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The Fourier modal method (FMM), often also referred to as rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA), is known to suffer from numerical instabilities when applied to low-loss metallic gratings under TM incidence. This problem has so far been attributed to the imperfect conditioning of the matrices to be diagonalized. The present analysis based on a modal vision reveals that the so-called instabilities are true features of the solution of the mathematical problem of a binary metal grating dealt with by truncated Fourier representation of Maxwell's equations. The extreme sensitivity of this solution to the optogeometrical parameters is the result of the excitation, propagation, coupling, interference, and resonance of a finite number of very slow propagating spurious modes. An astute management of these modes permits a complete and safe removal of the numerical instabilities at the price of an arbitrarily small and controllable reduction in accuracy as compared with the referenced true-mode method.

A resonant grating mirror comprising a multilayer submirror and a grating slab waveguide submirror exhibiting constructive mutual reflection is shown experimentally to provide zero transmission. Its reflection line width of less than 1 nm, its polarization selectivity and low overall loss make the device usable as a longitudinal mode filter in a disk laser in the 1000-1100 nm wavelength range.

International audienceBetween 98% and 100% flat top efficiency –1st order TE diffraction over a 40 nm wavelength range centered at 800 nm can be obtained by an all-dielectric grating structure where the corrugation is etched in a high index layer unlike in the state of the art. 98% maximum efficiency and a wide-band top-hat diffraction efficiency spectrum are demonstrated experimentally

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