DIFFRACTION
Diffraction is the apparent bending and spreading ofwaves when they meet an
obstruction. It can occur with any type of wave,
including sound waves, water waves, and electromagnetic waves such
as light and radio waves. Diffraction also occurs when any group of waves of a
finite size is propagating; for example, a narrow beam of lightwaves from
a laser must, because of diffraction of the beam, eventually diverge into a wider
beam at a sufficient distance from the laser. As a simple example of diffraction,
if you speak into one end of a cardboard tube, the sound waves emerging from
the other end spread out in all directions, rather than propagating in a straight
line like a stream of water from a garden hose.
Diffraction is one particular type of wave interference. All diffraction occurs
because of interference, but not all interference is diffraction. For example,
sound waves emitted by two stereo speakers will interfere with each other if
they are of the same frequency and have a definite phase relationship, but this
is not diffraction. Diffraction is the specific type of interference caused by the
partial obstruction or lateral restriction of a wave. Because diffraction is an
interference effect, diffraction will not occur if the wave is not coherent, and
diffraction effects become weaker (and ultimately undetectable) as the size of
obstruction is made larger and larger compared to the wavelength.
Diffraction is not the same as refraction, although both are phenomena in which
a wave does not propagate in a single direction. Refraction is not an interference
phenomenon, and, e.g., can occur without coherence.
It is the diffraction of "particles," such as electrons, which stood as one of the
powerful arguments in favor ofquantum mechanics. It is possible, due to wave-
particle duality, to observe diffraction of particles such asneutrons or electrons.
As the wavelengths of these particle-waves are so small they can be used as
probes of the atomic structure of crystals. See electron diffraction and neutron
diffraction.
The most conceptually simple example of diffraction is double-slit diffraction in
which both slits have relatively narrow widths compared to the wavelength of
the wave. Suppose, for the sake of visualization, that these are water waves.
After passing through the slits, two overlapping patterns of semicircular ripples
are formed, as shown in the first figure. Where a crest overlaps with a crest, a
double-height crest will be formed; this is constructive interference. Constructive
interference also occurs where a trough overlaps another trough. However, when
a trough and a crest overlap, they cancel out; the interference is destructive.
The second figure shows the result of this process with light waves of a single
wavelength originating from a laser. The constructive-interference locations are
called maxima, because they have maximum brightness. The destructive-
interference locations are the minima. Historically, the first proof that light was a
wave phenomenon came from the double-slit experiment of Thomas Young.