Propagation, conversion, and generation of surface light waves in thin films with harmonically modulated refractive indices

A general theory of the conversion of surface H waves is developed for a thin-film sinusoidal amplitude-phase diffraction grating. A detailed analysis is made of the resonant reflection of a surface wave in the first order of the diffraction theory subject to the Bragg conditions. Conditions for the self-excitation of H waves are formulated for a thin-film laser with a distributed feedback based on the resonant reflection in a three-dimensional diffraction grating.