A METHOD OF READING DATA REPRESENTED BY A PERIODIC, POLARISING NANOSTRUCTURE

摘要

A method of reading data represented by a marking comprising at least one periodic nanostructure, the marking representing data using a polarisation property of the periodic nanostructure. The method comprises detecting polarised electromagnetic radiation reflected from or transmitted by the nanostructure, and determining the data represented by the marking from the detected polarised electromagnetic radiation, wherein the method further comprises applying polarised electromagnetic radiation to the nanostructure, and/or the detecting is performed using a polarisation-sensitive detector apparatus.