Blazed vs Sinusoidal Gratings

A diffraction grating can have a sinusoidal or blazed profile. A sinusoidal grating (usually just referred to as a holographic grating) generally offers lower efficiency than a blazed grating, but often gives a broader spectral coverage. A blazed grating has a ‘saw tooth’ profile and normally offers higher efficiency.

Sinusoidal Profile:

Blazed Profile:

To read more about blazed gratings please see Types of Diffraction Grating.