DIFFRACTION GRATING AND FABRICATION TECHNIQUE FOR SAME

摘要

Large, high quality diffraction gratings having carefully formed blazing angles and defect free reflective surfaces can be fabricated on specially oriented substrates using photolithographic or micromachining techniques. By selecting a single crystal substrate whose surface is at a known angle with respect to certain crystallographic planes of the substrate, anisotropic etching of the substrate can achieve diffraction grating grooves with reflective surfaces corresponding to the specific crystallographic planes. The angle between the surface of the substrate and the specific crystallographic planes determines the blazing angle of the diffraction grating. Thus, large, high quality diffraction gratings can be fabricated for use in, for example, laser systems, or for use as master gratings in the manufacture of replica gratings.