Laser etched security features for identification documents and methods of making same

1. An article comprising an outer top layer and at least one interior layer, the article conveying one or more of invariant and personalized information, wherein at least some of the one or more of invariant and personalized information is defined by voids that extend into, but not through, the laminate layer, said voids providing a feature that can be felt by touch; and, wherein the article is one or more of: an identification document, a credit card, a phone card, a prepaid card, a smart card, a contact card, a contactless card, a RFID card, an electronic component, a package, a container, a recording media, a label, a tool, a medical device, a consumer product, a toy product, and a tag.

2. The article of claim 1 in which said voids are formed by laser- ablating the outer top layer of the article.

3. The article of claim 2 and wherein the laser- ablating forms a raised feature extending above a top surface of the outer top layer surrounding the voids and provides a tactile effect.

4. The article of claim 2 wherein the laser-ablated voids are formed using a solid state CO 2 laser.

5. The article of claim 1 , wherein at least one layer comprises a polycarbonate.

6. The article of claim 1 , wherein the article further comprises a semi-conductor device.

7. An article comprising at least one interior layer and a laminate layer above the interior layer, an outer surface of the laminate layer defining a top surface of the article, the article conveying one or more of invariant and personalized information, wherein at least some of the information is defined by laser- ablated voids that extend through the top surface of the article, and wherein at least some of said voids are defined by sidewalls that are angled obliquely, rather than perpendicularly, relative to said top surface; wherein the article is one or more of: an identification document, a credit card, a phone card, a prepaid card, a smart card, a contact card, a contactless card, a RFID card, an electronic component, a package, a container, a recording media, a label, a tool, a medical device, a consumer product, a toy product, and a tag; and, wherein said voids define a feature that can be felt by touch.

8. A method of manufacturing an article concerning information about a person, comprising:

printing information on an article core;

applying a laminate layer atop the printed article core; and

laser-ablating the laminate layer to impart a tactile feature thereto, without ablating the document core, said tactile feature containing the information concerning said person; and, wherein the article is one or more of: an identification document, a credit card, a phone card, a prepaid card, a smart card, a contact card, a contactless card, a RFID card, an electronic component, a package, a container, a recording media, a label, a tool, a medical device, a consumer product, a toy product, and a tag.

9. An article comprising at least one layer of material, the top surface of the article including a laser-formed void pattern creating an indicia, the article characterized by raised features that are also laser-formed, said raised features comprising foamed material, the raised features extending above a nominal top surface level of the article to provide a tactile effect that aids in verifying the authenticity of the article; and, wherein the article is one or more of: an identification document, a credit card, a phone card, a prepaid card, a smart card, a contact card, a contactless card, a RFID card, an electronic component, a package, a container, a recording media, a label, a tool, a medical device, a consumer product, a toy product, and a tag.

10. The article of claim 9 , wherein at least one layer of material comprises a polycarbonate.

11. The article of claim 9 , where the article further comprises a semi-conductor device.

12. An article comprising a core layer and at least one outer laminate layer wherein the top surface of the outer laminate layer is laser-ablated to form a pattern, the pattern being substantially non visible when viewed straight on, wherein the pattern provides a feature that can be felt by touch; and wherein the laser-ablating is performed by laser etching at an angle other than approximately 90 degrees to the top surface of the outer laminate layer; and, wherein the article is one or more of: an identification document, a credit card, a phone card, a prepaid card, a smart card, a contact card, a contactless card, a RFID card, an electronic component, a package, a container, a recording media, a label, a tool, a medical device, a consumer product, a toy product, and a tag.