The Invisible technology

Transcription

1 The Invisible technology A new method for anti counterfeiting in the cultural heritage field Marco Peloi marco.peloi@elettra.eu Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A

2 The technology Invisible Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste has developed an anticounterfeiting technology based on optical properties of microscopic fluorescent particles, activated using a beam of particles or a focused synchrotron light beam. Using these particles it is possible to make anticounterfeiting marks, visible only when lightened by a by a specific wavelength. Patents: PCT/EP2008/ d.d. 4/02/2008 PCT/EP2010/ dd 17/12/2010 3

3 Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A No profit shareholder company recognized of national interest. Shareholders: Area Science Park, Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, CNR, Invitalia. Established 26 years ago to build and manage the Elettra synchrotron light source open to international scientific and commercial user. The mission is to promote cultural, social and economic growth through basic and applied research in relevant fields, technical and scientific training, and technology transfer. 4

4 High performance Microscope Light probe: High brilliance Wavelength tunability Coherent and collimated light Storage ring Booster Study: Nanotech domain Material Science Crystallography Life science... End Station Beamline 5

5 Color Centers A color center (CC) is a defect in a crystalline structure in which a vacancy is filled by one or more electrons. CC could be generated by ionizing radiation such as Synchrotron Radiation. If CC are illuminated by an appropriate (Blue/UV) radiation, they fluoresce and emit light in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. CC produced using synchrotron radiation have a characteristic spectrum that cannot be produced using other activation methods. 6

6 Fingerprint of the CC spectrum Comparison between two emission spectra of CC obtained using synchrotron radiation (A, blue curve) and an electron source (B, red curve). The blue curve is typical of Synchrotron light activated CC Electron source Synchrotron radiation 700 7

7 How to apply the technique The CC can be produced (activation process) in a powder of small crystals and applied to several support surfaces and in several ways. Some of these methods are listed below: Evaporation. Microscopic particles can be evaporated on a surface forming a thin film with a thickness of few tens of nanometers on almost all substrates and the mark can be generated by using a narrow beam of electrons or synchrotron light. Printing. Activated particles can be used as a component of ink or paint. Inks or paints can be applied on many substrates through the standard printing techniques such as flexography, inkjet, or applied directly using stamps, airbrush and paintbrushes. Mixing. Activated particles can be mixed with other components like glue, and used to fix tags on products. The simple presence in the glue of a fluorescent component guarantees the authenticity of the tag. 8

8 Applications Industrial ID field, Fashion, Bank Documents, Custom Cultural Heritage, Small security projects 9

9 Cultural Heritage Standard techniques use visible marks or tags associated to the objects They are visible and easily reproducible Our technique is invisible, difficult to reproduce and removable if needed 10

10 Application with airbrush The activated powder is mixed with other components to produce an ink, that can be applied with an airbrush through a mask. Marks are invisible if observed under normal lighting but visible when excited with specific wavelength produced by low cost lighting device. 11

11 Example #1: ancient coins a) b) c) Ancient coin marked with activated particles, observed under natural light (a) and an ultraviolet source (b). Detail of the surface of the coin showing the fluorescent writing (c). Each character is 0.5 millimeter large. In cooperation with the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici del Friuli Venezia Giulia 12

12 Example #2: Lithographic print Giambattista Tiepolo Degli Scherzi Acquaforte, sec. XVIII In cooperation with the Comune di Udine - Musei Civici 13

13 Mark applied with a stamp Ascanio di Brazzà Drawing testa di bue, sex XIX 14 In cooperation with the Comune di Udine - Musei Civici

14 Example #3: painting (front) Stamp of a label applied on a painted surface of a oil painting. Observed under natural light Observed using UV light 15

15 Example #4: painting (back) a) b) c) Stamp applied to the back of a painting, on the wooden frame (a-b) and on canvas (c) In cooperation with the Comune di Udine - Musei Civici 16

16 Summary of Mark Features Labels or marks are invisible if observed under normal lighting but visible (and their authenticity can be verified) when excited with UV or blue light produced by low cost lighting device (first level of security). The activation process of the microscopic particles can be made in different ways, each producing a specific fluorescence spectrum that can be observed either with portable medium cost analytical tools or directly in a dedicated laboratory to serve as central service (second level of security). Particles activated using Synchrotron radiation have a characteristic spectrum that can be reproduced only in similar laboratories (< 20 in the world). This feature helps to certify the origin of the particles used to produce marks or labels (third level of security). Synchrotron radiation activated powder could be produced at a relatively low cost. 17

17 Other Applications Many other tests have been carried out on different materials: ceramic pots, canvas for paintings and plaster statues. 18

18 A new project mark several thousand small Roman silver coins (drachmas) in collaboration with the municipality of Brescia 19

19 Acknowledgements Researchers involved in the development of this technique: Luca Gregoratti Giusy Palma Matteo Maria Dalmiglio Annalisa Boscaino Marco Peloi Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste Marija Kosec Danjela Kuscer Hrovatin Jozef Stefan Institute - Ljubljana Raffaela Rimaboschi Art Conservation The activity has been done in cooperation with: Soprintendenza per i beni archeologici del Friuli Venezia Giulia AREA Science Park - Progetto Sister Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici del Friuli Venezia Giulia Comune di Udine - Musei Civici Comune di Brescia - Settore Musei, Cultura e Turismo 20

20 Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste Industrial Liaison Office Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste SCpA S.S km in Area Science Park Basovizza - Trieste, Italy Tel Fax ilo@elettra.eu web: ilo.elettra.eu Elettra is part of The Coordination Network of Friuli Venezia Giulia Research Centres (CER), a network including 53 scientific institutions