Wave Optics

Understanding wave properties of light, interference, and diffraction

Topics

How do holograms work?

Holograms work by recording interference patterns between light from an object and a reference beam. When illuminated, these patterns diffract light to recreate the original light field, creating a 3D image that appears to have depth and can be viewed from different angles.

How do lasers work?

Lasers work by stimulating atoms to emit light in phase, creating coherent light where all waves are synchronized. A laser uses an active medium (like a crystal or gas), energy source to excite atoms, and mirrors to amplify and direct the light into a focused beam.

What is diffraction?

Diffraction is the bending and spreading of waves around obstacles or through openings. When waves encounter an obstacle or opening comparable in size to their wavelength, they bend around it and spread out, creating diffraction patterns.

What is interference?

Interference occurs when two or more waves overlap and combine. Constructive interference happens when waves align (peaks with peaks), creating larger waves, while destructive interference happens when waves cancel (peaks with troughs), creating smaller or zero waves.

What is polarization?

Polarization is the orientation of light's electric field oscillations. Unpolarized light oscillates in all directions, while polarized light oscillates in a specific direction. Polarizers filter light to allow only specific orientations to pass.