Asymmetric pigment

US12552940B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-12552940-B2
Application numberUS-202017129562-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateDec 21, 2020
Priority dateNov 21, 2017
Publication dateFeb 17, 2026
Grant dateFeb 17, 2026

How to read this patent

A practical reading order for non-experts. Skip the full description unless you need deep technical detail.

  1. Title

    What the patent document calls the invention.

  2. Abstract

    A short plain-language summary of the technical disclosure.

  3. Assignees and inventors

    Who owns or filed the patent and who is credited as inventor.

  4. Key dates

    Filing, priority, publication, and grant dates set the timeline.

  5. First independent claim

    The legal scope of protection — read this for what is actually claimed.

  6. CPC / IPC classifications

    Technology tags used to group this patent with similar filings.

  7. Citations and related patents

    Prior art links and similar publications in this corpus.

Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

An asymmetric pigment including a first Fabry-Perot structure; and a second Fabry-Perot structure; wherein the first Fabry-Perot structure and the second Fabry-Perot structure have a similar hue angle within +/−45 degrees is disclosed. Other asymmetric pigments are also disclosed as well as methods of making the disclosed pigments.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

I claim: 1 . An asymmetric pigment, comprising: a first Fabry-Perot structure on a first side of the asymmetric pigment, the first Fabry-Perot structure including a first dielectric layer; and a second Fabry-Perot structure on a second side of the asymmetric pigment, the second Fabry-Perot structure including a second dielectric layer; wherein the average thickness of the first Fabry-Perot structure and the second Fabry-Perot structure is a ratio of 1:2.5 to 1:3.5, and wherein the second side is opposite the first side. 2 . The asymmetric pigment of claim 1 , further comprising a magnetic-containing layer between the first Fabry-Perot structure and the second Fabry-Perot structure. 3 . The asymmetric pigment of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer includes a high refractive index material. 4 . The asymmetric pigment of claim 3 , wherein the high refractive index material is chosen from zinc sulfide, zinc oxide, zirconium oxide, titanium dioxide, carbon, indium oxide, indium-tin-oxide, tantalum pentoxide, ceric oxide, yttrium oxide, europium oxide, iron oxides, ferric oxide, hafnium nitride, hafnium carbide, hafnium oxide, lanthanum oxide, magnesium oxide, neodymium oxide, praseodymium oxide, samarium oxide, antimony trioxide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon monoxide, selenium trioxide, tin oxide, tungsten trioxide, and combinations thereof. 5 . The asymmetric pigment of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first dielectric layer and the second layer includes a low refractive index material. 6 . The asymmetric pigment of claim 5 , wherein the low refractive index material is chosen from silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, magnesium fluoride, aluminum fluoride, cerium fluoride, lanthanum fluoride, sodium aluminum fluorides, neodymium fluoride, samarium fluoride, barium fluoride, calcium fluoride, lithium fluoride, combinations thereof. 7 . The asymmetric pigment of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer includes magnesium fluoride. 8 . The asymmetric pigment of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer is a dielectric stack. 9 . The asymmetric pigment of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer is transparent layer. 10 . The asymmetric pigment of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer is a colored layer. 11 . The asymmetric pigment of claim 1 , wherein the asymmetric pigment has a D50 of 20 microns. 12 . A color shifting colorant, comprising: the asymmetric pigment of claim 1 , and a liquid medium. 13 . The color-shifting colorant of claim 12 , wherein the asymmetric pigment is homogenously distributed in the liquid medium. 14 . An asymmetric pigment, comprising: a first Fabry-Perot structure on a first side of the asymmetric pigment, the first Fabry-Perot structure including a first dielectric layer; and a second Fabry-Perot structure on a second side of the asymmetric pigment, the second Fabry-Perot structure including a second dielectric layer; wherein the first Fabry-Perot structure has an optical thickness different from an optical thickness of the second Fabry-Perot structure, wherein the first Fabry-Perot structure includes a 2 quarter wave optical thickness ranging from about 200 nm to about 400 nm or a 4 quarter wave optical thickness ranging from about 400 nm to about 600 nm; wherein the second Fabry-Perot structure includes a 4 quarter wave optical thickness ranging from about 400 nm to about 600 nm or a 6 quarter wave optical thickness ranging from about 600 nm to about 800 nm; and wherein if the first Fabry-Perot structure includes a 4 quarter wave optical thickness then the second Fabry-Perot structure includes a 6 quarter wave optical thickness, and wherein the second side is opposite the first side. 15 . The asymmetric pigment of claim 14 , wherein the first Fabry-Perot structure includes a 2 quarter wave optical thickness ranging from about 200 to about 400 nm. 16 . The asymmetric pigment of claim 14 , wherein the first Fabry-Perot structure includes a 4 quarter wave optical thickness ranging from about 400 to about 600 nm. 17 . The asymmetric pigment of claim 14 , wherein the second Fabry-Perot structure includes a 6 quarter wave optical thickness ranging from about 600 to about 800 nm. 18 . A color shifting colorant, comprising: the asymmetric pigment of claim 14 , and a liquid medium.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • Interference filters · CPC title

  • inorganic · CPC title

  • Pearl essence, e.g. coatings containing platelet-like pigments for pearl lustre · CPC title

  • for multicolour effects · CPC title

  • Special effects or uses of interference pigments · CPC title

Patent family

Related publications grouped by family.

External sources

Frequently asked questions

Answers are generated from the same data shown on this page.

What does patent US12552940B2 cover?
An asymmetric pigment including a first Fabry-Perot structure; and a second Fabry-Perot structure; wherein the first Fabry-Perot structure and the second Fabry-Perot structure have a similar hue angle within +/−45 degrees is disclosed. Other asymmetric pigments are also disclosed as well as methods of making the disclosed pigments.
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Viavi Solutions Inc
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification C09C1/0057. Mapped technology areas include Chemistry & Metallurgy.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Feb 17 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 1 related publication on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).