Diffraction of light

Diffraction phenomena are divided into two distinct classes:-

a) Fresnel diffraction ( finite source-screen distance, spherical wave front)

b) Fraunhofer diffraction (infinite source-screen distance, cylindrical wave front )

Fraunhofer diffraction through a single slit:-

Path difference between the wavelets is ∆𝑠𝑖𝑛θ so the corresponding phase difference
2π
φ= λ
Δ𝑠𝑖𝑛θ

The resulting field at any point on the screen is

E = a [ cosωt + cos(ωt-φ) + cos(ωt-2φ)+--------------------+ cos{ωt-(n-1)φ}]

𝑛φ
𝑠𝑖𝑛⁡( ) 1
= na 2
φ cos⌈ω𝑡 − 2
(𝑛 − 1)φ⌉
𝑠𝑖𝑛⁡( 2 )

𝑛φ π𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛θ
𝑠𝑖𝑛⁡( ) 𝑠𝑖𝑛⁡( )
So the amplitude is E0 = na 2
φ = na λ
π𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛θ
𝑠𝑖𝑛⁡( 2 ) ( λ
)

as n-> ∞ so Δ-> 0 and 𝑠𝑖𝑛 ( )

φ
2
=
φ
2
, as φ is very small

𝑠𝑖𝑛β π𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛θ
E0 = A 0 β
where β = λ

Condition for minima and maxima:-

π
Case I: - β=2n 2

π𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛θ
So λ
= 𝑛π

⇨ 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛θ = 𝑛λ

Condition for minima, θ𝑛 = ± 𝑠𝑖𝑛

−1 𝑛λ
𝑑 ( )
π λ
Case II: - β= (2n+1) 2 so the condition for maxima is, 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛θ =(2n+1) 2

Position of maxima and minima of single slit diffraction:-

𝑠𝑖𝑛β 2
E0 = A 0
𝑠𝑖𝑛β
β
so the intensity 𝐼 = 𝐼0 ( ) β
The secondary maximas have decreasing intensity on either side of the central maxima.

𝑑𝐼
𝑑β
⎣
2
= 𝐼0⎡⎢𝑠𝑖𝑛 β
𝑑
𝑑β ( )+
β
1
2
1
2
β
𝑑
𝑑β (𝑠𝑖𝑛2β)⎤⎥⎦ = 0

2𝐼0𝑠𝑖𝑛β𝑐𝑜𝑠β
⇨ 3 (β − 𝑡𝑎𝑛β) = 0
β

⇨ 𝑖) 𝑠𝑖𝑛β = 0 𝑖𝑖) 𝑐𝑜𝑠β = 0 𝑖𝑖𝑖) β − 𝑡𝑎𝑛β = 0

So 𝑠𝑖𝑛β = 0 is the conditions for minima

And (β − 𝑡𝑎𝑛β) = 0
⇨ β = 𝑡𝑎𝑛β conditions of maxima
2
𝑑𝐼
Calculate 2 at i) ,ii) and iii)………… and prove.
𝑑β
Double slit diffraction:-

AB and A’B’ slit width (d) and AB’ slit obstacle (b)

The phase difference between to two rays from A/A’ and B/B’ will be,
2π
2β = λ
𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛θ

And phase difference between to two rays from A and A’ will be,
2π
2γ = λ
(𝑑 + 𝑏)𝑠𝑖𝑛θ

The resultant wave equation Y =Y 1+ Y 2

= A sinωt + Asin (ωt+2 γ)

= 2Acosγ sin (ωt+ γ)

The amplitude of the resultant displacement is 2Acosγ,

2
𝑠𝑖𝑛 β 2
The intensity I= (amplitude) 2 = 4I02 2
β
𝑐𝑜𝑠 γ
 2
𝑠𝑖𝑛 β
Case I: - minima 2 = 0 𝑜𝑟 β = 0
β

π π
β= λ
𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛θ = ±2n 2

λ
So, 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛θ = ±2n 2 => 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛θ = ±nλ
λ
Angular width for any two consecutive minima is, 𝑠𝑖𝑛θ𝑛+1 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛θ𝑛 = 𝑑

