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1 Laser Diffraction

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27 views

1 Laser Diffraction

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kebopix215
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Diffraction of Light

Aim:
To observe the intensity patterns generated by the
diffraction/interference of a laser beam when passed through a double
slit and to measure the value of slit separation up to micro-meter
(micron) scale accuracy to find out the value of slit separation.

Apparatus:

(wave length 650nm)

Figure 1. Experimental Set-up with part list [Ref.1,2]


Diffraction of Light
The device consists of a one meter long optical rail on which the light source (laser),
the diffracting element (slit, hole or wire) and the photo detector which measures the
intensity of the diffracted light, are mounted. Their locations along the rail (x) and
perpendicular to the rail (y), in case of the detector, can be controlled with a precision
of mm and micron, respectively.
Theoretical Background:
For many of the phenomena involving light, more generally electromagnetic waves,
geometric optics is sufficient which relies on the observation that light travels in
straight line. But when light rays are partially obstructed, for example, by an opaque
screen with a circular aperture or a knife edge held on the path of light, the light rays
tend to show some amount of bending around the obstacle which results in complex
pattern of illuminated and dark spots on a screen located on further downstream. This
is known as diffraction.
This bending of light can be explained by Huygen’s principle (1678) which states that
that every point on the wave front that arrives at the aperture acts as a source of
spherical waves and these secondary waves interfere on the screen to generate the
diffraction pattern (see Figure.2). This also requires that the width (d) of the aperture
be only few times larger than the wave-length (λ) of the monochromatic light. If the
distance between the diffracting obstacleand the screen (D) is large compared to the slit
width (d) then the waves arriveat the screen as plane waves and creates Fraunhofer or
far field diffraction pattern. When the distance is less one get the Fresnel or near field
diffraction pattern. In this experiment we will be concerned with Fraunhofer patterns
only.
1. Diffraction of light by single slit

y
Figure 2. Each point on the slit opening generates spherical waves
(www.cronodon.com)
Diffraction of Light

Figure 3. Intensity pattern on the screen

Figure 4. Location of the 1st minima corresponds to path difference


δ = λ/2.

Adapted from hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu

Using superposition principle one can derive that the intensity pattern on the screen
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛽 2 𝜋𝑑
should follow 𝐼(𝜃) = 𝐼0 ( ), where 𝛽 = ( ) 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝛽 𝜆

From this expression it follows that the minima occur when βm = ± m ,m = 1, 2,.. and
correspondingly at angles θ = ± sin−1(mλ / d). The central maxima occurs at θ=0 and the
other maxima when βm = ± ( 2m+1)π / 2, m= 1,2,.. occurs at θ= ±sin−1[(2m +1)λ / 2d] Note that
m = 0 is not a local maxima. Minimas and maximas are caused by destructive (for
path difference of odd multiples of λ / 2 ) and constructive interference (for path
difference m λ ) of the diffracted waves,respectively.
Thus from the positions of the maxima, we can find out the slit width using,
d = mλ/sin θ m , Experimentally, we measure θm by recording ym , the y- positions of the
minima, and then using the relation tan θm = ym/D.
Diffraction of Light
2. Diffraction of light by double slit
In the two slit interference, light from the laser hits two very narrow slits, which then act
like in-phase point sources of light. When light waves are travelling from the slit to
screen, both the waves are travelling different distance from two slits. As shown in
Figure 5, light hitting point P from the bottom slit travels longer distance than the light
from the top slit. This extra path introduces a phase shift between the two waves and
leads to a position dependent interference pattern on the screen. Here the extra path is
δ =d sin  = λ , whichmakes a phase shift φ =2π.
𝜋𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛽 2
Intensity pattern now 𝐼(𝜃) = 𝐼0 𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 (
𝜆
)( 𝛽
), where β = (πa / λ)sinθ and a is the
width of each slit while d is their separation.
The phase shift that are even multiples π, gives constructive interference and odd
multiples of π gives destructive interference. Therefore the conditions for maxima are
d sin  = mλ , and conditions for minima are d sin = (m+(1/2))/λ; where m = 0, ±1,
±2, ±3,…

Figure 5. Location of the 1st maxima for shift δ = λ

Figure 6. Diffraction pattern for double slit [Ref.3].


