AU2003282622A1

AU2003282622A1 - A security paper, a method for manufacturing security paper, as well as a method and a device for detecting falsification and/or forgery of documents printed on said security paper

Info

Publication number: AU2003282622A1
Application number: AU2003282622A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Steven Gerardus Tuinstra
Original assignee: SECURITY TRANSFER BV
Current assignee: SECURITY TRANSFER BV
Priority date: 2002-11-20
Filing date: 2003-11-14
Publication date: 2004-06-15
Anticipated expiration: 2023-11-14
Also published as: AU2003282622B8; WO2004045864A1; AR042063A1; EP1562757A1; ZA200504927B; AU2003282622B2; NZ540005A; NL1021956C2; CA2513156A1

Description

WO 2004/045864 PCT/NL2003/000800 A security paper, a method for manufacturing security paper, as well as a method and a device for detecting falsification and/or forgery of documents printed on said security paper The invention relates to a security paper compris ing a photoluminescent substance. The invention furthermore relates to a method for manufacturing such a security paper. Finally, the invention relates to a method and a device for 5 detecting falsifications and/or forgeries of documents printed on said security paper. Documents of value, such as cheques and bank trans fer forms, are regular targets of fraud, which fraud usually consists of the falsification of data present on the docu 10 ments in question. Such falsifications are in particular carried out by removing alphanumerical information present thereon, such as a name, a bank account number or an amount, by mechanical or chemical means, e.g. by carefully scratch ing off letters or digits or removing them, e.g. by means of 15 bleach, acetone or ethanol. Fraud is also possible by forg ing the entire document of value by photocopying or print ing. Various kinds of security paper have been developed as the base material for documents of value, which security pa per has been provided with special characteristics that al 20 lowing detection of any falsification or forgery by the hu man eye and/or by mechanical means. WO 00/73582 discloses a security paper of the above kind wherein the security paper comprises an optical whit ener. A coating that is impervious to visible light is used 25 with this known security paper. Falsification of a document made of said security paper causes damage to said coating, which damage becomes visible under normal light or ultravio let light. Falsifications can also be detected by mechanical means, through the use of suitable radiation sources and de 30 tection elements. Although detection of falsifications is possible when this known security paper is used, the known security paper has a few practical drawbacks. The use of op tical whiteners having an excitation wavelength in the UV radiation range (300-400 nm) requires the use of a rela- WO 2004/045864 PCT/NL2003/000800 2 tively thick coating comprising a large amount of costly ma terial, such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. The thick coating, which is impervious to visible light, also blocks wavelengths that are needed for the detection of usual au 5 thenticity characteristics. Also watermarks or the like be come difficult to detect. The object of the invention is to provide a secu rity paper wherein the drawbacks of the known security paper are overcome in an effective manner. 10 In order to achieve that object, the security paper of the above-mentioned type is according to the invention characterized in that the photoluminescent substance has an excitation wavelength ranging from about 220 to 300 nm, and an emission wavelength which is higher than the excitation 15 wavelength range, wherein a coating is present on at least part of the security paper, on at least one side thereof, which coating is entirely or partially impervious to radia tion in the excitation wavelength range of the photolumines cent substance. 20 The invention is based on the perception that ra diation having an excitation wavelength ranging between 220 and 300 nm can be blocked relatively easily, so that a thin and thus relatively inexpensive coating will suffice. If the coating transmits radiation in the emission wavelength 25 range, it will be possible to use usual authenticity charac teristics in a preferred embodiment of the security paper according to the invention, which characteristics will re tain their normal effect. According to a preferred embodiment, the coating on 30 at least a predetermined part of the paper is impervious to radiation in the excitation wavelength range of the photolu minescent substance to a limited extent, wherein the coating preferably exhibits a specific, limited degree of impervi ousness. This achieves that any damage to the security paper 35 resulting from falsification will be very hard to repair, because it will be necessary to restore exactly the correct degree of perviousness. In addition, this preferred embodi ment makes it possible to detect falsifications wherein use WO 2004/045864 PCT/NL2003/000800 3 is made of a correction fluid or tape for covering the original data. The invention furthermore provides a method for manufacturing a security paper, wherein