Comparison between the grating constants of different types of optical discs

Janice Bumagat*, Jan Samuel Matuba, Justin Jesse Seranilla, Mark Charles Tarroza College of Engineering, University of the Philippines, Diliman *Corresponding author: <janicebumagat@yahoo.com>

Abstract
This paper discusses the determination of the grating constant of discs of varying types, brands and conditions by shining a beam with known wavelength onto its surface. CDs and DVDs with varying attributes, each sample having three replicates, were used in the experiment. The distances of the images formed from the diffraction of light were used to calculate the grating constants of the discs. For CDs, the average grating constants obtained slightly varies from the standard value. The values are also independent on the attributes of the CD. For DVDs, the obtained values for the grating constant are significantly close to the standard value. The attributes of DVDs also do not affect the grating constant.

1. Introduction
Optical discs are flat piece of circular polycarbonate plastic which contains non-volatile recording medium that stores digital information. The data stored to it is accessed with a laser diode which illuminates on its recording medium. Some of the different forms of optical discs developed as of today are Laser disc, Video CD (VCD), CD (compact disc), CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW which continue to thrive in our world of digital data and storage (ADRC, 2010). When the readable side a disc is turned to a light source, spectrum of colors occurring in a certain sequence (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) are reflected from it. This proves that light has wave properties. CDs and DVDs behave as reflecting diffraction gratings. When monochromatic light passes through the diffraction grating, it gets diffracted or spread out from each slit. Since there is constructive and destructive interference of light waves, dark and bright bands will be visible. The slits break up into constituent colors when light is passed through it. Each color has constructive interference at different position shown by (1) where d is the separation between slits, is the wavelength of light, is the diffraction angle and m is the integer-valued order of diffraction (m=0, 1, 2). Light is undiffracted or the emergent light is straight through if m=0. The positive and negative values of m are the diffracted light at opposite sides of the zerothorder. The constructive interference positions are independent on the number of slits in a grating. However, the bigger number of slits, the sharper and more intense the bright bands are the bright bands in the diffraction pattern. The data is stored in CDs as a series of microscopic indentations spiraling around its surface. DVDs, on the other hand, store up to seven times digital information or has a higher storage capacity which is achieved by smaller indentations and tighter spiral track. Dual Layer DVDs, on the other hand, has twice the capacity of a regular DVD because they have two recording layers stacked together. The number of pits and indentations is called the grating constant which is the inverse of the separation between grooves, (2) where D is the grating constant (Go, 2007). The standard grating constant for a CD is 625 lines/mm, and 1350 lines/mm for a DVD.

Figure 1. Internal structure of a dual layer DVD.

The experiment aims to differentiate the diffraction grating constants of CDs and DVDs of varying sizes, amount of data stored and brands. Knowing the grating constant is important in the determination of which kind of disc is able to store larger data.

2. Methodology
The experiment intends to identify the grating constant of the disc by shining a laser beam with known wavelength onto its surface. This projects a reflected diffraction image from the disc to the surface at the front of it. From the distance of the disc from the wall, the average distance of the first and second order diffraction image from the center and the wavelength of the laser, the actual diffraction constant of the disc can be computed. Discs of different types, brands and conditions were used. The following are their attributes: CDs 700 MB, iomega, Blank 700 MB, CD-R King, Loaded DVDs 4.7 GB, CD-R King, Blank 4.7 GB, TDK, Blank 4.7 GB, TDK, Loaded 8.5 GB, Dual Layer, Blank A single experimental set-up was used to get the necessary data for all the discs. For the CDs, the first and second order diffraction images should be visible, while only the first order images will be visible for the DVDs.

Figure 2: Side view of the experiment set-up

One end of the optical bench was laid flat onto the wall and the laser source was mounted on the optical bench at the same side. The disc was attached to a holder using a tape and mounted to the bench with a distance of 29 cm from the wall. The laser source was pointed perpendicularly to the 9 and 3 oclock points of the disc. We would know if the beam is perpendicular to the indicated position of the disc if the projected image from both sides are almost equidistant from the center of the laser source and to the ground.

Figure 3: Top view of the set-up and the positions on the disc.

The average of the distance of the left and right image from the center of the laser source was recorded and used for the computations of the grating constant. The CD would project the first and second order image while only the first order image will be visible for the DVD. For each type of disc, three replicates were used and the average of the computed grating constants for each was considered in our analysis.

3. Results and Discussion

The following tables show the distances of the first and second order images produced using CDs (700 MB). Two sets of discs were used one set blank and one set loaded with data. Table 1. Grating constant of CD. 1st Order Image (cm) 14.375 14.300 13.975 14.375 14.225 14.250 2nd Order Image (cm) 54.500 54.625 54.325 54.750 54.325 54.650 D1 (lines/mm) 683.264 680.398 667.876 683.264 677.523 678.482 D2 (lines/mm) 679.078 679.420 678.595 679.761 678.595 679.489 679.519 8.406% 678.105 8.497% Dave (lines/mm)

Disc

Description

% diff

A1 A2 A3 B1 B2 B3

700 MB iomega blank 700 MB CD-R King Loaded

The average grating constants for the blank and loaded CDs are 678.105 lines/mm and 679.519 lines/mm, respectively. The values do not differ significantly. This shows that the grating constant of CD is independent on whether or not it is loaded with data. The values slightly vary from the standard grating constant for CD, which is 625 lines/mm. The next set of data shows the values obtained using DVDs (4.7 GB and 8.5 GB dual layer).

Disc

C1 C2 C3 D1 D2 D3 E1 E2 E3 F1 F2 F3

Table 1. Grating constant of blank DVD 1st Order D Dave Description Image (lines/mm) (lines/mm) (cm) 54.125 1356.076 4.7 GB CD-R King blank 4.7 GB TDK blank 4.7 GB TDK loaded 8.5 GB Dual Layer blank 53.250 54.500 57.250 57.625 56.000 57.000 55.375 55.500 55.600 55.875 56.050 1351.093 1358.155 1372.427 1374.249 1366.145 1371.197 1362.878 1363.538 1364.064 1365.499 1366.403 1365.322 1365.871 1370.940 1355.108

% diff

0.378%

1.551%

1.176%

1.134%

The computed values of the grating constants do not differ significantly. The calculations show that the grating constants of DVDs are independent on the brand and whether or not it is loaded with data. A dual layer DVD also has the same grating constant as those with regular DVDs, although the images that it produces are wider and less sharp compared to those produced by regular DVDs. The grating constant values obtained are relatively close to the standard value of 1350 lines/mm for DVDs.

4. Conclusion
Greater angular displacement reading means greater diffraction grating constant. Thus, angular displacement is proportional to the diffraction constant of the diffraction grating used. However, the use of different diffraction gratings will result to the same calculated wavelength.

References
1. Young, H. and Freedman, R. (2008). University Physics with Modern Physics 12th Edition. San Francisco, CA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., Inc. 2. Go, M. A., Paz, A. E. and Soriano, M. (2007). Physics 73.1 Activity Manual. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Foundation for Physics, Incorporated (PFPI). 3. Android Data Recovery Centre Pte Ltd. Computer Knowledge Resources. (n.d). Retrieved February 20, 2013 from http://www.adrc.com/ckr/optical_discs.html. 4. Balachadran, R., Porter-Davis, K. (2009). Student Worksheet: CD and DVD as Diffraction Grating. Georgia Institute of Technology.