Optically variable device mastering system, method of authenticating articles employing the same, and resultant article

Abstract

A method is provided for mastering optically variable devices (OVDs) used to authenticate optical discs. The method generally includes the steps of providing a laser beam recorder (LBR), introducing a substrate to the LBR, and exposing a portion of the substrate to the LBR. The mastering system thus includes the LBR, which has a laser that emits a beam, a processor or computer for programming or otherwise controlling the beam in order to expose the substrate and create the desired optical effect. Depending on the material used for the substrate, the exposure is then developed, if necessary, and processed to generate a master for the OVD. The OVD can then be replicated in order to provide authentic resultant products or articles, such as optical discs.

1 . A method of mastering an optically variable device comprising:
 providing a mastering system including a device having a beam, the device comprising one of a laser beam recorder and an electron beam (e-beam) recorder;   introducing a prepared substrate to the mastering system;   exposing a portion of the prepared substrate to the beam in order to produce an exposure on the prepared substrate; and   processing the exposed prepared substrate in order to generate at least one of a master and a stamper for replication of the optically variable device.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the prepared substrate including at least one of a photosensitive layer, a thermal activated layer, a photoresist coating, a phase change material, and a polymer layer; and   exposing optically variable devices on at least one of said at least one of the photosensitive layer, the thermal activated layer, the photoresist coating, the phase change material, and the polymer layer.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising developing the exposed prepared substrate. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 varying the thickness across the prepared substrate through one of: (a) a gradient, and (b) at least two steps formed by varying thickness among said at least one of the photosensitive layer, the thermal activated layer, the photoresist coating, the phase change material, and the polymer layer.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising modulating the beam in a predetermined manner in order to selectively expose the portion of the prepared substrate. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising varying at least one parameter of the beam with respect to the prepared substrate, said at least one parameter being selected from the group consisting of focus of the beam, frequency, modulation intensity, beam shape and beam deflection. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising modulating the beam in both the radial direction and the tangential direction, thereby creating an exposure on the prepared substrate having a radial direction and a tangential direction. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 forming the exposure as at least one of a spiral and concentric rings comprising a plurality of optically variable elements, and   controlling at least one of the spacing among the optically variable elements and overlapping of the optically variable elements in order to produce a desired optical effect.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 applying a conductive layer to the exposed prepared substrate, and   electroforming the exposed prepared substrate to produce the stamper for replication of the optically variable device.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 employing the stamper to replicate an article by a process selected from the group consisting of injection molding, casting and embossing.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the article being an optical disc having a number of layers, wherein at least one of the layers includes at least one optically variable device. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the optically variable device being comprised of at least one optical effect selected from the group consisting of a diffractive image, a color change, a change in intensity, a diffractive grating, a hologram, a two-dimensional image, a three-dimensional image, a stereogram, a movie, a combination of optical effects, morphing from one optical effect into another optical effect, optical black, blazed gratings, Aztec gratings, non-diffractive optical effects and devices, a symbol, a letter, text and a message, said optical effect being created by the mastering system. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 designing at least one optical image, and   translating said at least one optical image into a format which is recordable by said one of the laser beam recorder and the e-beam recorder to provide the optically variable device.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 providing a processor, and   programming the processor in order to automate selected steps of the method of mastering the optically variable device.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising, employing the processor to control the mastering system, including the beam thereof, in order to expose the prepared substrate, thereby creating the desired optical effect. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 digitizing data selected from the group consisting of video data, music data, and computer data to form digital data, and   interlacing the digital data in combination with the optically variable device, using said one of the laser beam recorder and the e-beam recorder.   
   
   
       17 . An optically variable device mastering system for providing at least one of an optically variable device master and a stamper for replicating an optically variable device, the mastering system comprising:
 a device having a beam structured to produce an exposure on a prepared substrate, the device comprising one of a laser beam recorder and an electron beam (e-beam) recorder; and   at least one control apparatus structured to control at least one of said beam and said prepared substrate in a predetermined manner in order to generate the exposure on a selected portion of the prepared substrate,   wherein said prepared substrate comprises at least one of a photosensitive layer, a thermal activated layer, a photoresist coating, a phase change material, and a polymer layer, and   wherein said exposed prepared substrate is processed to generate said at least one of said master and said stamper for replicating the optically variable device on a number of articles.   
   
   
       18 . The mastering system of  claim 17  wherein said at least one control apparatus further comprises at least one of a modulator, a focus apparatus, a rotation apparatus, a translation apparatus, and a variable aperture system. 
   
