Method of generating a laser mark in a security document, and security document of this kind

A security document comprising at least one laser-markable layer and also at least one reflecting layer which overlaps at least partly with the at least one laser-markable layer, the reflecting layer having a plurality of transparent regions separated by opaque regions, the at least one reflecting layer being formed, at least in an overlapping region in which the at least one reflecting layer and the laser-markable layer overlap, seen perpendicularly to the plane of the reflecting layer, with at least one transparent region surrounded on at least two sides by an opaque region of the at least one reflecting layer, wherein a contiguous laser marking in the laser-markable layer, spanning at least two transparent regions, forms visually recognizable alphanumeric characters, or strings of characters, symbols, logos, images, photos, captions, lines, biometric data, or fingerprints for a viewer in at least two adjacent transparent regions, the laser marking being formed independently of the configuration of the transparent regions in the reflecting layer, and wherein the laser marking in the laser-markable layer is interrupted under the opaque regions such that this is not visually recognizable for the viewer, and

• wherein the at least one transparent region is formed by an opening provided in the reflecting layer, the opening having no material of the reflecting layer present therein.

A method of generating a laser marking in a security document comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one laser-markable layer on a security document;
• providing at least one reflecting layer on the security document such that the reflecting layer at least partly overlaps with the at least one laser-markable layer, the reflecting layer having at least one transparent region separated by opaque regions, the at least one transparent region and the opaque regions being provided in an overlapping region in which the at least one reflecting layer and the laser-markable layer overlap, wherein the at least one transparent region is surrounded on at least two sides by an opaque region of the at least one reflecting layer;
• laser marking the laser-markable layer with at least one laser beam provided by a laser radiation source, the at least one reflecting layer being arranged between the laser radiation source and the at least one laser-markable layer such that the laser marking forms visually recognizable alphanumeric characters, or strings of characters, symbols, logos, images, photos, captions, lines, biometric data, or fingerprints through the at least one transparent region, wherein the at least one reflecting layer is retained at least visually largely unaltered, and wherein the at least one transparent region is only partially filled with the laser marking, so that unmarked regions of the laser-markable layer remain visible within the at least one transparent region.

A security document comprising;

• at least one laser-markable layer;
• at least one reflecting layer at least partly overlapping with the at least one laser-markable layer, the reflecting layer having a plurality of transparent regions separated by opaque regions, at least one transparent region being surrounded on at least two sides by an opaque region of the at least one reflecting layer, the at least one transparent region being provided in an overlapping region in which the at least one reflecting layer and the laser-markable layer overlap, seen perpendicularly to the plane of the reflecting layer;
• and
• a contiguous laser marking disposed in the laser-markable layer, the laser marking spanning at least two transparent regions and forming visually recognizable alphanumeric characters, or strings of characters, symbols, logos, images, photos, captions, lines, biometric data, or fingerprints visible to a viewer in at least two adjacent transparent regions, the laser marking being formed independently of the configuration of the transparent regions in the reflecting layer, wherein the laser marking in the laser-markable layer is interrupted under the opaque regions such that this is not visually recognizable for the viewer, and wherein the at least one transparent region is only partially filled with the laser marking, so that unmarked regions of the laser-markable layer remain visible within the at least one transparent region.

A method of generating a laser marking in a security document comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one laser-markable layer on a security document;
• providing at least one reflecting layer on the security document such that the reflecting layer at least partly overlaps with the at least one laser-markable layer, the reflecting layer having at least one transparent region separated by opaque regions, the at least one transparent region and the opaque regions being provided in an overlapping region in which the at least one reflecting layer and the laser-markable layer overlap, wherein the at least one transparent region is surrounded on at least two sides by an opaque region of the at least one reflecting layer, and wherein the opaque regions, seen perpendicularly to the plane of the at least one reflecting layer, are formed as filigree lines with a width in the range from 0.5 to 1000 μm, or are formed as a pattern and/or a grid and/or an area of parallel and/or wavy lines;
• and
• laser marking the laser-markable layer with at least one laser beam provided by a laser radiation source, the at least one reflecting layer being arranged between the laser radiation source and the at least one laser-markable layer such that the laser marking forms visually recognizable alphanumeric characters, or strings of characters, symbols, logos, images, photos, captions, lines, biometric data, or fingerprints through the at least one transparent region, wherein the at least one reflecting layer is retained at least visually largely unaltered.

A security document comprising;

• at least one laser-markable layer;
• at least one reflecting layer at least partly overlapping with the at least one laser-markable layer, the reflecting layer having a plurality of transparent regions separated by opaque regions, at least one transparent region being surrounded on at least two sides by an opaque region of the at least one reflecting layer, the at least one transparent region being provided in an overlapping region in which the at least one reflecting layer and the laser-markable layer overlap, seen perpendicularly to the plane of the reflecting layer, and wherein the opaque regions, seen perpendicularly to the plane of the at least one reflecting layer, are formed as filigree lines with a width in the range from 0.5 to 1000 μm, or are formed as a pattern and/or a grid and/or an area of parallel and/or wavy lines;
• and
• a contiguous laser marking disposed in the laser-markable layer, the laser marking spanning at least two transparent regions and forming visually recognizable alphanumeric characters, or strings of characters, symbols, logos, images, photos, captions, lines, biometric data, or fingerprints visible to a viewer in at least two adjacent transparent regions, the laser marking being formed independently of the configuration of the transparent regions in the reflecting layer, wherein the laser marking in the laser-markable layer is interrupted under the opaque regions such that this is not visually recognizable for the viewer.