Determination of Single-Slit Diffraction and Double-Slit

Interference Using Laser Diode as the Source of Light

Canopio, Marco 1, Marco, Ardin 2, Sirot, Ricardo 3*
1

Department of Geodetic Engineering, College of Engineering, UP Diliman, Quezon City

Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, UP Diliman, Quezon City
3
Department of Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, College of Engineering, UP Diliman,
Quezon City
*corresponding author: rasj_1997@yahoo.com
2

Abstract
The experiment aims to study the interference and diffraction of light
by investigating the patterns produced by single-slit and double-slit
diffraction. The experiment is divided into 3 parts- (1) investigating
the pattern produced by diffraction through a single slit and
determining its slit width, (2) investigating the pattern produced by
diffraction through a double slit and calculating slit width, and (3)
changing the slit width and slit separation of the diffraction produced
from a double slit. The results of the experiment contributed on
understanding and studying the behavior of light.

I.

Introduction
An RC circuit is a circuit composed of a power supply, a resistor and a capacitor.
Capacitors can store electrical energy inside it when charged, while the resistor
dissipates the energy to and from the resistor. In such circuits, it can be observed that
the voltage, current and the power that flows through an RC circuit is not constant. The
three quantities change with respect to time [1].
In the RC circuit, both the resistor and the capacitor are responsible for the time
changing quantities. When connected to the power supply the capacitor will charge until
it reaches its capacitance C. The charge in this capacitor will be equal to the product of
the capacitance and the voltage of the power supply [2]. (See, Eqn (1))

0=0
As the capacitors charge goes to qo, its voltage V increases to 0 while its potential
difference across the resistor decreases [3]. This relation results to Equation (2).

()=0(1/)
When discharging, however, at time t=0, the charge q is equal to Q 0 or the maximum
charge inside the capacitor. From Q 0, the charge decreases until ir approaches zero at
time t, and at the same time, the voltage V, from V0 also approaces zero, thus resulting to
Eqn (3)

()=0(/)

t is the time constant given by t =RC from a circuit with resistance R and Capacitance C
[4]
The experiment aims to quantify the rate of charging and discharging of a given
capacitor that is in series with a resistor and power supply. From it, experimental time
constant could be measured and be compared with the theoretical time constant.

II. Methodology
The materials used in the experiment were multimeter, 1000F electrolytic capacitor,
100 k resistor, 10 k resistor, connecting wires with clips, banana plug and stopwatch
the experiment was divided into 3 parts, (i) resistance and capacitance measurements,
(ii) charging RC Circuit and (iii) discharging RC Circuit.
For the first part, a single slit disk was used. With a slit width of 0.04mm, a laser beam
was centered on the slit. Then, the horizontal distance from the slit disk to the screen
was determined. The lights were turned off so that marking the boundaries of the dark
fringes the beam made on the white sheet will be easier and more accurate. The
distance between the side orders and from center to side was then measured. The first
part was repeated for a slit width of 0.02mm and 0.08.
For the second part of the experiment, the power supply was set between 5.0 V and
6.0 V. Two banana plugs were connected to the power supply with the red one for the
positive terminal and the black one for the negative terminal. One end of the resistor
was connected to banana plug and the negative terminal of the capacitor was connected
to black banana plug. The capacitor was connected parallel to the voltmeter in DC
settings and with the knob set to 20 V. The power supply was turned on and the
stopwatch was started as soon as the circuit was closed.
The third part of the experiment, one lead of the resistor was connected to one lead of
the capacitor using alligator clips, likewise with the remaining free leads of both using
another alligator clip. The terminals of the capacitor was connected to the corresponding
terminal of the voltmeter in DC settings and with the knob set at 20 V. The terminals of
the capacitor was connected to the corresponding terminals of the power supply. The
power was set between 5.0 V and 6.0 V and the power supply was turned on. The
stopwatch was started as soon as the capacitor was disconnected to the power supply.

III.

