DIFFRACTION OF LIGHT

FRAUNHOFER DIFFRACTION
Diffraction: In a homogenous medium, light always travels along straight lines. This is termed the
rectilinear propagation of light. However, when light waves interact with objects whose size is
comparable to that of the Wavelength of light, then the light rays deviate away from the straight line path.
This deviation of light away from the straight line path, when interacting with objects with sizes
comparable to the wavelength, is termed diffraction of light.
Types of diffraction: There are two types of diffraction based on the relative arrangement of the source
of light, the aperture containing the slit and the screen on which the diffraction pattern is obtained. If the
source and screen are at infinite distance from the slit, then it is termed Fraunhofer diffraction. For this,
convex lenses are used to obtain parallel rays which effectively changes the distance to infinity. If the The ray from A1 moves along A1B1 and the ray from A2 moves along A2B2. A1A2’ is a normal to the ray
source and the screen are at finite distance from the slit, it is termed Fresnel diffraction. A2B2. Then, from the geometry of the figure, the path difference between the rays from A1 and A2 is
Fraunhofer diffraction Fresnel diffraction given by
Source and screen are at infinite distance from the Source and screen are at finite distance from the slit 𝛿 = ∆ sin 𝜃
slit The corresponding phase difference is
Convex lenses are placed on the sides of the slit to No arrangement of lenses is necessary 2𝜋
𝜑= ∆ sin 𝜃
increase the effective distance to infinity 𝜆
Rays incident on the slit are parallel Rays incident on the slit are not parallel Thus the phase difference between rays from A1 and A2 is φ. This is also the phase difference between A2
Wave fronts incident on the slit are plane Wave fronts incident on the slit need not be plane and A3, between A3 and A4 and so forth. Hence, the phase difference between A1 and A3 is 2φ, between
A1 and A4 is 3φ and between A1 and An is (n - 1) φ. Thus if the electric field of the light ray from A1 and
Fraunhofer diffraction at a single slit
incident at the point P is 𝐸1 = 𝑎 cos 𝜔𝑡 , then the electric field of light from A2 at P will be
In Fraunhofer diffraction through a single slit, a ray of light is made incident on an aperture containing a
𝐸2 = 𝑎 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝜑 , the electric field due to A3 at P will be 𝐸3 = 𝑎 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 2𝜑 and so on till the
single slit and the diffraction pattern is obtained on a screen. A convex lens is placed behind the slit to
electric field due to An is 𝐸𝑛 = 𝑎 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝑛 − 1 𝜑 . Hence, the total electric field at the point P is
converge the diffracted rays on to the screen.
𝐸 = 𝑎 cos 𝜔𝑡 + 𝑎 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝜑 + 𝑎 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 2𝜑 + ⋯ + 𝑎 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝑛 − 1 𝜑
Setup: The arrangement for single slit Fraunhofer diffraction is as shown.
𝐸 = 𝑎 cos 𝜔𝑡 + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝜑 + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 2𝜑 + ⋯ + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝑛 − 1 𝜑
To find the sum in the above expression, one may write the cos term in terms of the exponential function.
Thus, one may write cos 𝜔𝑡 = 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑒 𝑖𝜔𝑡 , cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝜑 = 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑒 𝑖 𝜔𝑡 −𝜑 etc. To
find the sum, one may add the exponential terms and finally, take their real part. Thus
cos 𝜔𝑡 + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝜑 + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 2𝜑 + ⋯ + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝑛 − 1 𝜑
= 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑒 𝑖𝜔𝑡 + 𝑒 𝑖 𝜔𝑡 −𝜑 + 𝑒 𝑖 𝜔𝑡 −2𝜑 + ⋯ + 𝑒 𝑖 𝜔𝑡 − 𝑛−1 𝜑
= 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑒 𝑖𝜔𝑡 1 + 𝑒 −𝑖𝜑 + 𝑒 −2𝑖𝜑 + ⋯ + 𝑒 − 𝑛−1 𝑖𝜑
Source
The quantity in brackets is a geometric progression with common ratio 𝑟 = 𝑒 −𝑖𝜑 , whose sum is 𝑆 =
1−𝑒 −𝑖𝑛𝜑
. Hence
1−𝑒 −𝑖𝜑
L1 L2 cos 𝜔𝑡 + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝜑 + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 2𝜑 + ⋯ + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝑛 − 1 𝜑
Slit
Screen 1 − 𝑒 −𝑖𝑛𝜑
= 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑒 𝑖𝜔𝑡
1 − 𝑒 −𝑖𝜑
The light from a source of monochromatic light is made parallel by the lens L1 and is incident on the
𝑖𝑛𝜑 𝑖𝑛𝜑 𝑖𝑛𝜑 𝑖𝑛𝜑
− − −
On the RHS, consider the term 𝑒 −𝑖𝑛𝜑 . This can be written as 𝑒 −𝑖𝑛𝜑 = 𝑒
+
single slit. The diffracted light from the slit is converged on to the screen by the lens L2. The diffraction 2 2 =𝑒 2 𝑒 2 .
