Generation of nanoscale anticounterfeiting patterns on silicon by optical trap assisted nanopatterning

Among the different strategies aimed at protecting products from counterfeiting, hidden security patterns are used by manufacturers to mark their products in a unique way. However, most anticounterfeiting patterns bear the risk of being reproduced by an unauthorized party who has gained knowledge of the exact technique and process parameters. In this paper, we use optical trap assisted nanopatterning to create unique security markings by taking advantage of statistical fluctuations when generating nanoscale features within the pattern. We image the patterns by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy and propose a three-level examination process that allows for an efficient yet highly secure authentication.