Scattering of surface waves of a periodic structure by an inhomogeneity (bounded in the plane y, z) is a key problem for the study of the local excitation of diffraction gratings. But until recently even a rigorous statement of this problem has not been given. We will present in what follows an approach for solving the problems of local excitation which is based on investigating the dispersion properties of gratings treated as waveguide structures and the use of spectral data for the Fourier analysis of the corresponding diffraction problems.

Inspec keywords: optical waveguides; periodic structures; diffraction gratings; Fourier analysis; electromagnetic wave scattering

Other keywords: periodic structure; surface wave scattering; dispersion properties; Fourier analysis; diffraction gratings; local excitation; diffraction problems; waveguide structures

Subjects: Electromagnetic waves: theory