Diffraction Grating Calculation Diego Olaya

Abstract
This document details the mathematical solution for the on-axis intensity of a plane wave diffracted
through a circular aperture as measured a distance z from the aperture such that z >> r. The Fresnel
approximation is used to simplify the mathematics. Once the diffraction integral is set up, it can be trans-
lated into cylindrical coordinates to take advantage of the cylindrical symmetry of the problem. Finding
the diffraction on axis further simplifies the problem. After evaluation and simplification of the integral,
2 √
the solution for the intensity of the diffracted wave is found to be I = E~0 2 − 2 cos k



r2 + z 2 − z ,
where r is the radius of the aperture, z is the distance from the aperture, and k is a quantity equal to
2π
λ
.

~ 0 , y 0 , 0) will describe the electric

To begin, a few quantities and variables must be defined. The function E(x
0 0
field of the plane wave at the aperture, where x and y are coordinates within the aperture. We define z = 0
at the aperture. To simplify the calculation further and allow a solution that does not involve the Bessel
function. Away from the aperture, x and y are used to define coordinates in their respective planes.
Some other important functions are defined in the list below.
~ 0 , y 0 , 0): As mentioned above, this is the equation of the plane wave at the aperture.
• E(x
~ 0, z): The electric field of the wave at a distance z from the aperture. x and y are zero because
• E(0,
the calculation is being performed on-axis.
~R = E
• E ~ 0 eikR : This is Fresnel’s approximation for the wave at a distance R where R is much larger
R
than the wavelength of the light.
~ = hx − x0 , y − y 0 , zi
– R in this equation is the magnitude of the R vector, which is R

We begin the calculation by setting up the initial diffraction integral.

¨ ikR
−i ~ 0 (x0 , y 0 , 0) e 0 0
E dy dx
λ area R

Because of the symmetry of the circular aperture, the problem can be simplified by translating the integral
into cylindrical coordinates. A point is now defined by (ρ, θ, z), where ρ is the radial distance from the origin,
θ is the angle from the positive x direction, and z remains the same.
We can now rewrite the integral as the following.
¨ ikR
−i ~ 0 (ρ0 , θ0 , 0) e 0
E ρ0 dρ0 dθ
λ area R

Adding bounds to the integral results in the following, where r is the radius of the aperture.
ˆ ˆ
−i r 2π ~ 0 0 eikR 0 0 0
E0 (ρ , θ , 0) ρ dθ dρ
λ 0 0 R

0
Since none of the terms inside the integral depend on θ , we can evaluate the portion of the integral that
depends on theta as ˆ 2π
0
dθ = 2π
0

The diffraction integral can now be written as

ˆ
−2πi r ~ 0 0 eikR 0 0
E0 (ρ , θ , 0) ρ dρ
λ 0 R

1
Diffraction Grating Calculation Diego Olaya

Because we have stated that the wave at the aperture is a uniform plane wave, the electric field at the
aperture is a constant, which can be pulled out of the integral.

−2πiE~ 0 ˆ r eikR
ρ0 dρ0
λ 0 R
p
We must now write R in terms of ρ0 and z. Because we are on axis, we can write R as R = ρ02 + z 2 .
√
−2πiE ~ 0 ˆ r eik ρ02 +z2
p ρ0 dρ0
λ 0 ρ02 + z 2

We now define the following variables.

q = ρ02 + z 2
dq = 2ρ0 dρ0

Using substitution, the diffraction integral can be rewritten as

~ 0 ˆ eik q
√
−πiE
√ dq
λ q

Now, we define the following two variables.

√
u= q
1
du = √
2 q

We can use these two variables and substitute them into the diffraction integral to simplify it further.

−2πiE ~0 ˆ
eiku du
λ

We can now take the integral with respect to u to get

~0
−2πiE
eiku
λik

We next substitute the value of u back into the integral.

~0 √
−2πiE
eik q
λik

We do the same for q.

~ 0 √ 02 2
−2πiE
eik ρ +z
λik

ρ0 is evaluated from 0 to r in the original integral, so we re-write the equation to reflect this.
r
−2πiE~ 0 h √ 02 2 i
ik ρ +z
e
λik


0

Expanded, this equation is equal to

~0 h √ 2 2
−2πiE √ i
2
eik r +z − eik z
λik

2
Diffraction Grating Calculation Diego Olaya

An initial round of simplification results in

~0 h √ 2 2
−2π E i
eik r +z − eikz
λk

2π
Using the relation k = λ , we can re-write the equation as
h √ i
−E~ 0 eik r2 +z2 − eikz

This is the electric field at a distance z from the aperture for an aperture of radius r.
To find the intensity of the light at the distance z, we use the equation
~E
I=E ~∗

and multiply the electric field by its complex conjugate (E~ ∗ ).

h √ i
~ 0 e−ik r2 +z2 − e−ikz
E ∗ = −E

2
h √ 2 2  √
2 2
i
I = E~0 eik r +z − eikz e−ik r +z − e−ikz

We foil the inside of the brackets to get

2
h √2 2 √2 2 √
2 2
√
2 2
i
I = E~0 eik r +z −ik r +z − eik r +z −ikz − eikz−ik r +z + eikz−ikz

This simplifies to √ √
2
h 2 2 2 2
i
I = E~0 2 − eik r +z −ikz − eikz−ik r +z

We can now factor out a ik from the exponents.

2
h √ √ i
2 − eik( r +z −z) − eik(z− r +z )
2 2 2 2
I = E~ 0

We can now factor out a negative from one exponent to make them the same and simplify arithmetic
later. 2
h √ √ i
I = E~0 2 − eik( r +z −z) − e−ik( r +z −z)
2 2 2 2

√
To make the math look nicer, we can define φ = r2 + z 2 − z and rewrite using this identity.
2
I = E~0 2 − eikφ − e−ikφ
 

We now write this equation as a function of sines and cosines.

2
I = E~0 [2 − (cos(kφ) + i sin(kφ)) − (cos(kφ) − i sin(kφ))]

We simplify this equation further to get

2
I = E~0 [2 − 2 cos(kφ)]

We now substitute the value of φ back in to get the final equation for intensity.
2
h  p i
I = E~0 2 − 2 cos k r2 + z 2 − z