Abstract: Opaque flakes, such as pigment or bright flakes used in paints and inks, have a selected shape and/or other indicia to provide a covert security feature to an object. Shaped opaque covert flakes are not readily detectable by causal observation, but in some embodiments are easily seen at 50× magnification. In manufacturing the flakes a sheet of embossed frames are provided having embossed symbols or indicia within. Upon removing a coating from the embossed sheet the coating material tends to break along frame lines or grooves and the resulting flakes are substantially uniform in size. In order to have the flakes break along frame lines or grooves more readily than along the embossing or grooves defining indicia within a frame, the frames are provided with a deeper groove than indicia grooves. As well a groove having a different shaped profile conducive to breakage can be used for the frame grooves whereas a groove having a profile less conducive to breakage can be used to form the indicia grooves.

Abstract: A printed article is disclosed having a light transmissive substrate having a reverse printed region on a surface thereof in the form of a plurality of very closely spaced printed lines or regions. The printed regions and spaces therebetween are subsequently flood coated with special effect ink such as optically variable ink wherein the ink particle size is on average greater than the gap between reverse printed regions. The image is viewed from the non-printed side of the substrate and very fine lines of the special effect flood coated special effect ink appear as very clear sharp lines having a fine resolution. This eliminates the typical jagged edges that would otherwise be seen if the inked region was not present. This effect is due to the first printed inked regions or lines forming a mask through which the flood coated ink is seen.

Abstract: A method of planarizing a plurality of orientable non-spherical flakes supported by a longitudinal web is disclosed. A web supporting a coating of field orientable non-spherical flakes is placed between magnets so that the fields from the magnets traverse the web. First and third magnets are provided on one side of a feedpath and a second magnet is provided between the first and third magnets on the other side of the feedpath.

Abstract: A security article is a substrate having a diffractive grating thereon, coated with a windowed high index layer and a color shifting coating visible through the window. The color shifting coating is disposed on the high index layer or on the opposite side of the substrate. Alternatively, a thin film color shifting structure conforming the diffractive grating is disposed between the grating and the windowed high index layer, also conforming to the shape of the diffractive grating. Alternatively, an ink with low density of color shifting pigments is applied over the high index layer conforming to the shape of the diffractive grating. The resulting color shifting image provides a reference to a holographic image.

Abstract: A method of conforming non-ductile flakes to a surface is provided wherein a surface is coated with the non-ductile flakes. A first step of coating at least a portion of the surface with a coating of adhesive or a paint is required and subsequently before the coating cures a plurality of thin film flakes having a non-ductile insulating or semiconductor layer are sprinkled upon the adhesive or paint while it is still tacky. Typically the thin-film flakes have a thickness of between 50 nm and 2,000 nm, and have a length of between 2 microns and 200 microns. The flakes having a non-ductile layer are then burnished upon the surface so as to provide an active layer, which conforms to the surface.

Abstract: A method of planarizing a plurality of orientable non-spherical flakes supported by a longitudinal web is disclosed. A web supporting a coating of field orientable non-spherical flakes is placed between magnets so that the fields from the magnets traverse the web. First and third magnets are provided on one side of a feedpath and a second magnet is provided between the first and third magnets on the other side of the feedpath.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, non-toxic inorganic flakes are used for identification and anticounterfeit protection of pharmaceutical articles, such as pills, tablets and capsules, having a core of a biologically active material and/or a biologically inert material. Non-toxic inorganic authentication flakes, either optically variable flakes or taggant flakes having one or more symbols and/or a selected shape are disposed on the surface or inside of the pharmaceutical article.

Abstract: The reinforced opaque glitter particles have a substantially uniform shape and size. Each of the particles includes a reflective core supported by a transparent organic substrate and one or more robustness-improving layers for providing rigidity to the particle. Optionally, the particles have lacquer layers at a surface of the particle. One example of a robustness-improving layer is an inorganic transparent protective layer having a thickness of at least 20 nm adjacent directly to the aluminum layer. Another example is an adhesion promoting layer directly adjacent to the transparent organic substrate.

Abstract: A printed article is disclosed having a light transmissive substrate having a reverse printed region on a surface thereof in the form of a plurality of very closely spaced printed lines or regions. The printed regions and spaces therebetween are subsequently flood coated with special effect ink such as optically variable ink wherein the ink particle size is on average greater than the gap between reverse printed regions. The image is viewed from the non-printed side of the substrate and very fine lines of the special effect flood coated special effect ink appear as very clear sharp lines having a fine resolution. This eliminates the typical jagged edges that would otherwise be seen if the inked region was not present. This effect is due to the first printed inked regions or lines forming a mask through which the flood coated ink is seen.

