Rayleigh Criterion: an example

with D = 5 mm and ? = 550 nm,

?limit = sin-1 (1.22 x 5.5 x 10-7 m/.005 m)

= 7.7 x 10-3 degrees

= .46 arc minutes
so x/L = tan(?limit), and
x = 5m * tan(7.7 x 10-3 degrees) = .67 mm

Previous slide

Next slide

Back to first slide

View graphic version