LD

Optics Physics
Spectrometer Leaflets P5.7.2.1
Grating spectrometer

Measuring
the line spectra of inert gases
and metal vapors
using a grating spectrometer

Objects of the experiment

Adjusting the grating spectrometer.
Calibrating the grating spectrometer with an He-lamp.
Measuring an “unknown” line spectrum.
Identifying the “unknown” light source.

Principles
Inert gases and metal vapors which are excited to luminance all parallel rays of a specific wavelength to form an image of
emit spectral lines, i. e. a specific selection of wavelengths slit S in the focal plane of the lens. In this way, a pure spectrum
which are characteristic for the respective element. By pre- is formed in the focal plane, and we can observe this using the
cisely measuring these wavelengths, we can draw well- ocular O9. Objective lens O2 and ocular O9 together form an
founded conclusions about the nature of these light sources. astronomical telescope focused on infinity.
We can use a grating to separate these spectral lines. The light The telescope is mounted on a swivel arm so that the deviation
is diffracted at the grating; light rays of the same wavelength angle can be measured. When the telescope is turned, cross-
are superposed on each other, producing sharp intensity max- hairs positioned in the focal plane of the ocular are placed on
ima. long-wave light is deviated more than short-wave light. the individual spectral lines. To enable measurement of the
angles and thus the relative position of the lines, the telescope
In the grating spectrometer, emerging light propagates in a is combined with a graduated circle (a disk with a scale with
diverging manner though the vertical slit S, for which the width half-degree graduations) to form a goniometer. The vernier
and height can be varied, and falls on the objective lens O1; its permits the position to be read off to within an angular minute.
distance from the slit is equivalent to its focal length (see
Fig. 1). The slit and the lens together form a collimator. Behind The relationship between the diffraction and the wavelength is
the lens, the light falls on the grating G as a parallel beam, i. e. linear (sin a , l, normal spectrum). When assigning the
all rays are incident on the grating at the same angle. The wavelengths of an unknown light source to the deviations
grating diffracts the light, and each wavelength is deviated at through the grating, it is not necessary to first calibrate the
a different angle. Finally, a second objective lens O2 focuses spectrometer – in contrast to the prism spectrometer (disper-
sion spectrum). On the basis of the diffraction of the individual
spectral lines, it is possible to assign these to the correspond-
ing wavelengths. These are then compared with a suitable
reference table to determine the light source.
0206-Wit

Fig. 1 Beam path in a grating spectrometer

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P5.7.2.1 LD Physics Leaflets

Apparatus
1 Spectrometer and goniometer . . . . . . . 467 23
1 Copy of a Rowland grating,
approx. 5700 lines/cm . . . . . . . . . . . 471 23

1 Spectral lamp He, pin contact . . . . . . . 451 031

1 Spectral lamp Na, pin contact . . . . . . . 451 111
1 Housing for spectral lamps with pin contact 451 16
1 Universal choke, 230 V, 50 Hz . . . . . . . 451 30

1 Transformer, 6 V AC, 12 V AC . . . . . . . 562 73

1 Stand base, small, V-shape . . . . . . . . 300 02

additionally usable:

1 Spectral lamp Ne, pin contact . . . . . . . 451 011

1 Spectral lamp Cd, pin contact . . . . . . . 451 041
1 Spectral lamp Hg/Cd, pin contact . . . . . 451 071
Fig. 2 Spectrometer
1 Spectral lamp Ti, pin contact . . . . . . . . 451 081 a Telescope
b Adjusting screw for laterally displacing the collimator
c Prism table
d Adjusting screw for laterally displacing the telescope
e Collimator
f Spectrometer base unit

Adjusting the spectrometer

In order to conduct precise measurements, the apparatus must Focusing the telescope to infinity:
be carefully adjusted. Note: Experimenters requiring vision correction can see distant
The slit and the crosshairs must be positioned exactly in the objects clearly with the telescope; however, in this case the
focal plane of the respective objective lens (telescopic beam telescope by definition is not set precisely to infinity. It is still
path). possible to carry out precise measurements when the collima-
tor and the telescope are adjusted by the same experimenter.
The slit and the grating surfaces must be aligned parallel to the
When other experimenters wish to observe the spectra, sub-
rotary axis of the telescope.
sequent focusing may only be carried out by moving the ocular
Some of the adjustment steps, as well as the measurements of (a4).
line spectra, are more easily carried out when the room is
darkened somewhat. – Remove ocular (a4), mount illumination source (a3) in the
telescope and replace the ocular with the opening for the
illumination source (a5) facing downward (see Fig. 3).
Preliminary adjustment: – Focus the crosshairs by moving the ocular (a4) in the ocular
The inclination of the prism table can be varied only to a limited tube and aligning it if necessary. Make sure that the open-
extent. To ensure that enough play is left for adjustment, align ing for the illumination source (a5) is still facing downward.
the table as horizontally as possible (by eye) during preliminary – Focus the horizontally aligned telescope on a distant object
adjustment. (> 500 m) using the focus adjustment knob (a1).

