United International University

Optics-Diffraction

Md. Asaduzzaman Asad

Institute of Natural Sciences
Diffraction of Light
rectangular aperture

square aperture
 Diffraction

“Any deviation of light rays from a

rectilinear path which cannot be
interpreted as reflection or refraction”

Sommerfeld, ~ 1894
 Huygen’s Principle

Huygens' principle applied to both plane and spherical waves. Each point on the
wave front AA can be thought of as a radiator of a spherical wave that expands
out with velocity c, traveling a distance ct after time t. A secondary wave front
BB is formed from the addition of all the wave amplitudes from the wave front
AA.
 diffraction
In Young’s experiment, two slits were used to produce
an interference pattern. However, interference effects
can already occur with a single slit.

This is due to diffraction:

the capability of light to be
“deflected” by edges/small
openings.

In fact, every point in the slit opening

acts as the source of a new wave front
PHY232 - Remco Zegers -
interference, diffraction &
polarization 6
Diffraction of Light: When a beam of
light passes through a narrow slit, it spread out
to certain extent into the region of the
geometrical shadow . This effect is
known as diffraction of light. This phenomenon
of light implies the failure of light to travel in
straight lines.
Fresnel Diffraction

In the Fresnel diffraction, the source and the

screen are at finite distances from the
obstacle producing diffraction. In such a case
the wave front undergoing diffraction is
either spherical or cylindrical.
Fraunhofer diffraction
In the Fraunhofer diffraction, the source and
the screen are at infinite distances from the
obstacle producing diffraction. Hence in this
case the wave front undergoing diffraction is
plane. The diffracted rays which are parallel to
one another are brought to focus with the help
of a convex lens. Fraunhofer pattern is easier to
observe practically by a spectrometer.
Diffraction by a Circular Aperture

In fig. S is source of
A monochromatic light, AB is
circular aperture and P is
O
S P point on the screen.
Let  be the path
B Difference for the wave rea-
ching P along the paths SAP
and SOP.
 Suppose, SO = a, OP = b and OA = r.

  SA  AP  SOP
 (a  r )  (b  r )  (a  b)
2 2 1/ 2 2 2 1/ 2

2 2
r 1/ 2 r 1/ 2
 a(1  2 )  b(1  2 )  (a  b)
a b
2 2
r r
 a(1  2  .......)  b(1  2  ....)  (a  b)
2a 2b
 2
r 1 1
  (  )
2 a b
1 1 2
  2 .......( 1)
a b r

If position of the screen is such that m full

number of half period zone can be constructed
on the aperture then the path difference
m
 
2
or ,2  m
Substituting this value in equ(1)

1 1 m
 
a b r2
The point P will be maximum or minimum
Intensity depending on whether n odd or even.

m is odd P will be bright

m is even P will be dark
Intensity Distribution
P©
A AB is circular aperture
P and P© is two points on
O P
the screen and OP is b.
B Let r is the radius
of the circular aperture.
b Path difference between
secondary waves reaching
at P©
  BP  AP
 [( b 2  ( y  r ) 2 ]1/ 2  [( b 2  ( y  r ) 2 ]1/ 2
( y  r ) 1/ 2
2
( y  r ) 1/ 2
2
 b[1  2
]  b[1  2
]
b b
( y  r)2 ( y  r)2
b 2
b
2b 2b 2
1
 [( y  r )  ( y  r ) ]
2 2

2b
1 2 yr
  ( 4 yr ) 
2b b
The point P© will be dark if the path difference

  2m / 2
2 ym r
 2m / 2 
b
mb
ym 
2r
ym is the distance of mth dark fringe.
Similarly P© will be bright if the path difference

