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Diffraction Notes

1. The document discusses Fresnel diffraction and Fraunhofer diffraction, which are approximations used to describe diffraction through an aperture. 2. Fresnel diffraction uses an integral to approximate the diffraction pattern when the observation point is in the near field of the aperture. Fraunhofer diffraction is a far-field approximation valid when the observation point is in the far field. 3. Diffraction patterns are described for rectangular, circular, and arrays of subwavelength apertures. Diffraction minima occur when the path length difference equals integer multiples of the wavelength.

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72 views

Diffraction Notes

1. The document discusses Fresnel diffraction and Fraunhofer diffraction, which are approximations used to describe diffraction through an aperture. 2. Fresnel diffraction uses an integral to approximate the diffraction pattern when the observation point is in the near field of the aperture. Fraunhofer diffraction is a far-field approximation valid when the observation point is in the far field. 3. Diffraction patterns are described for rectangular, circular, and arrays of subwavelength apertures. Diffraction minima occur when the path length difference equals integer multiples of the wavelength.

Uploaded by

kivu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Diffraction

Fresnel Diffraction Integral

For

where
Aperture would modify ‘A’ the amplitude of PW

1. It is assumed that the screen (in the plane of the


aperture) does not effect the field at the point P. This is
an approximation because we know that the optical
constants of the screen material will effect the
boundary conditions for the electromagnetic field at the
surface. This assumption will become more valid when ‘At λ larger than the array period no diffraction occurs and sharp peaks
the size of the aperture becomes larger.
are observed in transmission’. Transmission greater than the integrated
I = I0 (Sin2 β / β2); applicable for b > λ intensity over the area occupied by the holes, light impinging
on the metal between the holes can also be transmitted.
2. The treatment not valid for apertures of size smaller
than the wavelength. Normal incidence transmission images (top) and spectra (bottom) for
three square arrays of subwavelength holes. The hole diameter and
3. Used a scalar theory. The field is represented by a scalar
spacing (in nm) were Blue:(155, 300); Green: (180,450) and Red (225,
function u; this implies that the electric field is in the
same direction everywhere. This assumption will e valid 550) respectively. The arrays made in a free standing 300 nm thick
when the line joining the point O with the observation silver film
point P makes a small angel with the axis.
Ebbesen et al, Nature, 391, 667 (1998) Barnes, et al. Nature 424, 824(2003)
=

Fresnel Diffraction Integral

1While change in ‘r’ is small the exponential factor changes rapidly


Fresnel Diffraction Integral

(9)

Neglect of term proportional to α2 will be justified if it leads


to a phase change that is much smaller than π. Thus the
Fresnel Approximation will be valid when
19.3: Uniform amplitude and phase distribution

(9)
Leads to

For a = 1 cm, λ = 500 nm, Z >> 20000 cm


Fraunhofer diffraction by a rectangular aperture

origin has been taken to be at the center of the rectangular aperture.


Carrying out the integration we obtain

Sin θ = x/z and sin ϕ = y/z, with θ & ϕ representing the


angle of diffraction along the x & y directions respectively

a = b = 0.01 cm and z = 100 cm, and λ = 500 nm


Along x intensity minima when β = (2π/λ)(x/z)(b/2) = mπ ; x = 0.5 m. Similar along y.
When a tends to ∞

becomes very sharply peaked around ϕ = 0 which


implies no diffraction along the y axis
Diffraction by a circular aperture

Consider
where

J1(ν) Bessel function of first order

Zeros of J1(ν) occur at v = 3.832, 7.016,……

First zero corresponds to

Sin θ =(3.832/π) (λ/2a) = 1.22 (λ/2a)

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