a photoluminescent 5 substance is incorporated in and/or applied onto a paper, wherein according to the invention a photoluminescent sub stance having an excitation wavelength ranging from about 220 to 300 nm and an emission wavelength above the excita tion wavelength range is used, wherein a coating which is at 10 least partially impervious to radiation in the excitation wavelength range is applied to at least part of the security paper, on at least one side thereof. According to the invention, said coating can be ap plied to the security paper as printing ink, wherein pref 15 erably at least an authenticity code is applied on the secu rity paper. Alternatively, said coating may be applied to the security paper in a coating process. The invention furthermore provides a method for de tecting any falsification and/or forgery of a document, 20 wherein the document is irradiated from one side with an ex citation wavelength of about 220-300 nm and wherein an emis sion having a wavelength above 300 nm is detected, wherein the value of the detected emission is compared to a refer ence value for detecting any falsification or forgery. 25 Finally, the invention relates to a device for de tecting falsifications and/or forgeries of documents, which device comprises a radiation source, a detection element, and a processing unit for processing a detection signal of the detection element, which device is characterized in that 30 the radiation source delivers radiation having an excitation wavelength range of about 220-300 nm, and in that the detec tion element is arranged for detecting radiation having a wavelength above 300 nm, wherein the processing unit com pares the detection signal' to a reference value for the pur 35 pose of detecting any falsification. The invention will be explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to the drawing, which schemati- WO 2004/045864 PCT/NL2003/000800 4 cally shows an embodiment of the security paper according to the invention. Fig. 1 schematically shows an embodiment of the se curity paper according to the invention. 5 Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the excitation wave length and the emission wavelength of the photoluminescent substance used in the security paper that is shown in Fig. 1, which diagram also shows the wavelength range within which usual lamps for checking secured documents operate. 10 Figs. 3 and 4 are very schematic views of a few parts of a device for detecting falsifications and/or for geries of documents. Fig. 1 shows a security paper 1, which comprises a paper 2 provided with a photoluminescent substance. Said 15 photoluminescent substance may be incorporated in the secu rity paper 2 or in the usual film of glue of the paper. In the latter case, the composition of the film of glue is se lected to ensure a proper bond of the photoluminescent sub stance to the paper fibres. In addition, the composition of 20 the film of glue has been selected so that the glue of the paper will hardly dissolve, if at all, in solvents that forgers use for removing data from a document. This can e.g. be achieved by using so-called cross-linkers and/or com pounds that make the glue impervious to solvent and/or sol 25 vent-repellent. As an alternative for incorporating the photolumi nescent substance in the paper or in the film of glue, the photoluminescent substance can be applied to the paper as a layer of ink by means of a printing process. It is also pos 30 sible to apply the photoluminescent substance to the paper in the form of a coating. The photoluminescent substance of the security pa per 1 has an excitation wavelength of 220-300 nm, whilst the emission wavelength is higher than the excitation wave 35 length; in the embodiment described herein it is even higher than 450 nm. Radiation having a wavelength ranging between 220 and 300 nm is usually referred to as UVC radiation or high-frequency UV radiation. The emission wavelength and the WO 2004/045864 PCT/NL2003/000800 5 excitation wavelength are shown in Fig. 2. The advantage of using a photoluminescent substance having an excitation wavelength of about 220-300 nm is that radiation having such a wavelength can be blocked relatively easily, so that a 5 thin coating 3 will suffice. The additional advantage of this is that the coating 3 can be applied to the safety pa per 2 in the form of a printing ink. In addition, the coat ing 3 may be pervious to visible light. As a result, the normal effect of usual authenticity characteristics, such as 10 fibres that light up in the security paper, can be retained. In the embodiment described herein, the wavelength range within which usual authenticity characteristics are effec tive lies between the excitation wavelength and the emission wavelength. Also watermarks and the like remain clearly per 15 ceptible, because the coating 3 transmits visible light nor mally. In addition, any reagents to solvents that may be present in the security paper are not covered, so that their use in combination with paper types that are usually used for cheques is possible. 20 Europium-doped yttrium oxide (Y 2 0 3 :Eu) can be used as a photoluminescent substance. Alternatives are, CaS:Ce, SrGa 2

