Diffraction e The phenomenon that the light waves tend to bend around and become spread out when they pass near a barrier is called 天津大学精仪学院 diffraction Diffraction of light occurs when a light wave passes by a corner or through an opening or slit that is physically the approximate size of, or even smaller than that light's wavelengtH 天津大学作 243 • The phenomenon that the light waves tend to bend around and become spread out when they pass near a barrier is called diffraction. • Diffraction of light occurs when a light wave passes by a corner or through an opening or slit that is physically the approximate size of, or even smaller than that light's wavelength. Diffraction