– Align the telescope (a), the prism table (c) and the slit tube As the image of the observed object and the crosshairs must
(collimator) (e) horizontally by eye (see Fig. 2). both be in the focal plane of the objective lens when the setting
is correct, there should be if possible no parallax between the
– Center the telescope and the collimator laterally using the
observed object and the crosshairs.
screws for lateral adjustment (b), (d) and then screw them
tight. Do not loosen the adjusting screws too much on one
side, as these support the telescope and the collimator.

Safety notes
Adjusting the illumination source:
Do not exceed the maximum permissible voltage for the
He-lamp of the illumination system (Umax = 8 V). – Aim the telescope at the collimator (open the slit slightly).
The spectral lamps and the housing become very hot – Connect the illumination source (a3) to the voltage U = 6 V.
during operation. – Using arresting screw (a2), mount the illumination device
Allow lamps to cool before changing or replacing. on the telescope so that the inside of the slit is well
illuminated, without altering the position of the ocular.

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 LD Physics Leaflets P5.7.2.1

scope (a6) (see Fig. 3) and the other half using the leveling
screw (c1) of the prism table.
– Repeat the following two steps until the horizontal cross-
hair and its mirror image coincide on both sides of the
grating:
1) Turn the telescope 1808 as shown in Fig. 4 so that the
cross-hairs are reflected on the opposite side of the grating.
2) Check whether the cross-hair and its mirror image coin-
cide. If not, correct half the difference using the height-ad-
justment screw of the telescope (a6) (see Fig. 3) and the
other half using the leveling screw (c1) of the prism table,
as described above.
– Secure the height-adjustment screw of the telescope (a6)
using a lock nut.
– Remove the grating with holder from the prism table. Note
the alignment of the grating with respect to the leveling
screws of the prism table, as this is the only position in
which the grating is parallel to the rotational axis of the
Fig. 3 Telescope with illumination source telescope, and the grating must be replaced on the prism
a1 Focus adjustment knob table when carrying out the experiment.
a2 Arresting screw for illumination source – Disconnect the illumination source from its voltage supply.
a3 Illumination source
a4 Ocular
a5 Opening for illumination source (not visible)
a6 Height adjustment screw for telescope
Adjusting the collimator:
– Illuminate the slit from the outside using e. g. a light bulb or
Aligning the optical axis of the telescope perpendicular one of the spectral lamps.
to, and the axis of the grating parallel to the spectrome- – Aim the telescope at the collimator and open the slit slightly
ter axis: using the micrometer screw for slit width (e1).
– Place the grating in the holder for the flat glass plate (g) in – Set the slit to a suitable, observable slit height using the
the center of the prism table at an angle of 458 to the slide (e5).
collimator (e) so that the (imaginary) line between two of – With the height adjustment screw of the collimator (e4),
the adjusting screws of the prism table is parallel to the side align the middle of the slit with the horizontal cross-hair and
surfaces of the flat glass plate (see Fig. 4). lock the slit in position.
– Align the telescope (a) perpendicular to one of the side – Loosen the arresting screw for the collimator tube (e3) and
faces of the grating so that the cross-hairs are reflected in slide the collimator tube (e2) in the direction of the arrow
this surface. (see Fig. 5) until a sharp image is obtained.
– Adjust the horizontal cross-hair so that is coincident with – By turning the tube, align the slit vertically so that it is
its reflection. In making this adjustment, correct half the parallel to the vertical cross-hair, and then tighten the
difference using the height-adjustment screw of the tele- arresting screw for the collimator tube (e3).

Fig. 5 Collimator
Fig. 4 Spectrometer with grating e1 Micrometer screw
a Telescope e2 Collimator tube
b Leveling screws for prism table e3 Arresting screw for collimator tube
c1 Collimator e4 Height adjustment screw for collimator
d Grating in holder e5 Slide for adjusting slit height

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P5.7.2.1 LD Physics Leaflets

