QuantumTags: Three-Layer Authentication Through Self-Assembly Quantum-Dot Inkjet Printing for…

Integrity and trust are at the heart of humanity and allow for peaceful nations, bonds and trust between multiple parties. However, when that integrity is played with, many become overprotective, people cannot enjoy the common object and once trustful systems are tampered with, connections between communities are disrupted. On a global scale, counterfeit goods are where this integrity is played with the most. Counterfeit pharmaceuticals cause the deaths of millions in developing nations2, counterfeit batteries pose risks to everyday items bursting at any moment and overall, these goods cost the global market over one trillion dollars. Current solutions can easily be reverse-engineered and as the counterfeit epidemic surges, the world needs a solution to make counterfeit goods impossible. The integration of nanotags and harnessing the randomness and uniqueness of quantum dots allow for unclonable tags on each product. These tags are verified by the end-user through a deep learning algorithm. The tags are unclonable by any quantum computer let alone any attacker, ensuring the security of millions of lives and billions of dollars. The global market of counterfeit goods is currently $1.8 trillion and this number is only increasing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a greater urgency for counterfeiting occurred as the global demand for medical supplies continued to increase (2). Not only does counterfeiting cost the global economy trillions of dollars, but it also results in fake pharmaceutical pills, costing millions of lives (2). To add on, 500 identity frauds happen on a daily basis, showcasing how counterfeit goods are reaching an epidemic level (10). In 2015, 10% of all luxury goods in Europe were counterfeit, and the number continues to increase (10).