Micro-Optic Security And Image Presentation System

• US 20080212192A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visual Physics LLC (Crane Company)
• Original Assignee: Nanoventions Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Hurt, Mark J., Steenblik, Richard A., Jordan, Gregory R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,111,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/619
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2033/24 Reliefs or indentations
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/08 Alphanumerical data
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/20 Optical effects
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 2035/44 Miniaturised markings
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/00 Information-bearing cards or sheet-like structures characterised by identification or security features; Manufacture thereof printing processes to produce identification or security features B41M3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/324 Reliefs
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/342 Moiré effects
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/351 Translucent or partly translucent parts, e.g. windows
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/36 comprising special materials
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/364 Liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/369 Magnetised or magnetisable materials
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/373 Metallic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/378 Special inks
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/41 using electromagnetic radiation B42D25/435 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/06 produced by transmitted light, e.g. transparencies, imitations of glass paintings
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/10 Changing, amusing, or secret pictures
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 21/44 Latent security elements, i.e. detectable or becoming apparent only by use of special verification or tampering devices or methods
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/06 with moving picture effect
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0031 Replication or moulding, e.g. hot embossing, UV-casting, injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0043 : Inhomogeneous or irregular arrays, e.g. varying shape, size, height
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0056 : arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/27 : involving lenticular arrays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

A film material utilizing a regular two-dimensional array of non-cylindrical lenses to enlarge micro-images, called icons, to form a synthetically magnified image through the united performance of a multiplicity of individual lens/icon image systems. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system includes one or more optical spacers (5), a micro-image formed of a periodic planar array of a plurality of image icons (4) having an axis of symmetry about at least one of its planar axes and positioned on or next to the optical spacer (5), and a periodic planar array of image icon focusing elements (1) having an axis of symmetry about at least one of its planar axes, the axis of symmetry being the same planar axis as that of the micro-image planar array (4). A number of distinctive visual effects, such as three-dimensional and motion effects, can be provided by the present system.

Claims

1. A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

(a) an array of image icons and

(b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of the image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,

the relation of at least a portion of the image icons to at least a portion of the focusing elements providing a motion effect for the at least one synthetically magnified image,

the image icon focusing elements having an effective base diameter of less than 50 microns.

2. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements are non-cylindrical focusing elements.

3. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 2, wherein the focusing elements are aspheric focusing elements.

4. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements have base geometries selected from the group consisting of a circular base, a substantially circular base, a hexagonal base, a rounded off hexagonal base, a square base, a rounded off square base, a triangular base, and a rounded off triangular base.

5. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements have an F number equivalent to 4 or less.

6. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 2, wherein the focusing elements have an F number equivalent to 4 or less.

7. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the image icons and a portion of the focusing elements have a repeat period wherein the ratio of the repeat period of the portion of the image icons to the repeat period of the portion of the focusing elements is greater than 1.

8. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the image icons and a portion of the focusing elements have a repeat period wherein the ratio of the repeat period of the portion of the image icons to the repeat period of the portion of the focusing elements is less than 1.

9. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the image icons and a portion of the focusing elements have a repeat period wherein the ratio of the repeat period of the portion of the image icons to the repeat period of the portion of the focusing elements is axially asymmetric in the planes of the image icons and the focusing elements, the scale ratio being less than 1 in one axis of symmetry and being greater than 1 in another axis of symmetry.

10. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, each focusing element having an effective base diameter of from about 10 to about 30 microns.

11. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, each focusing element having an effective base diameter of less than 30 microns.

12. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, having a total thickness of less than about 45 microns.

13. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, having a total thickness of about 10 to about 40 microns.

14. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, including focusing elements having a focal length of less than about 40 microns.

15. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, including focusing elements having a focal length of about 10 to less than about 50 microns.

16. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein a morphing effect is provided for causing the at least one synthetically magnified image to morph into another synthetically magnified image.

17. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, including image icons being formed from a printing method selected from the group consisting of inkjet, laserjet, letterpress, flexo, gravure, intaglio, and dye sublimation printing methods.

18. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are formed as recesses in a substrate, the recesses forming voids that optionally may be filled with a material having a different refractive index than the substrate, a dyed material, a metal, or a pigmented material.

19. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, having a plurality of layers of image icons at different depths in the system and the focusing elements having differing focal lengths for focusing at the different depths of the plurality of layers of image icons in the system.

20. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icon focusing elements are non-cylindrical lenses and a reflective layer is positioned adjacent to the surface of the array of image icons opposite the image icon focusing elements.

21. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, including a transparent tamper indicating material placed over the focusing elements.

22. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, including a second array of image icon focusing elements placed in relation to a side of the array of image icons opposite the image icon focusing elements.

23. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 22, having a second array of image icons in between the two arrays of focusing elements.

26. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements are selected from refractive, diffractive, reflective and hybrid refractive/diffractive focusing elements.

27. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icon focusing elements include polygonal base multi-zonal focusing elements having polygonal base geometries.

28. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the array of focusing elements has at least two substantially equivalent axes of symmetry.

30. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, further including one or more optical spacers positioned between the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements.

31. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are formed from patterns of colorless, transparent, opaque, ink, colored, tinted or dyed material.

32. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are formed as protrusions in the surface of a substrate, the spaces between the protrusions optionally being filled with a material having a different index of refraction than the substrate, a dyed material, a metal, or a pigmented material.

33. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and include image icons that are transparent, translucent, pigmented, fluorescent, phosphorescent, metallized, substantially retroreflective, or display optically variable color.

34. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and have a background that is transparent, translucent, pigmented, fluorescent, phosphorescent, metallized, substantially retroreflective, or displays optically variable color.

35. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and include image icons formed from printing, microstructures, deposited metallization, patterned metallization, patterned demetallization, or patterned dielectric coatings.

36. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed in a photographic emulsion.

37. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and include image icons formed of non-fluorescing pigments, non-fluorescing dyes, fluorescing pigments, fluorescing dyes, metal, metal particles, magnetic particles, nuclear magnetic resonance signature materials, lasing particles, organic LED materials, optically variable materials, evaporated materials, sputtered materials, chemically deposited materials, vapor deposited materials, thin film interference materials, liquid crystal polymers, optical upconversion and/or downconversion materials, dichroic materials, optically active materials, or optically polarizing materials.

38. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed by direct metallization or lamination.

39. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed by evaporation, sputtering or chemical deposition, or chemical vapor deposition process.

40. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 39, wherein the formation process involves a metal material.

41. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed by patterned demetallization.

42. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 22, wherein the reflective layer is metallized.

43. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the system is protected by a sealing layer, the sealing layer being applied to the side of the array of a plurality of image icons opposite the array of focusing elements, the sealing layer having at least a portion that is transparent, translucent, tinted, pigmented, opaque, metallic, magnetic, or optically variable.

44. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 43 wherein the sealing layer includes optical effects.

45. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, having interstitial spaces between the focusing elements, the interstitial spaces optionally being filled.

46. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, including a tamper indicating layer.

47. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to a background on which they appear.

49. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image further appears to lie on a spatial plane deeper than the system.

50. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image further appears to lie on a spatial plane above the system.

51. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image further appears to move between a spatial plane deeper than the system and a spatial plane above the system upon rotation of the system about an axis that intersects the plane of the system.

53. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image further appears to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size or color to another of a form, shape, size or color.

54. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 53, wherein the transformation is produced by scale distortions of either or both a repeat period of at least a portion of the image icons and a repeat period of at least a portion of the image icon focusing elements.

55. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 53, wherein the transformation is produced by incorporating spatially varying information in the image icon array.

56. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image further appears to be three dimensional.

57. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to have additional effects selected from one or more of appearing to lie on a spatial plane deeper than the system, appearing to lie on a spatial plane above the system, appearing to move between a spatial plane deeper than the system and a spatial plane above the system upon rotation of the system about an axis that intersects the plane of the system, appearing to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size or color to another or a form, shape, size or color, and appearing to be three dimensional.

58. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 57, wherein the effects may or may not have the same color or graphical elements.

59. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 57, wherein two or more effects appear on different image planes.

60. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 59, wherein the different image planes are further different in at least one of form, color, movement direction of the effect, or magnification.

61. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to have at least one of a plurality of patterns, colors or shapes.

63. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, further including a plurality of arrays having a plurality of image icons spaced a plurality of distances from the array of image icon focusing elements, and wherein the array of image icon focusing elements includes focusing elements having a plurality of focal lengths corresponding to the various spaced distances of the arrays of image icons.

64. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements are aspheric focusing elements, and wherein the image icons are formed as recesses in a substrate, the recesses forming voids that optionally may be filled with a material having a different refractive index than the substrate, a dyed material, a metal, or a pigmented material.

65. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements include pin hole optics.

68. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the focusing elements have a base diameter of 35 microns and a focal length of 30 microns.

69. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, further including a surface layer that must be removed for the synthetic image to be viewed.

70. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, further including an optical spacer positioned between the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements, the optical spacer having a thickness of about 8 microns to about 25 microns.

71. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, further including an optical spacer formed of an essentially transparent polymer.

72. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 71, further wherein the transparent polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyvinyl chloride.

73. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icons are formed as recesses in a substrate, the recesses forming voids that optionally are filled with a material providing a contrast with the substrate.

74. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 73, wherein the icon recesses have a recess depth of about 0.5 microns to about 8 microns.

75. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, applied to an article or packaging for the article, wherein the article is selected from the group of:

Movie Scripts, Intellectual Property, Medical Records/Hospital Records, Prescription Forms/Pads, and Secret Recipes;

Fabric and home care goods;

beauty products;

baby and family care products;

health care products;

food and beverage products;

dry goods products;

electronic equipment, parts and components;

apparel, sportswear and footwear products;

biotech pharmaceuticals;

aerospace components and parts;

automotive components and parts;

sporting goods;

tobacco products;

software;

compact disks and DVD'"'"'s;

explosives;

novelty items, gift wrap and ribbon;

books and magazines;

school products and office supplies;

business cards;

shipping documentation and packaging;

notebook covers;

book covers;

book marks;

event and transportation tickets;

gambling and gaming products and devices;

home furnishing products;

flooring and wall coverings;

jewelry and watches;

handbags;

art, collectibles and memorabilia;

toys;

point of purchase and merchandising displays; and

product marking and labeling devices.

88. The method of claim 68, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and include image icons formed of non-fluorescing pigments, non-fluorescing dyes, fluorescing pigments, fluorescing dyes, metal, metal particles, magnetic particles, nuclear magnetic resonance signature materials, lasing particles, organic LED materials, optically variable materials, evaporated materials, sputtered materials, chemically deposited materials, vapor deposited materials, thin film interference materials, liquid crystal polymers, optical upconversion and/or downconversion materials, dichroic materials, optically active materials, or optically polarizing materials.

124. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns.

151. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the synthetic magnification micro-optic system forms a second synthetically magnified image exhibiting a different optical motion effect.

152. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 151, wherein the optical effect of the second synthetically magnified image is different in one or more of form, color, direction of movement or magnification.

158. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the image icon focusing elements include focusing elements having an effective diameter of about 15 microns to about 35 microns and a focal length of about 10 microns to about 30 microns.

164. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 1, wherein the array of image icon focusing elements has an order of rotational symmetry of at least 3.

24. A method of producing a synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising the steps of:

(a) an array of image icons;

(b) providing an array of image icon focusing elements; and

(c) disposing the array of the image icon focusing elements in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,

the relation of at least a portion of the image icons to at least a portion of the focusing elements providing a motion effect for the at least one synthetically magnified image,

the image icon focusing elements having an effective base diameter of less than 50 microns.

76. The method of claim 24, wherein the focusing elements are selected from refractive, diffractive, reflective and hybrid refractive/diffractive focusing elements.

77. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icon focusing elements include polygonal base multi-zonal focusing elements having polygonal base geometries.

78. The method of claim 24, wherein the array of focusing elements has at least two substantially equivalent axes of symmetry.

79. The method of claim 24, wherein the focusing elements provide an enlarged field of view over the width of the image icons correlated with the focusing elements so that the peripheral edges of the correlated image icons do not drop out of view.

80. The method of claim 24, further including one or more optical spacers positioned between the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements.

81. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icons are formed from patterns of colorless, transparent, opaque, ink, colored, tinted or dyed material.

82. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icons are formed as protrusions in the surface of a substrate, the spaces between the protrusions optionally being filled with a material having a different index of refraction than the substrate, a dyed material, a metal, or a pigmented material.

83. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to a background on which they appear.

84. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and include image icons that are transparent, translucent, pigmented, fluorescent, phosphorescent, metallized, substantially retroreflective, or display optically variable color.

85. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and have a background that is transparent, translucent, pigmented, fluorescent, phosphorescent, metallized, substantially retroreflective, or displays optically variable color.

86. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and include image icons formed from printing, microstructures, deposited metallization, patterned metallization, patterned demetallization, or patterned dielectric coatings.

87. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed in a photographic emulsion.

89. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed by direct metallization or lamination.

90. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed by evaporation, sputtering, chemical deposition, or chemical vapor deposition process.

91. The method of claim 90, wherein the formation process involves a metal material.

92. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icons are either positive or negative icons in relation to their background and are formed by patterned demetallization.

93. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icon focusing elements are non-cylindrical lenses and a reflective layer is positioned adjacent to the surface of the array of image icons opposite the image icon focusing elements.

94. The method of claim 93, wherein the reflective layer is metallized.

95. The method of claim 24, wherein the system is protected by a sealing layer, the sealing layer being applied to the side of the array of a plurality of image icons opposite the array of focusing elements, the sealing layer having at least a portion that is transparent, translucent, tinted, pigmented, opaque, metallic, magnetic, or optically variable.

96. The method of claim 95, wherein the sealing layer includes optical effects.

97. The method of claim 24, including a tamper indicating layer.

98. The method of claim 24, wherein upon illumination of the at least one system the synthetic image appears to have a shadow.

99. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image further appears to lie on a spatial plane deeper than the system.

100. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image further appears to lie on a spatial plane above the system.

101. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image further appears to move between a spatial plane deeper than the system and a spatial plane above the system upon rotation of the system about an axis that intersects the plane of the system.

102. The method of claim 24, wherein when the system is tilted about an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the system the at least one synthetic image appears to move in a direction substantially parallel to the tilt axis.

103. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image further appears to transform from one or more or a form, shape, size or color to another of a form, shape, size or color.

104. The method of claim 103, wherein the transformation is produced by scale distortions of either of both the image icon repeat period and the focusing element repeat period.

105. The method of claim 103, wherein the transformation is produced by incorporating spatially varying information in the image icon array.

106. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image further appears to be three dimensional.

107. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to have additional effects selected from one or more of appearing to lie on a spatial plane deeper than the system, appearing to lie on a spatial plane above the system, appearing to move between a spatial plane deeper than the system and a spatial plane above the system upon rotation of the system about an axis that intersects the plane of the system, appearing to transform from one or more of a form, shape, size or color to another or a form, shape, size or color, and appearing to be three dimensional.

108. The method of claim 107, wherein the two or more effects may or may not have the same color or graphical elements.

109. The method of claim 107, wherein the two or more effects appear on different image planes.

110. The method of claim 107, wherein the different image planes are further different in at least one of form, color, movement direction of the effect, or magnification.

111. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one synthetically magnified image appears to have a plurality of patterns, colors or shapes or combinations thereof.

112. The method of claim 24, further including a plurality of arrays having a plurality of image icons spaced a plurality of distances from the array of image icon focusing elements, and wherein the array of image icon focusing elements includes focusing elements having a plurality of focal lengths corresponding to the various spaced distances of the arrays of image icons.

113. The method of claim 24, wherein the focusing elements are aspheric focusing elements, and wherein the image icons are formed as recesses in a substrate, the recesses forming voids that optionally may be filled with a material having a different refractive index than the substrate, a dyed material, a metal, or a pigmented material.

116. The method of claim 24, wherein the focusing elements have a base diameter of 35 microns and a focal length of 30 microns.

117. The method of claim 24, further including a surface layer that must be removed for the synthetic image to be viewed.

118. The method of claim 24, further including an optical spacer positioned between the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements.

119. The method of claim 24, further including an optical spacer formed of an essentially transparent polymer.

120. The method of claim 119, further wherein the transparent polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyvinyl chloride.

121. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icons are formed as recesses in a substrate, the recesses forming voids that optionally are filled with a material providing a contrast with the substrate.

