Experimental evidence of edge parameter effects in light diffraction, using holography*

The diffraction of laser light from a straight edge has been investigated so as to detect any possible effect of the diffracting edge parameters. An experimental method has been created to this end: boundary wave holography (BWH). About 3000 of the first 3500 fringes were thus analyzed, and experimental evidence of the effect of geometry and material of the diffracting edge was obtained. The influence of the polarization state of the incident wave was also explored. Finally, the experimental results are compared with theory.