A security element (2) comprising a plastic laminate (1) has a
surface
pattern which is composed mosaic-like at least from surface elements, wherein in
the surface elements a reflecting interface (8) between a shaping layer
(5) and a protective layer (6) of the plastic laminate (1)
forms optically effective structures (9). Light (11) which is incident
on the plastic laminate (1) and which passes through a cover layer (4)
of the plastic laminate (1) and through the shaping layer (5) is
deflected in a predetermined manner by means of the optically effective structures
(9). Shaped in the surface of at least one of the surface elements is a
diffraction structure which is produced by a superimposition of a linear asymmetrical
diffraction grating (24) with a matt structure. The linear asymmetrical
diffraction grating (24) has a spatial frequency from the range of values
of between 50 lines/mm and 2,000 lines/mm. The matt structure has a mean roughness
value from the range of between 20 nm and 2,000 nm and at least in one direction
a correlation length of between 200 nm and 50,000 nm.
