MODIFIED METHOD OF SEPARATION OF VARIABLES FOR SOLVING DIFFRACTION PROBLEMS ON MULTILAYER DIELECTRIC GRATINGS

A modified method of separation of variables is proposed for solving the direct problem of diffraction of electromagnetic wave by multilayer dielectric gratings (MDG). To apply this method, it is necessary to solve a one-dimensional eigenvalue problem for a 2nd- order differential equation on a segment with piecewise constant coefficients. The accuracy of the method is verified by comparison with the results obtained by the commercially available RCWA method. It is demonstrated that the method can be applied not only to commonly used MDG elements with one line in a grating period but also to potentially promising MDG elements with several different lines in a grating period.