Normal-incidence guided-mode resonant grating filters: design and experimental demonstration

Guided-mode resonant grating filters have numerous applications. However, in weakly modulated gratings designed for use at normal incidence, the filtering resonance of these subwavelength-period devices splits for angles of incidence that are even slightly off normal incidence. Strongly modulated gratings are designed that essentially overcome this practical problem near normal incidence. In addition, these gratings can have, by design, either broad or narrow spectral characteristics. An experimental demonstration (1.5-2.0-mu m wavelength range) of such a normal-incidence guided-mode resonant silicon grating upon a sapphire substrate is presented. The measured reflection resonance had a FWHM of 67-100 nm for angles of incidence of 0-8 degrees and peak efficiency of ~80% .