Diffraction of light

The phenomena of bending of

light around the corners and
edges of an obstacle object and
their spreading into geometrical
shadow is called diffraction
Reason:Diffraction can be explained d on the basis
of Hygen’s wave theory. When light is incident on
a sharp edge of an object (obstacle), the point on
edge become secondary sources of wave emitting
spherical wavefronts which travels in all
directions. As according to Fresnel, Diffraction
phenomena is due to mutual interference of these
secondary wavefronts .
Classes of Diffraction
Diffraction is classified into two catagories :
(1) Fraunhofer Diffraction: Fraunhofer studied
the diffraction of light by keeping the source
and the screen at infinite distance from the slit
which is known as Fraunhofer Diffraction.
(2) Fresnel Diffraction: Fresnel studied the
diffraction of light by keeping the source and
the screen at finite distance from the slit which
is known as Fresnel Diffraction .
Assignment Questions
 Give Five differences between Interference
and diffraction.
 Give Five differences between Fraunhofer

and Fresnel diffraction

Resultant of n-harmonic
waves
y1 = a sin ωt
y2 = a sin (ωt +φ)
y3 = a sin (ωt +2 φ)
.. . . .
yn = a sin (ωt +(n-1) φ)

Now resultant:
Y = y1+ y2+ y3+………..+ yn
Y = a sin ωt+ a sin (ωt +φ)+ a sin (ωt +2 φ)+
…….+ a sin (ωt +(n-1) φ)
Y = [a sin(n φ/2)/sin(φ/2)] sin (ωt +δ)
Where:
[a sin(n φ/2)/sin(φ/2)] = resultant amplitude=A
and δ = resultant phase

A= [a sin(n φ/2)/sin(φ/2)]------(1)
 Single slit Fraunhofer
Diffraction:

A θ
S O
θ
Source
B
of light

Single
Slit Lens
Scree
n
Slit width =e
Angle of Diffraction = θ
From Figure:
The path difference corresponding to n numbers
of rays = BN
The path difference between two consecutive
rays = BN/n
Corresponding phase difference φ = 2π (BN)/λn
φ = 2π e sin θ/λn
φ = 2α/n ----------(1)
Where α = π e sin θ/λ -----(2)
We know,
A= [a sin(n φ/2)/sin(φ/2)]------(3)
Using eq(1) and (3), we have
A= a sin α / sin(α /n) --------(4)
For small (α /n) :
sin(α /n) ~ (α /n)
 Now, A= a sin α / (α /n)
 A = (an sin α) /α
A = (R sin α) /α -----(5)
Where R = an
and A2 = (R2 sin2 α) /α2
Intensity,
I = A2 = (R2 sin2 α) /α2 ------(6)
Case1: Principle Maxima
When α 0
Lim α 0 (sin α )/α =1
Therefore, Imax = R2
Case 2: minima
When Sin α = 0,
Or α=mπ
By eq. 2 ,
π e sin θ/λ =m π
e sin θ =m λ
Now , Imin = 0

Case3: Secondary Maxima,

dI/dα = 0
By eq.(6) we have,
d [(R2 sin2 α) /α2 ]/dα = 0
On solving, we have,
α cos α – sin α =0
tan α = α ------(7)
y = α represent a straight line
and y = tanα represents a discontinuous curves having number of branches.

At α =0 ,we have principle maxima

At α = 3 π/2, 5π/2 , 7 π/2,…. We have secondary maximas
Now for α = 3 π/2, 5π/2 , 7 π/2,…. We have
secondary maxima as given below:
(i) First secondary Maxima:
I1 = R2 sin2(3 π/2)/(3 π/2)2
I1 = 4 R2 / 9π2
(ii) Second Secondary Maxima:
I2 = R2 sin2(5 π/2)/(5 π/2)2
I2 = 4 R2 / 25π2
(iii) Third Secondary Maxima:
I3 = R2 sin2(7 π/2)/(7 π/2)2
I3 = 4 R2 /49 π2

Similarly I4, I5, I6,………….so on

Therefore Ratio of Secondary maxima:
I1: I2 : I3 :……= 4/9π2 : 4/25π2 : 4/49π2 :……….

I
Central
maxima

Secondary Secondary
Maximum Maximum

α
-3π -2π 0 π 2π 3π
-π
 Double slit Fraunhofer
Diffraction:
P

S1 θ
S O
θ
Source S2 N
of light
Lens

Double
Slit Lens
Scree
Here, Slit widthn=e
S1 S2 = e/2+a+e/2 =e+a

Separation between two slits =

a
From Figure:
The path difference S1P and S2P = S2N =
(e+a)Sinθ
Corresponding phase difference φ = 2π (S2N)/λ
φ = 2π (e+a) sin θ/λ
φ = 2β ----------(1)
Where β = π (e+a) sin θ/λ -----(2)
We know, for single slit
A= R2 sin2α / α2
Resultant amplitude for double slits:
A’ A
A’2 = A2 + A2 + 2A A cos φ φ

= 2A2 + 2A2 cos 2β A

= 2A2 (1+ cos 2β)
A’2 = 4A2 cos2β --------(3)
 Now,
A’2 = 4(R2 sin2 α) cos2β /α2
and Intensity,
I = A’2 = 4(R2 sin2 α) cos2β /α2 ------(4)
Here
 (R2 sin2 α)/α2 term is due to single slit diffraction , so we

have principle Maximum, minimum, secondary maxima

 And 4 cos2β is due to double slit diffraction.So we have:

