Micro-optical electromagnetic radiation diffraction grating and method for manufacture

A microscopic electromagnetic radiation diffraction grating comprising:

• a substrate having a surface structure on a surface of said substrate wherein the surface structure comprises linear structural elements arranged substantially equidistantly and aligned substantially parallel to one another, said structural elements having a trapezoidal cross-section forming a linear contour;
• a plastically deformable compensation layer disposed over the surface structure;
• and
• at least one reflecting layer disposed at least partially over said plastically deformable compensation layer;
• said at least one reflecting layer having a substantially continuous uniform surface contoured substantially sinusoidal in wave shape and having alternating arranged wave peaks and wave troughs wherein the substantially continuous uniform surface has a periodic shape independent of the periodic shape of the linear contour of said surface structure formed of the trapezoidal cross-section, wherein the substantially continuous uniform surface is configured to reflect and diffract a radiation incident to the surface of said substrate.