   
       19 . The mastering system of  claim 18  wherein said at least one control apparatus comprises a processor; wherein the processor is programmable to control at least one parameter of the beam selected from the group consisting of focus of the beam, frequency, modulation intensity, beam shape and beam deflection; and wherein at least one of said at least one parameter of the beam is controlled with respect to the prepared substrate. 
   
   
       20 . The mastering system of  claim 19  wherein the processor includes at least one computer and a software program for designing at least one optical image; and wherein the processor is structured to translate the at least one optical image into a format which is recordable by said one of the laser beam recorder and the e-beam recorder to provide the optically variable device. 
   
   
       21 . The mastering system of  claim 20  wherein said at least one optical image comprises at least one of a diffractive image and a non-diffractive image; wherein said at least one of the diffractive image and the non-diffractive image is designed using at least one of a bitmap program and a vector program, and supplied to said one of the laser beam recorder and the e-beam recorder; wherein said at least one of the diffractive image and the non-diffractive image includes a plurality of pixels; wherein the pixels include a plurality of at least one of tones and colors; and wherein said at least one of the tones and the colors represent different diffractive angles and spatial frequencies of said at least one of the diffractive image and the non-diffractive image in order to provide the optically variable device with a desired optical effect. 
   
   
       22 . The mastering system of  claim 21  wherein the optical effect comprises at least one of a color change, a change in intensity, a diffractive grating, a hologram, a two-dimensional image, a three-dimensional image, a stereogram, a movie, a combination of optical effects, morphing from one optical effect into another optical effect, optical black, blazed gratings, Aztec gratings, non-diffractive optical effects and devices, a symbol, a letter, text and a message. 
   
   
       23 . The mastering system of  claim 17  wherein each one of the number of articles includes at least one layer; wherein at least one of said at least one layer includes digital data selected from the group consisting of video data, music data, and computer data; and wherein the optically variable device is replicated on at least one of: (a) the same layer as the digital data, and (b) at least one different layer from the digital data. 
   
   
       24 . The mastering system of  claim 23  wherein the digital data is interlaced in combination with the optically variable device. 
   
   
       25 . A security containing article comprising:
 at least one layer; and   at least one optically variable device disposed on at least one of said at least one layer,   wherein the at least one optically variable device provides a desired optical effect when the article is viewed from a predetermined relative observation point,   wherein the at least one optically variable device is a replicate of one of an optically variable device master and a stamper, and   wherein said one of the master and the stamper comprises an exposure generated by one of a laser beam recorder and an electron beam (e-beam) recorder.   
   
   
       26 . The article of  claim 25  wherein said at least one optically variable device comprises a representation of a corresponding at least one optical image which has been recorded by said one of the laser beam recorder and the e-beam recorder, in order to provide the optically variable device with a desired optical effect. 
   
   
       27 . The article of  claim 26  wherein the corresponding at least one optical image comprises at least one of a diffractive image and a non-diffractive image; wherein said at least one of the diffractive image and the non-diffractive image is designed using at least one of a bitmap program and a vector program, and supplied to said one of said laser beam recorder and said e-beam recorder; wherein said at least one of the diffractive image and the non-diffractive image includes a plurality of pixels; wherein the pixels include a plurality of at least one of tones and colors; and wherein said at least one of the tones and the colors represent different diffractive angles and spatial frequencies of the at least one of the diffractive image and the non-diffractive image in order to provide the desired optical effect. 
   
   
       28 . The article of  claim 26  wherein the optical effect comprises at least one of a color change, a change in intensity, a diffractive grating, a hologram, a two-dimensional image, a three-dimensional image, a stereogram, a movie, a combination of optical effects, morphing from one optical effect into another optical effect, optical black, blazed gratings, Aztec gratings, non-diffractive optical effects and devices, a symbol, a letter, text and a message. 
   
   
       29 . The article of  claim 25  wherein at least one of said at least one layer includes digital data selected from the group consisting of video data, music data, and computer data; and wherein the optically variable device is replicated on at least one of: (a) the same layer as the digital data, and (b) at least one different layer from the digital data. 
   
   
       30 . The article of  claim 29  wherein the digital data is interlaced with the optically variable device. 
   
   
       31 . The article of  claim 25  wherein elements of the optically variable device have at least one of variable depth, variable tangential spacing, variable radial spacing, variable shapes, variable widths and variable lengths. 
   
   
       32 . The article of  claim 25  wherein said at least one layer comprises a plurality of layers selected from the group consisting of a protective layer, a separation layer, a reflective layer, a conductive layer, a metallic layer, a color change layer, and a lacquer layer. 
   
   
       33 . The article of  claim 25  wherein said article comprises one of: (a) a sticker, (b) a wafer, (c) tape, and (d) an optical disc.