Fraunhofer Diffraction

Single & Double Slit Rectangular & Circular Apertures

Fraunhofer Diffraction
Geometrical Optics:

Bill Mageors

light cant turn a corner.

Fraunhofer Diffraction
Physical Optics:

Francesco Maria Grimaldi

actually, it can.

Huygens-Fresnel Principle Every point on a wavefront may be regarded as a secondary source of spherical wavelets.
The propagated wave follows the periphery of the wavelets.

Huygens, just add the wavelets considering interference! (Thats a sweet ascot by the way.)
Augustin-Jean Fresnel

Interference and diffraction

In diffraction phenomena, the interfering beams originate from a continuous distribution of sources; sources; in interference phenomena the interfering beams originate from a discrete number of sources. This is sources. not, however, a fundamental physical distinction. distinction.

Huygens construction: Each point on the wavefront is the source of new Huygen wavelets.

Fraunhofer and Fresnel diffraction

If both the source of light and observation screen are effectively far enough from the diffraction aperture so that wavefronts arriving at the aperture and observation screen may be considered plane. we speak of Fraunhofer, or far-field, diffraction, when this is not the case and the curvature of the wavefront must be taken into account, we speak of Fresnel. or near-field, diffraction

Fraunhofer and Fresnel diffraction

Fraunhofer diffraction

Far-Field Diffraction (a.k.a. Fraunhofer Diffraction)

Far enough that source illumination is a plane wave.

Far enough that diffracted wavelets are plane wave.

Single Slit Fraunhofer Diffraction

ds s b

s sinU

r P

Diffraction pattern from a single slit

Positions of adjacent minima in the diffraction patterns

Beam spreading

Examples

Examples

Examples

RECTANGULAR AND CIRCULAR APERTURES

RECTANGULAR AND CIRCULAR APERTURES

RECTANGULAR AND CIRCULAR APERTURES

Diffraction image of a single slit

Diffraction image of a single square aperture Diffraction image of a circular aperture

Circular Apertures

( = D/2 sinU

D U R P

Diffraction image of a circular aperture

limit of resolution of a lens