The Huygens-Fresnel principle is a foundational concept in wave optics that states every point on a wavefront can be considered as a source of secondary wavelets, which spread out in all directions. This principle helps explain how light propagates and interacts with obstacles, leading to phenomena like diffraction. It connects closely with diffraction theory, allowing us to understand how light bends and spreads when it encounters edges or slits, and it also plays a significant role in analyzing the behavior of diffraction gratings.
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