Questions tagged [diffraction]
Diffraction is defined as the bending or flaring of light around the corners of an obstacle or aperture into the region of geometrical shadow of the obstacle. This flaring is consistent with the spreading of wavelets in the Huygens construction. Diffraction occurs for waves of all types, not just light.
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What is the practical difference between Fresnel diffraction and Fraunhofer diffraction? [duplicate]
Recently, I am studying about waves. I studied about Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction. I understand that the difference between Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction is that, in the first case, the ...
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Limit for the intensity of a light wave in a non-central maxima of diffraction
I am facing a problem in studying diffraction patterns and it is related to the diffraction maxima. In my book I saw the following statement emphasized text(rough translation from original Romanian ...
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In Young's Double Slit Experiment, what happens if one of the slits is being covered gradually?
I am really confused about the result that we will receive when one of the slits in YDSE is gradually being covered. My assumption is that since the phase difference is the same, the positions of ...
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Is this diffraction?
So I tried to replicate the diffraction caused by a single slit. I did it with my phone's flashlight and a piece of paper with a cut. I obtained this image: I tried to cut the slit the thinnest I ...
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Should convolution between point spread function & geometrical prediction of image be carried out before or after magnifying one of the two functions?
In "Introduction to Fourier optics" by Goodman, on page 114 it states that for a diffraction limited imaging system: The ideal image produced by a diffraction-limited optical system (i.e. a ...
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Why diffraction at $N$ slit only depends on the $\beta$?
I actually wanted to throw the question only, but in the field of optics, different books derive the same relation in different ways with different assumptions and different symbols. So before asking ...
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About spatial energy distribution of light emitted by a laser pointer
This question is triggered by a section in the Veritasium video "Infinite Slit Paradox: Something Strange Happens When You Trust QM" about Feynman's path integral that came out on March 5, ...
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Integral of Airy Disk?
I am attempting to simulate the response of a CMOS sensor and would like to account for an Airy Disk diffraction pattern. This is given by: $$ I(\theta) = I_0 \left[\frac{2J_1(x)}{x}\right]^2 $$ ...
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What is the explanation for different diffraction patterns 1cm behind grid vs. on distant screen?
I have a question regarding the following experiment. I wanted to see what a laser beam diffraction behind a grid looks like up close. I chose the following set up: That is, the grid is a combination ...
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Light always travels in straight line but what about diffraction?
It's said that light always travels in straight lines. Even when reflection happens, another light ray is generated by electrons in the mirror , which cancels out the incident light. Refraction is ...
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Derivaton of the smallest spot for a monochromatic beam (Helmholtz equation solution)
Although this is not necessarily a question anymore since I have the answer, I'm still posting it since it took me way to long to get to the answer and maybe others would find it useful. By taking way ...
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What is the intensity of the central maximum in single-slit diffraction? Why is it so?
I am a high-school student and have understood from my textbook that the intensity of the central maximum is the same as the incident intensity for single slit diffraction. I find this strange as ...
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Why do we see multiple Bragg peaks?
I am not sure how to connect the Bragg-law to experiment. Suppose i let a wavelenght $\lambda$ fall incident to a surface of a metal at angle $\theta$. The wavelenght and the angle are unchanged. then ...
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Is there reflection, refraction and diffraction of gravitational waves? How can it be observed?
From what I understand, these effects happen because the wave travels through media with different properties that can change the wave behavior or block them. Is there something similar with ...
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Will the results from two diffraction experiment under exactly the same conditions be completely identical?
If two electron diffraction experiments are conducted under exactly the same conditions and are randomly stopped at the same time, will the results be completely identical? That is, will the ...
