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Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12330441-B2
Application number	US-201917292442-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2019
Priority date	Nov 9, 2018
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

A data carrier with a cover layer, a base layer, and an information layer arrangement. The information layer arrangement includes at least a first information layer and a second information layer arranged after the first information layer along an extension direction. The first information layer and the second information layer have different optical properties, and the information layer arrangement has an unmodified region and at least one modified region, the at least one modified region having at least one recess extending at least partially into the first information layer along the extension direction. The at least one modified region is configured to reflect incident electromagnetic waves whereby a first reflection spectrum is generated, the unmodified region is configured to reflect said incident electromagnetic waves whereby a second reflection spectrum is generated, the first reflection spectrum being different from the second reflection spectrum.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A data carrier comprising:
a cover layer;
a base layer located beneath the cover layer; and
an information layer arrangement,
wherein the information layer arrangement is arranged between the cover layer and the base layer, and
wherein the information layer arrangement comprises at least two information layers, wherein a first information layer of the at least two information layers is arranged beneath the cover layer and a second information layer of the at least two information layers is arranged beneath the first information layer along an extension direction extending from the cover layer to the base layer,

wherein the first information layer and the second information layer have different optical properties, and
in that the information layer arrangement has an unmodified region and at least one modified region, the at least one modified region having at least one recess extending at least partially into the first information layer along the extension direction,
wherein the at least one modified region is configured to reflect incident electromagnetic waves whereby a first reflection spectrum is generated,
wherein the unmodified region is configured to reflect said incident electromagnetic waves whereby a second reflection spectrum is generated, and
wherein the first reflection spectrum is different from the second reflection spectrum.

2. The data carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the different optical properties are at least one of a different refractive index, a different color appearance, a different absorption behavior, a different reflection behavior, or combinations thereof.

3. The data carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the second information layer and the first information layer in the unmodified region or the first information layer in the at least one modified region have a same thickness along the extension direction; or
wherein the second information layer and the first information layer in the unmodified region or the first information layer in the at least one modified region have a different thickness along the extension direction.

4. The data carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the recess extends completely through the first information layer.

5. The data carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the first information layer and/or the second information layer have a refractive index in a range of 1 to 2.5.

6. The data carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the information layer arrangement has at least one further modified region, the at least one further modified region having at least one further recess extending at least partially into the first information layer along the extension direction,
wherein the at least one further recess extends into the information layer arrangement to a same extent as the at least one recess; or
wherein the at least one further recess extends to a lesser extent or to a further extent into the information layer arrangement as the at least one recess.

7. The data carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the first information layer and the second information layer are made of an at least partially reflective material.

8. The data carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the first information layer and/or the second information layer is made of one or more metals or one or more metal-compounds, of one or more metals selected from Al, Cu, Au, Ag, Ti or combinations thereof and/or one or more metal-compounds selected from TiN, TiCN, CrN, ZrN, TiZrN, ZrCN, TiC, TiClN, AlTiN, TiAlN, diamond or combinations thereof and/or of one or more compounds selected from SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , CeF 3 , ZrO 2 , CeO 2 , ZnS, TiO 2 , SiO x N y or combinations thereof.

9. The data carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the information layer arrangement comprises a third information layer or more information layers, the third information layer or the more information layers being arranged beneath the second information layer along the extension direction.

10. The data carrier according to claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive layer being arranged between the cover layer and the information layer arrangement and/or between the base layer and the information layer arrangement, or
wherein the information layer arrangement is immediately adjoining the cover layer and/or the base layer.

11. The data carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the recess extends at least partially into the second information layer along the extension direction.

12. The data carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the first information layer is made of a dielectric and at least partially transparent material and the second information layer is made of an at least partially reflective material.

13. The data carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the first information layer is made of a dielectric.

14. The data carrier according to claim 13 , wherein the first information layer is made of an at least partially transparent material.

15. The data carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the first information layer and the second information layer are made of a dielectric.

16. The data carrier according to claim 15 , wherein the first information layer and the second information layer are made of an at least partially transparent material.

17. The data carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the first information layer and/or the second information layer have a refractive index in a range of 1.4 to 2.

18. A security document, comprising:
a data carrier having:
a cover layer;
a base layer located beneath the cover layer; and
an information layer arrangement,
wherein the information layer arrangement is arranged between the cover layer and the base layer, and
wherein the information layer arrangement comprises at least two information layers, wherein a first information layer of the at least two information layers is arranged beneath the cover layer and a second information layer of the at least two information layers is arranged beneath the first information layer along an extension direction extending from the cover layer to the base layer,

wherein the first information layer and the second information layer have different optical properties, and
in that the information layer arrangement has an unmodified region and at least one modified region, the at least one modified region having at least one recess extending at least partially into the first information layer along the extension direction,
wherein the at least one modified region is configured to reflect incident electromagnetic waves whereby a first reflection spectrum is generated,
wherein the unmodified region is configured to reflect said incident electromagnetic waves whereby a second reflection spectrum is generated, and
wherein the first reflection spectrum is different from the second reflection spectrum.

19. A method of producing a data carrier, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a cover layer, a base layer and an information layer arrangement comprising at least a first information layer and a second information layer, the first information layer and the second information layer having different optical properties, and
providing the information layer arrangement with at least one modified region, wherein the at least one modified region is provided with at least one recess extending at least partially into the first information layer along an extension direction extending from the cover layer to the base layer,
wherein the at least one modified region is configured to reflect incident electromagnetic wa

Assignees

• Thales Dis France Sas

Inventors

• Schmidt Gregor
• Neuenschwander Thomas
• Sailer Christian

Classifications

• G06K19/07722

  the record carrier being multilayered, e.g. laminated sheets (flat articles in general, see B32B37/00) · CPC title

• B42D25/435

  using electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser · CPC title

• B42D25/373

  Metallic materials · CPC title

• B42D25/24

  Passports · CPC title

• B42D25/23 Primary

  Identity cards · CPC title