pattern consists of alternate dark and bright regions. 𝑖𝜑 𝑖𝜑 𝑖𝜑 𝑖𝜑
−𝑖𝜑 − + − −
Similarly, the term in the denominator may be written as 𝑒 =𝑒 2 2 =𝑒 2 𝑒 2 . Hence
Theory: Let λ be the wavelength of light used and b be the width of the slit. Consider the slit to be made
up of a large number of equidistant points A1, A2, .. An with distance between the points as Δ. Let θ be the
angle of diffraction. This is as shown.
 cos 𝜔𝑡 + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝜑 + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 2𝜑 + ⋯ + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝑛 − 1 𝜑 sin 𝛽 (𝑛 − 1)𝜑
𝑖𝑛𝜑 𝑖𝑛𝜑
𝐸 = 𝑛𝑎 cos 𝜔𝑡 −
− − 𝛽 2
1−𝑒 2 𝑒 2
= 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑒 𝑖𝜔𝑡 (𝑛 − 1)𝜑
−
𝑖𝜑
−
𝑖𝜑 𝐸 = 𝐸0 cos 𝜔𝑡 −
1−𝑒 2 𝑒 2 2
sin 𝛽
Here 𝐸0 = 𝑛𝑎 is the amplitude of the resulting electric field. Since 𝑛 → ∞, 𝑛 − 1 ≈ 𝑛. Hence,
𝑖𝑛𝜑 𝑖𝑛𝜑 𝑖𝑛𝜑 𝛽
− −
𝑒 2 𝑒 2 −𝑒 2 (𝑛−1)𝜑 𝑛𝜑
= 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑒 𝑖𝜔𝑡 ≈ = 𝛽. Thus the resultant electric field can be written as
𝑖𝜑 𝑖𝜑 𝑖𝜑 2 2
− −
𝑒 2 𝑒 2 −𝑒 2 𝐸 = 𝐸0 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽

−
𝑖𝑛𝜑 𝑛𝜑
𝑒 2 sin 2 The resulting intensity at P is 𝐼 ∝ 𝐸02 . Hence
= 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑒 𝑖𝜔𝑡 𝜑
−
𝑖𝜑
sin 2 sin2 𝛽
𝑒 2 𝐼 = 𝐼0
𝛽2
𝑛𝜑 This is the intensity distribution of light in the single slit diffraction pattern. Here 𝐼0 is the intensity at
𝑖(𝑛−1)𝜑 sin 2
− 𝜃 = 0. The plot of the intensity distribution is as shown.
= 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑒 𝑖𝜔𝑡 𝑒 2
𝜑
sin 2

𝑛𝜑 𝑖(𝑛−1)𝜑
sin 2 −
= 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑒 𝑖𝜔𝑡 𝜑 𝑒
2
sin 2

𝑛𝜑
sin 2 𝑖 𝜔𝑡 −
(𝑛−1)𝜑
= 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝜑 𝑒
2
sin 2
Position of maxima and minima: The intensity distribution is given by
𝑛𝜑 sin2 𝛽
sin 2 (𝑛 − 1)𝜑 𝐼 = 𝐼0
= 𝜑 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 2 𝛽2
sin 2
The above expression has a minimum when 𝛽 = 𝑚𝜋 where 𝑚 = 1, 2, 3, … Substituting for β, one gets
𝜋
Thus the total electric field at P becomes 𝑏 sin 𝜃 = 𝑚𝜋
𝜆
𝑛𝜑 This becomes
sin 2 (𝑛 − 1)𝜑 𝑏 sin 𝜃 = 𝑚𝜆 ; 𝑚 = 1, 2, 3 …
𝐸=𝑎
𝜑 cos 𝜔𝑡 −
sin 2 2 This is the condition for minima. To obtain the condition for maxima, one can consider the intensity as a
function of β. At maxima, the first derivative of I with respect to β should be zero. Hence
One can simplify the above expression by taking the limit 𝑛 → ∞, ∆→ 0. In such a case 𝜑 → 0 and
𝜑 𝜑 𝑑𝐼
so,sin 2 → 2 . Thus the above expression becomes =0
𝑑𝛽
𝑛𝜑
sin 2 (𝑛 − 1)𝜑 𝑑 sin 𝛽 2
𝐸=𝑎 𝜑 cos 𝜔𝑡 − =0
2 𝑑𝛽 𝛽 2
2 Carrying out the differentiation, one gets
2𝜋
𝜑 ∆ sin 𝜃 𝜋 𝑛𝜑 𝑛𝜋 𝑛𝜑 𝜋
The factor = 𝜆
= 𝜆 ∆ sin 𝜃 . Hence = ∆ sin 𝜃 . But 𝑛∆= 𝑏 . Hence = 𝜆 𝑏 sin 𝜃 ≡ 𝛽 . tan 𝛽 = 𝛽
2 2 2 𝜆 2
𝜑 𝛽 The solution for this equation gives the position of maxima. This equation can be solved by the graphical
Also, = Substituting in the above expression
2 𝑛 method, by plotting the function tan β and β on the same graph and considering their points of
sin 𝛽 (𝑛 − 1)𝜑 intersection. The points of intersection give the positions of maxima. These occur at
𝐸=𝑎 cos 𝜔𝑡 −
𝛽 2 𝛽 = 0, 1.43𝜋, 2.46𝜋, … The condition β = 0 occurs at the central maximum. This is as shown.
