EP3188916B1 - Optical variable security element - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an optically variable security element for securing valuables, having a feature area that exhibits at least two different optically variable effects. The invention also relates to a method for producing such a security element and a correspondingly equipped data carrier.

Data carriers, such as valuables or identity documents, or other valuables, such as branded articles, are often provided with security elements for the purpose of security, which permit verification of the authenticity of the data carriers and at the same time serve as protection against unauthorized reproduction. Security elements with viewing-angle-dependent effects play a special role in the authentication of authenticity since they can not be reproduced even with the most modern copiers. The security elements are thereby equipped with optically variable elements that give the viewer a different image impression under different viewing angles and, for example, show a different color or brightness impression and / or another graphic motif depending on the viewing angle.

In this context, it is known to use security elements with multilayer thin-film elements whose color impression changes with the viewing angle for the viewer (referred to below as the color-shift effect). It is also known to combine color-shifting areas with microstructured surface areas, such as holograms, both for safety reasons and for design reasons. Because of the production in separate operations with different production processes, unavoidable register fluctuations inevitably occur. so that it is currently not possible to produce microstructured surface areas and color-shifting areas register-accurate in the exact register. Based on this, the invention has the object to provide a security element of the type mentioned, in which the different optically variable effects are arranged in register with each other.

The document WO 02/00445 A1 discloses a security element according to the preamble of claim 1.

• der Merkmalsbereich in einem ersten Teilbereich mit einer Mikrostruktur versehen ist, die einen ersten optisch variablen Effekt aufweist,
• in einem zweiten Teilbereich des Merkmalsbereichs keine Mikrostruktur vorliegt,
• der Merkmalsbereich mit einem die Mikrostruktur überdeckenden Dünnschichtelement mit Interferenzschichtaufbau versehen ist, welches im zweiten Teilbereich als zweiten optisch variablen Effekt einen Farbkippeffekt erzeugt, und
• der Interferenzschichtaufbau des Dünnschichtelements im ersten und zweiten Teilbereich eine aufgedruckte dielektrische Schicht umfasst, durch die der Farbkippeffekt in dem die Mikrostruktur aufweisenden ersten Teilbereich für das bloße Auge unterdrückt ist, so dass im ersten Teilbereich nur der erste optisch variable Effekt der Mikrostruktur und im zweiten Teilbereich als zweiter optisch variabler Effekt der Farbkippeffekt des Dünnschichtelements vorliegt.

This object is solved by the features of the independent claims. Further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.
According to the invention, it is provided in a generic security element that

• the feature area is provided in a first subregion with a microstructure having a first optically variable effect,
• there is no microstructure in a second subarea of the feature area,
• the feature region is provided with a thin-film element covering the microstructure with an interference layer structure, which produces a color-shift effect in the second subregion as the second optically variable effect, and
• the interference layer structure of the thin-film element in the first and second subregions comprises a printed dielectric layer, by which the color shift effect is suppressed in the first partial area having the microstructure to the naked eye, so that in the first partial area only the first optically variable effect of the microstructure and in the second partial area as second optically variable effect the color shift effect of the thin film element is present.

Without wishing to be bound by any particular explanation, the suppression of the color shift effect in the first subregion is currently attributable to the fact that the dielectric layer material runs to some extent during printing and the surface of the dielectric thus does not or at least does not extend to the elevations and depressions of the microstructure can completely follow. This results in locally different dielectric layer thicknesses. Since the local thickness of the dielectric determines the colors at which constructive and destructive interference occurs, and thus also determines the color of the reflected light, the color-shifting layer system reflects different colors depending on the local thickness of the dielectric material. Averaged over larger surfaces, the different colors produce a gray or silvery hue, depending on the brightness.

In principle, all types of printable liquid coatings can be used for the dielectric layer. The printed varnish is cured after application, all known physical and chemical drying methods come into question.

