We have developed a bandpass infrared interference filter with sufficiently narrow bandwidth to be potentially suitable for tuning a self-stabilizing external-cavity quantum-cascade laser (ECQCL) in single-mode operation and describe the process parameters for fabrication of such filters with central wavelengths in the 3-12 mu m range. The filter has a passband width of 6 nm or 0.14% with peak transmission of 55% and a central wavelength of approximately 4.0 mu m. It can be tuned through over 4% by tilting with respect to the incident beam and offers orders of magnitude larger angular dispersion than diffraction gratings. We compare filters with single-cavity and coupled-cavity Fabry-Perot designs. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.