122. The method of claim 121, wherein the icon recesses have a recess depth of about 0.5 microns to about 8 microns.

125. The method of claim 24, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns.

129. The method of claim 24, wherein the focusing elements are non-cylindrical focusing elements.

130. The method of claim 24, wherein the focusing elements are aspheric focusing elements.

131. The method of claim 24, wherein the focusing elements have base geometries selected from the group consisting of a circular base, a hexagonal base, a rounded off hexagonal base, a square base, a rounded off square base, a triangular base, and a rounded off triangular base.

132. The method of claim 24, wherein the focusing elements have an F number equivalent to 4 or less.

133. The method of claim 24, wherein the focusing elements have an F number equivalent to 2 or less.

134. The method of claim 24, each focusing element having an effective diameter of from about 10 to about 30 microns.

135. The method of claim 24, each focusing element having an effective diameter of less than 30 microns.

136. The method of claim 24, wherein the arrays are formed into a system having a total thickness of less than about 45 microns.

137. The method of claim 24, wherein the arrays are formed into a system having a total thickness of about 10 to about 40 microns.

138. The method of claim 24, the image icon focusing elements including focusing elements having a focal length of less than about 40 microns.

139. The method of claim 24, the image icon focusing elements including focusing elements having a focal length of about 10 to less than about 50 microns.

140. The method of claim 24, wherein a morphing effect is provided for causing the at least one synthetically magnified image to morph into another synthetically magnified image.

141. The method of claim 24, the image icons including image icons being formed from a printing method selected from the group consisting of ink jet, laserjet, letterpress, flexo, gravure, intaglio, and dye sublimation printing methods.

142. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icons are formed as recesses in a substrate, the recesses forming voids that optionally may be filled with a material having a different refractive index than the substrate, a dyed material, a metal, or a pigmented material.

143. The method of claim 24, wherein a plurality of layers of image icons are provided at different depths in the system, the focusing elements having differing focal lengths for focusing at the different depths of the plurality of layers of image icons in the system.

144. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icon focusing elements are non-cylindrical lenses and a reflective layer is positioned adjacent to the surface of the array of image icons opposite the image icon focusing elements.

145. The method of claim 24, further providing a transparent tamper indicating material placed over the focusing elements.

146. The method of claim 24, further providing a second periodic array of image icon focusing elements placed to the side of the array of image icons opposite the image icon focusing elements.

147. The method of claim 146, having a second array of image icons in between the two arrays of focusing elements.

148. The method of claim 24, further providing interstitial spaces between the focusing elements, the interstitial spaces optionally being filled.

149. The method of claim 24, wherein the synthetic magnification micro-optic system forms a second synthetically magnified image exhibiting a different optical motion effect.

150. The method of claim 149, wherein the optical effects of the second synthetically magnified image is different in one or more of form, color, direction of movement or magnification.

159. The method of claim 24, wherein the image icon focusing elements include focusing elements having an effective diameter of about 15 microns to about 35 microns and a focal length of about 10 microns to about 30 microns.

165. The method of claim 24, wherein the planar array of image icon focusing elements has an order of rotational symmetry of at least 3.

25. A method of making a synthetic magnification optical system, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a layer of material to form an optical spacer;

(b) applying a substantially transparent or clear radiation curable resin to the upper and lower surfaces of the optical spacer;

(c) forming an array of focusing elements on the upper surface and an array of icons in the form of recesses on the lower surface of the optical spacer, the array of focusing elements positioned in relation to the array of icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons providing a motion effect for one or more synthetically magnified images;

(d) curing the substantially transparent or clear resin using a source of radiation;

(e) filling the icon array recesses with a pigmented resin or ink;

(f) optionally removing excess resin or ink from the lower surface of the icon array; and

(g) optionally providing a pigmented or metallic sealing or obscuring coating or layer to cover the surface of the icon array opposite the optical spacer.

126. The method of claim 25, wherein the focusing elements include focusing elements having an effective diameter of less than 50 microns.

29. A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

(a) a micro image comprised of an array of a plurality of image icons; and

(b) an array of a plurality of image icon focusing elements, the image icon focusing elements including focusing elements either having an effective diameter of less than 50 microns or being polygonal base multi-zonal focusing elements,

wherein the image icon focusing elements is disposed in relation to the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, and

wherein the focusing elements provide an enlarged field of view over the width of the image icons correlated with the focusing elements so that the peripheral edges of the correlated image icons do not drop out of view.