Since the dielectric layer is applied equally in the first and second subarea, but the color shift effect of the thin film element is only visible in the second subarea while it is suppressed in the first subarea, especially in the region of the microstructures, the result is special Advantage that the different optically variable effects of the first and second sub-range are automatically matched and without additional measures to each other.

The first section advantageously shows a non-colored, metallic, typically silvery appearance. Through the use of non-ferrous metals or colored precious metals, however, other, non-silvery metallic color impressions can be obtained. For example, the reflective layer of the thin-film element can be formed from copper, which produces a reddish metallic appearance in the first subregion.

Advantageously, the printed dielectric layer has a locally irregular layer thickness in the first partial region having the microstructure, preferably with a thickness variation of 10% or more, particularly preferably 20% or more, 40% or more and in particular 60% or more , In this case, the thickness variation is related to the greatest layer thickness, so that, for example, a dielectric layer whose thickness varies between 240 nm and 300 nm has a thickness variation of 20%.

In advantageous embodiments, the interference layer structure of the thin-film element comprises a reflection layer, an absorber layer and a dielectric spacer layer arranged between the reflection layer and the absorber layer. The interference layer structure may advantageously also comprise two absorber layers and a dielectric spacer layer arranged between the two absorber layers. As explained in more detail below, the dielectric spacer layer need not only be formed by the printed dielectric layer, but may be formed also comprise two or more sub-layers, in particular a vapor-deposited dielectric layer and a printed dielectric layer.

The first subregion preferably has a microscopic rainbow color shift effect that can only be recognized under magnification. The microscopic rainbow color shift effect is preferably composed of a plurality of microscopic color dots of different colors, the largest dimension of the microscopic color dots being between 1 μm and 80 μm, preferably between 1 μm and 20 μm, particularly preferably between 2 μm and 5 μm. This microscopic rainbow color-shift effect can be used as a higher-level mark of authenticity, which can be tested only with special tools, such as a strong magnifying glass or a microscope.

According to one development of the invention, the first subregion has in its interior a recessed region in which the dielectric spacer layer is recessed in the interference layer structure of the thin-film element. The recessed area advantageously has a largest dimension between 10 μm and 200 μm, preferably between 20 μm and 150 μm. Such a recessed area can provide further hidden authenticity feature, since the recessed area and the rest of the first area have the same appearance when viewed with the naked eye, but the enlarged microscopic rainbow color-shift effect in the recessed area can be detected by magnified viewing. Even larger recesses with largest dimensions of several millimeters are conceivable. Such large recessed areas can not be detected with a conventional microscope as a whole, the authenticity can be in the peripheral areas of the Recess areas occur where the transitions from colorless areas and "rainbow" areas are visible in the microscope.

• der Merkmalsbereich in dem dritten Teilbereich mit einer Mikrostruktur versehen ist, die einen optisch variablen Effekt aufweist,
• in dem vierten Teilbereich des Merkmalsbereichs keine Mikrostruktur vorliegt, und
• der Interferenzschichtaufbau des Dünnschichtelements im dritten und vierten Teilbereich eine aufgedampfte dielektrische Schicht, aber keine aufgedruckte dielektrische Schicht enthält, so dass das Dünnschichtelement im dritten und vierten Teilbereich einen Farbkippeffekt erzeugt, der im dritten Teilbereich dem optisch variablen Effekt der Mikrostruktur überlagert ist.

Another development of the invention consists in that the feature area of the security element has, in addition to the first and second subarea, a third and fourth subarea, wherein

• the feature region in the third subregion is provided with a microstructure which has an optically variable effect,
• there is no microstructure in the fourth subregion of the feature region, and
• the interference layer structure of the thin-film element in the third and fourth partial area contains a vapor-deposited dielectric layer, but no printed dielectric layer, so that the thin-layer element generates a color shift effect in the third and fourth partial area, which is superimposed in the third partial area on the optically variable effect of the microstructure.

As explained in more detail below, a feature area with four different, matched, optically variable effects can be generated in this way.

