Systems and methods for printing patterns using near infrared upconverting inks

摘要

The present invention relates generally to using upconverting inks for producing highly-resolved patterns for, inter alia, security applications. More specifically, the present invention relates to the use of sols (inks) and printing processes that produce well-defined printed features consisting of polymers impregnated with luminescent upconversion nanocrystals. The patterns printed using such inks and processes may exhibit defined shapes, characters of text, and various other types of images.