Security element

A method for manufacturing a security element comprising a micro-optical moiré magnification arrangement, in which a motif image that consists of a planar periodic or at least locally periodic arrangement of a plurality of micromotif elements, and a planar periodic or at least locally periodic arrangement of a plurality of microfocusing elements are arranged such that the micromotif elements are perceptible in magnification when viewed through the microfocusing elements, wherein the micro-optical moiré magnification arrangement further comprises an optical spacing layer joined to the motif image and the arrangement of microfocusing elements,

• wherein the motif image comprising two or more sub-regions comprising micromotif elements that differ from each other in their contrast are developed in such a way that, due to the contrast differences in the micromotif elements, the shape of the sub-regions forms a perceptible macroscopic piece of image information in the form of characters, patterns or codes;
• wherein the micromotif elements in different sub-regions are developed having a different line width and/or different line depth and/or different color in order to produce the contrast differences in the micromotif elements;
• and
• wherein the motif image and the arrangement of microfocusing elements are joinedly arranged at opposing surfaces of the optical spacing layer.