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Diffraction of Light
Key Points
Diffraction by a Single Slit
Diffraction in the Double-Slit Experiment
Limits of Resolution
Diffraction Grating and Spectroscopy
Polarization
References
SFU Ed: 35-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,11.
6th Ed: 24-5,6,7,10; 25-7,8,9.
Diffraction by a Single Slit
Different points along a slit create wavelets
that interfere with each other.
Diffraction by a Single Slit
The minima of the single-slit
diffraction pattern occur when
2
D sin
sin
I I 0
D sin
2
Diffraction in the Double-Slit Experiment
The double-slit experiment also exhibits diffraction
effects, as the slits have a finite width.
The first minimum for the single slit diffraction with slit width D:
sin , since D sin .
D
The 6th maximum for double-slit interference with slit spacing d:
6
sin , since d sin 6 .
d D
The two angle are the same. Therefore, the central diffraction peak
contains 11 interference fringes (5+1+5=11).
Limits of Resolution; Circular Apertures
1.22
(rad)
D
Limits of Resolution; Circular
Apertures
The Rayleigh criterion states that two images
are just resolvable when the center of one peak
is over the first minimum of the other.
Example 35-5: Hubble Space Telescope.
The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is a reflecting telescope that
was placed in orbit above the Earths atmosphere, so its
resolution would not be limited by turbulence in the atmosphere.
Its objective diameter is 2.4 m. For visible light, say = 550 nm,
estimate the improvement in resolution the Hubble offers over
Earth-bound telescopes, which are limited in resolution by
movement of the Earths atmosphere to about half an arc second.
(Each degree is divided into 60 minutes each containing 60
seconds, so 1 = 3600 arc seconds.)
Distinguishable separation s:
s
l
s l 10000 2.24 104 2.24 m
250nm 2.5 10 7 m
2
500 1.25 10 4 m 0.1mm
2
Diffraction Grating
A diffraction grating consists of a large number (N) of equally
spaced narrow slits or lines. A transmission grating has slits, while a
reflection grating has lines that reflect light.
N=2
N=6
Example 35-8: Diffraction grating: lines.
Determine the angular positions of the first- and second-order
maxima for light of wavelength 400 nm and 700 nm incident on a
grating containing 10,000 lines/cm.
1
d 1104 cm 1.0 106 m
10000
The first-order maximum:
4.0 107
sin 400 0.4, 400 23.6
d 1.0 106
7.0 107
sin 700 6
0.7 , 700 44.4
d 1.0 10
2 2 7.0 107
sin 700 6
1.4, No second - order maximum.
d 1.0 10
The Spectrometer and Spectroscopy
I E2
I 0 cE 2
This means that if initially unpolarized light
passes through crossed polarizers, no light
will get through the second one.
Example 35-13: Two Polaroids at 60.
Unpolarized light passes through two Polaroids; the axis of one is
vertical and that of the other is at 60 to the vertical. Describe the
orientation and intensity of the transmitted light.
I0 I1 I2
1
I1 I0
2
2
1 1 1
I 2 I1 cos 2 60 I1 I1 I 0
2 4 8
Conceptual Example 35-14:
Three Polaroids.
When unpolarized light falls
on two crossed Polaroids
(axes at 90), no light passes
through. What happens if a
third Polaroid, with axis at 45
to each of the other two, is
placed between
them?
1
I1 I0
2
1 1
I 2 I1 cos 2 45 I1 I 0
2 4
1 1 I1 I2 I3
I 3 I 2 cos 45 I 2 I 0
2
2 8
Light is also partially
polarized after reflecting from
a nonmetallic surface. At a
special angle, called the
polarizing angle or Brewsters
angle, the polarization is
100%:
n1 1.00, n2 1.33
n2 .
P tan tan 1 1.33 53.1
1
n1
n1
n1 sin P n2 sin r n2
n1 sin P sin 53.1
sin r 0.601
n2 1.33
r sin 1 0.601 36.9