Diffraction: Lecture #3

(Tutorial)

Dr. Narendra L. Mathakari

Associate Professor in Physics

3/31/2020 Diffraction Grating 1

Example 1: A slit having width 1.6933 μm is illuminated by sodium light having
average wavelength 5893 Ao. Calculate the angular width of the central maximum.
Also calculate the linear width of the central maximum if the screen is placed at a
distance of 1ft from the slit

2
 Solution: The figure (3.5) shows that the width of central
maximum is 2θ, where θ is the position of the first minimum.
We have
𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑚𝜆
𝑚𝜆
𝜃 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1
𝑎
−1
1 × 5893 × 10−10
𝜃 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛
1.6933 × 10−6
−1
1 × 5893 × 10−10
𝜃 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛
1.6933 × 10−6
𝜃 = 20.37𝑜
Angular width of the central maximum = 2𝜃 = 40.74𝑜

From the Fig (3.5) it can be seen that 2L is the linear width
of the central maximum and
𝐿 = 1𝑓𝑡 × 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃
𝐿 = 1 × 12 × 2.54 × 𝑡𝑎𝑛20.37
𝐿 = 11.32 𝑐𝑚
Linear width of the central maximum is = 2𝐿 = 22.63 𝑐𝑚

Characteristics (I) of Diffraction: Diffraction results in to widening

of images (or even shadows!)
2
 Example 2: Calculate the angular width of the central maximum, when
slits having widths 𝒂 = 𝝀, 𝒂 = 𝟐𝝀 and 𝒂 = 𝟐𝟎𝝀 are used

3/31/2020 Diffraction Grating 5

 Minima is given by
𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑚𝜆
As the central maximum is bounded by first
minimum on upper as well as lower side, we
take m =1.

Then for 𝑎 = 𝜆, 𝑎 = 2𝜆 and 𝑎 = 20𝜆 we get

𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 1, 0.5 𝑎𝑛𝑑 0.05. Correspondingly θ
are 90o, 30o, 3.86o.

Characteristics (II) of Diffraction

Diffraction effects become weak as the obstacle become bigger that the
wavelength of wave being diffracted. On the contrary, diffraction is
strengthened when the width of obstacle approaches the wavelength of
wave being diffracted

3/31/2020 Diffraction Grating 6

 Example 3: Calculate the angular positions of the first secondary maximum, when
a slit of 1.6933 m is illuminated by sodium source emitting two wavelengths 5890
Aoand 5896 Ao.

3/31/2020 Diffraction Grating 7

 The position of the secondary maximum is given by
𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑚 + 12 𝜆
For first secondary maximum, m=1
For 5890 Ao
1
1.6933 × 10−6𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃1 = 1 + × 5890 × 10−10
2

𝜃1 = 31.45𝑜
For 5896 Ao
1
1.6933 × 10−6𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃2 = 1 + × 5896 × 10−10
2

𝜃2 = 31.49𝑜

Characteristics (III) of Diffraction

The angle of diffraction changes with the wavelength. Thus diffraction separates
the colors of light.
3/31/2020 Diffraction Grating 8
Example 4: Calculate the angular width of the first secondary maximum, when a slit
of 1.6933 m is illuminated by sodium source emitting two wavelengths 5890 Aoand
5896 Ao.
 The first secondary maximum is bounded by first minimum
and the second minimum.
The minimum is given by
𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑚𝜆
𝑚
𝜃 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1
𝑎
Thus we have for 5890 Ao −10
1×5890×10
𝜃1 = −6
= 20.26o
1.6933×10
−10
2×5890×10
𝜃2 = = 44.08o
1.6933×10−6

Thus the angular width of the first secondary

maximum for 5890 Ao is 44.08o – 20.26o = 23.82o.
.
Characteristics (IV) of Diffraction
A single slit can separate the colors of light but the spectral lines are too broad to be
resolvable
 Example 5: Calculate the dispersive power of a slit having width 1.6933 m

3/31/2020
Solution: From previous problem, we know that this slit diffracts 5890 Ao at
31.45o and 5896 Aoat 31.49o. Thus the dispersive power is

2 − 1 31.49o − 31.45o
Dispersivepower = D.P.= = = 0.0067deg/ A o

2 − 1 5896Ao − 5890Ao

We note that dispersive power is extremely small

Characteristics (V) of Diffraction

Though principally a single slit can be considered as a dispersive device, it’s dispersive
power is too small for it to be practically useful
Example 6: Calculate the relative intensities of first and second secondary
maxima in the single slit diffraction
The intensity at any point in the single slit diffraction is given by

2 2
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼 ⇒ 𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 𝐼𝜃 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼
𝐼𝜃 = 𝐼𝑚
𝛼 𝐼𝑚 𝛼

Eqn (3.5) indicates that 𝛼 for the secondary maximum is given by

𝛼 = 𝑚 + 12 𝜋
For first secondary maximum, 𝑚 = 1, thus𝛼 = 1.5 𝜋
Thus
2 2
𝐼 𝜃𝑆𝑀1 𝑠𝑖𝑛1.5 −1
= = = 0.045 = 4.5 %
𝐼𝑚 1.5𝜋 1.5×3.14

For first secondary maximum, 𝑚 = 2, thus𝛼 = 2.5 𝜋

2 2
𝐼 𝜃𝑆𝑀2 𝑠𝑖𝑛2.5 −1
= = = 0.0162 = 1.62 %
𝐼𝑚 2.5𝜋 2.5×3.14

Characteristics (VI) of Diffraction

Though, a single slit can be used to form the spectrum of light, the intensity of these
spectra are too weak for a single slit to be used as a dispersive device
Example 7: Calculate the angular width of the first order maximum, if a grating
having 15000 slits per inch is exposed to a laser having wavelength 6328 o. Repeat the
calculations for a grating having 20000 slits per inch and record your conclusions.
 ′
𝑚
𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑚𝜆 (maxima) and 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝜆 (minima)
𝑁

15000th minima is forbidden as there 1st maxima is laying

Thus for the above mentioned minima

𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 14999 6328 = 21.94o.

15000

And
𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 15001 6328 = 21.95o.
15000

Thus the angular width for the 1st principle maximum is 0.01o.
Example 8: A diffraction grating having 15000 slits per inch is exposed to a Krypton
source emitting following wavelengths. Calculate the angle of diffraction of these lines
in the first order.
Color Wavelen
gth
Violet 4000 Ao
Blue 4500 Ao
Green 5000 Ao The condition for the maxima of the grating is
Yellow 5790 Ao
Orange 6000 Ao
𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑚𝜆
Red 6500 Ao The grating has 15000 slits in 1 inch
Brown 7000 Ao Thus it has 15000 grating elements (d) is 1 inch
1" 2.54
Thus 1 grating element 𝑑 = = cm =
15000 15000
2.54×108 o
A = 16933.33 Ao
15000

Considering first order i.e. m =1

𝜆
𝜃 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1
𝑑
For violet
4000
𝜃 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1 16933.33
= 13.66o
For blue
4500
𝜃 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛−1 = 15.41o
16933.33