The Invisible technology - ENEA · The “Invisible” technology A new method for anti counterfeiting in the cultural heritage field Marco Peloi [email protected] Elettra -

The “Invisible” technology A new method for anti counterfeiting in the cultural heritage field

Marco Peloi [email protected]

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

TECH-ITALY Bruxelles, October 4th 2012 - © Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A. 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.


High performance “Microscope”

Booster Storage ring

Beamline

End Station

Light probe:

High brilliance

Wavelength tunability

Coherent and collimated light

Study:

Nanotech domain

Material Science

Crystallography

Life science

...


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.


Fingerprint of the CC spectrum

3500

3000

2500

2000

1500

1000

700650600550500

Electron source 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.

Synchrotron radiation


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.


Applications

Industrial

ID field, Fashion, Bank Documents, …

Custom

Cultural Heritage, Small security projects


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


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.


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.

a) b) c)

In cooperation with the “Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici del Friuli Venezia Giulia”

Example #1: ancient coins


Example #2: Lithographic print

Giambattista Tiepolo “Degli Scherzi” Acquaforte, sec. XVIII

In cooperation with the “Comune di Udine - Musei Civici”


Mark applied with a stamp

Ascanio di Brazzà –Drawing “testa di bue”, sex XIX



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


Example #4: painting (back)

Stamp applied to the back of a painting, on the wooden frame (a-b) and on canvas (c)


a) b) c)


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.


Other Applications

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


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


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: 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

Soprintendenza per i beni archeologici

del Friuli Venezia Giulia


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

E-mail: [email protected] web: ilo.elettra.eu

Elettra is part of “The Coordination

Network of Friuli Venezia Giulia

Research Centres” (CER), a network

including 53 scientific institutions