Diffraction efficiency of volume gratings with finite size: Corrected analytical solution

Abstract In order to correct errors in a previously published work on a treatment of two-dimensional coupled-wave theory, a complete derivation of the two-dimensional ‘overlap grating’ coupled wave equations is given. By using the Riemann method, a corrected solution to the equations in closed mathematical form is obtained. On the basis of this solution a brief investigation of the diffraction properties of finite-sized gratings, and in particular the dependence of diffraction efficiency on the geometric size of gratings, is given.