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Wave interference — coherence and observation

Separate path difference, phase difference and coherence when predicting interference. Detector averaging and finite bandwidth can reduce fringe visibility even when the geometric path relation is unchanged.

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{
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    { "id": "src", "type": "rounded", "label": "Wave source and bandwidth", "x": 40, "y": 200, "width": 150, "height": 104, "fill": "#ede9fe", "stroke": "#6d28d9" },
    { "id": "a", "type": "rounded", "label": "Path A", "x": 215, "y": 40, "width": 150, "height": 104, "fill": "#fef3c7", "stroke": "#b45309" },
    { "id": "b", "type": "rounded", "label": "Path B", "x": 215, "y": 360, "width": 150, "height": 104, "fill": "#fef3c7", "stroke": "#b45309" },
    { "id": "path", "type": "card", "label": "Optical path difference", "x": 390, "y": 200, "width": 150, "height": 104, "fill": "#ccfbf1", "stroke": "#0f766e" },
    { "id": "phase", "type": "rounded", "label": "Phase relation at detector", "x": 565, "y": 200, "width": 150, "height": 104, "fill": "#fef3c7", "stroke": "#b45309" },
    { "id": "coh", "type": "octagon", "label": "Temporal / spatial coherence", "x": 390, "y": 520, "width": 150, "height": 104, "fill": "#e0f2fe", "stroke": "#0369a1" },
    { "id": "sum", "type": "rounded", "label": "Superposed field", "x": 740, "y": 200, "width": 150, "height": 104, "fill": "#fef3c7", "stroke": "#b45309" },
    { "id": "avg", "type": "octagon", "label": "Detector integration", "x": 740, "y": 520, "width": 150, "height": 104, "fill": "#e0f2fe", "stroke": "#0369a1" },
    { "id": "int", "type": "rounded", "label": "Intensity and fringe visibility", "x": 915, "y": 200, "width": 150, "height": 104, "fill": "#fce7f3", "stroke": "#be185d" }
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    { "id": "e3", "source": "b", "target": "path", "label": "travel" },
    { "id": "e4", "source": "path", "target": "phase", "label": "wavelength-dependent" },
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