48. A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

(a) a micro image comprised of an array of a plurality of image icons; and

(b) an array of a plurality of image icon focusing elements, the image icon focusing elements including focusing elements either having an effective diameter of less than 50 microns or being polygonal base multi-zonal focusing elements, wherein the array image icon focusing elements is disposed in relation to the array of image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, and

wherein upon illumination of the system the synthetically magnified image appears to have a shadow.

52. A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising

(a) an array of image icons;

and

(b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of the image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,

such that when the system is tilted about an axis of the system the at least one synthetic image appears to move,

the image icon focusing elements having an effective base diameter of less than 50 microns.

127. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 52, the system comprising the array of image icons and the array of image icon focusing elements having a thickness of less than 50 microns.

160. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 52, wherein the image icon focusing elements include focusing elements having an effective diameter of about 15 microns to about 35 microns and a focal length of about 10 microns to about 30 microns.

166. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 52, wherein the array of image icon focusing elements has an order of rotational symmetry of at least 3.

62. A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

(a) an array of a plurality of image icons; and

(b) an array of a plurality of image icon focusing elements, the image icon focusing elements including focusing elements either having an effective diameter of less than 50 microns or being polygonal base multi-zonal focusing elements, wherein the plane of the image icon focusing elements is disposed in relation to the plane of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,

wherein the focusing elements provide vertical blurring of a central focal zone of the focusing elements.

66. A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

(a) an array of image icons; and

(b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of the image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,

providing a motion effect for the at least one synthetically magnified image,

wherein the focusing elements have an F number selected to reduce vertical binocular disparity for motion applications.

67. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 66, wherein the F number is less than 4.

153. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 66, wherein the image icon focusing elements include focusing elements having an effective diameter of less than 50 microns.

161. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 66, wherein the image icon focusing elements include focusing elements having an effective diameter of about 15 microns to about 35 microns and a focal length of about 10 microns to about 30 microns.

167. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 66, wherein the array of image icon focusing elements has an order of rotational symmetry of at least 3.

114. A method of producing a synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising the steps of:

(a) an array of image icons;

(b) an array of image icon focusing elements, and

(c) disposing the array of the image icon focusing elements in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,

providing a motion effect for the at least one synthetically magnified image,

wherein the focusing elements have an F number selected to reduce vertical binocular disparity.

115. The method of claim 114, wherein the F number is less than 4.

154. The method of claim 114, wherein the image icon focusing elements include focusing elements having an effective diameter of less than 50 microns.

162. The method of claim 114, wherein the image icon focusing elements include focusing elements having an effective diameter of about 15 microns to about 35 microns and a focal length of about 10 microns to about 30 microns.

168. The method of claim 114, wherein the array of image icon focusing elements has an order of rotational symmetry of at least 3.

123. (canceled)

128. (canceled)

155. A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

(a) an array of image icons; and

(b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of the image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,

wherein the array of image icons is positioned in relation to the array of image icon focusing elements providing a motion effect for the at least one synthetically magnified image, and

wherein the image icons are selected from the group consisting of positive image icons, and negative image icons.

156. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 155 wherein the focusing elements have an F number equivalent to 2 or less.

157. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 155, wherein the image icon focusing elements include focusing elements having an effective diameter of less than 50 microns.

163. (canceled)

169. (canceled)

170. A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

(a) an array of image icons and

(b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of the image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons,

the relation of at least a portion of the image icons to at least a portion of the focusing elements providing a motion effect for the at least one synthetically magnified image,

wherein the synthetically magnified image appears to move between a spatial plane deeper that the system and a spatial plane above the system upon rotation of the system.

171. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system of claim 170, the image icon focusing elements having an effective base diameter of less than 50 microns.

172. A synthetic magnification micro-optic system comprising:

(a) an array of image icons and

(b) an array of image icon focusing elements, the array of the image icon focusing elements being disposed in relation to the array of the image icons at a distance sufficient for the image icon focusing elements to form at least one synthetically magnified image of at least a portion of the image icons, the focusing elements having an effective base diameter of less than 50 microns,

the relation of at least a portion of the image icons to at least a portion of the focusing elements providing a motion effect for the at least one synthetically magnified image, the motion effect being an orthoparalactic motion effect.