A numerically stable method is presented for the analysis of diffraction gratings of arbitrary profile, depth, and in conical mountings. It is based on the classical modal method and uses a stack of lamellar gratpermittivity to approximate an arbitrary profile. A numerical procedure known as the R-matrix propagation aling layers gorithm is used to propagate the modal fields through the layers. This procedure renders the implementation of this new method completely immune to the numerical instability that is associated with the conventional algorithm. Numerical examples including diffraction efficiencies of both dielectric and metallic propagation gratings of depths that range from subwavelength to hundreds of wavelengths are presented. Information about the convergence and the computation time of the method is also included.
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Illustration of the Numerical Instability of the T-Matrix Propagation Algorithma
N
R−1
T−1
e∑
5
0.40296(−2)
0.34246
0.203(−1)
13
0.33724(−2)
0.33892
0.128(−3)
21
0.33710(−2)
0.33888
0.879(−5)
29
0.33405(−2)
0.33865
−0.184(−3)
37
0.20989
0.89279(−5)
0.809(−1)
45
0.72681(+2)
0.11770(−6)
0.171(+3)
Exact
0.33706(−2)
0.33888
−0.122(−14)
R−1 and T−1 are diffraction efficiencies, and e∑ is the sum of the efficiencies minus one. The integers in parentheses are base-ten exponents. The grating is symmetrical. The plane wave is incident normally and TE polarized. Other values of the parameters are ∊(+1) = 1.0, ∊(−1) = (1.65)2, λ = 0.6328d, h1 = h2 = 0.25d, x2,1 − x1,1 = 0.6d, and x2,2 − x1,2 = 0.2d.
Table 2
Comparison of the Numerical Results of the Present Study and the Results of Chuang and Kong16 for a Sinusoidal Dielectric Grating in a Conical Mountinga
Diffraction Order
Chuang and Kong
Present Paper
Chuang and Kong
Present Paper
R−3
0.1121(−1)
0.11230(−1)
0.2076(−1)
0.20818(−1)
R−2
0.3738(−1)
0.37471(−1)
0.3564(−1)
0.35725(−1)
R−1
0.3875(−1)
0.38568(−1)
0.7006(−2)
0.70720(−2)
R0
0.1032
0.10300
0.1071(−1)
0.10716(−1)
T−5
0.1555(−3)
0.19070(−3)
0.3122(−3)
0.49460(−3)
T−4
0.2934(−4)
0.25231(−4)
0.4914(−3)
0.59074(−3)
T−3
0.7523(−2)
0.74235(−2)
0.1637(−1)
0.16219(−1)
T−2
0.4893(−1)
0.49520(−1)
0.9429(−1)
0.96267(−1)
T−1
0.9950(−1)
0.99081(−1)
0.1676
0.16902
T0
0.7127(−1)
0.71571(−1)
0.4624(−1)
0.46401(−1)
T1
0.5181
0.51845
0.5597
0.55621
T2
0.6381(−1)
0.63408(−1)
0.4108(−1)
0.40467(−1)
Sum
1.0000
0.99993
1.0000
1.00000
The case is taken from Tables 1 and 2 of Ref. 16. The incident wave vector forms a 75° angle with the z axis, and its projection in the x–y plane forms a 60° angle with the y axis. Other values of the parameters are ∊(−1)/∊(+1) = 4.0, d/λ = 2.0, h/λ = 0.6, M = 50, and N = 41.