Abstract: The visible light reflectance of polymeric substrates coated with conductive oxides is minimized over a broad region of the visible light spectrum by alternating layers of materials of high and low refractive index interposed between the substrate and the conductive oxide. The conductive oxide is outermost to permit direct electrical contact to be made. Visible light reflectance is 10% or less and visible light transmittance is 90% or more over a broad region of the spectrum.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for producing unsupported thin film particles are provided. The apparatus includes: (a) a vacuum chamber; (b) a rotatable drum disposed within the vacuum chamber; (c) means within the vacuum chamber for depositing a surface coating onto the drum when the drum is rotating; (d) means for depositing at least one thin film layer onto the surface coating to provide a thin film structure disposed atop the surface coating; and (e) a knife blade disposed proximate to the surface of the drum, such that a thin film structure deposited onto the drum can be scraped away from the drum by the rotation of the drum. In the method, a surface coating, such as a wax, is applied directly to the moving surface. Thereafter, one or more thin film layers is deposited upon the surface coating. The thin film layer or layers are thereafter scraped away from the surface coating using the knife blade.

Abstract: A laser imageable direct write printing member for use with a laser producing laser radiation comprising a flexible sheet of plastic having first and second surfaces serving as a film substrate. A vacuum-deposited laser ablative coating is carried by said first surface formed of a metal selected from a group consisting of titanium, zirconium, aluminum hafnium and alloys thereof.

Abstract: A laser imageable direct write printing member for use with a laser producing laser infrared radiation comprising a flexible sheet of plastic having first and second surfaces serving as a film substrate. A vacuum-deposited laser ablative coating is carried by said first surface formed of a metal selected from a group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium and alloys thereof.

Abstract: A graphic artwork includes a thin film coating layer thereon which includes a copper oxide which is substantially opaque to ultraviolet light and partially transmissive to visible light and suitable for printing circuiting on a printed circuit board or for other graphic artwork. In the case where the thin film compound includes unoxidized copper, etching thereof to achieve a predetermined pattern on the graphic artwork is facilitated by using a mixture of ammonium chloride and hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract: An article having a transparent conductive coating having predetermined interference reflectance and transmission properties substantially independent of its conductivity, comprising:(a) a substrate having a refractive index n.sub.0 and(b) a coating disposed over at least a portion of the substrate and consisting of:(i) at least one transparent dielectric layer having a refractive index n.sub.1 different from n.sub.0 ; and(ii) at least one transparent conductive layer having a refractive index substantially equal to n.sub.1, at least one of which has a thickness sufficient to provide a desired conductivity;the coating having a thickness such that it has predetermined interference reflectance and transmission properties substantially independent of its conductivity.

Abstract: A stable high resistant transparent coating is formed by choosing an undoped wide band gap semiconducting oxide, and by forming a film from elements constituting the undoped oxide and from a dopant which is chosen so as to form a doped wide band gap semiconducting oxide, the doped oxide having an electrical resistance greater than the undoped oxide, the electrical resistance of the doped oxide being such that it equals an optimum value when the coating composition is inherently stable.

Abstract: A graphic artwork includes a thin film coating layer thereon which includes a copper oxide which is substantially opaque to ultraviolet light and partially transmissive to visible light and suitable for printing circuiting on a printed circuit board or for other graphic artwork. In the case where the thin film compound inlcudes unoxidized copper, etching thereof to achieve a predetermined pattern on the graphic artwork is facilitated by using a mixture of ammonium chloride and hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract: The adherablility of a thin coating of a metal or semiconductor oxide, such as indium tin oxide or silicon dioxide, is improved by treating the coating with an aqueous solution containing an effective amount of an active oxygen compound such as sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract: Bonding between a metallic conductor and a substrate is improved by using a primer layer having a graded composition which continuously varies from a composition predominant in a metal which bonds well to the substrate at the substrate-primer layer interface to a composition predominant in the metal of the conductor at the conductor-primer layer interface. Specifically, the bonding characteristics of copper to polyimide substrate are improved by using a chromium-copper graded composition primer layer which is chromium-rich at the substrate-primer layer interface and copper-rich at the conductor-primer layer interface.

Abstract: Polymers of low surface energy, particularly fluoropolymers, may be surface treated by deposition of thin layer of carbon, particularly by magnetron sputtering. Such surface treating improved bondability and printability.