Diffraction from angular multiplexing slanted volume hologram gratings

The diffraction characteristics of the volume holographic gratings made by multiexposures with angular multiplexing during its construction is investigated. Because of the reflection by the interface between the emulsion and the substrate or the air there is an extra unslanted periodic structure inside a slanted grating, it will affect properties of the slanted volume holographic gratings. When the angle between the surface of the substrate and the grating plane of the slanted grating is less than a certain value, an extra peak accompanying the main peak will appear in the diffraction spectrum. But, when the angle is larger than the certain value, one designed and expected main peak will disappeared while the extra peak is kept and observed. This phenomenon limits the capacity of the volume hologram for the application in wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM).