Accurate Morphology-Related Diffraction Behavior of Light-Induced Surface Relief Gratings on Azopolymers

Holographic relief gratings can be fabricated directly on the surface of azobenzene-containing materials (or simply azomaterials) without additional development steps. Despite often being described to have ideal sinusoidal profiles, developing morphology in large amplitude affect light distribution writing interferogram, causing profile deformations and deviations expected diffraction behavior. In this work, we characterize temporal evolution grating (SRG) by means interference lithography azopolymer films, quantitatively relating results a Fourier analysis their profiles accurate measurement efficiencies transmitted orders. A reliable structuration dynamics is empirically extracted from used formulate simple but detailed model that, within scalar theory, exhaustively describes behavior real SRGs need complex rigorous electromagnetic theories. Our add deeper insight quantitative description SRGs, which contribute adoption for operating high-performance, reconfigurable, compact, lightweight diffractive optical devices.