Ruled Plane Gratings for Spectroscopy and Beam Control

Did You Know?

Ruled plane diffraction gratings are produced by physically forming grooves on a reflective surface with a ruling engine. The distance between adjacent grooves and the angle they form with the substrate affect both the dispersion and efficiency of the grating. The first diffraction gratings made for commercial use were mechanically ruled. It was manufactured by burnishing grooves individually with a diamond tool against a thin coating of evaporated metal applied to a plane or concave surface. Today, several types of ruling engines are applied to produce gratings with low Rowland ghosts, high resolving power, and high efficiency uniformity. Ruled gratings can be blazed for specific wave lengths and are generally desired because of their high efficiency. They are often used in systems requiring high resolution, and comprise the majority of diffraction gratings used in spectroscopic instrumentation.
Read more in our Blog

Related Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Ruled plane gratings are flat substrates with a series of parallel grooves mechanically cut (ruled) into the surface with a diamond tool, creating a periodic structure that diffracts light according to the grating equation mλ = d(sinθi + sinθm). Compared to holographic gratings, ruled gratings typically offer higher efficiency in a selected order and blaze angle, but exhibit higher stray light and more ghosting due to groove irregularities inherent to the ruling process.

Ruled Plane Gratings Overview

Ruled Plane Gratings are reflective diffraction gratings fabricated on flat substrates using mechanical ruling or replicated from a ruled master. They are used to disperse or steer light in spectroscopy, laser diagnostics, optical instrumentation, and beam conditioning. On FindLight, you can source Ruled Plane Gratings optimized for UV, visible, and IR operation, with options tailored to monochromators, spectrometers, tunable lasers, and broadband analytical systems.

Typical Specifications of Ruled Plane Gratings

Key parameters for Ruled Plane Gratings include groove density (e.g., 150–3600 lines/mm), blaze wavelength, blaze angle, and ruling profile (blazed vs sinusoidal). Substrates are commonly fused silica, BK7, or metal, with dimensions ranging from a few millimeters up to tens of millimeters in aperture. Surface quality, flatness, and ruling accuracy directly impact stray light, resolving power, and efficiency.

Vendors specify efficiency curves for s- and p-polarization, groove orientation (for in-plane or out-of-plane use), and available coatings such as Al, protected Al, Au, and Ag to match UV, visible, or IR bands. Many Ruled Plane Gratings are offered as classically ruled or as replicated gratings for cost-effective volume deployment.

Use Cases and Application Considerations

Ruled Plane Gratings are widely used in dispersive spectrometers, monochromators, optical spectrum analyzers, laser pulse compressors (in suitable designs), and educational or R&D setups. High groove density is chosen for high spectral resolution over a narrow band, while lower groove density supports wider bandwidth at the expense of dispersion.

Buyer Guidance on FindLight

When evaluating Ruled Plane Gratings on FindLight, compare:

  • Groove density and blaze wavelength versus your target spectral range and required resolution
  • Substrate material and clear aperture versus your beam size and environmental constraints
  • Reflective coating and efficiency curves for the intended wavelength band and polarization
  • Surface quality, ruling method, and available mounting format

You can review detailed datasheets, contrast specifications across multiple Ruled Plane Gratings, and request quotes directly from suppliers. No registration is required to contact vendors, simplifying the sourcing process for procurement engineers and R&D teams.