Pulsar™ Threads – a Dynamic Response to the Threat of Counterfeiting

In the February issue of Currency News, we covered the acquisition by Oberthur Fiduciare (OF) of two thirds of the shares of the Swedish micro-optics firm RollingOptics, signalling its intention to focus on the growing area of micro-optics for security features.

But even before this acquisition, OF had launched Pulsar™. It describes this as a new generation of micro-optic thread technology that combines colour (fixed or shifting) and dynamic movement, using the latest micro-optical techniques to create a unique, personalized, secure and high impact security thread which is ideally suited to protect banknotes against the latest counterfeit threats.

The inspiration behind the design of Pulsar is nature, a regular source of ideas for scientific innovation. In this case, says OF, some of the many wonders of nature such as sand dunes, canyons and light reflecting on the rippled surface of water were the motivation for the creation of the Pulsar security thread.

One particular effect is when sunlight is reflected from one side of these kind of structures, the other side is in darkness, producing a contrasting interplay of light and dark. OF has taken sand dunes, which serve as large and smooth curved mirrors reflecting the light and producing fascinating interplays of light and dark, and used the same concept but at the microscopic level, converting the effects into greyscale image.

OF then took the greyscale image and converted it into microstructures using a high end engraving technology. The original engraved glass material is thus the first step in the creation of Pulsar thread. It is then followed by many manufacturing steps culminating in a dynamic and eye-catching thread that produces high impact moving effects when tilted.

How do Pulsar™ threads work?

In essence, the Pulsar structure consists of an array of curved micro-mirrors that reflect light back to the observer. As the thread is tilted along the vertical and horizontal axes, the micro-mirrors generate subtle colour variations and dynamic rippling movements. The micro-mirrors can be assembled in different ways to produce a range of eye-catching effects and customisable designs.

Pulsar is available from 3mm to 6mm widths and with optional UV inks. It can also be magnetised for automated sorting machines.

Two versions have been developed - Pulsar™ color and Pulsar™ colorshift. The first combines dynamic micro-optic effects with a single visible colour. The second, as its name implies, combines dynamic micro-optic effects with a colour shifting effect. The manufacturing process is similar, but in this case the tinted layer is replaced by a vacuum-deposited layer producing the colourshift effect. When combined, the result is an intense, bright and dynamic movement.

The first step in the personalisation of the security thread is the choice of the colour or the colourshift pair. Four main colours are available (red, gold, green and blue), but others can be made on demand. There is also a choice of five different colourshift pairs to match the colours of existing notes or when designing a new note or series.

The next step is the choice of dynamic effects, with dedicated designers able to personalise the background, key design elements and the movement. A fully automatic workflow has been engineered to create the dynamics of the desired effect with a specific software simulator. A digital studio helps designers to simulate the final visual effects that will play the best with the banknote.