Table 3
Diffraction Efficiencies of Sinusoidal Dielectric Gratings of Four Groove Depth-to-Period Ratiosa
Diffraction Order
h/d = 0.1
h/d = 1.0
h/d = 10 MMM
h/d = 100 MMM
MMM
RFM
MMM
IM
(a) TE Polarization
R−2
0.61092(−3)
0.60804(−3)
0.33921(−2)
0.417(−2)
0.95722(−3)
0.11639(−2)’
R−1
0.96767(−2)
0.96660(−2)
0.76680(−3)
0.945(−3)
0.17554(−3)
0.77516(−3)
R0
0.41656(−1)
0.41686(−1)
0.20552(−2)
0.256(−2)
0.14991(−2)
0.10110(−2)
T−3
0.70696(−5)
0.67940(−5)
0.19936(−1)
0.173(−1)
0.29696(−2)
0.16525(−2)
T−2
0.46550(−4)
0.45917(−4)
0.15202
0.145
0.49744
0.19831
T−1
0.16766(−1)
0.16740(−1)
0.49591
0.496
0.41107
0.79592(−1)
T0
0.87272
0.87282
0.20795
0.211
0.67499(−1)
0.68959
T1
0.58522(−1)
0.58430(−1)
0.11798
0.128
0.18383(−1)
0.27908(−1)
(b) TM Polarization
R−2
0.77607(−3)
0.76830(−3)
0.17302(−2)
0.145(−2)
0.58514(−4)
0.19653(−2)
R−1
0.91238(−2)
0.90746(−2)
0.66721(−3)
0.816(−3)
0.12167(−5)
0.21009(−3)
R0
0.14948(−1)
0.14876(−1)
0.18662(−3)
0.306(−3)
0.10463(−3)
0.24559(−3)
T3
0.78879(−5)
0.52827(−5)
0.12821(−1)
0.122(−1)
0.64171(−3)
0.41496(−2)
T−2
0.59184(−4)
0.59931(−4)
0.21339
0.212
0.18693
0.13827
T−1
0.14850(−1)
0.14826(−1)
0.46158
0.464
0.27573
0.85497(−1)
T0
0.93539
0.93586
0.18362
0.186
0.52608
0.75031
T1
0.24849(−1)
0.24527(−1)
0.12600
0.127
0.10448(−1)
0.19358(−1)
The values of the parameters are ∊(+) = 1.0, ∊(−1) = (0.3 + i7.0)2, θ = 30°, ϕ = 0, d/λ = 1.7, M = 50, and N = 41. MMM stands for the present multilayer modal method, RFM stands for the Rayleigh–Fourier method, and IM stands for the integral method.
Table 4
Diffraction Efficiencies of Sinusoidal Metallic Gratings of Four Groove Depth-to-Period Ratiosa
The values of the parameters are ∊(+1) = 1.0, ∊(−1) = (0.3 + i7.0)2, θ = 30°, ϕ = 0, d/λ = 1.7, M = 50, and N = 51. MMM stands for the present multilayer modal method, RFM stands for the Rayleigh–Fourier method, and IM stands for the integral method.
Same parameter values as in (a), except that M = 10 and N = 105.
Tables (4)
Table 1
Illustration of the Numerical Instability of the T-Matrix Propagation Algorithma
N
R−1
T−1
e∑
5
0.40296(−2)
0.34246
0.203(−1)
13
0.33724(−2)
0.33892
0.128(−3)
21
0.33710(−2)
0.33888
0.879(−5)
29
0.33405(−2)
0.33865
−0.184(−3)
37
0.20989
0.89279(−5)
0.809(−1)
45
0.72681(+2)
0.11770(−6)
0.171(+3)
Exact
0.33706(−2)
0.33888
−0.122(−14)
R−1 and T−1 are diffraction efficiencies, and e∑ is the sum of the efficiencies minus one. The integers in parentheses are base-ten exponents. The grating is symmetrical. The plane wave is incident normally and TE polarized. Other values of the parameters are ∊(+1) = 1.0, ∊(−1) = (1.65)2, λ = 0.6328d, h1 = h2 = 0.25d, x2,1 − x1,1 = 0.6d, and x2,2 − x1,2 = 0.2d.