The interference layer structure of the thin-film element advantageously contains the vapor-deposited dielectric layer in all four subregions, so that it forms a dielectric spacer layer of the thin-film element in the first and second subarea together with the printed dielectric layer.

It can advantageously be provided that the microstructure of the third subregion is identical to the microstructure of the first subregion and generates the same optically variable effect. Overall, however, the first and third sub-areas still show different appearances, since the thin-film element generates a color-shift effect in the third sub-area, while the color-shift effect in the first sub-area is suppressed. The first subregion therefore only shows the optically variable effect produced by the microstructure, while this optically variable effect in the third subregion is combined with the color shift effect of the thin film element.

The microstructure of the first subregion is advantageously formed by a diffractive relief structure, such as a hologram structure, by a micromirror structure, by a microlens structure or by a microcavity structure. If the feature area contains the abovementioned third subarea, the microstructure of the third subarea may alternatively or additionally be formed by one of the structures mentioned. As mentioned, the microstructures of the first and third subregions are preferably identical.

The invention also includes a data carrier with a security element of the type described. The data carrier may in particular be a value document, such as a banknote, in particular a paper banknote, a polymer banknote or a film composite banknote, a share, a bond, a certificate, a coupon , a check, a high-quality entrance ticket, as well as an identification card, such as a credit card, a bank card, a cash card, an authorization card, an identity card or a pass personalization page.

• ein Trägersubstrat in einem ersten Teilbereich des Merkmalsbereichs mit einer Mikrostruktur versehen wird, die einen ersten optisch variablen Effekt aufweist,
• in einem zweiten Teilbereich des Merkmalsbereichs keine Mikrostruktur vorgesehen wird,
• der Merkmalsbereich mit einem die Mikrostruktur überdeckenden Dünnschichtelement mit Interferenzschichtaufbau versehen wird, welches im zweiten Teilbereich als zweiten optisch variablen Effekt einen Farbkippeffekt erzeugt, und
• der Interferenzschichtaufbau des Dünnschichtelements im ersten und zweiten Teilbereich mit einer als flüssiger Lack aufgedruckten dielektrischen Schicht erzeugt wird, durch die der Farbkippeffekt in dem die Mikrostruktur aufweisenden ersten Teilbereich für das bloße Auge unterdrückt ist, so dass im ersten Teilbereich nur der erste optisch variable Effekt der Mikrostruktur und im zweiten Teilbereich als zweiter optisch variabler Effekt der Farbkippeffekt des Dünnschichtelements vorliegt.

The invention further includes a method for producing an optically variable security element of the type described above, in which

• a carrier substrate in a first subregion of the feature region is provided with a microstructure having a first optically variable effect,
• no microstructure is provided in a second subarea of the feature area,
• the feature region is provided with a thin-film element covering the microstructure with an interference layer structure, which produces a color-shift effect in the second subregion as the second optically variable effect, and
• the interference layer structure of the thin-film element is produced in the first and second partial area with a dielectric layer printed as a liquid lacquer which suppresses the color-shift effect in the first subarea having the microstructure to the naked eye, so that in the first subarea only the first optically variable effect of FIG Microstructure and in the second subregion as a second optically variable effect of the color shift effect of the thin film element is present.

In an advantageous variant of the method, firstly a reflection layer or absorber layer is vapor-deposited in the first and second subarea for the production of the thin-film element. If a dielectric layer is vapor-deposited, then a dielectric layer in the form of a dielectric layer is applied imprinted liquid paint, and finally an absorber layer is evaporated.

