Colorado State University Research Foundation

Synopsys, Inc.

Xuv Lasers, Inc.

Mario C Marconi

Jorge J Rocca

Artak Isoyan

Carmen Menoni

Lukasz Urbanski

Przemyslaw W Wachulak

A method and system for reading a security seal having a unique far-field pattern are described. Periodic nano-structure is generated on the surface of a substrate having spacings of hundreds of nanometers, or smaller, and affixed on a product, or generated directly onto the product. A laser beam having a wavelength longer than the periodic spacings directed onto at least a portion of the surface of the substrate at a chosen angle of incidence and a selected azimuthal angle relative to a chosen direction produces a unique far-field pattern that may be imaged by a digital image detector disposed at a chosen distance from the illuminated region, compared with a stored reference, and validated. The nanoscale sub-wavelength patterns can be printed using extreme ultraviolet light and read with readily available visible or ultraviolet light. The security seal contains a pattern that is invisible to the eye and to an optical microscope. Brand protection at different stages of the life-span of a product, from production to purchase is therefore available.

Nano-stamp and matched reader for anti-counterfeiting applications

An apparatus and method for nanopatterning of substrates using the demagnified Talbot effect, wherein: (a) large arrays of nanostructures can rapidly be printed; (b) short extreme ultraviolet wavelengths permits sub-100 nm spatial resolution; (c) the de-magnification factor can be continuously adjusted, that is, continuously scaled; (d) the patterning is the effect of the collective diffraction of numerous tiled units that constitute the periodic array, giving rise to error resistance such that a defect in one unit is averaged over the area of the mask and the print does not show any defects; (e) the Talbot mask does not wear out since the method is non-contact; and (f) the feature sizes on the mask do not have to be as small as the feature sizes desired on the target, are described. The apparatus includes a source of coherent radiation having a chosen wavelength directed onto a focusing optic, the reflected converging light passing through a Talbot mask and impinging on a target substrate.

Extreme ultraviolet/soft X-ray laser nano-scale patterning using the demagnified Talbot effect

Extreme ultraviolet/soft X-ray laser nano-scale patterning using the demagnified talbot effect

Direct patterning of nanometer scale features by interferometric lithography using a 46.9 nm laser is described. Multiple exposures using a Lloyd's mirror interferometer permitted printing of arrays having 60 nm FWHM features.

Nanometer-scale lithography using extreme ultraviolet/soft x-ray laser interferometry

Growing community of inventors

Fort Collins, CO, United States of America

Mario C Marconi