Polarization properties of planar dielectric waveguide gratings

An experimental and theoretical study of polarization properties of planar dielectric waveguide gratings operating at general (oblique) inicidence is reported. The radiation modes coupled out by a surface-relief waveguide grating, when the incident light is not normal to the grating rulings, are linearly polarized for TE excitation and are elliptically polarized for TM excitation. The polarization states of the radiation modes are determined primarily by the polarization state of the principal guided wave in the grating region and by the propagation directions of the radiation modes with respect to the plane of the principal guided wave. Experimental data and numerical results based on three physical models are presented.