A novel method to assess cotton fiber qualities based on Fraunhofer diffraction

The diffraction methods were used to measure diameters of the thin wires or fibers with some advantages based on Fraunhofer diffraction principle. The cotton fiber qualities was relative their diameters, such as fineness. Micronaire was the indirectly method to evaluate the cotton qualities, so the method was not correct. The average diameter of one fiber can be measured based on Fraunhofer diffraction method detected by the Charge Coupled Device (CCD). The three cotton varieties were measured and the preliminary experimental results showed the diffraction method can estimate the cotton fiber qualities.