Method and system for marking an object having a surface of a conductive material

Marking system (10) for marking an object (18), the object (18) having a surface of a conductive material, the system comprising

• a spark generator (12),
• a counter electrode (14) electrically connected to the spark generator (12) such that the counter electrode (14) forms an anode,
• a connector (16) for electrically connecting the spark generator (12) to the surface such that the surface forms a cathode with respect to the counter electrode (14),
• wherein the counter electrode (14) is located with respect to the surface such that an electric spark can be generated between the counter electrode (14) and the surface,
• wherein the electric spark comprises two subsequent phases, a first phase where a conductive channel is formed and a second phase where current is injected into the conductive channel for at least one of partially melting and partially ablating the material,
• such that the material is at least one of partially melted and partially ablated by the electric spark,
• thereby forming a pattern on the object,
• the marking system (10) comprising a housing (20) enclosing a space between the counter electrode (14) and the surface, wherein the housing (20) is filled with a gas.

Authenticating system for authenticating or identifying an object (18), the authenticating system comprising

• a marking system (10) comprising:
• a first imaging device for taking a first image of at least a part of the pattern,
• a memory comprising computer program code,
• a processor,
• wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured, with the processor, to cause the marking system to:
• extract at least one first characteristic feature from the first image of the pattern,
• associate the first characteristic feature to the object (18), and
• store information of the first characteristic feature and the associated object (18), the authenticating system further comprising:
• a second imaging device for taking a second image of at least a part of the pattern,
• a memory comprising computer program code,
• a processor,
• wherein the memory and the computer program code are configured, with the processor, to cause the authenticating system to:
• extract at least one second characteristic feature from the second image of the pattern, and
• compare information of the second characteristic feature with the stored information of the first characteristic feature for identifying matching information.