  (2m  1) / 2
2 ym r
 (2m  1) / 2 
b
(2m  1)b
ym 
4r
ym is the distance of mth bright fringe.
Ex-1: In a circular aperture of 1.2mm diameter is
illuminated by plane waves of monochromatic
light. The diffracted light is received at a distant
screen which is gradually moved towards the
aperture. The center of the circular patch of light
first becomes dark when the screen is 30cm
from the aperture. Calculate the wave length of
light.
Ex-2: In a monochromatic beam of light of wave
length 6400A passing through a slit 1.6mm falls
on a screen held close to the slit. The screen is
then gradually moved away and middle of the
patch of light on it becomes dark when screen
at a certain distance. Calculate the distance.
Diffraction at Single Slit
Ex-3: 5000A monochromatic light passes through
a slit having 0.05mm width. How much does it
Spread?

Soln.:
Example-4: Laser light having 6000 𝐴𝑜 wavelength
passes through a slit 0.2 mm wide. On a screen
placed 1m away, find
a)Distance from central line to second bright.
b)Distance between second dark and third bright
on different sides.
Ex-5: In Fraunhoffer diffraction due to a narrow
slit a screen is placed 2m away from the lens to
obtain the pattern. If the slit width is 0.2mm
and the first minima lie 5mm on either side
of the central maximum. Find the wave length
of light.
Ex-6: Light of wave length 6000A is incident on a
slit of width 0.30mm. The screen is placed 2m
away from the slit. Find the position of the first
dark fringe.
Ex-7: Light with a wavelength of 500 nm is
used to illuminate a slit of 5m. At which
angle is the 5th minimum in the diffraction
pattern seen?
Solution: sin = m/a
 = sin-1(5x500x10-9/(5x10-6))=300

36
Ex-8:Two slits are 0.08 mm apart, and the
screen is 2 m away. How far is the third dark
fringe located from the central maximum if
light of wavelength 600 nm is used?
Soln.: Given, L = 2 m; a = 0.08 mm

 = 600 nm; y = ?
We know, a sin  = 3(), ∴ 𝜃 =? = 1.2890

The third dark fringe occurs when m = 3

We have for dark fringe
L
ym  m
a

y = 𝑦3 = 0.0225 m =2.25 cm
Ex-9: Monochromatic light shines on a single
slit of width 0.45 mm. On a screen 1.5 m away,
the first dark fringe is displaced 2 mm from the
central maximum. What is the wavelength of
the light?

Soln: We have for dark fringe

L
ym  m
a
aym ∴ =600nm
 
Lm
 Diffraction Grating

The diffraction grating consists of a large number

of fine equidistant lines are marked on a polished
glass plate. Light can pass through the space
between the lines while the lines act as opacities.

Diffraction gratings can be made by

scratching lines on glass and are often used
to analyze light.

A typical grating contains several thousand

lines per centimeter
consider a grating with many slits, each
separated by a distance d. Assume that
for each slit >d. We saw that for 2 slits
maxima appear if:
d sin = m, m=0,1,2,3…
This condition is not changed for
in the case of n slits.
On the other hand minima appear if:
d sin = (2m+1)/2, m=0,1,2,3…
 All the wavelengths are focused at m = 0
◦ This is called the zeroth order maximum
 The first order maximum corresponds to m = 1
 Note the sharpness of the principle maxima and the broad range of
the dark area
◦ This is in contrast to the broad, bright fringes characteristic of the two-
slit interference pattern
Ex-10: Light (600 nm) strikes a grating ruled
with 300 lines/mm. What is the angular
deviation of the 2nd order bright fringe?
1
Solution : d 
300lines / mm
6
 3  10 m

We have, d sin   m ; m=2

m
   sin ( 1
)
d
Ex-11: An diffraction grating has 5000 lines
per cm. The angle between the central
maximum and the fourth order maximum is 47.20
What is the wavelength of the light?

Solution: We know, d sin = m, m = 0,1,2,3…

d = 1/5000 = 2x10-4 cm = 2x10-6 m
m = 4, sin(47.2)=0.734
so  = d sin/m = 2x10-6x0.734/4
= 3.67x10-7 m = 367 nm

45