Development and assessment of a novel two-degree-of-freedom vibration generator for generating and hiding optical information

Nanostructure-induced optical information is useful in everyday life, such as information communication and display. However, the machining methods of nanostructures still face several challenges, such as low machining efficiency and low surface quality. Therefore, this paper proposes a two-degree-of-freedom vibration generator to solve these issues. Firstly, the mechanical structure of this device is designed based on the compound bridge-type amplification mechanism. Then, the output stiffness, input stiffness, and dynamic features of this device are theoretically modeled. To mathematically establish the relationship between the nanostructure dimension and the optical information, the generation and hiding principles of optical information are next illustrated. Finally, experiments verify the effectiveness of this device. A quick response code that stores the website information is successfully machined on the workpiece. Besides, an optical number “2021” can be hidden by controlling the facet spacings of nanostructures. This developed vibration generator promotes the functional application of nanostructures, which can be used in information storage and protection.