Abstract: A diffractive optical element for imposing a phase distribution on a transverse beam profile of a laser beam includes surface elements that adjoin one another and form a sheet-like grating structure. Each surface element is assigned a phase shift value. The phase shift values define a two-dimensional phase distribution. The two-dimensional phase distribution has a beam center position, which defines a radial direction in the sheet-like grating structure. The surface elements are assigned to a plurality of angle segments. Each angle segment has an azimuthal segment width with respect to the beam center position. The phase shift values in the angle segments form radially symmetrical phase profiles respectively with respect to the beam center position. The radially symmetrical phase profiles form in the radial direction grating functions that have a same grating period. A segment grating phase is assigned to each of the grating functions.