Abstract

The Aztec grating is a deep surface-relief periodic structure having a groove profile that resembles a stepped pyramid. Equally spaced fine vertical steps are superimposed on a coarse horizontal grating. The horizontal grating can be either a linear or honeycomb type. For the zero-order reflection mode the profile comprises a phase-quantized resonant structure for incident light of a given wavelength when the step spacing is a half-wavelength. The bandwidth of the reflected light is inversely proportional to the number of steps. The above behavior is typical of a volume diffractive element. Overcoating a metallized Aztec grating with a dielectric shifts the resonant wave-length to a new value depending on the index of refraction of the dielectric. The structure is suited for replication by metal mastering and molding into plastic.

© 1988 Optical Society of America