High Efficiency Dielectric Reflection Gratings

Abstract

We discuss examples of designs for all-dielectric high-efficiency reflection gratings that tolerate high intensity laser pulses and are, in theory, capable of placing 99% of the incident light into a single diffraction order. The designs are based on placing a dielectric transmission grating atop a high-reflectivity multilayer dielectric stack. We comment on the connection between transmission gratings and reflection gratings and note that many combinations of gratings and multilayer stacks offer high efficiency. Thus it is possible to attain secondary objectives in the design. We describe examples of such designs aimed toward improving fabrication and lowering the susceptibility to laser-induced damage.