𝑛
 interference pattern due to light coming from all the slits. To obtain the intensity distribution for an N –
slit Fraunhofer diffraction pattern, consider the N – slit set up as shown.

Width of the central maximum: The central maximum lies between the first two minima. The positions
of the first minima occur at 𝑏 sin 𝜃1 = ±𝜆, for m = 1. Let f be the focal length of the lens behind the slit
and let x be the position of the first minimum from the centre. This is as shown.
The diffracted rays are converged on to the screen by the lens. Let λ be the wavelength of light used and b
be the width of each slit. Let d be the distance between the centres of the slits. Each slit can be considered
to be made up of a large number of equidistant points. Let A1, A2, …, An be the points in the first slit and
B1, B2, …, Bn be the points in the second slit. Then the pair of points (A1, B1), (A2, B2),…(An, Bn) are
x termed corresponding points. Let Δ be the distance between the points within a slit. Since the distance
between the centres of the slits is d, the distance between each pair of corresponding points is also d.
θ
Consider the light incident at the point P as shown. According to the theory of single slit Fraunhofer
f diffraction, the electric field due to the first slit at P is given by 𝐸 = 𝐸0 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 , where
sin 𝛽
𝐸0 = 𝑛𝑎 𝛽
. Now consider the pair of corresponding points A1 and B1. They are separated by a distance
d. Let θ be the angle of diffraction. This is as shown in the figure
C1

𝑥 𝜆 A1
Then for small θ1, sin 𝜃1 ≈ tan 𝜃1 = 𝑓 . But, from the condition for first minimum, sin 𝜃1 = 𝑏 . Hence,
θ
𝑥 𝜆 𝜆𝑓
= 𝑏 . Thus = . Thus the width of the central maximum is C2
𝑓 𝑏 d
2𝜆𝑓
𝐷 = 2𝑥 =
𝑏 B1
N

Diffraction grating: A diffraction grating is a device that produces a diffraction pattern of the light
incident on it. It consists of an optically plane glass sheet on which lines are drawn using the tip of a sharp
diamond. These lines act as opaque regions while the transparent regions between them act as slits. When
light is incident on a grating, it undergoes diffraction and a diffraction pattern is produced, if a screen is
placed behind the grating. Diffraction gratings are of two types. If the incident light is transmitted, it is
called a transmission grating. If the grating contains a mirror on one side, the diffracted light is reflected The ray from A1 moves along A1C1 and the ray from B1 moves along A2C2. A1N is a normal to the ray
back. Such a grating is called reflection grating. B1C2. Then, from the geometry of the figure, the path difference between the rays from A 1 and B1 is
Theory of the diffraction grating or N – slit diffraction pattern given by
A diffraction grating works as an N – slit grating. In N-slit Fraunhofer diffraction, the 𝛿 = 𝑑 sin 𝜃
resulting pattern will be the superposition of the diffraction pattern due to each individual slit and the The corresponding phase difference is
 2𝜋
𝜑1 =
𝑑 sin 𝜃
𝜆
Thus the phase difference between rays from A1 and B1 is 𝜑1 . Since all the slits are equidistant, the phase
difference between the second and third slits is also 𝜑1 . Then the phase difference between the first and
third slits will be 2𝜑1 . Similarly, the phase difference of light from the first and fourth slits will be 3𝜑1 .
