Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39779668›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Bright and stable anti-counterfeiting devices with independent stochastic processes covering multiple length scales.

Junfang Zhang, Adam Creamer, Kai Xie, Jiaqing Tang, Luke Salter, Jonathan P Wojciechowski, Molly M Stevens

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Designing Physical Unclonable Functions From Optically Active Materials.Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) · 2025
    Review
  7. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Junfang Zhang *Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering Imperial College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-2002-2649
Adam Creamer *Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering Imperial College London, London, UK.
Kai XieDepartment of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering Imperial College London, London, UK.
Jiaqing TangDepartment of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering Imperial College London, London, UK.
Luke SalterDepartment of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering Imperial College London, London, UK.
Jonathan P WojciechowskiDepartment of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering Imperial College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6272-515X
Molly M StevensDepartment of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, Institute of Biomedical Engineering Imperial College London, London, UK. molly.stevens@dpag.ox.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7335-266X

Funding

Cancer Research UK (CRUK) 100063Medical Research Council MR/R015651/1RCUK | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) BB/L015129/1RCUK | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) BB/T017929/1RCUK | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) EP/L016702/1RCUK | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) EP/R00529X/1Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust (Wellcome) 104931/Z/14/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Physical unclonable functions (PUFs) are considered the most promising approach to address the global issue of counterfeiting. Current PUF devices are often based on a single stochastic process, which can be broken, especially since their practical encoding capacities can be significantly lower than the theoretical value. Here we present stochastic PUF devices with features across multiple length scales, which incorporate semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPNs) as fluorescent taggants. The SPNs exhibit high brightness, photostability and size tunability when compared to the current state-of-the-art taggants. As a result, they are easily detectable and highly resilient to UV radiation. By embedding SPNs in photoresists, we generate PUFs consisting of nanoscale (distribution of SPNs within microspots), microscale (fractal edges on microspots), and macroscale (random microspot array) designs. With the assistance of a deep-learning model, the resulting PUFs show both near-ideal performance and accessibility for general end users, offering a strategy for next-generation security devices.

Identifiers

PMID39779668
PMCPMC11711641

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.