Further exemplary embodiments and advantages of the invention are explained below with reference to the figures, in the representation of which a representation true to scale and proportion has been dispensed with in order to increase the clarity.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung einer Banknote mit einem erfindungsgemäßen optisch variablen Sicherheitselement in Form eines breiten Sicherheitsstreifens,

Fig. 2

das Sicherheitselement der Fig. 1 schematisch in Querschnitt,

Fig. 3

eine Aufsicht auf einen Detailausschnitt einer Weiterbildung des Sicherheitselements der Fig. 1, in dem die dielektrische Schicht in einem kleinen Ausnehmungsbereich im Inneren des Teilbereichs ausgespart ist, und

Fig. 4

schematisch ein komplexeres Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung mit vier Teilbereichen mit vier unterschiedlichen optisch variablen Effekten, wobei (a) eine Aufsicht und (b) einen Querschnitt entlang der Linie B-B von (a) zeigt.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of a banknote with an optically variable security element according to the invention in the form of a wide security strip,

Fig. 2

the security element of Fig. 1 schematically in cross-section,

Fig. 3

a view of a detail of a development of the security element of Fig. 1 in which the dielectric layer is recessed in a small recess area in the interior of the portion, and

Fig. 4

schematically a more complex embodiment of the invention with four sections with four different optically variable effects, wherein (a) shows a plan view and (b) shows a cross section along the line BB of (a).

The invention will now be explained using the example of security elements for banknotes. Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a banknote 10 with an optically variable security element 12 according to the invention Shape of a wide safety strip. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to security strips and banknotes, but may be applied to all types of security elements, such as labels on goods and packaging, or to documents, passports, passports, credit cards, health cards, and the like. In the case of banknotes and similar documents, security threads or transfer elements may be considered in addition to security strips.

The optically variable security element 12 contains a feature area 14, which consists of two partial areas 16, 18, which are distinguished in the figure by different hatchings. The first portion 16 is formed by two silvery squares 20 and the silvery shiny number sequence 22. Next, the first portion 16 shows a first optically variable effect in the form of a running effect, in which when tilting the security element 12, a bright horizontal bar seems to move up or down.

The second subregion 18 is formed by the remaining parts of the feature region 14 and shows a second optically variable effect in the form of a color shift effect, for example with a color change from green when viewed perpendicularly to blue when viewed obliquely. In the first partial area 16, no color-shift effect is recognizable to the viewer, but this area appears to be non-colored with a metallic, in particular silvery, appearance.

The peculiarity of the described security element 12 consists in particular in the fact that the first and second subareas 16, 18 with their different visual appearances are perfectly matched to one another are. If, in conventional designs, the first subregion 16 with its optically variable running effect as a contrast to the color-shifting environment 18 should have a silvery appearance, then the thin-film structure which gives the second subregion 18 its color-shift effect must be recessed in the first subregion 16, since otherwise likewise there Color shift effect is visible. For this purpose, for example, a washing ink must be printed on the first sub-area, with the aid of which the subsequently applied thin-film structure in the first sub-area can be removed again. Since the wash ink is applied in a separate operation to an already suitably structured first portion 16, due to production inevitable Passerschwankungen between the structuring and the recess in the thin film structure, so that the optically variable running effect and the color shift effect can not be arranged in register with each other.

In order nevertheless to achieve a perfect registration of the optical appearances of the first and second partial areas 16, 18, the security element 12 of FIG Fig. 1 the in Fig. 2 schematically shown in cross-section construction.

In this case, a UV-curable embossing lacquer layer 32 is applied to a carrier film 30, for example a PET film, and provided with an embossed microstructure 34 in the first sub-region 16, which in combination with Fig. 1 described running effect generated. The feature area 14 of the security element occupies the entire area of the carrier film 30. The regions of the feature region 14 which are located outside the first subregion 16 provided with the microstructures 34 form the second subregion 18 in which no microstructures are present.

After the embossing of the microstructures 34, an interference layer structure thin-film element 40 comprising a reflective layer 42, a dielectric spacer layer 44 and an absorber layer 46 was applied to the entire feature area 14.

Conventionally, the dielectric spacer layer of such thin film elements is formed by vapor deposition, whereby a dielectric layer of uniform thickness is formed regardless of the local surface texture of the reflective layer 42. In contrast, the dielectric spacer layer 44 of the invention is printed as a liquid paint and subsequently cured. Solvent paints based on nitrocellulose, for example, which have good flow behavior, are very suitable.