Generalizing this, the phase difference between light from the first and Nth silts will be 𝑁 − 1 𝜑1 . Since
the electric from the first slit is = 𝐸0 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 , the electric field due to the second slit may be written
as 𝐸 = 𝐸0 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 − 𝜑1 , the electric field due to the third slit may be written as 𝐸=
𝐸0 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 − 2𝜑1 and generalizing, the electric field due to the Nth slit may be written as 𝐸 =
𝐸0 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 − 𝑁 − 1 𝜑1 . Thus the resultant electric field at P is given by
𝐸 = 𝐸0 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 + 𝐸0 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 − 𝜑1 + 𝐸0 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 − 2𝜑1 + ⋯
+ 𝐸0 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 − 𝑁 − 1 𝜑1 The large intensity maxima are termed primary maxima. The lower intensity maxima between the
𝐸 = 𝐸0 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 − 𝜑1 + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 − 2𝜑1 + ⋯ + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 − 𝑁 − 1 𝜑1 primary maxima are termed secondary maxima.
The sum in the brackets can be written as Positions of maxima and minima: The intensity distribution of the diffraction pattern due to a diffraction
cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 − 𝜑1 + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 − 2𝜑1 + ⋯ + cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 − 𝑁 − 1 𝜑1 grating is given by
𝑁𝜑 sin2 𝛽 sin2 𝑁𝛾
sin 2 1 (𝑁 − 1)𝜑1 𝐼 = 𝐼0
= 𝜑 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 − 2 𝛽2 sin2 𝛾
sin 21 sin 2 𝑁𝛾
The maxima occur when the factor has maximum value. This occurs when the value of 𝛾
Thus the resulting electric field becomes sin 2 𝛾
𝑁𝜑1 approaches 𝑚𝜋. This can be seen as follows.
sin
2 (𝑁 − 1)𝜑1
𝐸 = 𝐸0 𝜑 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 −
sin 21 2
Substituting for 𝐸0 , this becomes Thus the conditions for maxima is given by
𝑁𝜑1 𝛾 = 𝑛𝜋 ; 𝑛 = 0, 1,2, …
sin 𝛽 sin 2 (𝑁 − 1)𝜑1
𝐸 = 𝑛𝑎 𝜑 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 − Substituting for 𝛾, this becomes
𝛽 sin 21 2 𝜑1 𝜋
𝛾= = 𝑑 sin 𝜃 = 𝑛𝜋
(𝑁 − 1)𝜑1 2 𝜆
𝐸 = 𝐴 cos 𝜔𝑡 − 𝛽 − 𝑑 sin 𝜃 = 𝑛𝜆
2
𝑁𝜑
sin 𝛽 sin 2
1 Let the distance between the edges of two adjacent slits be a and the width of each slit is b. Then d = a +
Here 𝐴 = 𝑛𝑎 𝜑 is the amplitude of the electric field. Since the intensity of diffraction pattern is
𝛽 sin 1 b. This is termed the grating element. Therefore, the above expression becomes
2
proportional to the amplitude, the resulting intensity distribution may be written as 𝑎 + 𝑏 sin 𝜃 = 𝑛𝜆
2 𝑁𝜑1 𝑛𝜆
sin2 𝛽 sin sin 𝜃 =
𝐼 = 𝐼0 2 𝑎+𝑏
𝛽 2 𝜑
sin2 21 sin 𝜃 = 𝑛𝑁𝜆
𝜑1 This is called the grating equation. The factor N represents the number of slits per unit length of the
Using 𝛾 = , the above expression becomes
2
grating.
sin2 𝛽 sin2 𝑁𝛾
𝐼 = 𝐼0 The minima occur when 𝑏 sin 𝜃 = 𝑚𝜆 ; 𝑚 = 1, 2, 3 … and when 𝑁𝛾 = 𝑝𝜋; 𝑝 ≠
𝛽2 sin2 𝛾 𝜆 2𝜆 3𝜆
This is the intensity distribution of the diffraction pattern due to a diffraction grating ( or due to an N- slit 𝑁, 2𝑁, 3𝑁, …Substituting for 𝛾, the angles of minima are 𝑑 sin 𝜃 = , , ,…
𝑁 𝑁 𝑁
sin 2 𝛽 Principal maxima and secondary maxima: The intensity distribution of the diffraction pattern due to a
aperture). The factor represents the intensity due to diffraction from each single slit and factor
𝛽2 sin 2 𝛽 sin 2 𝑁𝛾
sin 2 𝑁𝛾
diffraction grating is given by 𝐼 = 𝐼0 . 𝑑 sin 𝜃 = 𝑛𝜆, where n = 0, 1, 2, … where 𝛽 =
𝛽2 sin 2 𝛾
sin 2 𝛾
represents the intensity due to interference of light from N slits. The intensity distribution is as 𝜋 2𝜋
𝜆
𝑏 sin 𝜃 and 𝛾 = 𝑑 sin 𝜃 . Here b is the width of each slit and d is the distance between slits.
