Diffraction of light

• The bending of light round the corner of the

obstacles is called diffraction of light. Q
S B
D
C
A
P
 Diffraction of light due to a single slit
• Experimental Arrangement

B P

S O

A
L1
L2
A monochromatic source S is placed at the focal
plane of convex lens L1, which produces parallel
beam of light. The light is passes through a slit
AB. Another lens L2 is placed behind AB and a
screen on the focal point of L2.
• Explanation
• If the light travels only in straight path then
there will be a bright spot at point O, where
the lens L2 will converge all the parallel rays.
But it is found that there are alternate bright
and dark fringe on both side of O.
• When the plane wave front passes through
the slit AB then according to Huygens's
Principle secondary waves start from all the
points of wave front and due to superposition
of these waves bright and dark fringes are
formed on both side of O.
• Let the secondary waves from point A and B
reaches to pint P on the screen.
The path difference between the wave from A
and B = AP – BP = AN
• In ΔABN sinθ =AN/AB

B P

θ y
a
S θ O

A
L1
L2
Or AN = AB sinθ
AN =a sinθ

• Position of Secondary Minima

• If the path difference is λ, then
• a sinθ = λ sin 1 =  / a
• This is condition for first secondary minima.
• For small angle sinθ1 = θ1 = y1/D
y1 
=
D a
D
y1 =
a
 2D
For second secondary minima y2 =
a
nD
• Similarly for nth secondary minima yn =
a
• Width of secondary maxima
nD (n − 1)D
 = yn − yn −1 = −
a a
D
= (n − n + 1)
a
D
=
a
Position of secondary maxima
• Let the point P is so located that AN = 3/2λ
• Then a sinθ`1 =3/2 λ
3
sin 1 =
2a
• But for small angle sin 1  1
y1 y1 3
• And 1 = =
D D 2a
3D
y1 =
2a

• This is position of first secondary maxima

Similarly position of second secondary maxima
5D
y2 =
2a
• Similarly position of nth secondary maxima
(2n + 1)D
yn =
2a
• Width of secondary minima
  = y − y =
(2n + 1)D − (2n − 1)D
n n −1
2a 2a
D
 = (2n + 1 − 2n + 1)
2a
D
 =

a
 Width of central Maxima
• The width of central
maxima  0 = 2 y1
2D
0 =
a
Intensity distribution in Diffraction
 Fresnel’s Distance:
• Fresnel’s distance is that distance between slit
and screen at which the spreading of light due
to diffraction becomes equal to the size of the
slit.
• y1 = D λ / a
• At Fresnel’s distance, y1 = a and D = DF
• So, DF λ / a = a
• or DF = a2 / λ
• If the distance D between the slit and the screen is less
than Fresnel’s distance DF, then the diffraction effects
may be regarded as absent.
• So, ray optics may be regarded as a limiting case of
wave optics.
Difference between Interference and
Diffraction:
Interference Diffraction
• Interference is due to the • Diffraction is due to the
superposition of two superposition of secondary
different wave coming from wavelets from the different
two different sources. parts of a single source
• 2. Fringe width of all the • 2. The central Fringe is
fringes are equal twice in width of other
fringes.
3. All maxima are of equal • 3. The intensity of maxima
intensity. continuously change
Q- A parallel beam of light of wavelength 500nm falls
on a slit and the diffraction pattern is observed on a
screen 1m away. It is observed that the first minimum is
at a distance of 2.5mm from the centre of the screen.
Find the width of the slit.
• Sol. Here λ=500nm
• = 500 X 10-9m
• D = 1.0m
• y1 = 2.5mm= 2.5 X 10-3 m
• We know that y1 = D
a
D 500  10 −9  1
a= a=
y1 2.5  10 −3
Or a = 20  10 −5 m

Or a = 0.20  10 −3 m
a = 0.20mm
Q-Two wavelength of sodium light 590nm and 596nm
are used to study the diffraction taking place at a
single slit of aperture 2 X 10-6m.The distance
between slit and screen is 1.5m . Calculate the
separation between position of first maximum of
diffraction pattern obtained in the two case.
Sol . Here λ1 =590nm =590 X 10-9m
λ2 =596nm =596 X 10-9m

• a = 2 X 10-6m and D =1.5 m

3D
• Distance of first secondary maximum y1 =
31 D 2a
• 
For first wavelength λ1, y1 =
2a 3 D
• For second wavelength λ2, y2 = 2
2a
• Spacing between the two maximum
32 D 31 D
y2 − y1 = −
2a 2a
3D 3 1.5
 
y2 − y1 = (2 − 1 ) = −6
(596  10 −9
− 590  10 −9
)
2a 2  2 10
 3 1.5  6 10 −9
or =
2  2 10 −6

Or = 6.75 10 −3 m
= 6.75mm
Q- (a) In young’s double slit experiment, two slits are 1
mm apart and the screen is placed 1 m away from the
slit. Calculate fringe width when light of wavelength
500nm is used.
(b) What should be the width of each slit in
order to obtain 10 maxima of double slits
pattern within the central maxima of single
pattern
D 500  10 −9
1
Sol.  = = −3
d 1 10
 = 500 10 −6 m

 = 0.5mm
 2D
(b)We know that central maxima 0 =
a

2D
• Given that 0 = = 10 
a
2D D
= 10
a d
2d
=a
10
2  1 10 −3
a=
10
a = 2  10 −4 m
Q- Figure shows a modified Young’s double slit
experiment set up. Here SS2-SS1 = λ/4
• (a) Write the condition
for constructive and P
destructive interference. S1
• (b) obtain the expression S O
for fringe width S2
• (c) Locate the position of
central maxima
Initial path difference Δx=SS2-SS1 =λ/4

• Path diff S2P-S1P =

x = yd/D P
• Total path diff. =Δx +x S1
S O
• For constructive
interference Δx +x = nλ S2
• λ/4+ yd/D =nλ
• yd/D =nλ-λ/4
• ynd/D =(n-1/4)λ ----------1
For destructive interference Δx +x = (2n+1)λ/2

• λ/4+ yd/D =(2n+1)λ/2

• yd/D =(2n+1)λ/2-λ/4
• yd/D =(2n+1-1/2)λ/2
• ynd/D =(2n+1/2)λ/2
• Fringe width
 =y −y =
(n − 1 / 4 )D (n − 1 − 1 / 4)D
−
n n −1
d d
D
= (n − 1 / 4 − n + 1 + 1 / 4)
d
D
=
d
The position of central Bright fringe is obtain by
putting n=0
• yo= -1/4 λD/d
• The negative sign shows that the central
maxima shift below O