Table 2
Comparison of the Numerical Results of the Present Study and the Results of Chuang and Kong16 for a Sinusoidal Dielectric Grating in a Conical Mountinga
Diffraction Order
Chuang and Kong
Present Paper
Chuang and Kong
Present Paper
R−3
0.1121(−1)
0.11230(−1)
0.2076(−1)
0.20818(−1)
R−2
0.3738(−1)
0.37471(−1)
0.3564(−1)
0.35725(−1)
R−1
0.3875(−1)
0.38568(−1)
0.7006(−2)
0.70720(−2)
R0
0.1032
0.10300
0.1071(−1)
0.10716(−1)
T−5
0.1555(−3)
0.19070(−3)
0.3122(−3)
0.49460(−3)
T−4
0.2934(−4)
0.25231(−4)
0.4914(−3)
0.59074(−3)
T−3
0.7523(−2)
0.74235(−2)
0.1637(−1)
0.16219(−1)
T−2
0.4893(−1)
0.49520(−1)
0.9429(−1)
0.96267(−1)
T−1
0.9950(−1)
0.99081(−1)
0.1676
0.16902
T0
0.7127(−1)
0.71571(−1)
0.4624(−1)
0.46401(−1)
T1
0.5181
0.51845
0.5597
0.55621
T2
0.6381(−1)
0.63408(−1)
0.4108(−1)
0.40467(−1)
Sum
1.0000
0.99993
1.0000
1.00000
The case is taken from Tables 1 and 2 of Ref. 16. The incident wave vector forms a 75° angle with the z axis, and its projection in the x–y plane forms a 60° angle with the y axis. Other values of the parameters are ∊(−1)/∊(+1) = 4.0, d/λ = 2.0, h/λ = 0.6, M = 50, and N = 41.
Table 3
Diffraction Efficiencies of Sinusoidal Dielectric Gratings of Four Groove Depth-to-Period Ratiosa
Diffraction Order
h/d = 0.1
h/d = 1.0
h/d = 10 MMM
h/d = 100 MMM
MMM
RFM
MMM
IM
(a) TE Polarization
R−2
0.61092(−3)
0.60804(−3)
0.33921(−2)
0.417(−2)
0.95722(−3)
0.11639(−2)’
R−1
0.96767(−2)
0.96660(−2)
0.76680(−3)
0.945(−3)
0.17554(−3)
0.77516(−3)
R0
0.41656(−1)
0.41686(−1)
0.20552(−2)
0.256(−2)
0.14991(−2)
0.10110(−2)
T−3
0.70696(−5)
0.67940(−5)
0.19936(−1)
0.173(−1)
0.29696(−2)
0.16525(−2)
T−2
0.46550(−4)
0.45917(−4)
0.15202
0.145
0.49744
0.19831
T−1
0.16766(−1)
0.16740(−1)
0.49591
0.496
0.41107
0.79592(−1)
T0
0.87272
0.87282
0.20795
0.211
0.67499(−1)
0.68959
T1
0.58522(−1)
0.58430(−1)
0.11798
0.128
0.18383(−1)
0.27908(−1)
(b) TM Polarization
R−2
0.77607(−3)
0.76830(−3)
0.17302(−2)
0.145(−2)
0.58514(−4)
0.19653(−2)
R−1
0.91238(−2)
0.90746(−2)
0.66721(−3)
0.816(−3)
0.12167(−5)
0.21009(−3)
R0
0.14948(−1)
0.14876(−1)
0.18662(−3)
0.306(−3)
0.10463(−3)
0.24559(−3)
T3
0.78879(−5)
0.52827(−5)
0.12821(−1)
0.122(−1)
0.64171(−3)
0.41496(−2)
T−2
0.59184(−4)
0.59931(−4)
0.21339
0.212
0.18693
0.13827
T−1
0.14850(−1)
0.14826(−1)
0.46158
0.464
0.27573
0.85497(−1)
T0
0.93539
0.93586
0.18362
0.186
0.52608
0.75031
T1
0.24849(−1)
0.24527(−1)
0.12600
0.127
0.10448(−1)
0.19358(−1)
The values of the parameters are ∊(+) = 1.0, ∊(−1) = (0.3 + i7.0)2, θ = 30°, ϕ = 0, d/λ = 1.7, M = 50, and N = 41. MMM stands for the present multilayer modal method, RFM stands for the Rayleigh–Fourier method, and IM stands for the integral method.
Table 4
Diffraction Efficiencies of Sinusoidal Metallic Gratings of Four Groove Depth-to-Period Ratiosa
The values of the parameters are ∊(+1) = 1.0, ∊(−1) = (0.3 + i7.0)2, θ = 30°, ϕ = 0, d/λ = 1.7, M = 50, and N = 51. MMM stands for the present multilayer modal method, RFM stands for the Rayleigh–Fourier method, and IM stands for the integral method.
Same parameter values as in (a), except that M = 10 and N = 105.