Diffraction

Diffraction refers to the spreading or bending of waves around edges

The diffraction phenomena are usually divided into two categories:

Fresnel diffraction: the source of light and the screen are, in general, at a finite distance from the diffracting
aperture

Fraunhofer diffraction: the source and the screen are at infinite distances from the aperture; this is easily
achieved by placing the source on the focal plane of a convex lens and placing the screen on the focal plane
of another convex lens
Single-slit diffraction pattern using Fraunhofer diffraction

E
Single-slit diffraction pattern using Fraunhofer diffraction

Assumption: Slit consist of a “n” number of equally

spaced points, then

Slit width,
O
where, n is number of points and
Δ is distance between two consecutive points
An An ’
If the diffracted rays make an angle θ with the normal to
the slit, then the path difference at point P by the rays
coming from A1 A2 is

Diffraction of a plane wave incident normally on a long The corresponding phase difference φ is given by
narrow slit of width b

Similarly the path difference at point P by the rays coming from A1 and An is AnAn’=b sinθ = (n-1)∆ sinθ
Single-slit diffraction pattern using Fraunhofer diffraction_Intensity distribution

❖ When θ=0 i.e secondary wavelets travel normal to the slit, we will get principle maxima (or maximum
Intensity)

❖ b sinθ= mλ where m = ±1, ±2, ±3,…… minimum intensity positions on either side of principle maxima, b is
slit width

❖ b sinθ= (2m+1)λ/2 where m= ±1, ±2, ±3,…………………….. Secondary maxima, b is slit width

❖ when a plane wave is incident on a long narrow slit (of width b ), then the emergent wave spreads out
(along the width of the slit) with angular divergence Δθ ̴ λ/b
Numerical Problem

Calculating Single-Slit Diffraction Visible light of wavelength 550 nm falls on a single slit and produces its second
diffraction minimum at an angle of 45° relative to the incident direction of the light,
(a) What is the width of the slit?
(b) At what angle is the first minimum produced?
(c) What is the angular divergence of the emerging waves?

Given: λ=550 nm= 550x10-9 m and θ2= 45°

(a) Consider condition for minimum intensity;

b sinθ= mλ where m = ±1, ±2, ±3,……

For second order minima, b sinθ2= 2λ

b sin45°=2*550*10-9
Calculate b value

(b) For first order minima, b sinθ1= λ

Calculate θ1

(c) Angular divergence (∆θ)= θ2- θ1= 2λ/b ̶ λ/b

= λ/b
Numerical Problem

Calculate the angular separation between the first order minima on either side of the central maxima
when the slit is 6x10-4 cm width and the wavelength of illumination light is 6000 A°.

Consider condition for minimum intensity;

b sinθ= mλ

For first order minima; m=1 and θ= θ1

sinθ1=λ/b

Calculate θ1=sin-1 (λ/b)

Angular separation between the first order minima = 2θ1

Q1. (a) Sodium vapor light averaging 589 nm in wavelength falls on a single slit of width 7.50 μm. At
what angle does it produces its second minimum? (b) What is the highest-order minimum produced?

b sinθ= mλ
For highest-order minimum, sinθ=1

Q2. (a) Find the angle between the first minima for the two sodium vapor lines, which have
wavelengths of 589.1 and 589.6 nm, when they fall upon a single slit of width 2.00 μm. (b) What is the
distance between these minima if the diffraction pattern falls on a screen 1.00 m from the slit? (c)
Discuss the ease or difficulty of measuring such a distance.

λ2

λ1
Fraunhofer diffraction by circular aperture
Importance of circular aperture over single slit: Circular forms of lenses are employed as objective lens and eye
piece in microscope and telescope
Airy pattern

Airy Disc
(Central
D bright disc)

The angular radius of the Airy disc i.e the angular

separation between the center of the bright disk (Airy
disc) and the first dark ring,
Experimental arrangement for observing the
Fraunhofer diffraction pattern by a circular aperture. Δθ ≈ 1.22 λ∕D
Where D is the diameter of the circular aperture
Because of the rotational symmetry of the system, the
diffraction pattern will consist of concentric dark and
The angular spread of the central beam (known as airy’s
bright rings; this diffraction pattern (as observed on the
disc) is approximately given by
back focal plane of the lens) is known as the Airy
pattern
2Δθ ≈ 2.44 λ∕D
The angular radius of the Airy disc i.e the angular separation between the center of the bright disk (Airy disc) and
the first dark ring,
Δθ ≈ 1.22 λ∕D or Δθ ≈ 1.22 λ∕2a
Where D is the diameter of the circular aperture, a is radius of the circular aperture

