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Chander S Jeena

18 Aug. 2025

4 min read

News In Brief

Between 22-23 July 2025, KURZ Banknote Security celebrated 30 years of security production at its Sulzbach-Rosenberg site with two days of reflection, innovation, and networking.

News

Chander S Jeena

18 Aug. 2025

2 min read

Hazen’s 'TIME TRAVELER' Celebrates Century of Holographic Innovation

For years, Hazen Paper’s holographic calendars have become an annual highlight for designers, collectors, printers, and brand owners. Every calendar showcases Hazen’s brilliant work in pushing the boundaries of optical effects.

Free IOTA Members Free

Chander S Jeena

18 Aug. 2025

2 min read

Optical Features Retained in Argentina’s Revamped Tax Stamps

Argentina’s cigarette tax stamps have undergone a redesign following the transformation of the country’s tax authority from the Administración Federal de Ingresos Públicos (AFIP) to the Agencia de Recaudación y Control Aduanero (ARCA). While the change reflects new institutional branding and regulatory updates under General Resolution 5603/2024, the stamps’ core optical security features remain firmly in place.

Tax Stamps

Chander S Jeena

13 July 2025

5 min read

News in Brief

US-based Lumenco, together with its subsidiary in brand protection (Nanopixel®), has announced a strategic alliance with UK-based XRD Nano to co-develop new- generation solutions in manufacturing microlens arrays and high-performance UV chemistry for brand security.

News

Chander S Jeena

13 July 2025

3 min read

Ultra-Thin Lenses That Make Infrared Light Visible

Researchers at ETH Zurich, University (Switzerland) have developed an ultra-thin metalens that can convert infrared light into visible light. This innovation relies on a special material, lithium niobate (synthetic salt consisting of niobium, lithium, and oxygen), and a novel fabrication process that stamps nanoscale patterns onto its surface.

Chander S Jeena

13 July 2025

8 min read

Legacy and Future Vision: A Dialogue with Hueck Folien’s Leadership

Following recent management changes, Hueck Folien (HF) CEO Dr Martin Bergsmann has assumed additional responsibility for Production and Technology. This comes after Manfred Durstberger stepped down from the Management Board on 31 March 2025, concluding 14 successful years as Managing Director in that domain. Durstberger will continue to oversee the rollout of the company’s new vapour deposition system until mid-year.

Interviews

Chander S Jeena

13 July 2025

3 min read

IOTA’s First Webinar: A Resounding Success

IOTA’s inaugural webinar, titled ‘Seeing is Believing: Optical Features for High-Stakes Security’, held on 25 June 2025, lived up to its name. This was the International Optical Technologies Association’s (IOTA) first public event under its new identity, and focused on the essential role of optical technologies in verifying and safeguarding high-stakes documents, such as banknotes, identity cards, tax stamps, and branded products.

Events

By China Banknote Security Printing Technology Research Institute Co (CBRI)

13 July 2025

4 min read

Fluorescent, Semi-Transparent Window Boosts Banknote Security

In the July edition of Holography & Optical Technology News®, we spotlighted Q&T Hi-Tech Polymer’s POLYSECURE SHIELD – the polymer banknote substrate with an embedded OVD. In this issue, we continue our coverage of banknote anticounterfeiting innovations with a look at the CBRI’s new approach to window security features, blending fluorescent effects with fine-pattern transparency directly in paper substrates.

Banknotes

Chander S Jeena

13 July 2025

2 min read

Global Leaders Join IOTA to Shape Future of Optical Security

Last month, the International Optical Technologies Association (IOTA) announced its newest member – SATORIS of Lithuania. It has now announced the addition of a further four prominent new members: SICPA, TOPTICAL, Q&T Hi-Tech, and XRD Nano.

Free Free

Dr Stephen Furst

13 July 2025

2 min read

Seamless Drum Moulds with Nano and Microscale Structures

New technology from US-based startup SMS, called ‘Nanocoining’, is helping to bring nano- and microscale patterns to the industrial scale. The technology creates seamless cylindrical drum moulds for roll-to-roll nanoimprint processes with a patterning rate of up to 2 square inches (2,500mm2) per second – more than 500 times faster than typical electron-beam tools.