Diffraction of Light

Here the diffraction envelope is set by the width of the slits a, while the individual
wiggles are due to the interference between the light coming from the two different
slits at separation d. Since here d>a , the locations of the minima are more closely
packed here compared to the diffraction pattern of theearlier case, generated by a single
slit of width a.
Thus from the positions of the maxima we can now find the slit separation,
d =mλ / sin θm .

Figure.6. Left: Diffraction of water waves at the opening of the port of Alexandria
in Egypt (adapted from google earth). Right:Diffraction of radio waves from a
tower ( www.atis.org)

Some interesting facts about diffraction


1. Babinet’s principle: the diffraction pattern for a single slit of width d is same as that
of a thin wire of width d. This can be explained by Babinet’s principle: a slit and wire,
when superposed, produce a completely opaque sheet which will produce a dark
screen. This implies that the net electric field E = Eslit + Ewire= 0 at the screen, which
means Eslit = - Ewire , but since intensity I  E 2 at the centre. both slit and wire
produce the same pattern, except at the center
2. In the near field Fresnel diffraction pattern, for a circular aperture, a central minima
replaces the bright central Airy disc, characteristic of thefar field pattern.
3. Diffraction limits the resolution of optical microscopes to 0.25 micron. The airy discs
of two points closer than this will overlap and hence cannotbe resolved.
Diffraction of Light
Some applications
1. To determine the track width on a CD by reflecting laser light andmeasuring the
diffraction pattern.
2. To measure the wavelength λ of the laser light using double slit width.
3. To measure thickness of fine fibers, eg, human hair.
4. To measure size of red blood cells.

1. Procedures for double slit/single slit:


1. The laser, the double slit and the detector all are fixed on a rail and made co-
linear, so that the laser beam in incident on the detector after passing through
the slit.
2. Observe the diffraction/interference pattern and adjust the distance between slit
and detector (D) to get a sharp pattern. The detector shows maximum intensity
(adjust for > 50 micro-Amp) when laser beam falls on the detector. This should
correspond to detector position in the range 10-12mm on the circular scale. Also
measure D.
3. 1st scan the diffraction pattern (of varying intensity) by turning thecircular scale.
When you actually take readings turn the circular scale in one direction only and
go from one end of the pattern to the other across the central maxima. Do not
move back and forth which will generate backlash error.
Experimental set up and the measured quantities are same for both single and double
slit cases, except that while we need to locate the maxima in the double slit case we
need the minima in the single slit case.
Data and analysis for double slit : Record current (microA) versus detector
position (millimeter). While recording positions show, a) the main scale, b) the
Vernier scale and c) the net readings. Plot current versus position, showing
current on the y-axis. From the graph identify total five maxima : the central one
and two each, on both sides of the central maxima. Try to use not more than 40-50
points to cover all the 5 maxima. Compute the slit separation d using the distance
between the central maxima and the side maxima. Compute average d and its
error (standard deviation) and present it as dd , keeping only significant
digits. Since the angles m are small gap between successive maxima are almost
same. So you can, alternatively, use these gaps in the formula for m=1 to get
corresponding 1 and then use average 1 and its error to compute d  d .
Diffraction of Light

Safety instructions
1. Laser radiation predominantly causes injury via thermal effects; avoid looking
directly into the laser beam. The beam of laser source is so intense that it
can cause damage to retina. Do not shine them on others or on yourself.
2. Care should be taken while handling diffraction slits and the other components.
3. Do not touch the inner surface of diffraction cell.
4. Avoid backlash error while moving the micrometer scale on the detector.
Appendix:
Least count = (Smallest div on Main Scale) / (No. of div on circular scale)
= 0.05 cm /50 = 0.001 cm
Micrometer reading = Main scale reading + (number of div. on circular scale xL.C.)
References:
1. HOLMARC opto –Mechanics Pvt. Ltd Instruction manual for Detection based
Diffraction Experiments Model: HO-EQ-D-02.
2. website for HOLMARC opto –Mechanics Pvt. Ltd
http://www.holmarc.com/differ_detector.php , accessed on June 2015
3. Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,” Expt. No.
9. Interference and diffraction”. https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/8-02-physics-ii-
electricity-and-magnetism-spring-
2007/80de81c8897a6835c7771736d6385fa3_experiment9.pdf
4. Abbei Tippie, Tammy Lee “experiments with Diffraction”, RochesterEducation
www.optics.rochester.edu/workgroups/.../EDay2008_Diffraction.pdf
,accessed on June 2015
5. Double slit simulation https://www.geogebra.org/m/ynwgtfk8

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