Chapter 36: Diffraction

Physics 72
Rafael B. Jaculbia
36.2: Diffraction from a single slit
3
Diffraction vs. interference
Bending of light through obstacles
Huygens principle
No fundamental distinction between
diffraction and interference.
4
Single Slit
Parallel ray
monochromatic
light incident on
a slit with width
a
Central bright
band and
several side
bands
Central is
much broader
than a.
Around 85% of
the transmitted
power is in the
central band.
5
Dark Fringes
a
m
= sin
m = 1, 2, 3, etc. NOTE: m = 0
is not a dark fringe it is a bright
band!
Since wavelength << slit width:
a
m
=
6
Location
d
m
R y
m

= == =
a
m
x y
m

=
Single slit diffraction
Double slit interference
7
Width
a
x
w
2
=
8
A slit of width a is illuminated by a monochromatic light
of wavelength . What is the distance between the
central maximum and the 5th diffraction minimum if
the screen is at a distance D away from the slits?
a
D y
m
5
5
=
=
9
What can you do to increase the width of the central
bright maximum of a single slit diffraction pattern on a
very far screen?
A. Increase slit width
B. Increase slit-screen distance
C. Decrease wavelength of light
D. B and C
E. A, and C
a
x
w
2
=
10
Which of the following colors will yield the largest width
of the central maximum after passing through a single
slit?
A. Orange
B. Yellow
C. Red
D. Blue
E. Violet
a
x
w
2
=
36.3: Intensity in single-slit
pattern
12
Intensity
2
sin
(
(
(
(

\
|
=
y
x
a
y
x
a
I I
o

36.4: Multiple slits

14
Multiple slits
In 2 slit interference, we neglected the effect of
a finite slit width.
But we have seen previously that if the slit
width is finite, diffraction occurs, even if there
is only one slit.
15
Multiple Slits-ideal
d
x y

=
Depends only on screen-slit
distance, slit separation and
wavelength
16
Multiple slits-ideal
slit
I N I
2
max
=
17
Multiple slits-ideal
There are (N-2) secondary maxima between
adjacent principal maxima.
18
Multiple slits-ideal
There are (N-1)
minima
between
adjacent
principal
maxima.
19
Multiple slits-real case
1
2

a
d
Number of
bright fringes
within the
central
maximum.
20
What is the maximum intensity of the interference
pattern produced by 4 slits if the maximum intensity for
a single slit is 2 W/m
2
?
A. 8 W/m
2
B. 16 W/m
2
C. 24 W/m
2
D. 32 W/m
2
E. 64 W/m
2
slit
I N I
2
max
=
21
How many bright fringes are found inside the single-slit
diffraction pattern of a 2-slit system whose slit size and
slit separation are 1um and 5um respectively?
A. 3
B. 6
C. 9
D. 12
E. 15