Cyberphysics - Diffraction patterns fromslits

http://www.cyberphysics.co.uk/topics/light/A_level/slits.htm[6/3/2014 5:42:54 PM]

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Slits - diffraction effects
Diffraction through a single slit.
This effect of diffraction is superimposed on all of the multiple slit
images we see below. The central maximum is twice the width of the
ones either side and it is very much brighter - see the graph of the
intensity below.
Top image shows monochromatic light, bottom image shows white
light - see how the red end of the spectrum is diffracted the most,
making the colours spread out and note that the central fringe is
white - as all of the colours are at that point.
In practice we look at the fringe pattern produced within that central maximum. The narrower the slits the wider
that central maximum will be (see diagram below - its width is 2 /a - where 'a' is the width of the slit). Therefore
the narrower the slit the broader the central maximum.
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Cyberphysics - Diffraction patterns fromslits
http://www.cyberphysics.co.uk/topics/light/A_level/slits.htm[6/3/2014 5:42:54 PM]
NB 'a' is the aperture size - intensity maxima for the single slit pattern envelope occur at the straight through position
(principal maximum) and thereafter half way between the minima. The minima occur at multiples of /a.
In the following images the slits are very narrow and the photo only shows what happens within the central bright
region. There would be dark bands in the left picture would be far outside of the details shown in the following
images.
Double slit - Young's slits
Three equally spaced slits.
Adding a third slit at the same distance, the intensity maxima are
preserved. Between them there are now two dark bands and a faint
secondary maximum.
The pattern produced by white light shows more intense colours.
Seven equally spaced slits
The bright "lines" are now separated by six dark bands and five faint
secondary maxima.
The colours of the "first order" diffraction maximum on both sides of the
central white beam approach saturated spectral colours. The short-wave
(blue-violet) end of the third-order diffraction already overlaps the long-
wave (red) end of the second order.
Cyberphysics - Diffraction patterns fromslits
http://www.cyberphysics.co.uk/topics/light/A_level/slits.htm[6/3/2014 5:42:54 PM]
Fifteen equally spaced slits
The more slits, the narrower are the main maxima and the weaker are
the secondary maxima between them.
A diffraction grating has hundreds of lines etched onto it. You
cannot see the lines - you just see an iridescent pattern on it in
bright light - or it looks black. Because it has so many lines it has the
ability to disperse light better than a prism. It is the tool of choice
for separating the colours in incident light because it spreads the
colours out so much better.
The more lines per centimetre the further the diffracted lines will
spread out and the less likely you are to have the 'orders of
diffraction' overlapping.... but if you want to see more than one order
of diffraction you need to make sure the diffraction grating does not
have too many lines.
The photo on the right shows the hydrogen spectrum being produced
in a lab. The hydrogen gas in a thin glass tube is excited by an
electrical discharge and the spectrum can be viewed through the
grating.


In a similar way we can look at the spectra from stars and use the
information to work out which chemicals are in the star and to work
out the star's red shift.
We know the pattern of lines (the spectrum) from each element -
they are like fingerprints of the element. When we look at the light
from a star we can spot these line patterns and identify the
elements. How much the pattern has been shifted towards the red
end of the spectrum gives us the red shift of the star - so that we
can work out it is moving away from us.
(See atomic spectra and red shift).


Cyberphysics - Diffraction patterns fromslits
http://www.cyberphysics.co.uk/topics/light/A_level/slits.htm[6/3/2014 5:42:54 PM]
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This is a link to a neat applet - it allows you to change the width of the slit and to change the wavelength of the light.
Here are links to interactive programs for you to explore the effect of single and double slit diffraction on particles as well as
photons!.
See also diffraction gratings - basically multiple slits!
Click here to download an interactive Java simulation
Question
A beam of green light is diffracted by a slit of width 0.550 mm. The diffraction pattern forms on a wall 2.06 m beyond the slit.
The distance between the positions of zero intensity on both sides of the central bright fringe is 4.10 mm. Calculate the
wavelength of the laser light in nm.
Mouseover below for the answer


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Cyberphysics - Diffraction patterns fromslits
http://www.cyberphysics.co.uk/topics/light/A_level/slits.htm[6/3/2014 5:42:54 PM]
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