Abstract: An apparatus for deflecting beams of radiated energy, for example, laser beams, includes a primary deflector capable of deviating the incident beams into a plurality of directions, e.g., under the control of an electric field or by other means. In order to amplify the angular deflection so obtained, a set of essentially parallel diffraction gratings intercepts the deviated beams. The grating parameters are so chosen that each of the incident beams, arriving at slightly different incident angles, is diffracted by at least one grating in the set of diffraction gratings. Since the diffraction angle is substantially larger than the incident angle, an effective amplification of the angular deflection results.The apparatus is adaptable to deflection in a plane and may be used for storing information in holograms.