Diffraction grating
![A very large reflecting diffraction grating](/Images/godic/202502/17/Diffraction_grating2324.jpg")
![An incandescent light-bulb viewed through a transmissive diffraction grating.](/Images/godic/202502/17/An_incandescent_light-bulb_viewed_through_a_transmissive_diffraction_grating2324.jpg")
![A diffraction grating reflecting only the green portion of the spectrum from a room's fluorescent lighting](/Images/godic/202502/17/Difraction_grating_reflecting_green_light2324.JPG")
![Comparison of the spectra obtained from a diffraction grating by diffraction (1), and a prism by refraction (2). Longer wavelengths (red) are diffracted more, but refracted less than shorter wavelengths (violet).](/Images/godic/202502/17/Comparison_refraction_diffraction_spectra.svg2324.png")
In optics, a diffraction grating is an optical component with a periodic structure, which splits and diffracts light into several beams travelling in different directions. The emerging coloration is a form of structural coloration. The directions of these beams depend on the spacing of the grating and the wavelength of the light so that the grating acts as the dispersive element. Because of this, gratings are commonly used in monochromators and spectrometers.