Diffraction

Diffraction
• As we all know, light travels in straight line
• When light rays are incident on an obstacle or on a narrow slit, then there is a
deviation of light rays from its straight line path
• Then the light rays bend around the corners of an obstacle or slit
• There is a spreading or gradation in the region of geometrical shadow
• Definition: The bending of light rays around the corners of an obstacle and their
spreading / Gradation in the geometrical shadow is known as diffraction

• There are two types of Diffraction

1. Fresnel Diffraction
2. Fraunhofer Diffraction
 Fresnel Diffraction
• The diffraction phenomenon in which light
source and screen are both at finite distance
from each other is known as Fresnel
diffraction.
• This type of diffraction is produced when
light suffers diffraction at straight edge,
narrow slit or small circular hole
• Zone plate is an application of this type of
diffraction.
 Fraunhofer Diffraction
• Diffraction in which light source and the
screen are at infinite distance from the
obstacle is known as Fraunhofer diffraction
• This type of diffraction is observed with the
help of spectrometer
• Plane transmission grating is an application
od this type of diffraction.
 Fresnel Diffraction
i) Source and screen are i)
at finite distance from
the obstacle
ii) The wave front ii)
incident on obstacle
is either spherical or
cylindrical
Fraunhofer Diffraction
Source and screen are
at infinite distance
from the obstacle
The wave front
incident on obstacle
is plane wave front