By applying the paint in liquid form, the latter runs in the first subregion 16 with the microstructures 34 to a certain extent between the individual structural elements 36, thereby completely or partially leveling the microstructure 34. The dielectric layer 44 therefore does not have a uniform layer thickness in the first subregion 16, so that no large-area color-shift effect visible to the naked eye can form there. Rather, the color-shift effect in the partial region 16 is effectively suppressed and appears substantially non-colored with the silvery appearance of the reflection layer 42.

In the second subregion 18, no microstructures are present, so that the dielectric layer 44 is printed there with a uniform layer thickness on the flat substrate and the thin-film element 40 therefore produces the desired color-shift effect in a manner known per se.

Since the dielectric layer 44 is printed over the entire feature area 14, including the first and second subareas 16, 18, and the suppression of the color shift effect is precisely in the area of the microstructures 34 of the first subarea 16, a perfect registration between the optical elements automatically results without additional measures variable effects of the two partial areas 16, 18, namely between the optically variable running effect of the partial area 16 and the color-shift effect of the partial area 18.

Although the first subregion 16, as explained, exhibits no color shift effect visible to the viewer with the naked eye due to the uneven layer thickness of the dielectric layer 44, the layer thickness of the dielectric layer 44 on a microscopic length scale on the order of the microstructure elements 36 can be substantially constant in sections be. When observing the partial area 16 with a microscope, a microscopic rainbow color-shift effect can then be observed in which the interference colors produced change in rapid succession. Viewed from a distance or without auxiliary means, the multiplicity of microscopic color dots 56 (FIG. Fig. 3 ) to the above-mentioned non-colored overall impression. This microscopic rainbow color-shift effect can be used as a higher-level mark of authenticity, which can be tested only with special tools, such as a strong magnifying glass or a microscope.

With the aid of the described microscopic rainbow color-shift effect, further hidden authenticity features can also be integrated into security elements according to the invention. For illustration shows Fig. 3 a development of the security element 12 in plan view of a detail section 50, in which the dielectric layer 44 in a small recessed area 52 is recessed inside the portion 16. The recessed area is advantageously designed in the form of characters, patterns or a coding, wherein Fig. 3 as an example, the numeral sequence "10" indicates the denomination of the banknote 10.

The recess region 52 is advantageously arranged in the interior of the partial region 16, and is also very small with a dimension of typically 20 μm to 150 μm. A registration of the recessed area 52 to other elements of the security element is therefore not important.

As is the case with the first partial region 16 as a whole, the recessed region 52 does not show a color shift effect because of the dielectric layer 44 missing there, but essentially only the silvery appearance of the reflective layer 42. The presence of the recess region 52 is therefore not visible to the naked eye. Only when looking at the section 50 with a microscope differences are clear. The non-recessed areas 54 of the portion 16 exhibit the above-described microscopic rainbow color-shift effect composed of a plurality of microscopic color dots 56 of different color. The dimension of the microscopic color dots 56 is usually between 1 .mu.m and 10 .mu.m, but it can also be larger in principle, as long as it is below the resolution of the human eye. From this microscopically color-shifting background, the recess area 52 clearly stands out due to the lack of any color effects as a negative representation in the form of the number sequence "10".

Fig. 4 schematically shows a more complex embodiment of the invention with a feature area 62, which consists of four sections 64, 66, 68, 70 with four different optically variable effects. It shows Fig. 4 (a) a plan view of the optically variable security element 60 and Fig. 4 (b) a cross section of the security element 60 along the line BB of Fig. 4 (a) ,

In the security element 60, a UV-curable embossing lacquer layer 32 is applied to a carrier film 30 and provided in the first portion 64 and in the third portion 68 with an embossed microstructure 34, for example, the Fig. 1 described running effect generated. In the second subregion 66 and fourth subregion 70, no microstructures are present.

