Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a security element (1), to a security element (1) obtainable by the method according to the invention, to transfer materials having the security elements according to the invention, and to objects of value secured by the security elements according to the invention. The security element (1) according to the invention has at least two functional layers (12, 22), whereby each functional layer forms a motif and the motifs are either congruent, or one motif represents a photographic negative of the other motif. In the method according to the invention, the motif of one functional layer (12) is transferred into the other functional layer (22) with the help of an adhesive layer (30).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a security element (20) for security papers, value documents and the like having a diffraction pattern that exhibits an embossed relief pattern (24, 26) and a coating layer (28, 32) that increases the visibility of the diffraction effect of the embossed relief pattern (24, 26). According to the present invention, the relief pattern (24, 26) is formed on the basis of a cholesteric liquid crystalline material (24) and the coating layer (28, 32) includes a reflective (28) and/or a high-index layer (32).

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: The present invention relates to a security element for a security paper, a valuable article or the like having a substrate (1), the substrate being at least partially furnished with a coating (2) that is substantially tack free at room temperature, and the coating (2) including at least one radiation-crosslinkable component.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a security element for protecting valuable articles, having a first and a second authenticating feature. The first authenticating feature comprises a first arrangement having a plurality of focusing elements present in a first grid, and a second arrangement having a plurality of microscopic structures present in a second grid. Here, the first and second arrangement are disposed in such a way that the microscopic structures of the second arrangement are seen magnified when viewed through the focusing elements of the first arrangement. The second authenticating feature is machine and/or visually verifiable and is not influenced by the first arrangement of the first authenticating feature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a micropattern on a substrate (22), in which a substrate (22) is provided with a relief pattern (26, 28) that exhibits elevations (26) and depressions (28), and in which the elevations (26) and/or depressions (26) are arranged in the form of the desired micropattern, and with a printing tool, an imprint material (30; 34) is transferred to the relief pattern (26, 28), the viscosity of the imprint material (30; 34) being chosen such that the imprint material (30; 34) is selectively transferred either substantially only onto the elevations (26) or substantially only into the depressions (28) of the relief pattern.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a security element (30) for securing valuable articles, having a first layer (13), composed of cholesteric liquid crystal material, that is present at least in some areas, a second layer (14), composed of liquid crystal material, that is present at least in some areas, and a further layer (22), having a machine-readable feature, that is present at least in some areas and that is covered at least in some areas by the first and second layer composed of liquid crystal material.

Abstract: A micro-optical inspection arrangement comprises micro-focusing elements which are composite bodies consisting of a main part and an additional part and which have a reference focal length. The main parts are provided as micro-focusing element preforms, and the additional parts are formed from one or more functional coatings. The invention also relates to a method for producing such a micro-optical inspection arrangement and to a micro-optical displaying arrangement comprising the micro-optical inspection arrangement according to the invention and a microstructure arrangement, in particular a moiré magnification arrangement and a modulo magnification arrangement. The invention also relates to security elements and data carriers that have the micro-optical inspection arrangement according to the invention.

Abstract: A highly refractive embossing lacquer for producing micro-optic arrangements which contains at least one binding agent which has at least one radiation-curing compound system having one or more organic compounds. The highly refractive embossing lacquer has at least a portion of the organic compounds of the radiation-curing compound system having molecules with at least one polarizable element, so that a polymeric material with a refractive index of greater than 1.5 is formed upon radiation curing. A security element which is produced with at least one micro-optic authenticity feature is also provided. The micro-optic authenticity features permit the production of security elements that are so thin that they can be easily incorporated into value documents.

Abstract: A security element for securing valuable articles comprises an optically variable layer (18) that conveys different color impressions at different viewing angles, and a color-constant layer (17, 24). The optically variable layer (18) and the color-constant layer (17, 24) are stacked in a covering region (20), while at most one of the optically variable layer (18) and the color-constant layer (17, 24) is present outside (22) the covering region. The color impression of the stacked layers (18, 17, 24) in the covering region (20) and the color impression of the one layer (18) outside (22) the covering region are matched with each other when viewed at a predetermined viewing angle. Further, the color-constant layer comprises an ink layer (17) and a metal layer arranged below the ink layer (24).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a security element (12) having a metalized microrelief pattern and a negative pattern in register therewith, in which P) a substrate (20) is provided with an embossing pattern having elevations (24) and depressions (26) that form first and second regions having different first and second height levels, wherein the desired microrelief pattern (28) is introduced into the first regions of the embossing pattern, and the second regions of the embossing pattern are developed in the form of the desired negative pattern, M) the embossing pattern with the first and second regions is contiguously metalized (30), and L) the metalized embossing pattern is impinged on with laser radiation, to selectively remove the metalization (30) in the second regions of the embossing pattern through the action of the laser radiation.

