瑞利判据或瑞利准则 (Rayleigh Criterion)指在成像光学系统中，分辨本领是衡量分开相邻两个物点的像的能力。由于衍射，系统所成的像不再是理想的几何点像，而是有一定大小光斑，当两个物点过于靠近，其像斑重叠在一起，就可能分辨不出是两个物点的像，即光学系统中存在着一个分辨极限，这个分辨极限通常采用瑞利提出的判据：当一个爱里斑的中心与另一个爱里斑的第一级暗环重合时，刚好能分辨出是两个像。（Optical systems such as telescopes or cameras have been limited by a phenomenon scientist call the Rayleigh criterion, which refers to the effects light has on attempts to resolve a point in an image. Due to the wave nature of light, points are blurred due to diffraction, effectively limiting the resolution. ） 科学家称打破瑞利判据 | 责任编辑：虫子
