Methods for application of tags onto optical media articles

Abstract

A method for imparting tags to an optical article comprising modifying predetermined locations on the surface of the optical article to change the surface energy of the predetermined locations, applying the tags to the whole surface of the optical article in a uniform film, and retaining the tag in the modified predetermined locations while the tag is removed from unmodified regions. The method further comprising subjecting the optical article to a spinning motion that produces centrifugal forces and retaining the tags in modified predetermined location while the tags are removed from unmodified regions by the centrifugal forces. An optical article comprising an identification mark produced by the process comprising the steps of dissolving a dye in an appropriate solvent to form a solution, modifying a predetermined location on the surface of the optical article to change the surface energy of the predetermined location, applying the solution to the whole surface of the optical article, subjecting the optical article to a spinning motion that produces centrifugal forces, and retaining the dye on the modified predetermined location while the dye is removed from unmodified locations of the surface of the optical article by the centrifugal forces.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for imparting tags to an optical article, comprising: 
 modifying predetermined locations on the surface of a coating of the optical article to change the surface energy of the predetermined locations;    applying the tags to the whole surface of the coating of the optical article in a uniform thin film; and    retaining the tags in the modified predetermined locations while the tags are removed from unmodified regions.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 subjecting the optical article to a spinning motion that produces centrifugal forces; and    retaining the tags in the modified predetermined locations while the tags are removed from the unmodified regions by the centrifugal forces.    
     
     
         3 . The method-of  claim 1 , wherein the tags comprise spectroscopic tags.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the spectroscopic tags are dyes selected from the group consisting of: organic dyes and pigments, inorganic dyes and pigments, nanocrystals, nanoparticles, quantum dots, organic fluorophores, and inorganic fluorophores.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the optical article comprises an optically transparent substrate that is coated with the tags on either a laser-incident surface of the substrate or on a data layer adjacent to a reflective layer, and wherein the reflective layer is sputtered onto the optically transparent substrate.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein excitation wavelengths of the spectroscopic tags are in a range of operation of a laser diode used in an optical media article player or recorder, and wherein a readout of the tag is performed by the laser of the optical media article player or recorder.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein excitation wavelengths of the spectroscopic tags are in a range of operation outside of the laser diode used in an optical media article player or recorder, and wherein a readout of the tag is performed outside of the optical media article player.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a material of the optical article is selected and/or modified to provide required properties for the retention of the dissolved tags on the surface of the coating of the optical article.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the modifications comprise different copolymer materials, surface-segregating additives and endcapping.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tags are used for identification, piracy protection, labeling and decorative applications.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined locations on the surface of the optical article are modified using light-induced surface modification.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising washing off excess tags by applying a pure solvent onto the whole or partial surface of the coating of the optical article.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tags do not interfere with the optical properties of the optical article.  
     
     
         14 . A method for tagging an optical article, comprising: 
 modifying predetermined locations on the surface of a coating of the optical article using a radiation source;    dissolving a dye in an appropriate solvent to form a solution;    applying the solution to the surface of the coating of the optical article in a uniform thin film;    retaining the dye on the modified predetermined locations on the surface of the coating of the optical article to form tags;    removing the dye from unmodified locations on the surface of the coating of the optical article; and    removing the dye from the unmodified locations on the surface of the coating of the optical article using the appropriate solvent.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising; 
 applying the solution to the surface of the coating of the optical article in a uniform thin film while the optical article is undergoing a spinning motion; and    removing the dye from the unmodified locations on the surface of the coating of the optical article using centrifugal forces produced from the spinning motion.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the dye is a fluorophore.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the tags are used for identification, piracy protection, labeling and decorative applications.  
     
     
         18 . An optical article comprising a tag produced by the process comprising the steps of dissolving a dye in an appropriate solvent to form a solution, modifying a predetermined location on the surface of the optical article to change the surface energy of the predetermined location, applying the solution to the whole surface of the optical article, subjecting the optical article to a spinning motion that produces centrifugal forces, and retaining the dye on the modified predetermined location while the dye is removed from unmodified locations of the surface of the optical article by the centrifugal forces.  
     
     
         19 . The optical article of  claim 18 , wherein the tag does not interfere with the optical properties of the optical article.  
     
     
         20 . The optical article of  claim 18 , further comprising removing excess dye from the unmodified locations on the surface of the optical article by applying a solvent onto the whole surface of the optical article.  
     
     
         21 . The optical article of  claim 18 , wherein the tag is used for identification, piracy protection, labeling, and decorative applications.  
     
     
         22 . A method for imparting tags to an optical article, comprising: 
 modifying predetermined locations on the surface of the optical article to change the surface energy of the predetermined locations;    applying the tags to the whole surface of the optical article in a uniform thin film; and    retaining the tags in the modified predetermined locations while the tags are removed from unmodified regions.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 subjecting the optical article to a spinning motion that produces centrifugal forces; and    retaining the tags in the modified predetermined locations while the tags are removed from the unmodified regions by the centrifugal forces.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the tags comprise spectroscopic tags.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the optical article comprises an optically transparent substrate that is coated with the tags on either a laser-incident surface of the substrate or on a data layer adjacent to a reflective -layer, and wherein the reflective layer is sputtered onto the optically transparent substrate.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the predetermined locations on the surface of the optical article are modified using light-induced surface modification.  
     
     
         27 . A method for imparting tags to an optical article, comprising: 
 modifying predetermined locations on the surface of the optical article to change the surface energy of the predetermined locations;    applying the tags to the whole surface of the optical article in a uniform thin film; and    retaining the tags in unmodified locations while the tags are removed from the modified predetermined locations.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 subjecting the optical article to a spinning motion that produces centrifugal forces; and    retaining the tags in the unmodified locations while the tags are removed from the modified predetermined locations by the centrifugal forces.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the tags comprise spectroscopic tags.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the optical article comprises an optically transparent substrate that is coated with the tags on either a laser-incident surface of the substrate or on a data layer adjacent to a reflective layer, and wherein the reflective layer is sputtered onto the optically transparent substrate.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the predetermined locations on the surface of the optical article are modified using chemical modification.