Diffraction

Lecture 1

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

What is diffraction?
Diffraction is bending of waves around obstacles.
Diffraction also occurs when waves from a large number of sources
interfere.

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Diffraction

New Wave Fronts

Serves as a point
to generate new
waves

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

 A plane wave does not bend at the slit if the opening d >>.
If > d, the bending takes place

The narrower the slit, the more the slit behaves like a point source
The wider the slit, the more like a plane wave the light is
Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Huygenss Principle

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Diffraction dudes: Fresnel and Fraunhofer

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Fresnel vs. Fraunhofer diffraction

S
P

Fresnel:
Source and screen are at
finite distance from slit.
Spherical wavefront
No converging device

Fraunhofer:
Source and screen are at
infinite distance from slit.
Plan wavefront
Converging device

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Single Slit Diffraction Pattern

A1
A2
A3

An

A2

B1

B2
C

B3
Bn
L

Let
us
draw
Asources
to A3,An.
A2B2
1A2 perpendicular
Let
the
point
be
at
A1,
A2,
The raysIfdiffracted
through
angle
arebe
focused
the number
of point
sources
n thenat P.
Fraunhofer
The
ray
diffracted
the
incident
rays are
focused
at C.
A
plane
wave
is incident
normal
theof
slit.
The
optical
path
A1along
B1P
and
Adirection
B2on
P are
same
diffraction
pattern
produced
by
an
infinitely
long
slit
of
2
The
distance
between
two
consecutive
points
be
. on
According
The
point
C
is
optically
equidistant
from
all
the
points
slit.
Let
us
find
out
the
resultant
intensity
at
P.
to
Huygens
theory
each
point
on
slit
spends
outthe
secondary
b = (n-1)
width b
Therefore
allallthe
secondary
from slit reach to C in the same
wavelets
direction.
The pathindifference
would wavelets
be Dr. Aparna Tripathi
phase.
All the wavelets
start
from
various points in slit in the same phase.
AA
=
sin

 If the path difference is equal to the wavelength of the light used,

then P will be a point of minimum intensity

bsin n
The path difference is odd multiples of /2 the direction of secondary
maxima

2n 1
bsin
2

The diffraction pattern due to single slit consist

of a central bright maxima at C followed by
secondary maxima and minima at both the side

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Intensity distribution in diffraction pattern due to single slit

A1
A2

A2

B1

B2
C

B3

A3

An

Bn
L

The path difference would be

A2A2 = sin
Dr. Aparna Tripathi

The corresponding phase difference would be

sin

....2

If the field at the point P due to the disturbance emanating from point A1
A1= a cos(t)
field at the point P due to the disturbance emanating from point A2
A2= a cos(t-)

A3= a cos(t-2)
.
.
.
An= a cos[t-(n-1)]
Then the resultant field at the point P
Dr. Aparna Tripathi
E= A1+ A2+ A3..............+
An

E= a cos(t) + a cos(t-) + a cos(t-2) + + a cos[t-(n-1)]

cos(t ) cos(t ) cos(t 2 ) cost n 1

thus
Ea

sin n
sin

2 cos t 1

n 1

2
where the amplitude of the resultant field
a

sin n
sin

2 E

E E cos t 1

n 1 .......3
Dr. Aparna Tripathi

sin n

2 cos t 1 n 1
2
sin
2

In the limit n and 0

n b
we have
n

n sin

n
b sin
2

Further
2

b sin

sin

n
n
b sin
sin
sin
sin
2

E a na
A
......4

b sin

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

where
A na
...5
bsin

...6

thus
sin
EA
cos t

...7

Corresponding intensity distribution is given by

I A

2
sin

I0

sin 2

...8
Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Central Maximum:
For the pt C on the screen = 0; hence =0.
0 value of sin / = 1
Hence the intensity at P
2

sin
I 0
I I 0

Secondary Maximum:
The directions of secondary maxima are given by

sin n

2n 1

2b
putting the value of n in eq 6

b2n 1 2n 1

2b
2
Putting n 1,2,3.... in above eq
3 5 7
, , etc
2 2 2

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

For first secondary maximum:

sin

I I 0

sin
2
I0
3

3
2

4I
I
02 0
22
9

For secondary maximum:

5
2

2
sin

sin
4I 0
I0
2

I 0
I I 0

2
5

25

61

2
thus the seondary maxima are of decreasing intensity
2

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Intensity at point P is given by

sin
I I 0

dI
d sin

I 0
d d

2 2 sin cos sin 2 2

dI I 0
d
4

dI
for I maximum
0
d

2 2 sin cos sin 2 2 0

tan

Solve the above eq graphically by Dr.plotting

the curves y= and y=tan
Aparna Tripathi

Secondary Minima:
The directions of secondary minima are given by

b sin n n
putting the value of n in eq 6
n

Putting n 1,2,3.... in above eq

,2 ,3 etc

intensity for the values of

2

sin
0
I I 0

Dr. Aparna Tripathi

Dr. Aparna Tripathi