The complete intensity distribution formed when light passes through a circular opening, consisting of the bright central Airy disk surrounded by alternating dark and light concentric rings. The rings represent higher-order diffraction maxima. Observing a clean Airy pattern on a beam profiler is a classic test to confirm a laser beam is diffraction-limited and free of severe aberrations.
If you overfill the objective lens, you'll clip the beam and start seeing a distinct Airy pattern at the focus.
Related terms
Airy disk
The bright central spot of a diffraction pattern produced by a circular aperture.
Aperture
A physical opening that limits the bundle of light rays passing through a system.
Beam profiler
An instrument, usually a camera or scanning slit, that measures a laser beam's intensity distribution and width.