Security element having a motif-forming liquid-crystal layer

A process for manufacturing a security element for safeguarding articles of value, having a motif layer of liquid-crystal material, which is designed and intended to produce a la-tent motif, wherein, in the process,

• a first embossing varnish layer is applied to a carrier film so as to form an alignment layer for homogeneously orienting a liquid-crystal material,
• the first embossing varnish layer is provided with an embossing in order to produce at least two regions with alignment structures having a different orientation so as to form a second latent motif, and the embossing varnish is cured,
• a motif layer based on a nematic liquid-crystal material in the form of a first latent motif is applied, in regions, directly to the first embossing varnish layer and so as to over-lap the regions forming the second latent motif, wherein the nematic liquid-crystal material is aligned by the alignment structures of the motif-forming regions with a different, homogeneous orientation, such that the motif formed by the different alignment structures is discernible when viewed through a polarizer, wherein at least one of the alignment structures of the motif-forming regions forms a grating pattern with grid lines the spacing between which varies over the surface of the motif-forming region, such that the alignment structure forms an aperiodic grating,
• the nematic liquid-crystal material is cured by exposure to radiation, and
• a single-layer or multilayer second embossing varnish layer is applied over the whole surface of the carrier film with the motif layer, the second embossing varnish layer is provided with an embossing for producing a micro-optical relief structure, and is then provided with a reflection-enhancing coating.