Diffraction

Preface

I. Huygens' Principle and Diffraction Phenomena for a Monochromatic Point Source


1.1 Diffraction at Infinity and at a Finite Distance


1.2 Light Vibrations


1.3 The Huygens-Fresnel Principle


1.4 Simplified Expressions for the Field


1.5 Calculation of the Path Difference


1.6 The General Expression for the Luminous Intensity

II. Diffraction by an Aperture of Simple Form


2.1 Diffraction by a Rectangular Aperture


2.2 Diffraction by a Narrow Slit


2.3 Diffraction by a Circular Aperture


2.4 The Asymptotic Expansion for Large Values of Ζ


2.5 The Distribution of Luminous Flux in the Airy Spot

III. The Fourier Transformation


3.1 The Representation of a Periodic Function by a Fourier Series


3.2 The Fourier Integral


3.3 Some Fourier Transforms


3.4 General Properties Connecting the Wave Surface with the Diffraction Pattern

IV. Diffraction by Several Apertures


4.1 Diffraction by Several Apertures Identical in Shape and Orientation


4.2 Diffraction by a Large Number of Apertures, Identical in Shape and Orientation, Irregularly Distributed Over the Diaphragm


4.3 Complementary Screens. Babinet's Theorem


4.4 Diffraction by Two Identical Slits


4.5 Diffraction by Three Identical Slits


4.6 Diffraction by Many Slits

V. Extended Luminous Sources and Objects. Coherence


5.1 Spatial Coherence and Time-Coherence


5.2 The Relation Between the Length of Wave Trains and the Spectral Width of the Emitted Radiation. Coherence Length and Coherence Time


5.3 The Vibration Emitted by an Atom. The Variation in the Complex Amplitude of the Vibration During a Wave Train


5.4 The Successive Wave Trains Emitted by an Atom


5.5 Vibrations from Two Different Atoms Which Radiate the Same Mean Frequency V0 (Quasimonochromatic Light)


5.6 Vibrations with Different Frequencies from a Single Atom


5.7 Vibrations with the Same Frequency from a Single Atom


5.8 The Representation of the Emission of an Incoherent Light Source


5.9 The Influence of Time-Coherence on Diffraction Phenomena. The Diffraction Spot in Quasimonochromatic Light


5.10 Spatially Coherent and Incoherent Objects


5.11 The Image of an Extended Object Illuminated with Spatially Incoherent Light


5.12 The Image of an Extended Object Illuminated with Spatially Coherent Light

VI. Diffraction Phenomena in Perfect Optical Instruments


6.1 Resolving power and the limit of perception in optical instruments


6.1.1 Resolving Power and the Limit of Perception for an Astronomical Telescope


6.1.2 Resolving Power and the Limit of Perception for a Microscope


6.1.3 Resolving Power of a Prism Spectroscope


6.2 Diffraction Gratings


6.2.1 Description


6.2.2 Infinite Grating


6.2.3 The Dispersion of a Diffraction Grating


6.2.4 Superposition of the Spectra of a Grating


6.2.5 Finite Grating


6.2.6 Real Gratings


6.2.7 The Mounting of a Grating


6.2.8 Ghosts


6.3 Phase contrast


6.4 Dark Ground Method


6.5 Apodization


6.6 Filtering Spatial Frequencies (Incoherent Object)

VII. Diffraction Phenomena in Real Optical Instruments


7.1 Diffraction in the Case of a Spherical Wave


7.2 Diffraction Pattern When there is a Focusing Error


7.3 Precision of Focusing with an Optical Instrument


7.4 Diffraction Spot in the Presence of Aberrations

Bibliography

Index