Data and Results

The main purpose of the experiment was to demonstrate the interference and diffraction of light from a
source passing through single-slit and double-slit with finite width quantitatively and qualitatively respectively.
The source of light in this experiment was a laser diode with a theoretical wavelength of 650 nm.
A. Resistance and Capacitance Measurements.
In the first part of the experiment, the measurement of the resistance and capacitance value was performed. A
multimeter was used in obtaining the measured value of the resistors and capacitor. The data gathered were
listed in Table 1.
Table 1.Resistance and Capacitance Measurements.
Labelled Value
Measured Value
Resistor 1
100 k
100,9 k
Resistor 2
10 k
9.81 k
Capacitor 1
1000F
0.036

B. RC Circuit (Charging)

In the second part of the experiment, the RC circuit was charged. The capacitor in the RC circuit was
charged and the increase of voltage was recoreded every 5 seconds. The data gathered were in Table 2.
Time (s)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65

Table 2. Voltage vs. time data for RC charging

Voltage across
Time (s)
Voltage across
capacitor (V)
capacitor (V)
0.08
70
2.82
0.36
75
2.94
0.63
80
3.07
0.83
85
3.18
1.06
90
3.29
1.27
95
3.40
1.49
100
3.49
1.70
105
3.61
1.90
110
3.71
2.05
115
3.79
2.21
120
3.87
2.38
2.53
2.70

C. RC Circuit (Discharging)
In the third and last part of the experiment, the RC circuit was discharged. The charged capacitor in the
previose step was used and the decrease of voltage was recorded every 5 seconds. The data obtained were
recorded in Table 3.
Table 3. Voltage vs. time data for RC discharging
Time (s)
Voltage across
Time (s)
Voltage across
capacitor (V)
capacitor (V)
0
4.50
70
2.65
5
4.35
75
2.53
10
4.18
80
2.42
15
4.03
85
2.32
20
3.88
90
2.23
25
3.76
95
2.13
30
3.64
100
2.05
35
3.51
105
1.95
40
3.39
110
1.88
45
3.25
115
1.80
50
3.12
120
1.72
55
3.00
60
2.87
65
2.75

IV.

Conclusion and Recommendations

It can be concluded that as the side order increases, the wavelength also decreases. As it moves away from
the central maximum, less light is encountered. The second part of the experiment yielded accurate results
because of low percent errors obtained. Furthermore, the third part of the experiment showed that as the slit
width increases, the central maximum width decreases and as the slit separation increases, the width of
interference fringes decreases.
The experimental percent differences may have occurred from a number of possible errors. One is the light
coming from other sources that affects the propagation of light in the white screen. Another is the distance
between the screen and laser. A greater distance resulted to dimmer and blurry diffraction patterns which made it
difficult to measure. Other sources came from human errors. A darker environment to conduct the experiment is
recommended.

V.

References

[1] Hugh D. Young, Roger A. Freedman, A. Lewis Ford. University Physics with Modern Physic. 35, page 1164.
Addison-Weslye, 13th Edition, 2012
[2] Hugh D. Young, Roger A. Freedman, A. Lewis Ford. University Physics with Modern Physic. 35, page
1165. Addison-Weslye, 13th Edition, 2012
[3]Dr.
Rod
Nave.Diffraction.
Hyperphysics.
Retrieved
astr.gsu.edu/hbase/phyopt/diffracon.html#c1 on 23 September 2015.

from

http://hyperphysics.phy-

[4] Hugh D. Young, Roger A. Freedman, A. Lewis Ford. University Physics with Modern Physic. 35, page 1191.
Addison-Weslye, 13th Edition, 2012
[5] Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Interference and Diffraction. Chapter 14, page 12. Web. Retrieved
from http://web.mit.edu/viz/EM/visualizations/coursenotes/modules/guide14.pdf on 25 September 2015.
[6] Hugh D. Young, Roger A. Freedman, A. Lewis Ford. University Physics with Modern Physic. 35, page 1192.
Addison-Weslye, 13th Edition, 2012
[7] Experiment 8: Interference and Diffraction (Lab manual). Printed 11 August 2014. National Institute of
Physics, University of the Philippines, Diliman.