Under the Fraunhofer conditions, a single slit will exhibit a light curve following the single slit diffraction intensity expression. The narrower the slit, the broader the peaks of light. The shape or "envelope" of this light curve will serve to set limiting intensities for multiple slit arrangements, assuming that all the slits are identical.

Under the Fraunhofer conditions, the light curve (intensity vs position) is obtained by multiplying the multiple slit interference expression times the single slit diffraction expression. The multiple slit arrangement is presumed to be constructed from a number of identical slits, each of which provides light distributed according to the single slit diffraction expression. The multiple slit interference typically involves smaller spatial dimensions, and therefore produces light and dark bands superimposed upon the single slit diffraction pattern.

Under the Fraunhofer conditions, the light curve (intensity vs position) is obtained by multiplying the multiple slit interference expression times the single slit diffraction expression. The multiple slit arrangement is presumed to be constructed from a number of identical slits, each of which provides light distributed according to the single slit diffraction expression. The multiple slit interference typically involves smaller spatial dimensions, and therefore produces light and dark bands superimposed upon the single slit diffraction pattern.

Under the Fraunhofer conditions, the light curve (intensity vs position) is obtained by multiplying the multiple slit interference expression times the single slit diffraction expression. The multiple slit arrangement is presumed to be constructed from a number of identical slits, each of which provides light distributed according to the single slit diffraction expression. The multiple slit interference typically involves smaller spatial dimensions, and therefore produces light and dark bands superimposed upon the single slit diffraction pattern.