Interference

1 PURPOSE
In this experiment we will be investigating the wavelight nature of light. There are 3
parts to this entire experiment:
1. Calculate the slit separation for 2 different slits
a. Also observe interference patterns
2. Calculate wavelength of a green laser beam by investigating interference
pattern caused due to a diffraction grating
a. Also calculate maximum number of fringes that is expected to be seen
with that specific diffraction grating
3. Observe how the interference pattern changes as a light beam goes through
different parts of a Fresel Zone Plate

2 PROCEDURE
Experiment 1
For the first part, we focused a red laser beam through different slits and we
observed the resulting interference patterns (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Interference pattern for respective slit

Then for 2 slits with

a=0.08 mm , d=0.5 mm

and

a=0.08 mm , d=0.25 mm

respectively, we would measure distance between the 0 th and 1st and between the
0th and 2nd maxima. The distance between the slit and the screen is also measured.
Experiment 2
Using the correct diffraction grating, we shone a green laser beam through it and
observed the interference pattern. We measured the distance between the 0 th and
the 1st maxima. The distance between the slit and the screen is also measured.
Then we also calculated the maximum number of fringes that could be seen by the
respective diffraction grating.
Experiment 3
Using the Fresnel Zone Plate, we shone a green through it. We moved the Fresnel
Zone Plate back and forth so the laser hit the center and outside of the plate. We
made our observations.

3 DATA
d sin=m
Experiment 1
For slit with

=tan

a=0.08 mm , d=0.5 mm , m=1

x
1 0.0035
=tan
=0.0809
L
2.48

m 6.328 ( 10 )
=
=0.44838 mm
sin sin 0.0809
7

d=

When

=tan

m=2
1

x
1 0.0066
=tan
=0.15248
L
2.48

m 2 ( 6.328 ( 10 ) )
d=
=
=0.476 mm
sin
sin 0.15248
7

After calculating average,

For slit with

d=0.4622 mm

a=0.08 mm , d=0.25 mm , m=1

x
0.007
=tan 1 =tan1
=0.1617
L
2.48
m 6.328 ( 10 )
=
=0.224 mm
sin sin 0.1617
7

d=

When

m=2

x
0.013
=tan 1 =tan1
=0.300
L
2.48
7
m 2 ( 6.328 ( 10 ) )
d=
=
=0.24144 mm
sin
sin0.300

After calculating average,

d=0.2327 mm

Experiment 2
When

m=1

x
0.085
=tan 1 =tan1
=15.819
L
0.3
=d sin

1
sin 15.819=528 nm
13400(0.0254)

To calculate maximum number of fringes,

1
13400
d
0.0254
m= =
=3.56
532 ( 109 )
Experiment 3
When the beam is off the center, the separation between maxima increase.

4 ANALYSIS
Experiment 1
For slit with
value is
For slit with

a=0.08 mm , d=0.5 mm , the difference between the average and actual

=0.50.4622=0.0378 mm

a=0.08 mm , d=0.25 mm , the difference between the average and

actual value is

=0.250.2327=0.0173 mm

Experiment errors include factors such as the room was not very dark. Furthermore,
parallax error occurred as the ruler was not read at the perpendicular level.
Experiment 2
The intensity of the 2nd maxima is much lower than the intensity of the 1 st maxima.
The difference between the actual wavelength of the laser and the one we
calculated is

=532528=4 nm

Experiment errors include factors such as the room was not very dark. Furthermore,
parallax error occurred as the ruler was not read at the perpendicular level.
In the 2nd part we calculated that we can see 3.5 fringes. In reality we barely saw
the 3rd maxima. The room was not dark enough and our screen was not wide
enough.
Experiment 3
When the beam is off the center, the separation between maxima increase.

5 CONCLUSIONS
For single slit diffraction, a narrower slit will give us a wider diffraction pattern but a
wider slit will give us a narrower diffraction patter.
Fraunhofer diffraction occurs when the size of observed aperture changes due to the
far field location of observation. On the other hand, Fresnel diffraction is the same
thing but when the field of observation is in the nearfield