π π
Case II: - maxima β = λ
𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛θ =± (2n+1) 2

λ
So, 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛θ = ± (2n+1) 2
λ
Angular width for any two consecutive maxima is, 𝑠𝑖𝑛θ𝑛+1 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛θ𝑛 = 𝑑

Case III: - Central maxima: - ( )𝑠𝑖𝑛β

β
= 1 , so θ = 0

2
Case IV:- Interference minima, 𝑐𝑜𝑠 γ = 0
π π λ
γ= λ
(𝑑 + 𝑏)𝑠𝑖𝑛θ = ± (2𝑛 + 1) 2
so, (𝑑 + 𝑏)𝑠𝑖𝑛θ = ± (2𝑛 + 1) 2

2
Case V:- Interference maxima, 𝑐𝑜𝑠 γ = ±1
π π λ
γ= λ
(𝑑 + 𝑏)𝑠𝑖𝑛θ = ± 2𝑛 2
so, (𝑑 + 𝑏)𝑠𝑖𝑛θ = ± 2𝑛 2

λ
Angular width for any two consecutive minima and maxima is, 𝑠𝑖𝑛θ𝑛+1 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛θ𝑛 = 𝑑+𝑏
Missing order:-

Condition for interference:-Maxima (𝑑 + 𝑏)𝑠𝑖𝑛θ𝑛 = 𝑛λ

Condition for diffraction:- Minima 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛θ𝑚 = 𝑚λ

𝑑+𝑏 𝑛
If θ𝑛 = θ𝑚 then 𝑑
= 𝑚

Case I: - d = b so n= 2m

Find other cases………………. d=2b, 2d=b etc.

Multi slit diffraction (Diffraction grating)
Here is white-light diffraction pattern, compared with that for green light alon
 2 2
𝑠𝑖𝑛 β 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑁γ
The resultant intensity I = 𝐼0 2 2
β 𝑠𝑖𝑛 γ

2
𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑁γ 2
Case I: - 2 is maximum when 𝑠𝑖𝑛 γ = 0 => (𝑑 + 𝑏)𝑠𝑖𝑛θ = ±𝑛λ
𝑠𝑖𝑛 γ

( ) =............ N (L'Hospital's Rule)

2
𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑁γ
Case II:- central maximum 2
𝑠𝑖𝑛 γ

White light incidence:-

Absent spectra:-

Condition for diffraction maxima, (𝑑 + 𝑏)𝑠𝑖𝑛θ𝑛 = 𝑛λ

Condition for diffraction minima, d𝑠𝑖𝑛θ𝑚 = 𝑚λ

𝑑+𝑏 𝑛
If θ𝑛 = θ𝑚 then 𝑑
= 𝑚

Case: - d=b every 2nd order principal maxima will be absent corresponding to every 1st order of
diffraction minima

Ghost line: - effect of manufacturing defect

Dispersive power of a grating is defined as the ratio of the difference in the angle of diffraction
of any two neighboring spectral lines to the difference in the wavelength between the two
spectral lines. It can also be defined as the diffraction in the angle of diffraction per unit change
in wavelength. The diffraction of the nth order principal maximum for a wavelength λ is given by
the equation, (d + b) sin θ = nλ                     
Differentiating this equation with respect to θ and λ, (d + b) = 1/ N is constant and n is constant
in a given order),

(d + b) cos θ dθ = n dλ

Angular dispersion of grating:- (𝑑 + 𝑏)𝑠𝑖𝑛θ = 𝑛λ

𝑑θ 𝑁𝑛
𝑑λ
= 𝑐𝑜𝑠θ

Resolving power:-

λ 𝑁(𝑑+𝑏)𝑠𝑖𝑛θ
Resolving power: 𝑑λ
= λ
= 𝑁𝑛

Lord Rayleigh criterion of resolution

 Two objects are said to be well resolved if the distance between the central maxima and first
minima of any two objects is smaller than the separation between central maxima of the two
objects.