Dynamic fluorescent patterns inspired by cuttlefish for anti-counterfeiting applications

Abstract

Dynamic fluorescent patterns that convert external stimulation into intuitive color changes have drawn significant interest in various fields. However, the complex synthesis of materials with multiple emissions and technical barriers in the flexible fabrication of full-color fluorescent patterns hinder their applicability in diverse scenarios. Here, we present a bioinspired dynamic fluorescent pattern fabricated by femtosecond laser-induced forward transfer (FsLIFT), inspired by cuttlefish. The elastomeric substrate can contract and expand as muscle fibers of cuttlefish, and the patterned red, green, and blue quantum dot (QD) films can be regarded as pigment cells, achieving bionic preparation of function and morphology similar to cuttlefish. Notably, the fluorescent patterns can be modulated by manipulating strains and excitations. Using this bioinspired strategy, we successfully produced an advanced fluorescent anti-counterfeiting label via FsLIFT, which can only be recognized under specific strain and excitation light conditions. These dynamic fluorescent patterns show broad application potential in anti-counterfeiting, wearable devices, and information encryption.