S

4 :Eu, (Mg) 2

P

2 0 7 :Eu or Zn 2 SiO 4 :Mn. The photoluminescent substance is preferably inorganic and insensitive to acids, bases and organic solvents. Furthermore, or alternatively, 25 the photoluminescent substance of the security paper may be anchored to the paper in such a manner that said anchoring is insensitive to acids, bases and organic solvents. The coating 3 preferably comprises an organic mate rial as the substance that absorbs the excitation radiation, 30 so that the coating will be sensitive to acids, bases and solvents. An example of a suitable material is uvinul 8088 of BASF. Alternatives are 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-benzophenone and various benzotriazoles. It is noted that a large number of compounds usually present in printing inks already ex 35 hibit a sufficient absorbing effect as regards excitation radiation. The coating 3 may be at least substantially fully impervious to radiation in the excitation wavelength range.

WO 2004/045864 PCT/NL2003/000800 6 The properties of the coating has been selected so that the coating 3 will be damaged when it is attempted to remove the data present on the coating 3, i.e. in case of a falsifica tion attempt, as is schematically indicated at 4. When the 5 security paper 1 is irradiated with radiation in the excita tion wavelength range, the photoluminescent substance that is present in the security paper will not start to emit if the coating 3 is undamaged. If the coating 3 is locally (4) damaged, the photoluminescent substance will light up at 10 that location, i.e. it will emit an emission wavelength, which is higher than 450 nm in the illustrated embodiment. The lighting up of the photoluminescent substance indicates damage to the coating caused by an attempt at manipulating data present on the security paper. As will be described 15 hereinafter, said lighting up can be detected by means of a suitable detection element, wherein the detection signal is used to indicate falsifications. According to a preferred embodiment, the coating is composed so that radiation in the excitation wavelength 20 range is not fully blocked, i.e. it is impervious to a lim ited extent. Upon irradiation of the security paper at the excitation wavelength, a certain amount of emission radia tion will be received at all times when this embodiment is used. This preferred embodiment makes it very difficult for 25 falsifiers to repair any damage to the coating 3, because it will be necessary to restore exactly the correct degree of perviousness at every damaged location. In addition, this embodiment makes it possible to detect falsifications in which the original data that have been entered are covered 30 by means of a correction fluid, correction tape or the like. The fact is that such correction means are generally highly impervious to radiation in the excitation wavelength range. If a printing ink is used as the coating 3, an au thenticity code 5 can also be placed on the security paper 35 1, which code is detected as a succession of light and dark positions by a detection device. This authenticity code is located outside the area where falsifications may occur. The authenticity code 5 provides a characteristic, by means of WO 2004/045864 PCT/NL2003/000800 7 which forgery can be quickly detected. The authenticity code 5 may further contain information, e.g. information about the security paper, the identity of the printer or the like. Embodiments of the security paper 1 comprising a 5 coating 3 exhibiting a limited degree of imperviousness and/or an authenticity code 5 have the advantage that it is possible to detect not only falsifications but also forger ies. In the case of a document being forged by photocopying or printing, the forged document will not deliver the ex 10 pected amount of the emission radiation, or the expected au thenticity code will not be detected. It is possible to apply the coating 3 to the secu rity paper 1 only at 'those locations where data that are sensitive to fraud are placed. In the case of bank transfer 15 forms, the coating is e.g. applied at those locations where the name, the account number and the amount are to be en tered. Figs. 3 and 4 are very schematic views of a device for detecting falsifications and/or forgeries of documents, 20 which device comprises a radiation source 6 and a detection element 7. The radiation source 6 preferably comprises a low-pressure mercury lamp having an emission wavelength of 250-260 nm, with a UVC band-pass filter being placed in front of the mercury vapour lamp. As a result, the radiation 25 source 6 will deliver excitation radiation having a wave length of about 254.3 nm. As appears from Figs. 3 and 4, the detection ele ment may be disposed either on the same side of the security paper 1 as the radiation source 6 or on the opposite side. 30 The detection element 7, which may comprise an assembly of elements sensitive to the emission wavelength, detects the light emitted by the photoluminescent substance and converts any emission radiation that may be received into a detection signal to be processed by a schematically represented proc 35 essing unit 8. The processing unit 8 may comprise a suitably programmed microprocessor, by means of which it can be de termined, on the basis of measured deviations of the emis sion radiation from the emission radiation of other docu- WO 2004/045864 PCT/NL2003/000800 8 ments and/or deviations from measured values within the same document, whether this is a case of falsification or for gery. It is noted that the device as shown can be built into an apparatus for the automatic processing of documents, such 5 as bank giro forms, cheques and the like. The invention is not restricted to the embodiments as described above, which can be varied in several ways within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A security paper comprising a photoluminescent substance, characterized in that said photoluminescent sub stance has an excitation wavelength ranging from about 220 to 300 nm, and an emission wavelength which is higher than 5 the excitation wavelength range, wherein a coating is pre sent on at least part of the security paper, on at least one side thereof, which coating is entirely or partially imper vious to radiation in the excitation wavelength range of the photoluminescent substance. 10 2. A security paper according to claim 1, wherein said emission wavelength is 450 nm or higher.