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: The present invention relates to a method for producing a security element (1), to a security element (1) obtainable by the method according to the invention, to transfer materials having the security elements according to the invention, and to objects of value secured by the security elements according to the invention. The security element (1) according to the invention has at least two functional layers (12, 22), whereby each functional layer forms a motif and the motifs are either congruent, or one motif represents a photographic negative of the other motif. In the method according to the invention, the motif of one functional layer (12) is transferred into the other functional layer (22) with the help of an adhesive layer (30).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a security element (1), to a security element (1) obtainable by the method according to the invention, to transfer materials having the security elements according to the invention, and to objects of value secured with the security elements according to the invention. The security element (1) according to the invention has two functional layers (12, 22) which are bonded together by means of a resist layer (30). The resist layer (30) has a pattern which is employed to generate a congruent pattern in the first functional layer (12). Then the pattern of the resist layer (30), and thus also of the first functional layer (12), is exactly reproduced in the second functional layer (22). This is achieved by bonding the second functional layer (22) in the form of the pattern of the resist layer (30). The non-bonded areas of the second functional layer (22) are removed, thereby forming negative writing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a security element for security papers, value documents and the like, having a micro-optical moiré magnification arrangement having a first motif image that consists of a planar periodic or at least locally periodic arrangement of a plurality of first micromotif elements (38) that produce a hidden piece of image information, and a planar periodic or at least locally periodic arrangement of a plurality of microfocusing elements (34) for the moiré-magnified viewing of the first micromotif elements of the motif image, the first micromotif elements (38) being formed from nematic liquid crystal material and forming a phase-shifting layer for light from a specified wavelength range, and the magnified moiré image being perceptible substantially only upon viewing the security element through a polarizer.

Abstract: A security element for securing valuable articles comprises an optically variable layer (18) that conveys different color impressions at different viewing angles, and a color-constant layer (17, 24). The optically variable layer (18) and the color-constant layer (17, 24) are stacked in a covering region (20), while at most one of the optically variable layer (18) and the color-constant layer (17, 24) is present outside (22) the covering region. The color impression of the stacked layers (18, 17, 24) in the covering region (20) and the color impression of the one layer (18) outside (22) the covering region are matched with each other when viewed at a predetermined viewing angle. Further, the color-constant layer comprises an ink layer (17) and a metal layer arranged below the ink layer (24).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a micropattern on a substrate (22), in which a substrate (22) is provided with a relief pattern (26, 28) that exhibits elevations (26) and depressions (28), and in which the elevations (26) and/or depressions (26) are arranged in the form of the desired micropattern, and with a printing tool, an imprint material (30; 34) is transferred to the relief pattern (26, 28), the viscosity of the imprint material (30; 34) being chosen such that the imprint material (30; 34) is selectively transferred either substantially only onto the elevations (26) or substantially only into the depressions (28) of the relief pattern.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a security element (12) having a metalized microrelief pattern and a negative pattern in register therewith, in which P) a substrate (20) is provided with an embossing pattern having elevations (24) and depressions (26) that form first and second regions having different first and second height levels, wherein the desired microrelief pattern (28) is introduced into the first regions of the embossing pattern, and the second regions of the embossing pattern are developed in the form of the desired negative pattern, M) the embossing pattern with the first and second regions is contiguously metalized (30), and L) the metalized embossing pattern is impinged on with laser radiation, to selectively remove the metalization (30) in the second regions of the embossing pattern through the action of the laser radiation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a foil material for transfer to a target substrate, and methods for manufacturing such a foil material. In a method according to the present invention, a plastic substrate foil (32) is provided that is suitable for aligning liquid crystal material. To the substrate foil (32) is discontiguously applied a layer (34) comprising a liquid crystal material that is aligned.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a security element (30) for securing valuable articles, having a first optically active layer (32) that is present at least in some areas and comprises a cholesteric liquid crystal material. According to the present invention, a second optically active layer (34) that is present at least in some areas is provided, the first and the second layer (32, 34) being stacked in an overlap area. Here, the first optically active layer (32) selectively reflects light in a first wavelength range having a first circular polarization direction, and the second optically active layer (34), either itself or, in the overlap area, in coaction with the first optically active layer (32), selectively reflects light in a second wavelength range having a second direction of circular polarization.