SEM2L6

SEM-II
Hons (C IV: WAVES AND OPTICS)

L-5
Manoj Kumar Saha,
Assistant Professor, Department of Physics K C College Hetampur
Fresnel Diffraction: Fresnel’s Assumptions, Fresnel’s Half-Period Zones for Plane Wave
Fresnel’s Assumptions:
In order to explain diffraction phenomenon, Fresnel made the
following assumptions.
• The entire wavefront can be divided into a large number

of elements or zones of small area such that each of these el-
ements acts as a source of secondary waves emitting waves in
all directions.
• The effect at any point “O” will be the resultant of the

secondary wavelets reaching“O” from various elements of the
wavefront.
• The resultant effect at any point will be combination of the

effect of all secondary waves reaching at that point.
• The effect at any point due to a particular zone depends

on (a). the distance of point from ilie zone. (b). the inclination
of the point with reference to zone under consideration.(c).
area of the zone.
1
Fresnel treatment of the plane wavefront: Fres-
nel half period zone.
Fresnel explained diffraction on the basis of mutual inter-

ference of the secondary wavelets from various point of the
wavefront. The wavefront may be plane , spherical or cylindri-
cal depending on the source.
For simplicity let us take the case of plane wavefront ABCD

traveling towards the right and calculate its effects on an ex-
ternal point P .
Divide the whole wavefront into a number of zones called

Fresnel’s half period zones in the following manner. From
P draw a normal P O to the surface ABCD. Let P O = b.
2
The foot of the normal O is called the pole of the wavefront.
With P as centre and radii sphere are drawn as
(b + λ2 ), (b + 2λ
2 ), (b + 3λ
2) ., ., .,
The section of the spheres by the plane wavefront ABCD will
be circles M1, M2 M3etc. So the circumference of the first
circle will be at a distance (b + λ2 ), the second circle at (b + 2λ
2)
and third (b + 3λ 2 ) and so on from P . The area enclosed by the
first circle is called the first half period zone, the annular area
between the second and the first circle is called the second half
period zone and so on.
The area of the first half period zone = π(OM )2
= π{(b + λ2 )2 − b2} = πbλ
Similarly the area of the second half period zone
= π(OM2)2 − π(OM1)2 = π[{(b + 2λ 2 2 λ 2 2
2 ) − b } − {(b + 2 ) − b }]
= π(2bλ − bλ) = πbλ
Similarly the area of the nth half period zone
= π(OMn)2 − π(OMn−1)2 = π[{(b + nλ 2 2
2 ) − b } − {(b + (n −
1) λ2 )2 − b2}]
2
= πbλ + π(2n − 1 λ4 ) ≡ πbλ
Thus we see that the area of each half period zone is ap-
proximately equal.
The radius of the nth circle(neglecting the terms involving

λ2.) .i.e. √
nλ 2 2 12
= OMn = {(b + 2 ) − b } = nbλ√
The radious√ of the first zone OM1 = bλ, that of the second
OM2 = 2bλ,.... etc. Thus the outer radii of the zones are
3
proportional to the square root of their zone number.
Now coming back to Huygen’s principle every point onthe

wavefront may be regarded as a source of secondary wavelets.
But the secondary wavelets from different points, though they
start with the same phase φfrom ABCD will reach P with a
phase difference. Since the successive zones differ by an aver-
age path difference λ2 with respect to p, the wave disturbances
from the zones will differ by a phase difference of π
Let d1, d2, d3, ... be the amplitude at P due to the wavelets
coming from 1st, 2nd, 3rd half period zones respectively. The
resultant amplitude at P will be
D = d1 − d2 + d3 − d4.... + (−1)ndn (1)

In order to compute D following factor s are to be considered
• The zone area increases slightly with the zone number.
• The inverse variation of amplitude with the average distance
of the zone.
• The decrease of amplitude with obliquity of the zone.d =
(1 + cosθ)
Now taking nodd in equation(1)
d1 d1 d2 d3 d5 dn
D= + [ − d2 + ] + [ − d4 + ] + (2)
2 2 2 2 2 2
for n even
d1 d1 d3 d1 d5 dn−1
D= + [ − d2 + ] + [ − d4 + ] + − dn (3)
2 2 2 2 2 2
But d1+d
2
3
= d2 , d3 +d5
2 = d4 and so on.
We can take the contribution of successive zones as approx-
imately equal and opposite. Beside if nbecomes very large
4
dnordn−1 can be neglected due to obliquity factor.
So
d1
D= (4)
2
or the amplitude atP due to the whole wavefront is equivalent
to half of the contribution from the first half period zone.

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SEM-II

Hons (C IV: WAVES AND OPTICS)

• The entire wavefront can be divided into a large number

• The effect at any point “O” will be the resultant of the

• The resultant effect at any point will be combination of the

• The effect at any point due to a particular zone depends

Fresnel explained diffraction on the basis of mutual inter-

For simplicity let us take the case of plane wavefront ABCD

Divide the whole wavefront into a number of zones called

The radius of the nth circle(neglecting the terms involving

Now coming back to Huygen’s principle every point onthe

D = d1 − d2 + d3 − d4.... + (−1)ndn (1)

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