the optical security element in the first region by means of diffraction. The projection element (8) has a plurality of first zones (85) in which a first surface of a replication layer (82) has a first surface structure and an opaque metallic layer (85) is arranged on the first surface of the replication layer (82). It further has a plurality of transparent second zones (86) in which the first surface of the replication layer has a second surface structure (87) with an aspect ratio differing from the aspect ratio of the first surface structure and no opaque metallic layer is provided.

Abstract: The invention concerns a security document (1) comprising a transparent window (12) in which a first optical element (15) is arranged and a second transparent window (13) in which a second optical element (16) is arranged. The first transparent window (12) and the second transparent window (13) are arranged on a carrier (11) of the security document (1) in mutually spaced relationship in such a way that the first and the second optical elements (15, 16) can be brought into overlapping relationship with each other. The first optical element (15) has a first transmissive microlens field and the second optical element (16) has a second transmissive microlens field, wherein a first optical effect is produced upon overlap of the second microlens field with the first microlens field.

Abstract: The invention concerns a security element (11) in the form of a multi-layer film body, a security document having such a security element and a process for the production of such a security element. The film body on a carrier film (10) has a release layer (20), a protective lacquer layer (21), a replication lacquer layer (22) with relief structures (25, 26), a metal layer (23) and an adhesive layer (24). A first relief structure (25) has a depth-to-width ratio of >0.5, whereby the metal layer (23) is more transparent in the region of the first relief structure (25). A second relief structure (26) has a low depth-to-width ratio whereby the metal layer (23) is less transparent or is opaque in the region of the second relief structure (26).

Abstract: The invention concerns a film element having a replication layer (43), wherein an optically active surface structure (27) is shaped in a first surface of the replication layer. The surface structure is formed in at least a first region of the film element (35) by a first diffractive surface relief (46) comprising a plurality of successive elements following a first envelope curve (47), wherein the elements respectively comprise an element surface (48) arranged substantially parallel to a base surface and at least one flank adjoining the adjacent element surface or surfaces, the element surfaces (48) of adjacent elements are spaced in a direction perpendicular to the base plane, with a first optical spacing or a plurality of the first optical spacing, wherein the first optical spacing is between 150 nm and 800 nm, preferably between 150 nm and 400 nm.

Abstract: The invention concerns a multilayer body (5) and a process for producing a multilayer body (5). The multilayer body (5) has a transparent first layer (51) in which a multiplicity of cylindrical lenses of a length of more than 2 mm and a width of less than 400 ?m are shaped, which are arranged in accordance with a microlens grid spanning a first co-ordinate system having a co-ordinate axis X1 which is determined by the focal point lines of the cylindrical lenses, and a co-ordinate axis Y2 perpendicular thereto. In a second layer (52) arranged beneath the first layer in a fixed position with respect to the first layer there are a multiplicity of microscopic structures in the form of microimages which are distorted along a longitudinal axis with respect to a transverse axis in accordance with a transformation function and which are arranged in accordance with a microimage grid spanning a second co-ordinate system having a co-ordinate axis X2 and a co-ordinate axis Y2 perpendicular thereto.

Abstract: Described is a multi-layer body for viewing from the front and rear sides in transillumination mode, wherein the multi-layer body (1) comprises one or more transparent first layers (10) and a second layer (14) with a micro-pattern comprising opaque first partial regions and transparent second partial regions. One of the first layers (10) on its surface remote from the second layer (14) has a surface profile forming an arrangement of a plurality of first micro-lenses (12). The thickness of that first layer (1) or that first layer (1 ) and arranged between that first layer (1) and the second layer (14) one or more further first layers (1) approximately corresponds to the focal length of the first micro-lenses.

