Modified Diffraction Theory of Kirchhoff

Abstract

The diffraction theory of Kirchhoff is reinterpreted and a new form of a surface diffraction integral is developed by using the axioms of the modified theory of physical optics, which leads to the exact scattered fields by conducting bodies. The new integral is arranged according to the interpretation of Young, and the diffracted waves are expressed in terms of a line integral. The method is applied to the diffraction problem by a semi-infinite edge contour. (c) 2008 Optical Society of America.