What is Wavefront?
A wavefront is an imaginary surface representing a wave’s corresponding points that vibrate in the same phase. It is the set of all locations in a medium where the wave is at the same phase. Wavefront are classified into three types:
Spherical Wavefront
A spherical wavefront is produced when a light source is far from the observer. The wavefronts are spherical surfaces that expand with the wave.
The amplitude of a spherical wavefront decreases as the distance from the source increases.
A ∝ 1/r
The intensity of a spherical wavefront is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source.
I ∝ 1/r2
Cylindrical Wavefront
A cylindrical wavefront is formed when the source of light is linear in shape.
The amplitude of a cylindrical wavefront remains constant along the length of the cylinder and is inversely proportional to the square root of the distance from the source.
A ∝ 1/√r
The intensity of a cylindrical wavefront is inversely proportional to the distance from the source.
I ∝ 1/r
Plane Wavefront
A plane wavefront is formed when the light rays are coming from a very distant object. These wavefronts are perpendicular to the direction of propagation.
The amplitude of a plane wavefront remains constant along the wavefront. The intensity of a plane wavefront is constant along the wavefront and does not change with the change in distance from the source.
Wave Optics
Wave optics is a branch of physics that studies various phenomena such as interference, diffraction, and polarization. It involves the behavior of light and its interaction with different mediums, leading to studying wavefronts, waves normal, coherent and incoherent sources, and other related concepts.
In this article, we will have a comprehensive study of Wave Optics, including its theories, concepts, and more.
Table of Content
- What is Wave Optics?
- Wave Optic Theories
- Wavefront and Wave Normal
- Coherent and Incoherent Sources
- Wave Optics Formulas
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