13.

Fresnel diffraction
Remind! Diffraction regimes
Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction formula
E exp ( ikr )
E ( P0 ) = 0 r F ( )dA
i
z r
Obliquity factor : F ( ) = cos =
r
zE 0 exp ( ikr )
E ( x, y ) = d d
i
r 2

Aperture (,) Screen (x,y)

r= z2 + (x ) + ( y )
2 2

1 x 2 1 y 2 ( x ) ( y )
2 2

z 1 + + = z+ +
2 z 2 z 2 z 2z
x 2 y 2 2 2 x y
= z + + + + +
2 z 2 z 2 z 2 z z z

E0 k
E ( x, y ) =
i z
exp ( ikz ) exp i
2z
( x 2 + y 2 )

k k
exp i
2z
( 2 + 2 ) exp i ( x + y ) d d
z

 E0 k
E ( x, y ) =
i z
exp ( ikz ) exp i
2z
( x 2 + y 2 )

r

k k
exp i
2z
( 2 + 2 ) exp i ( x + y ) d d
z Aperture (,) Screen (x,y)

k k
= C exp i
2z
( 2 + 2 ) exp i ( x + y ) d d
z

Fresnel diffraction
k k
E ( x , y ) = C U ( , ) exp i
2z
( 2 + 2 ) exp i ( x + y ) d d
z

j ( 2 + 2 )
k
E ( x, y ) F U ( , ) e 2 z

Fraunhofer diffraction
k
E ( x , y ) = C U ( , ) exp i ( x + y ) d d
z
= C U ( , ) exp ik ( sin + sin ) d d

E ( x, y ) F {U ( , )}
 Fresnel (near-field) diffraction

This is most general form of diffraction

No restrictions on optical layout
near-field diffraction
j ( 2 + 2 )
k
curved wavefront U ( x, y ) F U ( , ) e 2 z
Analysis somewhat difficult

Curved wavefront
(parabolic wavelets)

Screen
z

Fresnel Diffraction
Accuracy of the Fresnel Approximation

z
3
4
[
(x ) + ( y )
2 2
] 2
max

Accuracy can be expected for much shorter distances

for U ( , ) smooth & slow varing function; 2 x = D 4 z

D2
z Fresnel approximation
16
In summary, Fresnel diffraction is
 13-7. Fresnel Diffraction by Square Aperture

Fresnel Diffraction from a slit

of width D = 2a. (a) Shaded
2a
2w
area is the geometrical shadow
of the aperture. The dashed
line is the width of the
Fraunhofer diffracted beam.

(b) Diffraction pattern at four axial positions

marked by the arrows in (a) and
corresponding to the Fresnel numbers NF=10,
1, 0.5, and 0.1. The shaded area represents
the geometrical shadow of the slit. The
dashed lines at x = ( / D )d represent the
width of the Fraunhofer pattern in the far
field. Where the dashed lines coincide with
the edges of the geometrical shadow, the
Fresnel number NF=0.5.

N F = a 2 / z : Fresnel number
 [ ] dd
jkz
e k
U ( x, y ) = ( ) ( ) + ( )
2 2
U , exp j x y
jz 2z
v = N F = a 2 / z : Fresnel number
Fresnel diffraction from a wire
Fresnel diffraction from a straight edge
From Huygens principle
to Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction
Huygens principle
Every point on a wave front is a source of secondary wavelets.
i.e. particles in a medium excited by electric field (E) re-radiate in all directions
i.e. in vacuum, E, B fields associated with wave act as sources of additional fields

New wavefront
Construct the wave front
tangent to the wavelets
Secondary
wavelet
r = c t

secondary wavelets

Given wave-front at t What about r direction?

(-phase delay when the secondary
Allow wavelets to evolve wavelets, Hecht, 3.5.2, 3nd Ed)
for time t
Huygens wave front construction
Incompleteness of Huygens principle

Fresnels modification Huygens-Fresnel principle

Huygens-Fresnel principle

1 ik ( r + r ') 1 1
E p = Es e F ( )da = Es e ikr ' e ikr F ( )da
Ap
rr ' r' Ap r

Obliquity factor:
Spherical wave from the point source S unity where =0
zero where = /2

Huygens Secondary wavelets on the wavefront surface O

 Kirchhoff modification
Fresnels shortcomings :

He did not mention the existence of backward secondary wavelets,

however, there also would be a reverse wave traveling back toward the source.
He introduce a quantity of the obliquity factor, but he did little more than
conjecture about this kind.