Abstract: There is described a process for the production of a multi-layer body (100) having a partially shaped first layer (3m), wherein it is provided that in the process a diffractive first relief structure (4) with a high depth-to-width ratio of the individual structure elements, in particular with a depth-to-width ratio of >0.3, is shaped in a first region (5) of a replication layer (3) of the multi-layer body (100) and the first layer (3m) is applied to the replication layer (3) in the first region (5) and in a second region (4, 6) in which the relief structure is not shaped in the replication layer (3), with a constant surface density, and the first layer (3m) is partially removed in a manner determined by the first relief structure so that the first layer (3m) is partially removed in the first region (5) or in the second region (4, 6) but not in the second region (4, 6) or in the first region (5) respectively.

Abstract: Described is a multilayer body for representing microimages provided with gray value gradations or color gradations. The multilayer body has a transparent first layer in which a plurality of microlenses are shaped, and a second layer (61) which is arranged beneath the first layer and has a plurality of microimages. The microlenses are arranged in accordance with a microlens raster. The second layer has a plurality of microimage regions (61b) arranged in accordance with a microimage region raster whose raster width is <300 ?m. Within each microimage region two or more of the microimages (61ma through 61mc) arranged in a microimage raster respectively differ from each other, wherein the raster spacings of the microlens raster and the microimage raster differ from each other by less than 10%. The microimages have regions with a gray value or a color value. Also disclosed is a process for the production of the multilayer body.

Abstract: The invention concerns a security document (7) having a first transparent region (72) in which a first transparent optical element (74) is arranged and a second region (71) in which a second opaque optical element (73) is arranged. The second opaque optical element (73) exhibits a first optical effect. The first region (72) and the second region (71) are arranged in mutually spaced relationship on a carrier (75) of the security document, in such a way that the first and second regions can be brought into mutually overlapping relationship. Upon overlap of the second optical element with the first optical element with a first spacing (26) between the first and second optical elements a second optical effect appears and upon overlap of the second optical element with the first optical element with a second spacing (25) between the first and second optical elements, which is greater than the first spacing (26), a third optical effect (51) which is different from the second optical effect appears.

Abstract: The invention concerns a security element (3?) having a top side and an underside and a process for the production thereof. The security element has a transparent layer (33?) with a non-homogenous refractive index, in which a plurality of Bragg planes are formed by a refractive index variation. The transparent layer (33?) is of a layer thickness of between 5 ?m and 200 ?m and the transparent layer (33?) has a plurality of first zones (41) of a smallest dimension of less than 300 ?m, which are arranged in accordance with a first grid raster in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional succession in mutually adjacent relationship and in which the Bragg planes of the transparent layer are respectively shaped to provide a respective transmissive optical imaging function.

Abstract: The invention concerns a multi-layer body (7) having a carrier substrate (750) and a transparent layer (720) at least partially arranged in a window (70) or in a transparent region of the carrier substrate (750). The transparent layer (720) has at least a first subregion (71a) and a second subregion (71b) with a varying refractive index, which are arranged in mutually juxtaposed relationship in the layer plane defined by the transparent layer (720), and are at least partially arranged in the window (70) or in the transparent region of the carrier substrate (750). Each of the subregions (71a, 71b) has a plurality of periodically arranged nodes which form an optical-action element and which are formed by a refractive index variation and which are arranged in substantially mutually parallel planes. The planes in the at least first subregion (71a) are not parallel to the planes in the at least second subregion (71b).

Abstract: The invention concerns an optical security element and a system for visualising items of concealed information comprising such an optical security element. The optical security element has a substrate layer in which a relief structure defined by relief parameters, in particular relief shape, relief depth, spatial frequency and azimuth angle, is shaped in the surface region defined by an X-axis and a Y-axis, for producing an optically perceptible effect. One or more of the relief parameters defining the relief structure are varied in the surface region in accordance with a parameter variation function. The surface region is divided into one or more pattern regions and a background region. One or more of the relief parameters defining the relief structure are varied in the one or more pattern regions in accordance with a parameter variation function which is phase-displaced in relation to the parameter variation function of the background region.

