Methods and Systems for Thermal Printing of Photonic Crystal Materials, and Thermally Printable Photonic Crystal Materials and Assemblies
AssigneeOpalux Incorporated
InventorsRomain Perrier-Cornet, Andre Arsenault
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for thermal printing of thermally printable photonic crystal materials and assemblies. The photonic crystal materials and assemblies are responsive to thermal stimuli, wherein temperatures above a thermal threshold results in an optically detectable change in the appearance of the materials and assemblies. Heat is selectively applied to one or more portions of the materials and assemblies, in order to thermally print a graphic onto the materials and assemblies.
Claims19
A method for thermal printing of a thermally printable photonic crystal material or assembly, the method comprising:
- providing the photonic crystal material or assembly, the material or assembly having an optically detectable change in its reflection peak when exposed to a temperature equal to or about a thermal threshold;
- and
- exposing the photonic crystal material or assembly to a heat source, the heat source being controllable to selectively apply heat to one or more portions of the photonic crystal material or assembly and not the remainder of the photonic crystal material or assembly;
- wherein the heat being applied is equal to or greater than the thermal threshold of the photonic crystal material or assembly, in order to cause an optically detectable change in the one or more heated portions of the material or assembly.
A thermally printable photonic crystal assembly comprising:
- a thermally printable photonic crystal material, the material having an optically detectable change in its reflection peak when exposed to a temperature equal to or about a thermal threshold;
- and
- at least one of:
- a base substrate, a protective or insulating top-coat, and a fixing coating;
- wherein the assembly is responsive to selective application of heat equal to or above the thermal threshold, the heating being applied to one or more portions of the photonic crystal assembly and not the remainder of the photonic crystal assembly, to result in an optically detectable change in the one or more heated portions of the assembly.
A thermal printing system for thermal printing of a thermally printable photonic crystal material or assembly, the system comprising:
- a heat source for applying spatially inhomogeneous heat to the photonic crystal material or assembly;
- and
- a controller for controlling at least one setting of the heat source, in order to control the heat applied by the heat source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.