3. A security paper according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the photoluminescent substance is an inorganic sub stance, which is insensitive to acids, bases and organic 15 solvents and/or which is anchored to the security paper in such a manner that said anchoring is insensitive to acids, bases and organic solvents.

4. A security paper according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said photoluminescent substance is Y 2 0 3 :Eu, CaS:Ce, 20 SrGa 2 S 4 :Eu, (Mg) 2 P 2 0 7 :Eu or Zn 2 SiO 4 :Mn.

5. A security paper according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the coating on at least a prede termined part of the paper is impervious to radiation in the excitation wavelength range of the photoluminescent sub 25 stance to a limited extent, with the coating preferably ex hibiting a specific, limited degree of imperviousness.

6. A security paper according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said coating is pervious to radia tion in the emission wavelength range, preferably it is per 30 vious to radiation having a wavelength of at least 340 nm.

7. A security paper according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an authenticity code is provided in printing ink, which printing ink is at least partially impervious to radiation in the excitation wavelength range. WO 2004/045864 PCT/NL2003/000800 10

8. A security paper according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the entire coating is embodied as printing ink.

9. A security paper according to any one of the 5 preceding claims provided with authenticity characteristics, such as a watermark, fibres that light up or the like.

10. A method for manufacturing a security paper ac cording to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a photo luminescent substance is incorporated in and/or applied onto 10 a paper, characterized in that a photoluminescent substance having an excitation wavelength ranging from about 220 to 300 nm and an emission wavelength above the excitation wave length range is used, wherein a coating which is at least partially impervious to radiation in the excitation wave 15 length range is applied to at least part of the security pa per, on at least one side thereof.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said photoluminescent substance is applied to the paper in a layer of ink by means of a printing process. 20 12. A method according to claim 10, wherein said photoluminescent substance is applied to the paper in a coating.

13. A method according to any one of the claims 10 12, wherein said photoluminescent substance is applied to 25 the security paper as printing ink, wherein preferably at least an authenticity code is applied on the security paper.

14. A method according to any one of the claims 10 13, wherein said coating is applied onto the security paper in a coating process. 30 15. A method for detecting any falsification and/or forgery of a document, wherein the document is irradiated from one side with an excit'ation wavelength of about 220-300 nm and wherein an emission having a wavelength above 300 nm is detected, wherein the value of the detected emission is 35 compared to a reference value for detecting any falsifica tion or forgery.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said reference value has been obtained from a reference document WO 2004/045864 PCT/NL2003/000800 11 corresponding to the document being examined, wherein pref erably the value of the detected emission is also compared to values of detected emission of the document being exam ined or to a second reference value obtained from said val 5 ues.

17. A device for detecting falsifications and/or forgeries of documents, which device comprises a radiation source, a detection element, and a processing unit for proc essing a detection signal of the detection element, which 10 device is characterized in that the radiation source deliv ers radiation having an excitation wavelength range of about

220-300 nm, and in that the detection element is arranged for detecting radiation having a wavelength above 300 nm, wherein the processing unit compares the detection signal to 15 a reference value for the purpose of detecting any falsifi cation. 18. A device according to claim 17, wherein said radiation source comprises a low-pressure mercury lamp.