Linked from

The 58 pages that link to Diffraction, each with the reason it gives.

• RefractionCompared with: It redirects waves through spatial spreading, rather than a speed change across materials.

• Depth of fieldCompared with: Very small apertures increase depth of field but can soften detail through diffraction.

• InterferometryCompared with: Diffraction patterns arise from wave propagation and geometry, not necessarily a comparison of separate measurement paths.

• ScatteringCompared with: Diffraction is a wave phenomenon that can describe scattering from structures comparable to a wavelength.

• Snell's lawCompared with: Diffraction changes wave direction through wavefront spreading, not Snell's interface relation.

• Total internal reflectionCompared with: It changes wave propagation through interference rather than complete reflection at an index boundary.

• InterferenceCompared with: Diffraction creates the paths and angular patterns in which interference appears.

• Geometrical opticsCompared with: It sets limits on ray predictions near edges and small openings.

• Fermat's principleCompared with: Diffraction produces behavior that geometrical rays and stationary paths alone cannot explain.

• Corpuscular theory of lightCompared with: Light’s diffraction patterns resisted explanation by corpuscles traveling only in straight lines.

• Dispersion (optics)Compared with: Diffraction can also separate wavelengths, but does not arise from a material’s refractive-index variation.

• Thin-film interferenceCompared with: Both effects create wavelength-dependent patterns, but diffraction arises from wavefront geometry rather than two film boundaries.

• DispersionCompared with: Diffraction spreads waves through geometry, unlike dispersion’s frequency-dependent propagation.

• Light scatteringCompared with: Diffraction and scattering both redistribute light, but diffraction emphasizes wave behavior around boundaries.

• Spherical aberrationCompared with: Diffraction limits resolution even in an aberration-free optical system.

• Fresnel lensCompared with: Unlike geometric refraction, diffraction can limit image sharpness at groove edges.

• Wave interferenceCompared with: Diffraction concerns wave spreading, while interference describes superposition; diffraction patterns arise through interference.

• Moiré patternCompared with: Diffraction arises from wave propagation through apertures, not from overlapping similar patterns.

• Rainbow (optics)Compared with: Diffraction contributes to fine rainbow fringes, while the broad bow is explained mainly by refraction and reflection.