Grazing Diffraction by Volume Phase Gratings

Light diffraction by a volume phase grating with slanted fringes is considered. An analytical solution of the system of second-order coupled wave equations is obtained and applied to the problems of grazing diffraction by a transmission grating. It is shown that a strong backward diffracted wave arises, demonstrating that the grating can behave simultaneously as a transmission and a reflection grating. The diffraction efficiency balance and angular selectivity are analysed.