Marking comprising a chiral liquid crystal polymer and a luminescent substance

An item or good which comprises on a surface thereof a marking for identifying and/or authenticating said item or good wherein the marking comprises at least one luminescent substance (a) and at least one chiral liquid crystal polymer (CLCP) material (b) having a reflection wavelength range that overlaps at least a part of the luminescence wavelength range of (a), at least a part of (a) being located underneath (b).

A method of marking an item or good, wherein the method comprises providing the item or good with a marking comprising at least one luminescent substance (a) and at least one chiral liquid crystal polymer (CLCP) material (b) having a reflection wavelength range that overlaps at least a part of the luminescence wavelength range of (a), at least a part of (a) being located underneath (b).

A method of improving the detectability of a crater present in a chiral liquid crystal polymer (CLCP) layer of a marking on an item or good, wherein the method comprises providing underneath at least the portion of the CLCP layer that comprises the crater a luminescent substance having a luminescence wavelength range that at least partially overlaps the reflection wavelength range of the CLCP, causing at least a part of the luminescence radiation from the at least one luminescent substance that passes through the CLCP layer to be polarized and less intense than the luminescence radiation from the at least one luminescent substance that passes through the crater.

A method of making the detectability of a substantially two-dimensional particle comprising a chiral liquid crystal polymer (CLCP) material present as such or in a resin layer upon irradiating the particle or layer with a source of radiation independent of the orientation of the particle relative to the source of radiation, wherein the method comprises (i) providing underneath the particle or underneath at least the portion of the resin layer that comprises the particle a luminescent substance having a luminescence wavelength range that at least partially overlaps the reflection wavelength range of the CLCP material or (ii) including the luminescent substance directly in the resin layer comprising the particle, provided that the resin layer itself does not overlap the luminescence wavelength range of the at least one luminescent substance.