Modal analysis of diffraction by snake gratings using a tensor product of pseudo-periodic functions and Legendre polynomials.

The problem of diffraction by snake gratings is presented and formulated as an eigenvalue eigenvector problem. A numerical solution is obtained thanks to the method of moments where a tensor product of pseudo-periodic functions and Legendre polynomials is used as expansion and test functions. The method is validated by comparison with the usual Fourier modal method (FMM) as applied to crossed gratings. Our method is shown to be more efficient than the FMM in the case of metallic gratings.