Diffraction by an Aperture I introduces a new theory of wave propagation that extends geometrical optics to explain diffraction.
This approach describes how fields travel along rays and how the total field at any point is built from the contributions of all relevant rays. The book presents a practical, quantitative method to compute the field inside an aperture, in front of and behind a screen, and it applies across electromagnetic, acoustic, and other field types.
The guidance is rooted in a clear, physically motivated framework. It shows how to handle diffraction by flat, thin obstacles of various shapes and how to verify Babinet’s principle. While the theory relies on the wavelength being small compared to aperture dimensions, the authors demonstrate accuracy even when wavelengths are comparable to the aperture size. The discussion covers scalar and electromagnetic cases and provides concrete treatments for common problems like slits, circular apertures, and gratings of slits.
- How diffracted rays are formed at edges and vertices, and how they combine to give the full field.
- How to compute the field inside the aperture and in surrounding regions for different wave types.
- How the diffraction pattern and transmission properties emerge from the theory.
- Special cases such as circular apertures, half-planes, and multiple-diffraction scenarios.
Ideal for readers of advanced optics and wave theory who want a self-contained, calculation-focused treatment of diffraction phenomena and practical tools to apply the theory to real-world problems.