Fraunhofer Diffraction of Laser-Printed Microstructures Dataset

This dataset accompanies the article: Voronkin, O., & Lushchin, S. (2026). Experimental visualization and numerical simulation of Fraunhofer diffraction from ordered and disordered opaque microstructures for education practice. Physical and Mathematical Education, 41(2), 28–45. https://doi.org/10.31110/fmo2026.v41i2-03 The repository includes: Python scripts for programmatic generation of binary amplitude masks representing ordered and disordered ensembles of opaque microstructures High-resolution PNG masks (1200 × 1200 dpi) prepared for direct laser printing on OHP transparency film (A4 format) Experimental photographs of Fraunhofer diffraction patterns recorded under far-field conditions Numerical diffraction simulations based on two-dimensional Fast Fourier Transform (2D FFT), allowing direct, quantitative comparison with experimental data All masks are designed in physical units (micrometers) and converted to printer pixels according to the same calibration relation used in the article.The micrographs were acquired using a Leica M205, providing detailed visualization of the printed structures. Experimental and numerical consistencyThe dataset reflects the experimental methodology described in the article: Masks are optimized for laser printing on transparency film using high-density toner settings Diffraction patterns correspond to illumination by a coherent laser source (λ = 532 nm) under fully satisfied Fraunhofer (far-field) conditions Numerical modeling implements the Fraunhofer approximation via 2D FFT on 4096 × 4096 grids, including Gaussian illumination profiles and edge smoothing Structure of the repositoryThe repository is organised according to the Results of Research section (subsections 1–9 of the article), covering a broad range of ordered, disordered, and correlated microstructure ensembles: One-dimensional amplitude grating Two-dimensional periodic grating formed by a regular array of opaque disks Periodic square grating with additional central disks Two-dimensional hexagonal grating of opaque disks Two-dimensional honeycomb grating Random array of disks (Poisson point process) Disordered disk distributions with a minimal inter-disk distance (Poisson Disk Sampling) Disordered array of randomly oriented square elements (Poisson Disk Sampling) Poisson–Voronoi disk structure with suppressed long-wavelength fluctuations Each RAR archive contains the corresponding mask files, scripts, simulations, and experimental images (where applicable), enabling step-by-step reproduction of each demonstrated diffraction regime. Intended useThis dataset is intended for: Reproducibility of Fraunhofer diffraction experiments using laser-printed microstructures Educational and demonstration purposes in optics, wave physics, diffraction theory, and statistical optics