Simple grating synthesis algorithm

Many authors (including this one) have suggested that the problem of synthe sizing a grating from its reflection spectrum is significantly more difficu lt than the direct problem of obtaining the spectrum from the grating, Fort unately, this view is mistaken. One can synthesize a grating from any refle ction spectrum by direct solution of the standard coupled-mode equations wh ile simultaneously evaluating a simple integral to obtain the grating stren gth. This approach has the advantage of being based on a well-understood se t of equations, making it amenable to physical interpretation, mathematical approximation, and generalization. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America OCI S codes; 050.2770, 000.4430.