ABSTRACT
In thinking about scattering of light from an optically polished surface, an intuitive, geometrical optics approach is to think of the surface as being made up of small mirrors tilted in various directions. These mirrors direct the rays of scattered light in various directions. This entry discusses the importance of scattered light in optical imaging and details theory and applications associated with light scattering. Conceptually, this entry proves that light scattering from mirror surfaces is a diffraction effect and is governed by an extension of the grating equations.
