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Basic Theory of Diffraction

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Engineering Optics

Part of the book series: Springer Series in Optical Sciences ((SSOS,volume 35))

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Abstract

In order to explain the diffraction phenomenon of light sneaking into shaded regions, C. Huygens (1678) claimed, “In the process of propagation of the wave, new wave fronts are emanated from every point of the old wave front”. This principle, however, had a serious drawback in that the wave front, as drawn, generated an unwanted wave front in the backward direction in addition to the wave front in the forward direction. This drawback was overcome by A. J. Fresnel (1818) and later by G. Kirchhoff (1882) by taking the periodic nature of the wave into consideration.

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References

  1. J. A. Stratton: Electromagnetic Theory (McGraw-Hill, New York 1941).

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  2. J. W. Goodman: Introduction to Fourier Optics (McGraw-Hill, New York 1968).

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Additional Reading

  • Babič, V. M., Kirpičnikova, N. Y.: The Boundary-Layer Method in Diffraction Problems, Springer Ser. Electrophys., Vol. 3 (Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg 1979).

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  • Born, M., Wolf, E.: Principles of Optics (Pergamon, New York 1964).

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  • Economou, E. N.: Green’s Functions in Quantum Physics, 2nd ed., Springer Ser. Solid-State Sci., Vol. 7 (Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg 1983).

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  • Fowles, G. R.: Introduction to Modern Optics (Holt Rinehart and Winston, New York 1975).

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  • Lotsch, H. K. V: Multiple-Diffraction Formula, Optik 25, 598–605 (1967).

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  • Sommerfeld, A.: Optics (Academic, New York 1954).

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  • Stone, J. M.: Radiation and Optics (McGraw-Hill, New York 1963).

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  • Young M.: Optics and Lasers, 2nd ed. Springer Ser. Opt. Sci., Vol. 5 (Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg 1984).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A4, Canada

    Professor Keigo Iizuka Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Professor Keigo Iizuka Ph.D.
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© 1987 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Iizuka, K. (1987). Basic Theory of Diffraction. In: Engineering Optics. Springer Series in Optical Sciences, vol 35. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-36808-3_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-36808-3_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-17131-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-36808-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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