Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-a-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2021/paper-2/section-b/b7/d/solution
Past exam of the physics A course of the University of Cambridge 2021 Paper 2 Section B B7 d Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
Let the source remain at and let the observation point be . The paraxial approximation to the source-to-aperture-to-observer optical path length isCompleting the squares givesThe point is where the straight source-observer line intersects the aperture. Define the four dimensionless edge positionsOn the Cornu spiral , draw the directed chord from to , and a second directed chord from to . Denote their complex differences by and . The complex amplitude is proportional to their product: multiply their lengths and add their arguments, including the common propagation phase factor.
More explicitly, normalize by the unobscured field at this same observation point. The constant wave phase from completing the square is then already included in , andEach directed chord is a one-dimensional Fresnel diffraction factor. One must multiply the two factors, rather than add the chords or use just one chord length for the square aperture. Setting recovers and the on-axis answer.
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