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Diffraction: Dr. Aparna Tripathi

1) Diffraction is the bending of waves around obstacles or when waves from multiple sources interfere. Diffraction patterns are observed when light passes through an aperture like a single slit. 2) Huygens' principle states that each point on a wavefront acts as a secondary source of waves. The combination of these secondary waves produces the diffraction pattern. 3) For a single slit, the diffraction pattern consists of a central maximum at the center followed by alternating bright and dark fringes on either side. The locations of maxima and minima depend on the wavelength and slit width.

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107 views19 pages

Diffraction: Dr. Aparna Tripathi

1) Diffraction is the bending of waves around obstacles or when waves from multiple sources interfere. Diffraction patterns are observed when light passes through an aperture like a single slit. 2) Huygens' principle states that each point on a wavefront acts as a secondary source of waves. The combination of these secondary waves produces the diffraction pattern. 3) For a single slit, the diffraction pattern consists of a central maximum at the center followed by alternating bright and dark fringes on either side. The locations of maxima and minima depend on the wavelength and slit width.

Uploaded by

Nitin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Diffraction

Lecture 1

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

What is diffraction?
Diffraction is bending of waves around obstacles.
Diffraction also occurs when waves from a large number of sources
interfere.

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Diffraction

New Wave Fronts

Serves as a point
to generate new
waves

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

A plane wave does not bend at the slit if the opening d >>.
If > d, the bending takes place

The narrower the slit, the more the slit behaves like a point source
The wider the slit, the more like a plane wave the light is
Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Huygenss Principle

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Diffraction dudes: Fresnel and Fraunhofer

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Fresnel vs. Fraunhofer diffraction

S
P

Fresnel:
Source and screen are at
finite distance from slit.
Spherical wavefront
No converging device

Fraunhofer:
Source and screen are at
infinite distance from slit.
Plan wavefront
Converging device

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Single Slit Diffraction Pattern

A1
A2
A3

An

A2

B1

B2
C

B3
Bn
L

Let
us
draw
Asources
to A3,An.
A2B2
1A2 perpendicular
Let
the
point
be
at
A1,
A2,
The raysIfdiffracted
through
angle
arebe
focused
the number
of point
sources
n thenat P.
Fraunhofer
The
ray
diffracted
the
incident
rays are
focused
at C.
A
plane
wave
is incident
normal
theof
slit.
The
optical
path
A1along
B1P
and
Adirection
B2on
P are
same
diffraction
pattern
produced
by
an
infinitely
long
slit
of
2
The
distance
between
two
consecutive
points
be
. on
According
The
point
C
is
optically
equidistant
from
all
the
points
slit.
Let
us
find
out
the
resultant
intensity
at
P.
to
Huygens
theory
each
point
on
slit
spends
outthe
secondary
b = (n-1)
width b
Therefore
allallthe
secondary
from slit reach to C in the same
wavelets
direction.
The pathindifference
would wavelets
be Dr. Aparna Tripathi
phase.
All the wavelets
start
from
various points in slit in the same phase.
AA
=
sin

If the path difference is equal to the wavelength of the light used,


then P will be a point of minimum intensity

bsin n
The path difference is odd multiples of /2 the direction of secondary
maxima

2n 1
bsin
2

The diffraction pattern due to single slit consist


of a central bright maxima at C followed by
secondary maxima and minima at both the side

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Intensity distribution in diffraction pattern due to single slit

A1
A2

A2

B1

B2
C

B3

A3

An

Bn
L

The path difference would be


A2A2 = sin
Dr. Aparna Tripathi

The corresponding phase difference would be

sin

....2

If the field at the point P due to the disturbance emanating from point A1
A1= a cos(t)
field at the point P due to the disturbance emanating from point A2
A2= a cos(t-)

A3= a cos(t-2)
.
.
.
An= a cos[t-(n-1)]
Then the resultant field at the point P
Dr. Aparna Tripathi
E= A1+ A2+ A3..............+
An

E= a cos(t) + a cos(t-) + a cos(t-2) + + a cos[t-(n-1)]


cos(t ) cos(t ) cos(t 2 ) cost n 1

thus
Ea

sin n
sin

2 cos t 1

n 1

2
where the amplitude of the resultant field
a

sin n
sin

2 E

E E cos t 1

n 1 .......3
Dr. Aparna Tripathi

sin n

2 cos t 1 n 1
2
sin
2

In the limit n and 0


n b
we have
n

n sin

n
b sin
2

Further
2

b sin

sin

n
n
b sin
sin
sin
sin
2

E a na
A
......4

b sin

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

where
A na
...5
bsin

...6

thus
sin
EA
cos t

...7

Corresponding intensity distribution is given by

I A

2
sin

I0

sin 2

...8
Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Central Maximum:
For the pt C on the screen = 0; hence =0.
0 value of sin / = 1
Hence the intensity at P
2

sin
I 0
I I 0

Secondary Maximum:
The directions of secondary maxima are given by

sin n

2n 1

2b
putting the value of n in eq 6

b2n 1 2n 1

2b
2
Putting n 1,2,3.... in above eq
3 5 7
, , etc
2 2 2

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

For first secondary maximum:


sin

I I 0

sin
2
I0
3

3
2

4I
I
02 0
22
9

For secondary maximum:

5
2

2
sin

sin
4I 0
I0
2

I 0
I I 0

2
5

25

61

2
thus the seondary maxima are of decreasing intensity
2

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Intensity at point P is given by


sin
I I 0

dI
d sin

I 0
d d

2 2 sin cos sin 2 2


dI I 0
d
4

dI
for I maximum
0
d

2 2 sin cos sin 2 2 0


tan

Solve the above eq graphically by Dr.plotting


the curves y= and y=tan
Aparna Tripathi

Secondary Minima:
The directions of secondary minima are given by

b sin n n
putting the value of n in eq 6
n

Putting n 1,2,3.... in above eq


,2 ,3 etc

intensity for the values of


2

sin
0
I I 0

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

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