7-18 I E S LIGHTING HANDBOOK

f
mitting surface after thermal evaporation in vacuum, and protected by a
thin layer of zircon or quartz applied in the same manner.
10
The normal, uncoated, 4-per-cent reflection at air-glass surfaces may be
reduced to less than 1 per cent at each filmed surface. This reduction is
the result of cancelling interference between the waves reflected at the
air

* film and film

glass surfaces.
Diffraction
When a wave front is obstructed partially, as by the edge of a reflector
or a louver, the shadow cast by the reflector or louver may be sharp or
"soft," depending on the geometrical relationship and size of the source,
reflector, and illuminated surface. This phenomenon, which is seldom of
any consequence in ordinary lighting, is known as diffraction.
1
'
2
Diffusion
Diffusion is the breaking up of a beam of light and the spreading of its
rays in man}' directions by irregular reflection from microscopic foreign
particles within a transmitting medium, or from microscopic irregularities
of a reflecting surface. One almost perfectly diffuse reflecting surface is a
freshly-cut, magnesium-oxide surface. Opal glass also is a good diffusor,
when etched on one side. Perfect diffusion seldom is attained in practice
but sometimes is assumed in calculations in order to simplify the math-
ematics.
Absorption
Absorption occurs when a light beam enters a smoky atmosphere, or a
piece of glass or plastic or meets a dense body. Part of the incident light
is reflected from particle to particle within the body until its energy has
been absorbed and converted into heat. Because of the nonuniform size
of the particles (relative to the wavelength of light) and because of their
spectral reflectance, the absorption characteristics of practically all mate-
rials are selective (accompanied by change of color of light).
REFERENCES
1. Monk, G. S., Light Principles and Experiments, McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, 1937.
2. Hardy, A. C., and Perrin, F. H., The Principles of Optics, McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, 1932.
3. Franklin, William S., and Grantham, G. E-., General Physics, Franklin & Charles, Lancaster, Pa., 1930.
4. Jolley, L. B. W., Waldram, J. M., and Wilson, G. H., The Theory and Design of Illuminating Engineering
Equipment, Chapman & Hall, Ltd., London, 1930.
5. Potter, W. M., "Some Notes on the Utilization of Internal Reflections," Ilium. Eng., March, 1945.
6. Jacobs, D. H., Fundamentals of Optical Engineering, McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, 1943.
7. "New Polaroid Study Lamp," J. Optical Soc Am., September, 1940. Polarized Light and Its Ap-
plication, Polaroid Corp., Cambridge, Mass., 1945.
8. Roper, V., and Scott, K. D., "Seeing with Polarized Headlamps," Ilium. Eng., December, 1941.
Chubb, L. W., "Polarized Light for Motor Vehicle Lighting," Trans. Ilium. Eng. Soc, May, 1937. Land,
E. H., "Polaroid and the Headlight Problem," J. Franklin Inst., 1937.
9. Dunning, J. R., and Paxton, H. C, Matter Energy and Radiation, McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New
York, 1941.
10. Lyons, D. A., "Practical Applications of Metallic and Non-Metallic Film on Optical Elements," J.
Optical Soc. Am., February, 1945. Jones F. L., and Homer, H. J., '"Chemical Methods of Increasing the
Transparency of Glass," J. Optical Soc. Am., January, 1941. Cartwright, C. H., and Turner, A. F., U. S.
Patent 2207656. Blodgett, K., "Use of Interference To Extinguish Reflection of Light from Glass," Phys.
Rev., May, 1939. Kollmorgen, F., "Light Transmission Through Telescopes," Trans. Ilium. Eng. Soc, Feb-
ruary, 1916.