shown. 𝜆
Substituting for these, one obtains the condition for maxima as 𝑑 sin 𝜃 = 𝑛𝜆. These maxima occur due to
the constructive interference of light from all slits. These are known as principal maxima. The condition
𝜆 2𝜆 3𝜆
for minima is given by the two equations 𝑏 sin 𝜃 = 𝑚𝜆 ; 𝑚 = 1, 2, 3 … and 𝑑 sin 𝜃 = , ,
𝑁 𝑁 𝑁
,…
Between any two principal maxima, there are (N-1) minima. Hence there has to be maxima between these
minima and these should be of lower intensity compared to the principal maxima. Such maxima between
the minima are termed secondary maxima.
Width of principal maxima in grating diffraction pattern: The intensity distribution of the diffraction
sin 2 𝛽 sin 2 𝑁𝛾
pattern due to a diffraction grating is given by 𝐼 = 𝐼0 𝛽2 sin 2 𝛾
. 𝑑 sin 𝜃 = 𝑛𝜆, where n = 0, 1, 2, …
𝜋 2𝜋
where 𝛽 = 𝑏 sin 𝜃 and 𝛾 = 𝑑 sin 𝜃. Here b is the width of each slit and d is the distance between slits.
𝜆 𝜆
Substituting for these, one obtains the condition for maxima as 𝑑 sin 𝜃 = 𝑛𝜆. These maxima occur due to
the constructive interference of light from all slits. These are known as principal maxima. The condition
𝜆 2𝜆 3𝜆
for minima is given by the two equations 𝑏 sin 𝜃 = 𝑚𝜆 ; 𝑚 = 1, 2, 3 … and 𝑑 sin 𝜃 = , , , … If 𝜃𝑚 Light from a source is made into a ray by passing through a slit. This is made incident normally on a
𝑁 𝑁 𝑁
represents the mth principal maximum and 𝜃𝑚 + ∆𝜃𝑚 represnets the position of the minimum adjacent grating. The diffracted light is observed using a telescope and the angle of diffraction is measured.
to this principal maximum, then Assuming the wavelength of a known light, the grating element N can be determined using the grating
equation. Then if θ is the angle of diffraction and n is the order of the spectral line observed, then the
wavelength is obtained using the grating equation as 𝑑 sin 𝜃 = 𝑛𝑁𝜆
Using the relation Comparison of grating spectrum and prism spectrum
Grating Prism
More than one spectrum is obtained Only one spectrum is obtained
Intensity of each spectral line is less as the total Intensity of each spectral line is high as only one
The width of the mth principal maximum is obtained as energy is distributed between all spectral lines spectrum is present
The angle of diffraction is directly proportional to Violet is deviated more
the wavelength. So red is deviated more
Resolving power of a grating: The resolving power of a grating is its ability to distinguish between two Based on diffraction of light Based on dispersion of light
nearby closely spaced spectral lines. It is defined as the ratio of the average wavelength of the two The spectral lines are evenly distributed. Hence the The spectral lines are not evenly distributed. Hence
𝜆
spectrum is rational the spectrum is irrational
spectral lines to the difference in wavelength between them. 𝑅 = ∆𝜆 . According to the Rayleigh criterion,
this happens when the position θ of a minimum corresponding to a spectral line coincides with the
position of the maximum of the next spectral line. If θ is the position of the first minimum of a spectral
line of wavelength λ, then it should also be the position of maximum of the nearby spectral line of
wavelength ( λ + Δλ ). This means that the condition for maximum for ( λ + Δλ ) given by
λ
𝑑 sin 𝜃 = 𝑚 𝜆 + 𝛥𝜆 and the condition for first minimum of wavelength λ given by 𝑑 sin 𝜃 = 𝑚λ + .
N
Equating these two, one gets
λ
𝑚λ + = 𝑚 𝜆 + 𝛥𝜆
N
From this, the expression for resolving power is obtained as
𝜆
𝑅= = 𝑚𝑁
∆𝜆
Thus the resolving power of a grating depends on the number of lines in it.
Determination of wavelength of light using diffraction grating
A diffraction grating can be used to determine the wavelength of light incident on it. For
this, light from a source is made incident perpendicularly on the grating and the angle of diffraction is
measured. Knowing the grating element, the wavelength can be calculated using the grating equation.
Setup: The experimental setup for wavelength determination using a grating is as shown.