Composite Grating Image for Anti-Counterfeiting Security
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current grating images used for security purposes lack advanced optical effects and are vulnerable to forgery, necessitating the development of new security features that enhance authenticity and difficulty in reproduction.
Innovation Solution
A lattice image with diffractive and achromatic grating patterns that feature randomly varying parameters, such as orientation, spacing, and profiling, combined with a color-shifting thin-layer structure, produced using electron beam lithography and vapor deposition techniques, to create a visually complex and difficult-to-counterfeit design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional grating images are used for security purposes, then they provide basic authentication, but they are vulnerable to forgery and lack advanced optical effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple grating types (diffractive and scattering gratings) with different optical properties into a single composite grating image. This composite structure integrates the security benefits of diffractive gratings with the anti-counterfeiting properties of scattering gratings, creating a multi-layered optical effect that is difficult to replicate and provides enhanced security against forgery while maintaining authenticatable visual characteristics.
2Ease of manufacture
If diffractive grating patterns with constant parameters are used, then they produce clear visual appearance, but they show diffractive effects that can be easily replicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating regions with different grating characteristics within the same grating image. Specifically, it incorporates scattering gratings with randomly varying parameters in certain areas, while maintaining diffractive gratings with constant parameters in other areas. This local differentiation ensures that parts of the image remain visually recognizable while other parts provide anti-counterfeiting protection through their unique scattering properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by transitioning from uniform grating parameters throughout the image to a hybrid structure where scattering grating parameters (such as line spacing, orientation, and depth) vary randomly within defined ranges. This parameter variation creates unpredictable light scattering patterns that maintain visual appearance while significantly increasing difficulty to counterfeit, as the random parameters cannot be easily reproduced.
3Reliability
If scattering gratings with randomly varying parameters are used, then they provide matt appearance and anti-counterfeiting properties, but they reduce optical brilliance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges diffractive gratings and scattering gratings into a unified grating image structure. The diffractive grating components provide the necessary optical brilliance through their ability to concentrate and direct light, while the scattering grating components contribute anti-counterfeiting properties through their random parameter variations. This merging allows the final structure to simultaneously achieve both high optical brilliance and strong anti-counterfeiting characteristics.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The lattice image provides enhanced security against forgery by offering new optical effects and increased protection through its complex, angle-dependent visual appearance, which is difficult to reproduce using conventional methods, while maintaining high optical brilliance.
Implementation Method 1
holographic diffraction grating, diffractive grating patterns, which contain parallel, equidistant line grating lines
Implementation Method 2
achromatic grating patterns which are visually recognizable with a matt, preferably silvery appearance... do not show any diffractive effects but scattering effects
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4b
Figure 5a~6
AI summary
A grid image (30) with a plurality of adjacent grid fields (G0) with a diffuse, viewing-angle-dependent visual appearance, in which - each grid field (G0) is assigned a grid pattern (M0) consisting of a plurality of straight dash grid lines, - each assigned grid pattern (M0) has a preferred direction which determines a viewing angle from which the respective grid pattern (M0) is visually recognizable, - each grid field (G0) is predominantly filled with the grid pattern (M0) assigned to it, and - each grid field (G0) is additionally partially filled with neighboring grid patterns (M1, M-1) assigned to adjacent grid fields (G1, G-1).