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Single Slit Diffraction

Fraunhofer Single-Slit Diffraction

A plane wave passes through a narrow slit, spreading out via diffraction. Narrower slits produce wider diffraction patterns -- counterintuitively, smaller openings spread light more!

I(θ) = I₀ · [sin(α)/α]²
α = πa·sin(θ)/λ

Where a = slit width, λ = wavelength. Central maximum is twice as wide as side lobes.