Register

Wave diffraction, diffraction task

If the wave illuminates an obstacle, which does not contain relatively large, planar and smooth surface, wave reflection does not appear in this situation. On the other hand, the obstacle significantly influences wave propagation. The respective electromagnetic phenomenon is called diffraction. We can imagine that wave trajectories are curved near the obstacle, and therefore, the wave appears even behind the obstacle (even if the obstacle does not transmit the wave).

As diffraction, even the other phenomena are explained although the trajectory curvature is not obvious at the first sight (e.g., some cases of guiding waves). In all the situations, the electromagnetic wave mutually interacts with some substantial object of different electrical parameters (permittivity, conductivity, permeability).