The "Invisible" technology - A new method for anti counterfeiting in the cultural heritage field - Enea
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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 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
The technology “Invisible” Elettra – Sincrotrone Trieste has developed an anti- counterfeiting 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 anti- counterfeiting marks, visible only when lightened by a by a specific wavelength. Patents: PCT/EP2008/051320 d.d. 4/02/2008 PCT/EP2010/070096 dd 17/12/2010 3 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
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 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
High performance “Microscope” Light probe: High brilliance Wavelength tunability Booster Coherent and collimated light Storage ring Study: Nanotech domain Material Science Beamline Crystallography Life science End Station ... 5 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
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 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
Fingerprint of the CC spectrum Comparison between Electron source two emission spectra of 3500 CC obtained using 3000 Synchrotron radiation synchrotron radiation (A, 2500 blue curve) and an electron source (B, red 2000 curve). 1500 The blue curve is typical 1000 of Synchrotron light activated CC. 500 550 600 650 700 7 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
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 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
Applications Industrial ID field, Fashion, Bank Documents, … Custom Cultural Heritage, Small security projects 9 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
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 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
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 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
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 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
Example #2: Lithographic print Giambattista Tiepolo “Degli Scherzi” Acquaforte, sec. XVIII In cooperation with the “Comune di Udine - Musei Civici” 13 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
Mark applied with a stamp Ascanio di Brazzà –Drawing “testa di bue”, sex XIX In cooperation with the “Comune di Udine - Musei Civici” 14 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
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 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
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 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
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 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
Other Applications Many other tests have been carried out on different materials: ceramic pots, canvas for paintings and plaster statues. 18 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
A new project mark several thousand small Roman silver coins (drachmas) in collaboration with the municipality of Brescia 19 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
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 Soprintendenza per i beni archeologici The activity has been done in cooperation with: 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 TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
Elettra – Sincrotrone Trieste Industrial Liaison Office Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste SCpA S.S. 14 - km. 163.5 in Area Science Park 34149 Basovizza - Trieste, Italy Tel. +39 040 3758040 Fax +39 040 3758623 Elettra is part of “The Coordination E-mail: ilo@elettra.eu Network of Friuli Venezia Giulia web: ilo.elettra.eu Research Centres” (CER), a network including 53 scientific institutions
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