Use of inorganic particles and method for making and identifying a substrate or an article
AssigneeSicpa Holding SA
InventorsOlivier Rozumek, Edgar Müller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to inorganic particles comprising at least two chemical elements in a predefined and analytically identifiable ratio. These particles are used as a marking means incorporated into or applied onto any desired article. They provide a high security potential against counterfeiting since the analysis depend on a combination of spatial as well as of chemical information. In a first step the information containing particle has to be localized by scanning electron microscopy and in a second step the ratio of elements is analysed using energy—or wavelength—dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX).
Claims9
A method of marking and authenticating an item, said method comprising steps of
- applying to said item a marking comprising at least one particle of a non-stoichiometric crystalline compound containing at least two chemical elements in a predetermined known ratio, and subsequently authenticating the item by
- locating said particle on said item, and then analyzing the particle to determine whether it contains said elements, in said predetermined ratio.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.