1 ikr ' 1 ikr

E p = Es e e F ( )da , - < <
r' Ap
r 2 2
Gustav Kirchhoff : Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction theory
A more rigorous theory based directly on the solution of the differential wave equation.
He, although a contemporary of Maxwell, employed the older elastic-solid theory of light.
He found F() = (1 + cos )/2.
F(0) = 1 in the forward direction, F() = 0 with the back wave.

Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction formula

Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction integral

ikEs 1 + cos 1 ik ( r + r ')

Ep =
2 A 2 rr 'e da , ( - < < )
p

Arnold Johannes Wilhelm Sommerfeld : Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction theory

A very rigorous solution of partial differential wave equation.
The first solution utilizing the electromagnetic theory of light.

1 e ikr
Ep =
i A EO r cos da
p

This final formula looks similar to the Fresnel-Kirchhoff formula,

therefore, now we call this the revised Fresnel-Kirchhoff formula,
or, just call the Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction integral.
 : Fresnel Zones

Obliquity factor:
Spherical wave from source Po unity where =0 at C
zero where =/2 at high enough zone index

Huygens Secondary wavelets on the wavefront surface S

Z2
Z3

Z1

/2
 : Fresnel Zones

Z2
Z3
The average distance of successive zones from P differs by /2 -> half-period zones.
Thus, the contributions of the zones to the disturbance at P alternate in sign,
Z1

(1/2 means averaging of the possible values,

more details are in 10-3, Optics, Hecht, 2nd Ed)
For an unobstructed wave, the last term n=0.

Therefore, one can assume that

the complex amplitude of
Whereas, a freely propagating spherical wave from the source Po to P is

1 exp(iks )
=
i s
 : Diffraction of light from circular apertures and disks

(a) The first two zones are uncovered,

1
(consider the point P at the on-axis P)
2

(b) The first zone is uncovered if point P is placed father away,

1

: Babinet principle
(c) Only the first zone is covered by an opaque disk,
1
12 1

P
R

R
Diffraction patterns from
Variation of on-axis irradiance
circular apertures
Fresnel diffraction from a circular aperture

Poisson spot
Babinet principle

At complementary
At screen screen without screen

S CS
Amplitude of { S } Amplitude of { CS } S + CS =UN

Phase of { S } Phase of { CS }
 : Straight edge

Damped oscillating
At the edge

Monotonically decreasing
 13-6. The Fresnel zone plate
The average distance of successive zones from P differs by /2 -> half-period zones.
Thus, the contributions of the zones to the disturbance at P alternate in sign,

RN

Assume R4
plane wavefronts R3
R2

R1 O
r0 + N
2
r0

P

2 n 2
2

Rn2 = r0 + n r02 = r02 n +
2 r0 4 r0


Rn nr0 ( r0 >> )
Z2
Z3

If the even zones

(n=even) are blocked Z1 ( P) = 1 + 3 + 5 + Bright spot at P

It acts as a lens!
Fresnel zone-plate lens

RN

Rn nr0 ( r0 >> )
R4

Rn2
R3
R2
r0 =
R1 O
r0 + N n
2
r0 R12
f1 = r0 (n = 1) =

P

Fresnel zone-plate lens has multiple foci.

Rn n 1
Rn = r0 = R1
2 n 2 n
R m
( Rn ) sin m = m sin m tan m = n =
fm Rn

f3 f2 f1 f m = ( Rn )( Rn )
1
m
( )
R 1
= nR1 1
2 n m
R12
fm =
m
Fresnel zone-plate lens

Binary zone plate:

The areas of each ring, both light and dark, are equal.
It has multiple focal points.

For soft X-ray focusing

Sinusoidal zone plate:

This type has a single focal point.

Fresnel lens:
This type has a single focal point.
Focusing efficiency approaches 100%.