fringe patterns

Fringe patterns are the result of light waves interacting when they overlap, creating areas of brightness and darkness. When two or more light waves meet, they can combine constructively (adding up to brighter spots) or destructively (canceling out to darker spots). This interference produces a series of alternating light and dark lines or bands, called fringes. These patterns reveal information about the light source, the surface being examined, or the distance between objects, and are commonly observed in techniques like interferometry and diffraction experiments.