The entire feature area 62 is provided with a thin-film element 80 with interference layer structure, which is formed by a reflection layer 82 applied in all four subregions 64, 66, 68, 70, a dielectric layer 84 vapor-deposited in all four subregions, only in the first and third subarea 64 66 printed on dielectric layer 86 and an applied again in all four sections 64, 66, 68, 70 absorber layer 88 is formed.

The embodiment of Fig. 4 thus combines the vapor deposition of a dielectric layer 84 with the printing of a dielectric layer 86 as a liquid paint. Since there is a layer sequence of reflection layer, dielectric spacer layer and absorber layer in each subarea, each subarea is provided with a color-shifting thin-film element, even if the layer thickness of the spacer layer is greater in the first and second subareas 64, 66 than in the third and fourth subareas 68, 70.

In the fourth subregion 70, a thin-layer element with reflection layer 82, vapor-deposited dielectric layer 84 and is located on a flat substrate Absorber layer 88 before, which produces a first color shift effect, in the exemplary embodiment about from green to blue. In the second subregion 66, a thin-layer element with reflective layer 82, vapor-deposited dielectric layer 84, printed dielectric layer 86 and absorber layer 88 is present on a flat substrate, which, because of the greater overall thickness of the spacer layer, produces a second, longer-wavelength color-shift effect, in this case from red to green.

In the third subregion 68, a thin-film element with reflection layer 82, vapor-deposited dielectric layer 84 and absorber layer 88 is present on the microstructures 34. Since the deposited dielectric layer 84 has a uniform thickness regardless of the local surface texture of the underlying reflective layer 82, in the third partial region 68 the running effect of the microstructures is superimposed on the first color shift effect (green to blue).

In the first subregion 64, a thin-film element with reflection layer 82, vapor-deposited dielectric layer 84, printed dielectric layer 86 and absorber layer 88 is present on the microstructures 34. In this subarea, the varnish 86 printed in liquid form, as already described above, runs to some extent between the individual structural elements 36 and thereby completely or partially levels the microstructures 34. The dielectric spacer layer consisting of the layers 84, 86 therefore does not have a uniform thickness, so that no large-area color-shift effect visible to the naked eye can form in the first partial region 64. There, therefore, only the running effect of the microstructures 34 without superimposed color shift effect is visible.

Also in the embodiment of Fig. 4 The optically variable effects are perfectly matched. For the first and second sub-areas 64, 66, this registration results, as explained above, from the fact that the suppression of the color-shift effect occurs precisely in the area of the microstructures 34 of the first sub-area 64. The boundary between the third and the fourth subarea 68, 70 is automatically formed at the edge of the microstructures 34 and therefore also has no register fluctuations. Finally, the boundary between the first and third subarea or between the second and fourth subarea is defined by the edge of the printed dielectric layer 86, so that no register fluctuations occur here as well.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

bill

12

security element

14

feature region

16, 18

subregions

20

squares

22

sequence of numbers

30

support film

32

Embossing lacquer layer

34

microstructure

40

thin-film element

42

reflective layer

44

dielectric spacer layer

46

absorber layer

50

callout

52

recess

54

not recessed areas

56

microscopic color dots

60

security element

62

feature region

64, 66, 68, 70

subregions

80

thin-film element

82

reflective layer

84

vapor-deposited dielectric layer

86

printed dielectric layer

88

absorber layer

Claims (15)

1. An optically variable security element (12) for securing valuable articles (10), having a feature region (14) that displays at least two different optically variable effects, wherein

   - the feature region is provided in a first sub-region (16) with a micropattern (34) that has a first optically variable effect,

   - in a second sub-region (18) of the feature region no micropattern is present,

   - the feature region is provided with, covering the micropattern and having an interference layer structure, a thin-film element (40) that, in the second sub-region, produces a color shift effect as the second optically variable effect, characterized in that

