Sidebar 7.SB1: Diffraction from a Straightedge

Charles Clark

Photograph of light diffracted by a straightedge. The intensity distribution follows $|\mathop{\mathcal{F}\/}\nolimits\!\left(x\right)|^{2}$ , where $\mathop{\mathcal{F}\/}\nolimits$ is the Fresnel integral (See 7.3.4). Fresnel integrals have many applications in optics. The faint circular patterns are additional diffraction effects due to imperfections in the edge.