Quantum Interference and Nuclear Optics

The modern status of the diffraction theory of nuclear collisions is considered. The general principles of quantum diffraction and the behavior of differential cross sections and polarization observables of particle-nucleus elastic scattering are discussed. The decomposition of the scattering amplitude into near-side and far-side components is used to analyze scattering processes. Different processes of heavy-ion-nucleus interaction are studied, and results of the analysis of experimental data are presented.