Technical Features

Chander S Jeena

13 July 2025

2 min read

Oberthur Expands Optical Security with Kryptonome

The presentation at the recent HSP Latin America in Rio de Janeiro by Ian Brigham of Spectra Systems covered the new house note that has been produced by Casa da Moeda do Brasil on its Fusion™ polymer substrate. The ‘Boa Sorte’ note incorporates a level 3 taggant unique to Fusion as well as, for the first time, a new level 1 optical security feature from Oberthur – Kryptonome™.

Optical Security

Chander S Jeena

19 June 2025

2 min read

Global Momentum Builds for DOVIDs in Travel Documents

On 5 June 2025, Congo officially launched its new biometric passport. Developed in partnership with DERMALOG and led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this passport introduces a modern and secure travel document complying with the latest ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) standards.

ID & Secure Documents

Chander S Jeena

19 June 2025

5 min read

News In Brief

SATORIS, a leading security printing house from Lithuania, has become the latest member to join the International Optical Technologies Association (IOTA).

News

Francis Tuffy

19 June 2025

3 min read

ZEISS and tesa Partner for Industrial-Scale Holography

ZEISS and tesa have formalised a significant technical partnership aimed at scaling up the production of large-format holographic optical components. The collaboration, focused on transparent display technologies, marks an important step toward integrating holography into automotive and consumer applications at industrial volumes.

Collaborations

Chander S Jeena

19 June 2025

4 min read

Q&T’s POLYSECURE® SHIELD Embeds OVDs into Polymer Substrate

In the ever-evolving world of high-security printing, Q&T Hi-Tech Polymer, located in Hanoi, Vietnam, has emerged as an innovative new player in banknote polymer substrate technology. The company’s latest innovation, POLYSECURE® SHIELD, was unveiled at the recent Currency Conference, held from 26-29 May in Bangkok, Thailand.

Companies

19 June 2025

2 min read

NANOSWITCH Success Strengthens Hueck Folien and IQS Collaboration

Hueck Folien and IQ Structures (IQS), two leading innovators in the field of banknote security features, have announced a strengthened partnership under the Nanovista brand following a highly positive market response to their joint efforts.

Collaborations

Chander S Jeena

19 June 2025

2 min read

DNP Backs Laxton for Global Authentication Expansion

Dai Nippon Printing (DNP), a leading Japanese technology and printing company, has signed a share transfer agreement to acquire 75% of Rubicon SEZC, a Cayman Islands-based holding company of the Laxton Group, specialists in biometric identity solutions.

Companies News

Chander S Jeena

19 June 2025

2 min read

Optical Upgrade: Uttarakhand Introduces New Tax Stamps

The Uttarakhand State Excise Department, located in northern India, has enhanced its tax stamps by incorporating optical security features.

Optical Security Tax Stamps

Chander S Jeena

19 June 2025

7 min read

Spotlight on Award-Winning Optical Security Innovations

Optical security innovations continued to win global recognition. Recent award ceremonies across the currency, identity, and packaging sectors have highlighted how these innovations continue to protect these. In this article, Holography & Optical Technology News™ (HOT News) reviews several of the award-winning developments.

Awards Free Free

Chander S Jeena

18 May 2025

3 min read

Real-Time Holographic Conversion From 2D Video

Researchers at the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) in Korea, operating under the National Research Council of Science and Technology (NST), have developed a field- programmable gate array (FPGA)-based processor capable of converting conventional 2D video into real-time 3D holograms.

Holography

Latest News

News In Brief

Hazen’s 'TIME TRAVELER' Celebrates Century of Holographic Innovation

Optical Features Retained in Argentina’s Revamped Tax Stamps

News in Brief

Ultra-Thin Lenses That Make Infrared Light Visible

Legacy and Future Vision: A Dialogue with Hueck Folien’s Leadership

IOTA’s First Webinar: A Resounding Success

Fluorescent, Semi-Transparent Window Boosts Banknote Security

Global Leaders Join IOTA to Shape Future of Optical Security

Seamless Drum Moulds with Nano and Microscale Structures

Oberthur Expands Optical Security with Kryptonome

Global Momentum Builds for DOVIDs in Travel Documents

News In Brief

ZEISS and tesa Partner for Industrial-Scale Holography

Q&T’s POLYSECURE® SHIELD Embeds OVDs into Polymer Substrate

NANOSWITCH Success Strengthens Hueck Folien and IQS Collaboration

DNP Backs Laxton for Global Authentication Expansion

Optical Upgrade: Uttarakhand Introduces New Tax Stamps

Spotlight on Award-Winning Optical Security Innovations

Real-Time Holographic Conversion From 2D Video

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