Colour filter and method for its production

A cholesteric film 1 is formed into an optical device comprising a plurality of layers 17, 18 and 19. The cholesteric film is initially placed in a first predetermined state, for instance heating to a first predetermined temperature, and is then irradiated with narrow band UV radiation. The properties of an upper layer 17 of the film are fixed, for instance for reflecting normally incident infrared radiation of a particular handedness. This process is repeated for different wavelengths of UV fixing radiation so as to penetrate to different depths from the surface 2 of the film 1 in order to form the layers 17, 18 and 19. This method may be used to produce a filter of reduced sensitivity to angle of incidence. In addition to the infrared reflecting layer 17, red and green reflecting layers 18 and 19 are provided. For normally incident radiation, the red and green layers 18 and 19 reflect red and green parts R and G, whereas the blue part B of the spectrum is transmitted. For off-axis illumination or viewing, the red part R is reflected by the infrared layer 17 and the green part G is reflected by the red layer 18. The birefringence of the layers 17 and 18 reverses the direction of circular polarisation of the blue part B, which thus passes through the green layer 19.