Method of fabricating arrays of individually oriented micro mirrors for use in imaging security devices

A method of fabricating a security element, comprising:

• with a processor of a computing device, executing code to provide an array design module configured to select a set of micro mirrors in an array of the micro mirrors to display pixels of a first object in a first image display plane and to display pixels of a second object in a second image display plane spaced apart from the first image display plane;
• for each of the pixels, determining, with the array design module, an angular orientation of each of the micro mirrors in the selected sets of the micro mirrors;
• generating a design output file including the angular orientation and location coordinates in the array for each of the micro mirrors in the selected sets of the micro mirrors, wherein each of the sets of micro mirrors are selected randomly from a plurality of the micro mirrors located in a base of a cone on a surface containing the array of the micro mirrors;
• and
• forming the array of the micro mirrors according to the design output file.

A method of fabricating a security element useful on paper and coin currency and on product labels, comprising:

• with a processor of a computing device, executing code to provide an array design module configured to define an array of micro mirrors to be formed on a surface of a substrate;
• generating a design output file including an angular orientation and location coordinates in the array for each of the micro mirrors;
• and
• forming the array of micro mirrors according to the design output file,
• wherein the array of micro mirrors is configured, when formed on the surface of the substrate, for receiving ambient light and, in response, displaying an image in a plane spaced a distance apart from the surface of the substrate,
• wherein the image comprises a plurality of pixels, and
• wherein the array of micro mirrors includes for each of the pixels a different set of the micro mirrors each having a reflective surface oriented, in a fixed manner, with a body of each of the micro mirrors rotated about at least one of first and second rotation axes extending through the body, to reflect the ambient light toward a point on the plane corresponding to one of the pixels.