Wave Optics
3.0 Diffraction of light
3.0 Diffraction of light
It is the phenomenon of bending of light around corners of an obstacle in the path of light. On account of this bending, light penetrates into the geometrical shadow of the obstacle.
The deviation is more effective when the dimension of the obstacle or aperture are comparable to the wavelength of light. This is the essential condition for diffraction of light.
Types of diffraction of light
1. Fresnel diffraction: In this type of diffraction, the source or the screen or both are at finite distance from the aperture or obstacle causing diffraction.
2. Fraunhofer diffraction: In this type of diffraction, the source and screen on which the patterns are observed are at infinite distances from the aperture or the obstacle causing diffraction.
