Diffraction characteristics of photoresist surface-relief gratings

Theoretical results from rigorous coupled-wave analysis are compared with experimental diffraction characteristics for holographically formed dielectric photoresist surface-relief gratings with deep grooves (greater than a grating period) and high diffraction efficiency (>85%). The angular selectivity (at a fixed wavelength) and the wavelength selectivity (at a fixed angle of incidence) are presented for both TE and TM incident polarizations. Modeling the gratings as a surface-relief modulated half-space and using rigorous coupled-wave analysis are shown to produce good general agreement with the experimentally measured diffraction characteristics.