Photochemical etching of porous Si layers has been shown to be able to create micrometer or submicrometer-scale lateral gratings very promising for photonic applications. However, the reduced size of this lateral periodicity hinders standard measurements of refractive index variations. Therefore accurate characterizations of such gratings are usually difficult. In this paper we address this problem by reproducing on a larger scale (millimeter) the micrometer scale light-induced refractive index variations associated to the lateral periodicity. Using this procedure we perform standard X-ray and optical reflectivity measurements on our samples. One can then proceed to the determination of light-induced variations of porosity and refractive index. We present results for p-type samples, where the photo-dissolution can only be realized after the formation of the porous layer, as well as for n(+)-type samples, where light action can only be effective during the formation of the porous layer. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.