The angular spread of the central beam (known as airy’s disc) is approximately given by
2Δθ ≈ 2.44 λ∕D
Fraunhofer diffraction by circular aperture
Importance of circular aperture over single slit: Circular forms of lenses are employed as objective lens and eye
piece in microscope and telescope

Where “a” is radius of circular aperture

Radius of the first dark ring= 3.832λf/2πa

1. What is the minimum width of a single slit (in multiples of λ) that will produce a first minimum
for a wavelength λ? (b) What is its minimum width if it produces 50 minima? (c) 1000 minima

1. (a) Calculate the angle at which a 2.00-μm-wide slit produces its first minimum for 410-nm
violet light. (b) Where is the first minimum for 700-nm red light?
 The Rayleigh Criterion
The Rayleigh criterion determines the separation angle between two light sources which are distinguishable
from each other.

According to Rayleigh criteria. two point sources are considered just resolved if the central of the diffraction pattern
of one is directly overlapped by the first minimum of the diffraction pattern of the other.
Δθ ≈ 1.22 λ∕D
Where θ – angle the objects are separated by, in radian, D is the diameter of the circular aperture
Limit of resolution

The ability of a lens to produce sharp images of two closely spaced point objects is called resolution.

The smaller the distance x by which two objects can be separated and still be seen as distinct, the greater the
resolution. The resolving power of a lens is defined as that distance x.

Δθ ≈ 1.22 λ∕D=x/d

Where θ – angle the objects are separated by, in radian, D is the diameter of the circular aperture
and d is the distance between the specimen and the objective lens

Therefore, the resolving power is

x=1.22λd/D
The 300 m-diameter Arecibo radio telescope detects radio waves with a 4.00 cm average wavelength. (a) What is
the angle between two just-resolvable point sources for this telescope? (b) How close together could these point
sources be at the 2 million light year distance of the Andromeda galaxy?

Sol: Given λ=4 cm =4*10-2 m, D= 300 m, d= 2 million light year

(a) The minimum angular separation is Δθ ≈ 1.22 λ∕D, here D is the diameter of the circular aperture

(b) Δθ ≈ x/d
x=d Δθ
The headlights of a car are 1.3 m apart. What is the maximum distance at which the eye can resolve these two
headlights? Take the pupil diameter to be 0.40 cm.

Sol:

Resolving power of a microscope

Δθ =x/d
d= x/ Δθ
Δθ ≈ 1.22 λ∕D
a) What is the minimum angular spread of a 633-nm wavelength He-Ne laser beam that is originally 1.00 mm in
diameter? (b) If this laser is aimed at a mountain cliff 15.0 km away, how big will the illuminated spot
be? (c) How big a spot would be illuminated on the Moon, neglecting atmospheric effects? (This might be done
to hit a corner reflector to measure the round-trip time and, hence, distance.)

Sol:

(a) The minimum angular separation is Δθ ≈ 1.22 λ∕D, here D is the diameter of the circular aperture
Calculate 2 Δθ

(b) Δθ =x/d or x= Δθd

Given d=15 km

(c) Distance of the moon from earth is d= 384400 km

x= Δθd
Double-slit diffraction pattern using Fraunhofer diffraction
Importance of multiple slit diffraction: Diffraction through grating is basically the diffraction of light through
multiple slits
Phase difference between the disturbances reaching
point P from two corresponding points on the slits

The resultant electric field, E=E1+E2

Field produced by first slit at point P The intensity distribution will be of the form
Multiple-slit diffraction pattern using Fraunhofer diffraction
Interference maxima and minima

Interference Maximum: If the path difference = (b + d) sinθn = ± nλ where n = 1, 2, 3… then ‘θn’

gives the directions of the maxima due to interference of light waves coming from the two slits.

Interference Minimum: If the path difference = (b + d) sinθn = ± (2n-1)λ/2 where n = 1, 2, 3…

Diffraction maxima and minima:

Diffraction Minimum: If path difference = b sinθn = ± nλ, where n = 1, 2, 3… then θn gives the
directions of diffraction minima.

