Gabriel Lippmann
The interference phenomenon in optics is a result of the wave propagation of light. When light of a given wavelength is reflected at itself by a mirror, standing waves are created. This is similar to the ripples that are caused when a stone is dropped into water. A standing waves is created when the waves are reflected back at themselves by a surface such as the wall of a pool. In the case of normal incoherent light, the standing waves can only be seen in an extremely small area of space next to the reflecting surface.