F. J. Duarte, Interference, diffraction, and refraction, via Dirac's notation, American Journal of Physics 65, 637-640 (1997) [PDF].

Interference, diffraction, and refraction, via Dirac's notation

Abstract

The diffraction grating equation and the law of refraction are derived, in the macroscopic domain, using a generalized interference equation derived via the application of Dirac's notation to classical optics.

Key words: beam expander, Dirac's hypothesis, Dirac notation, Dirac's notation, diffraction, diffraction grating, far-field, Feynman, generalized interference, geometrical equations, Hamiltonian optics, interference, interferometric, Lamb, macroscopic domain, multiple-prism, near-field, N-slit, N-slit diffraction grating, N-slit interference, probability amplitude, probability amplitudes, quantum, quantum imaging, quantum techniques, quantum electrodynamics, reflection, refraction, transmission grating, two-slit experiment, wave function, wave functions.