   - the interference layer structure of the thin-film element comprises, in the first and second sub-region, an imprinted dielectric layer (44) by which, in the first sub-region having the micropattern, the color shift effect is suppressed for the naked eye such that, in the first sub-region, only the first optically variable effect of the micropattern, and in the second sub-region, as the second optically variable effect, the color shift effect of the thin-film element is present.
2. The security element according to claim 1, characterized in that the imprinted dielectric layer comprises, in the first sub-region having the micropattern, a locally irregular layer thickness, preferably having a thickness variation of 10% or more, particularly preferably 20% or more, 40% or more and especially of 60% or more.
3. The security element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the interference layer structure of the thin-film element comprises a reflection layer, an absorber layer and a dielectric spacing layer arranged between the reflection layer and the absorber layer, or comprises two absorber layers and a dielectric spacing layer arranged between the two absorber layers.
4. The security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the different optically variable effects of the first and second sub-region are registered with each other.
5. The security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first sub-region comprises a microscopic rainbow color-shift effect that is perceptible only in magnification.
6. The security element according to claim 5, characterized in that the microscopic rainbow color-shift effect is composed of a plurality of microscopic color points of different colorings, the largest dimension of the microscopic color points being between 1 µm and 10 µm, preferably between 2 µm and 5 µm.
7. The security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the first sub-region comprises, in its interior, a recess region in which the dielectric spacing layer is omitted in the interference layer structure of the thin-film element.
8. The security element according to claim 7, characterized in that the recess region has a largest dimension between 10 µm and 200 µm, preferably between 20 µm and 150 µm.
9. The security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the feature region comprises, in addition to the first and second sub-region, a third and fourth sub-region, wherein

   - the feature region is provided in the third sub-region with a micropattern that has an optically variable effect,

   - in the fourth sub-region of the feature region no micropattern is present, and

   - the interference layer structure of the thin-film element includes, in the third and fourth sub-region, a vapor-deposited dielectric layer but no imprinted dielectric layer, such that the thin-film element produces, in the third and fourth sub-region, a color-shift effect that, in the third sub-region, is superimposed on the optically variable effect of the micropattern.
10. The security element according to claim 9, characterized in that the interference layer structure of the thin-film element includes the vapor-deposited dielectric layer in all four sub-regions, and in the first and second sub-region, the vapor-deposited dielectric layer, together with the imprinted dielectric layer, forms a dielectric spacing layer of the thin-film element.
11. The security element according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the micropattern of the third sub-region is developed to be identical to the micropattern of the first sub-region and produces the same optically variable effect.
12. The security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the micropattern of the first sub-region and/or of the third sub-region is formed by a diffractive relief pattern, especially a hologram pattern, by a micromirror pattern, by a microlens pattern or by a microcavity pattern.
13. A data carrier having a security element according to at least one of claims 1 to 12.
14. A method for manufacturing an optically variable security element according to one of claims 1 to 12, in which

    - a carrier substrate is provided, in a first sub-region of the feature region, with a micropattern that has a first optically variable effect,

    - in a second sub-region of the feature region no micropattern is provided,

    - the feature region is provided with, covering the micropattern and having an interference layer structure, a thin-film element that, in the second sub-region, produces a color-shift effect as a second optically variable effect, and

    - the interference layer structure of the thin-film element is produced having, in the first and second sub-region and imprinted as a liquid lacquer, a dielectric layer through which, in the first sub-region having the micropattern, the color-shift effect is suppressed for the naked eye such that, in the first sub-region, only the first optically variable effect of the micropattern, and in the second sub-region, as the second optically variable effect, the color-shift effect of the thin-film element is present.
15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, in the first and second sub-region, to produce the thin-film element, first a reflection layer or absorber layer is vapor deposited, optionally a dielectric layer is vapor deposited, then a dielectric layer in the form of a liquid lacquer is imprinted, and finally, an absorber layer is vapor deposited.

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