NANO-TECHNOLOGY FOR MINTING APPLICATIONS ROYAL CANADIAN MINT PHOTONIC COINS

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1 NANO-TECHNOLOGY FOR MINTING APPLICATIONS ROYAL CANADIAN MINT PHOTONIC COINS JANUARY 29TH 2015 XIANYAO LI CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, R&D CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

2 VIBRANT COLORING TECHNOLOGIES Pad print, digital print coins Holographic coins Embedding crystals, Murano glass, Selective gold plating Niobium color coins Enameling coins A few others 2

3 VIBRANT COLORING TECHNOLOGIES Pad print, digital print coins Holographic coins Embedding crystals, Murano glass Selective gold plating Niobium color coins Enameling coins 3

4 VIBRANT COLORING TECHNOLOGIES Pad print, digital print coins Holographic coins Embedding Diamond, Crystals, Murano glass Selective gold plating Niobium color coins Enameling coins 4

5 VIBRANT COLORING TECHNOLOGIES Pad print, digital print coins Holographic coins Embedding crystals, Murano glass Selective gold plating Niobium color coins Enameling coins 5

6 VIBRANT COLORING TECHNOLOGIES Pad print, digital print coins Holographic coins Embedding crystals, Murano glass Selective gold plating Niobium color coins Enameling coins 6

7 VIBRANT COLORING TECHNOLOGIES Pad Print, digital print coins Holographic coins Embedding crystals, Murano glass Selective gold plating Niobium color coins Enameling coins 7

8 NEW GENERATION OF COLORING TECHNOLOGY Nature and Nano technology Structural colors Scientists have discovered that the butterfly wings are made of nano structures, which contribute to the colors they have on their wings. These colors are referred to as structural color, rather than dyes, pigments, etc. They are also called photonic colors. Nanostructures 8

9 NEW GENERATION OF COLORING TECHNOLOGY Royal Canadian Mint Photonic Coins 9

10 NEW GENERATION OF COLORING TECHNOLOGY Photonic coin technology Nanostructures are created by Picosecond Laser on metallic surface Holographic and fixed colors are created due to the nanostructures Significantly, fixed colors are achieved in a wide range 10

11 NEW GENERATION OF COLORING TECHNOLOGY Nano-structures are created by specialized laser technique Colors can be controlled and produced by selection of processing parameters 11

12 NEW GENERATION OF COLORING TECHNOLOGY Main differences between Holographic and Fixed colors Holographic: colors change with the viewing angles Fixed colors: colors do not change with viewing angles Holographic color Fixed color 12

13 NEW GENERATION OF COLORING TECHNOLOGY Main difference between Holographic and Fixed colors Different nano-structures: sizes and texture orientations Holographic color Fixed color 13

14 NEW GENERATION OF COLORING TECHNOLOGY Main difference between Holographic and Fixed colors Underlying mechanism of color formation is fundamentally different Hologram Fixed color Grating separates white light into its component wavelengths (colors) Nano particle interaction with white light leads to plasmon resonance Refs: (left) (right) 14

15 EXAMPLE OF PLASMON RESONANCE: RED STAINED GLASS Gold nanoparticles mixed into the glass Applying light to nanoparticles creates electron oscillation = plasmon When the vibration of light resonates with the plasmon, light energy is absorbed Red stained glass: only the green component resonates and is absorbed. The blue light scatters at this time, and only the remaining red component passes through Red + green = yellow Only red color is reflected Ref: 15

16 COLOR CREATION PRINCIPLES Perceived color depends on nanoparticle size, spacing Ref: 16

17 COLOR CREATION PRINCIPLES Therefore, we have developed the Laser technology to control: Nano-particle size Spacing between the particles Volume distribution Materials characteristics And correlations among the parameters 17

18 MINTING APPLICATIONS Wide range of colors can be selected Flexible and controllable selection of coloring methods True colors without using any dyes, pigments Ensure precious metal integrity without compromising purity for colors Colors can be achieved in flat surface and textured reliefs Future use for security features 18

19 THANK YOU 19