Diffraction Maximum: If path difference = bsinθn = ± (2n-1)λ/2, where n = 1, 2, 3…

 Diffraction Gratings

• A diffraction grating
splits a plane wave
into a number of
subsidiary waves
which can be brought
together to form an
interference pattern.
 Action of Diffraction Grating

X • If d is the slit spacing then the path difference

between the light rays X and Y = d sin θ.
• For principal maxima,
θ
d sin θ = nλ.
θ Y • The closer the slits, the more widely spaced are the
d diffracted beams.
θ • The longer the wavelength of light used, the more
widely spaced are the diffracted beams.
Number of Diffraction beams

• Since sin θ  1,
n=2 n
 1
θ2
n=1 d
θ1 d
θ1
n=0
n 
θ2 n=1 
The highest order
n=2
number is given by the
value of d/λ rounded down
to the nearest whole
number.
1. How many orders are visible if the wavelength of the incident radiation is 5000 A°
and the number of lines on the grating is 2620 in one inch.
Sol: How many lines are there per cm?
2620 lines per 2.54 cm
Then for 1 cm how many lines?
d=9.6* 10 -5

d sin θ = nλ
Maximum value of sin θ=1, n= d/λ

2. A grating with 1500 ruling per inch is illuminated normally with white light
extending from 4000 A° – 7000 A° Show only first order spectrum is isolated but the
second and third orders overlap.
λ1=4000 A°
λ2=7000 A°
Single slit, double slit and multiple slit (grating)
Applications of diffraction Determination of wavelength using diffraction grating

Where m is the order of diffraction,

θ is Angle if diffraction
d the distance between two consecutive slits

The angles of diffraction for various orders of the grating

spectrum can be measured, and knowing the value of d,
one can calculate the wavelength of different spectral
lines.

Fraunhofer diffraction of a plane wave incident

normally on a grating.
Applications of diffraction: Resolution of telescope and microscope

For points P and Q to be just resolved, point Q’ should

lie on the first dark ring surrounding point P’,
The image of two distant objects on the focal plane of
Therefore
a convex lens.
If the diffraction patterns are well separated, they are
D is objective of diameter, α' is diffraction angle, n'
said to be resolved.
represent the refractive indices of image space, λ0 is
wavelength of light in free space
Angular separation between two peaks should be
Smallest distance a microscope can be resolved
Δθ=1.22λ/D
Y ≈ 0.61λ0/n sini
Where D is diameter of circular aperture of diameter n sin i is numerical aperture of the optical system

Telescope Microscope
 Applications of diffraction : Telescope and Microscope

Focal length of eye piece lens is greater

Focal length of objective lens is greater than eye
than the focal length of the objective lens
piece.
For higher magnification focal length of
For higher magnification focal length of objective
object should be small
should be large
In a material characterization lab, they are two wave
sources. One is electron wave with wavelength of 2 nm
and another one is electromagnetic wave with
wavelength of 450 nm. Which one would you prefer for
obtaining high resolution? Justify your answer.
Resolving power is proportional to wavelength
So to obtain higher resolution wavelength should be minimum
Ans: Electron wave with 2 nm
What is the maximum number of lines per metre a

diffraction grating can have and produce a spectrum for

visible light?
From diffraction condition
n = dsin
Since wavelength range
d = n/sin for visible light 400 nm – 700 nm

Number of lines per metre = 1/d = sin/n

For maximum number lines sin = 1, n = 1 and  = 400 nm
= 400 x 10-9 m
Maximum number lines = 1/(400 x 10-9) = 1430000 lines per
metre
What is the angular separation of two spectral lines of
wavelengths 550 nm and 600 nm formed in order n = 3 with a
529000 lines/m grating?
 n = dsin  dsin = n   = sin-1 (n/d)

For 550 nm For 600 nm

1 = sin-1(n/d) 2 = sin-1(n/d)
1 = sin-1(3x550x10-9x529000) 2 = sin-1(3x600x10-9x529000)
1 = 60.28o 2 = 71. 33o

Angular separation = 1 - 2 = 11.05o

A grating containing 4000 slits per centimetre is
illuminated with a monochromatic light and produces the
seconder order bright line at a 30°angle. What is the
wavelength of the light used?
 Order of diffraction (n) = 2
Angle of diffraction () = 30o
The distance between slits (d) = 1/no of slits per unit length
= 1 / (4000 slits / cm)
= 0.00025 cm
= 2.5 x 10-4 cm
= 2.5 x 10-6 meters
Wavelength () = ?
From diffraction condition
n = dsin
 = dsin/n
 = (2.5x10-6x0.5)/2
 = 625x10-9m
 = 625 nm