An inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer includes an optical stack with a diffraction grating and an inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer. The inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer includes a stack of film layers with an array of parallel ribs in accordance with P.sub.GP<.lamda./2 where P.sub.GP is the period of the ribs and .lamda. is the wavelength of the light. The diffraction grating includes an array of elongated parallel dielectric ribs in accordance with P.sub.DG>.lamda./2 where P.sub.DG is the period of the ribs.