Case1: Maximum
When cos2β = 1
β = mπ where m= 1, 2, 3…..
By eq2 we have , π (e+a) sin θ/λ = mπ
(e+a) sin θ = m λ ------(5)
Case2: Minimum
When cos2β = 0
β = (2m+1)π/2 where m=0,1,2,3,……
By eq2 we have , π (e+a) sin θ/λ = (2m+1)π/2
(e+a) sin θ = (2m+1) λ/2 ------(6)
Missing order : when condition for maximum
intensity in interference (double slit) and the
condition for minimum intensity in diffraction
(single slit) are simultaneously satisfied then
those orders are missing from the spectrum
known as missing orders.
condition for maximum intensity in interference
(double slit)
(e+a) sin θ = m λ -----(1)
condition for minimum intensity in diffraction
(single slit)
e sin θ = n λ -----(2)
Eq(1)/eq(2): (e+a) sin θ/ e sin θ = m λ/ n λ
(e+a)/ e = m / n -----(3)
Grating or N-slit
 It consist of large numbers of parallel slits of
equal width separated by opaque spaces.
 All opaque spaces have equal width.
 For lab purpose: It is constructed by

drawing lines on a flat glass plate using a

fine diamond point. The lines becomes
opaque and the region between two lines,
which is transparent acts as the slit.
 width of each Slit =e

Separation between two slits = a

N = Total no. of lines on grating
N-Slits system or Grating Grating using in Lab
 Let ‘e’ be the width of each slit and‘a’ the width
of each opaque space. Then (e+a) is known as
grating element.
Grating element = e+a = 1/ no. of lines per cm
= 2.54/ no. of lines per
inch
 The number of lines per inch of grating are
written over it by the manufacturer.
 In figure XY is the screen.
 Suppose a parallel beam of monochromatic light
of wavelength 'λ ' be incident normally on the
grating. By Huygen’s principle, each of the slit
sends secondary wavelets in all directions. Now,
the secondary wavelets travelling in the direction
of incident light will focus at a point Po on the
screen. This point Po will be a central maximum.
 N- slit Fraunhofer Diffraction or
Plane Transmission Grating:
P

S1
θ
S
θ
Source S2 N1 O
of light

S1 S2 = e/2+a+e/2 =e+a

Lens Scree
N- Slits
Here, Slit widthn=e
Separation between two slits =
a
From Figure:
The path difference between two consecutive
diffracted beams of light = S2N1 = (e+a)Sinθ
Corresponding phase difference φ = 2π (S2N1)/λ
φ = 2π (e+a) sin θ/λ
φ = 2β ----------(1)
Where β = π (e+a) sin θ/λ -----(2)
Resultant amplitude for N- slits:
A’ = A sin Nβ/sin β ------3
We know, for single slit
A2= R2 sin2α / α2
Therefore, A’ = R sinα sin Nβ/ α sin β
and A’2 = R2 sin2α sin2Nβ/ α2 sin2β ----4
and Resultant Intensity,

I = A’2 = R2 sin2α sin2Nβ/ α2 sin2β ------(5)

Here
 (R2 sin2 α)/α2 term is due to single slit diffraction

, so we have principle Maximum, minimum,

secondary maxima
 And sin2Nβ/sin2β is due to N- slit diffraction. So

we have:
Case1: Principle Maximum
When sin β = 0
β = mπ where m= 0,1, 2, 3…..
By eq2 we have , π (e+a) sin θ/λ = mπ
(e+a) sin θ = m λ ------(6)
For this case (sinNβ/sinβ)
= lim β→ mπ (d sinNβ /d β)/(d sinβ /d β)
=N
and Ip = A= R2 sin2α N2/ α2 ------(7)
Case2: Minimum
When sinNβ = 0
Where sin β ≠ 0
Nβ = mπ where m= 0,1, 2, 3…..

By eq2 we have ,
N π (e+a) sin θ/λ = mπ
(e+a) sin θ = m λ/N ------(8)
So Intensity ,
Imin = 0
Case3: Secondary Maxima,
dI/d β = 0
By eq.(6) we have,
[(R2 sin2 α) /α2 ]{d [sin2Nβ/ sin2β]/d β} = 0
On solving, we have,
N cosNβ sin β – cosβ sin Nβ =0
or cosβ sin Nβ = N cosNβ sin β

√1
tan Nβ =N tan β

+
N
2
or tan Nβ =N tan β/1

ta
N tan β

n
β2
From Figure: Nβ

sin Nβ =N tan β/√ (1+N2 tan2β) 1

 sin Nβ =N tan β/√ (1+N2 tan2β)
sin2Nβ =(N2 tan2 β)/(1+N2 tan2β)
sin2Nβ/sin2β =(N2 tan2 β)/ sin2β(1+N2 tan2β)
sin2Nβ/sin2β = N2/ sin2β(cot2β +N2)
sin2Nβ/sin2β = N2/ (cos2β +N2 sin2β)
sin2Nβ/sin2β = N2/ (1-sin2β +N2 sin2β)
sin2Nβ/sin2β = N2/ {1 +(N2 -1)sin2β}

Now put this in Equation (5), we have

Intensity expression for secondary maxima:
Is = R2sin2α N2/ α2 {1 +(N2 -1)sin2β} ------(9)

or, Is = Ip/{1 +(N2 -1)sin2β}

N-slits diffraction pattern
or Grating Spectra
Grating experiment in Lab
 Dispersive Power of
Grating
 Rate of change in angle of diffraction with
wavelength called its dispersive power.
 D.P. = dθ/dλ -------(1)
Derivation:
we know equation of grating is:
(e+a) sin θ = n λ ------(2)
On differentiating w.r.t. λ ,
(e+a) cosθ dθ/d λ = n
Or, dθ/d λ = n/ (e+a) cosθ
D.P. = dθ/d λ = n/ (e+a) cosθ