Abstract: A diffractive security element has a half-tone image comprising diffractive structures in a reflection layer, which are embedded in a layer composite between a transparent embossing layer and a protective lacquer layer. The half-tone image is divided into image elements of at least one dimension less than 1 mm, wherein the surface of each image element is divided up into a background field and an image element pattern. The proportion of the image element pattern to the surface of the image element determines the surface brightness of the half-tone image at the location of the image element. The background field has a first diffractive structure from which the image element pattern differs by its light-modifying effect. Pattern strips of a width of up to 0.3 mm additionally extend over the surface of the half-tone image. The pattern strips occupy a small proportion of the surface of the background fields and/or the image element patterns and produce coloured strips on the half-tone image.

Abstract: A security element which is difficult to copy includes a layer composite which has microscopically fine, optically effective structures of a surface pattern, which are embedded between two layers of the layer composite. In a plane of the surface pattern, which is defined by co-ordinate axes x and y, the optically effective structures are shaped into an interface between the layers in surface portions of a holographically non-copyable security feature. In at least one surface portion the optically effective structure (9) is a diffraction structure formed by additive superimposition of a macroscopic superimposition function (M) with a microscopically fine relief profile (R). Both the relief profile (R), the superimposition function (M) and also the diffraction structure are functions of the co-ordinates x and y. The relief profile (R) is a light-diffractive or light-scattering optically effective structure and, following the superimposition function (M), retains the predetermined profile height.

Abstract: The invention concerns a security document comprising a translucent carrier substrate, in particular of paper and/or plastic material, and at least one security element which is applied to the carrier substrate or embedded in the carrier substrate and which presents at least one image when viewed in the transillumination mode from at least a first side of the security document and simulates a presence of at least a first watermark in the carrier substrate, wherein the security element has at least region-wise at least one layer which simulates the first watermark, wherein the at least one layer of the security element, that simulates the first watermark, imparts thereto unexpected optical effects in relation to security elements with conventional watermarks.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of generating a laser marking in a security document by means of at least one laser beam, the security document having at least one laser-markable layer and also at least one reflecting layer which overlaps at least partly with the at least one laser-markable layer and has opaque regions. The at least one reflecting layer has at least one transparent region and, at least visually, is not significantly altered by the laser treatment of the laser-markable layer.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for the production of a multi-layer body, wherein the multi-layer body includes at least two functional layers on a top side of a carrier substrate, which are structured in register relationship with each other, by a procedure whereby an underside of the carrier substrate is prepared in such a way that in a first region there results a transparency for a first exposure radiation and in at least one second region there results a transparency for at least one second exposure radiation different therefrom in register relationship with the first region, the underside is successively exposed with the first and the at least one second exposure radiation and the first exposure radiation is used for structuring a first functional layer and the at least one second exposure radiation is used for structuring at least one second functional layer on the top side of the carrier substrate.

Abstract: Described is a multilayer body for representing microimages provided with gray value gradations or color gradations. The multilayer body has a transparent first layer in which a plurality of microlenses are shaped, and a second layer (61) which is arranged beneath the first layer and has a plurality of microimages. The microlenses are arranged in accordance with a microlens raster. The second layer has a plurality of microimage regions (61b) arranged in accordance with a microimage region raster whose raster width is <300 ?m. Within each microimage region two or more of the microimages (61ma through 61mc) arranged in a microimage raster respectively differ from each other, wherein the raster spacings of the microlens raster and the microimage raster differ from each other by less than 10%. The microimages have regions with a gray value or a color value. Also disclosed is a process for the production of the multilayer body.

Abstract: Light-diffracting microstructures are produced by the superimposition of at least two relief structures, wherein the first relief structure is produced mechanically while at least one second relief structure is a photomechanically generated diffraction structure.

Abstract: Described is a process for the production of a multi-layer body having a volume hologram with at least two different items of image information, wherein a photosensitive layer (46) of the multi-layer body is directly or with the interposition of a transparent optical medium (44s, 45) brought into contact with the front side of a master (44), in which interlaced regions with different asymmetrical surface structures or kinoform structures are shaped, which embody the at least two different items of image information. The photosensitive layer (46) and the master are exposed with a coherent light beam (47) whereby a volume hologram is formed in the photosensitive layer (46). Also described are a master for the production of the multi-layer body and a security element having said multi-layer body.