Multilayer anisotropic bi-periodic diffraction gratings

Abstract

The formalism of Rokushima and Yamakita [J. Opt. Soc. Am. 73 (1983) 901] treating the diffraction on planar multilayered 1D anisotropic gratings is extended to the diffraction on anisotropic 2D multilayer grating structures bi-periodic in the plane parallel to the interfaces. In addition to the oblique incidence of plane waves, the case of normal incidence is also treated. The goal of the paper is to provide a basis for the formal analysis of 2D patterned multilayers with natural or induced anisotropies. For example, such structures are of interest in the design of new magnetic and magneto-optic devices. In view of the fact that the anisotropies have often a negligible effect on the energy distribution among diffracted modes with respect to the isotropic case the optical response is alternatively expressed in terms of the ellipsometric parameters of diffracted waves. The present analysis represents generalization of the problem of electromagnetic wave interactions in planar multilayers consisting of layers characterized by a general permittivity tensor treated by Yeh [J. Opt. Soc. Am. 69 (1979) 742].