How is the Rayleigh criterion connected to the Abbe limit?

Nicholas Hunter

Nicholas Hunter

Answered question

2022-11-05

How is the Rayleigh criterion connected to the Abbe limit?

Answer & Explanation

Lena Gomez

Lena Gomez

Beginner2022-11-06Added 14 answers

Both equations are in fact structurally similar with Abbe limit given by d = λ 2 N A
And Rayleigh limit given by d = 1.22 λ 2 N A = 0.61 λ N A
where lambda is the wavelength and NA the numerical aperture of the light collecting lens.
The factor 1.22 comes from the definition of Bessel function of 1st kind,the fact that 1st minima of the diffraction pattern appears at 1.22 units from the central zero.
Rayleigh criterion is thus a modification of the Abbe Resolution limit. The Rayleigh criterion states that in order for 2 closely placed PSF to be resolved, the central maxima of one should lie exactly at the first minima of the second one. Since the Airy pattern is defined by the Bessel function, the minimum separation between the 2 patterns should be 1.22λ/2NA instead of just λ/2NA considering that the first minima will be at 1.22 times the unit from the central maxima.

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