Setup
– Attach the He-spectral lamp in the housing, mount it in the
stand base as shown in Fig. 8, connect it to the universal
choke and switch it on.
– Illuminate the slit with the He-spectral lamp. Make sure that
the He-lamp is positioned in the optical axis of the collima-
tor.
– Position the grating on the prism table and align the tele-
scope so that the light through the slit passes through the
grating (when viewed from above, see Fig. 1) and the
spectrum can be observed in the telescope.
– To permit more precise subsequent measurements, place
the grating on the axis of rotation of the telescope and
perpendicular to the optical axis of the collimator (center of
prism table).
The resolution increases as the slit width narrows; at the same
time, however, the light intensity of the spectrum is reduced.
Fig. 6 Spectrometer base unit and prism table
– Set the slit to a suitable width using the slit micrometer c1 Prism table
screw (e1). c2 Leveling screws for prism table
f1 Arresting screw for prism table
f2 Arresting screw for graduated circle
f3 Fine-adjustment screw for telescope rotation
f4 Arresting screw for telescope (not visible)
f5 Verniers
Carrying out the experiment f6 Magnifiers
f7 Graduated circle
Note: the spectrometer is equipped with two opposing ver-
niers. In order to minimize reading errors and compensate for b) Determining the interval between the two Na-D lines:
any eccentricity of the circular graduation with respect to the
axis of rotation, find the mean value of two readings. – Remove the He-spectral lamp and replace it with the Na-
spectral lamp. When illuminating the slit, again make sure
that the lamp is positioned in the optical axis of the colli-
a) Measuring the He-line spectrum: mator.
– Tighten the telescope arresting screw (f4) and align the – Find the two yellow Na-D lines of the first diffraction order
vertical cross-hair of the telescope with each of the spectral on both sides of the main maximum.
lines of equal diffraction orders on both sides of the main – Align the vertical cross-hair of the telescope with each of
maximum in turn using the fine-adjustment knob (f3). Read the spectral lines and read off and write these values in the
off the corresponding telescope position on the graduated experiment log.
circle using the magnifiers (f6) and the verniers (f5) and – Repeat the measurement for the lines of the second order
write this value in the experiment log. of diffraction.

Fig. 7 Complete experiment setup after adjustment

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 LD Physics Leaflets P5.7.2.1

Measuring example and evaluation

Note: With the grating spectrometer it is also possible to see
low-intensity lines which do not belong to the spectrum of the
respective metal vapor or inert gas. Due to the manufacturing
process, other gases may also be included in the light bulb. In
metal vapor lamps, argon (Ar) is additionally used as a base gas.
The following formula applies:
Da
sin
2
l= (I)
n⋅N
n: diffraction order,
Da: angular difference between the right and left spectral lines
of nth order (see Fig. 8),
N: line count, l: wavelength
With the given grating line count N = 5700 cm–1, we obtain from
the measured angles Da the wavelengths given in Table 1 for
the observed spectral lines. These agree with the literature Fig. 8 Schematic diagram for the definition of angle Da
values for helium, but are an average of 1.0 ‰ above these
values. If we calculate the wavelengths with a correspondingly
greater grating line count (N = 5706 cm–1), we obtain excellent
agreement with the literature values (see Table 1). Additional information
Table 1: Measured values for example with the He-spectral The spectrometer and goniometer can also be used as a prism
lamp, measured for the diffraction order n = 1 spectrometer (see experiment description P 5.7.1.2). As in this
(The literature data refer to the wavelengths in air at standard configuration the deviation is not linearly dependent on the
temperature and pressure and in vacuum, for definition of Da wavelength, we require a calibration curve for carrying out
see Fig. 8) measurements; this is created using a spectrum lamp with a
known spectrum. Also, the resolution of a prism spectrometer
l5700 / cm l5706 / cm lair lvacuum is not as great as a good grating spectrometer.
Da
nm nm nm nm
However, the intensity of the prism spectra is greater, as a
29.568 447.6 447.1 447.0 447.1 significant proportion of the radiation in a grating spectrometer
31.188 471.5 471.0 471.2 471.3 is lost in the undiffracted 0th order, while the rest is distributed
32.628 492.7 492.2 492.1 492.2 over several diffraction orders on both sides of the 0th order.
33.248 501.8 501.3 501.5 501.6 As a result, the less intense lines are scarcely observable, or
39.178 588.1 587.5 587.4 587.6 not observable at all, with a grating spectrometer.
44.798 668.4 667.7 667.6 667.8
47.558 707.3 706.5 706.3 706.5

b) Determining the interval between the two Na-D lines:

Table 2: Sodium D-lines, measured at the diffraction orders
n = 1 and n = 2

l5706 / cm
Line n Da
nm

D1 1 39.3008 589.33

2 84.5428 589.41

D2 1 39.2508 588.61

2 84.4258 588.74

From Table 2, we obtain for the interval between the two yellow
sodium D-lines the values Dl = 0.72 nm (measured at n = 1)
and Dl = 0.67 nm (measured at n = 12).
The mean value is l(D1) – l(D2) = 0.70 nm.
Literature value for wavelengths in air at standard temperature
and pressure: l(D1) – l(D2) = 589.418 nm – 588.821 nm =
0.597 nm
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