Numerical and experimental study of grating efficiency for synchrotron monochromators

The development of third-generation synchrotron sources has stimulated efforts toward high-resolution monochromators. A good knowledge of grating efficiency is needed to achieve an optimal, compromise between resolution and photon flux. Because simple geometric models fail to describe correctly the gratings properties in the UV-to-soft-X-ray range, we have developed a simulation software based on differential theory. A simplified R-matrix propagation algorithm assures the numerical stability of the code for deep gratings. Our numerical results are compared with previous research on deep gratings. Experimental and numerical studies have been performed on some test cases at a synchrotron source. Very good agreement between numerical prediction and measurement has been found. (C) 1998 Optical Society of America.