To study the orientation-dependence of the diffraction patterns of the reflective grating, we utilize the cylindrical screen. Experiments show the curved, expanded and inclined diffraction patterns.

The textbook-screen in the grating experiments is a planar screen and the diffraction orders distribute linearly in one dimension. The cylindrical screen visually shows that the diffraction orders of a rotating reflective grating distribute in two dimensions. The CCD can be placed at the accurate locations of each order to collect data. By using the cylindrical screen, only two coordinates are needed to describe the curved/expanded/inclined diffraction patterns of the rotating reflective grating. The cylindrical screen may be used to test the theories of the grating rotating around 3 axes.