Multi-level authentication using different materials

An apparatus comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first layer of material disposed on the substrate;
• and
• multiple authentication components disposed at different locations in the first layer of material, a combination of the multiple authentication components having a unique signature;
• wherein each of the multiple authentication components is a respective electronic circuit component;
• wherein each of the multiple authentication components is one of:
• i) a resistor, or
• ii) a capacitor.

An apparatus comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first layer of material disposed on the substrate;
• and
• multiple authentication components disposed at different locations in the first layer of material, a combination of the multiple authentication components having a unique signature;
• wherein the first layer of material is a compound comprising:
• first particles, the first particles being an insulator material;
• second particles, the second particles being electrically conductive material;
• and
• a combination of the first particles and the second particles distributed and suspended in a printable material in which a cured state of the printable material is transformable into an electrically conductive path via application of heat above a threshold value.

An apparatus comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first layer of material disposed on the substrate;
• and
• multiple authentication components disposed at different locations in the first layer of material, a combination of the multiple authentication components having a unique signature;
• wherein each of the multiple authentication components emits a different amount of thermal energy when activated via a corresponding applied signal.

An apparatus comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first layer of material disposed on the substrate;
• multiple authentication components disposed at different locations in the first layer of material, a combination of the multiple authentication components having a unique signature;
• wherein each of the multiple authentication components reflects a different amount of thermal energy when exposed to an applied optical input signal.

A method comprising:

• receiving a substrate;
• disposing a first layer of material on the substrate;
• fabricating multiple authentication components at different locations in the first layer of material, a combination of the multiple authentication components having a unique signature;
• wherein each of the multiple authentication components is a respective electronic circuit component;
• and
• wherein each of the multiple authentication components is one of:
• i) a resistor, or ii) a capacitor.