Method of Making an Authenticatable Article and Method of Authenticating

Abstract

One method of authenticating an article comprises illuminating an article and determining if an altered emission is within a selected emission range. The article comprises a polymer layer and a coating disposed on a side of the polymer layer. The polymer layer comprises a first taggant, and the coating causes a predetermined alteration in an emission from the taggant to form the altered emission.

1 . A method of authenticating an article, comprising: 
 illuminating an article comprising a polymer layer and a coating disposed on a side of the polymer layer, wherein the polymer layer comprises a first taggant;    wherein the coating causes a predetermined alteration in an emission from the taggant to form an altered emission; and    determining if the altered emission is within a selected emission range.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alteration is a synergistic alteration.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a second taggant in the coating causes the predetermined alteration.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first taggant is in a first half of the article and the coating is a second half of the article, and wherein a metal layer is disposed between the first half and the second half.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first taggant is in a first half of the article and the coating is an adhesive, wherein the adhesive is disposed between the first half and a second half of the article.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating further comprises a second taggant, wherein at least one of the first taggant and the second taggant is at least partially dysfunctional, and wherein the altered emission forms a pattern.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is a housing disposed around the polymer layer.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises second taggant and wherein the altered emission is a combined emission from the first taggant and the second taggant.  
     
     
         9 . A method of authenticating an article, comprising: 
 illuminating an article, wherein the article comprises a polymer layer comprising a first taggant and a second taggant disposed adjacent to the first taggant;    altering an emission of at least one of the first taggant and the second taggant by the other of the first taggant and the second taggant, to form an altered emission; and    determining if the altered emission is within a selected emission range.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein altering an emission comprises synergistically altering the emission.  
     
     
         11 . A method of making an authenticatable article, comprising: 
 forming a first polymer portion comprising a first taggant;    forming a second polymer portion comprising a second taggant, wherein the first polymer portion and second polymer portion redisposed such that, if the first taggant and the second taggant are illuminated at a wavelength that will cause an emission from the first taggant and the second taggant, at least one of the first taggant and the second taggant will cause an alteration in an emission from the other of the first taggant and the second taggant;    making a portion of at least one of the first taggant and the second taggant dysfunctional; and    disposing a reflective layer and a protective layer on at least one of the first polymer portion and the second polymer portion.    
     
     
         12 . A method of authenticating an article, comprising: 
 illuminating an article at a wavelength that will excite at least one of a first taggant and a second taggant in an authentic article; and    determining if an emission from the article is an altered emission.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the altered emission is a code.