Diffraction Wave Optics:

Diffraction
Lecture - 1
Jayant Nagda
Physics Educator

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B.Tech, IIT Bombay

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Diffraction
Diffraction
Diffraction using Huygen’s Theory
Diffraction
Diffraction
Diffraction

Diffraction through a Slit Diffraction around an Obstacle

Example MCQ type Question [ +4 , -1]

Which of the following accurately defines 'diffraction'?

A. The bouncing of a wave off a shiny surface.

B. The bending of a wave as it moves from

one material to another.

C. The spreading out of a wave, but only

through a slit(or aperture).

D. The spreading out of the wave around an obstacle,

or the spreading out of a wave as it goes through a slit.
Diffraction
If a wave is obstructed during its propagation by an obstacle or
opening, the wave bends at the edges.

➢ Diffraction of Light was first explained by Fresnel

➢ Diffraction is possible in all type of waves

➢ Mechanical or Electromagnetic waves both show diffraction.

Diffraction
Diffraction depends on two factors :
(i) Size of obstacles or aperture (ii) Wavelength of the wave
Diffraction of Light

Diffraction depends on two factors :

(i) Size of obstacles or aperture

aperture

(ii) Wavelength of the wave

λ
Condition of Diffraction

Size of obstacle or aperture should be nearly

equal to the wavelength of light

λ≃a
Diffraction
For light rays, diffraction is negligible as
dimensions of obstacles generally encountered are much larger
than wavelength of light. (350 - 750 nm)

Hence light can be treated as light rays travelling in straight lines

starting at the source and terminating at opaque surfaces.
Diffraction of Light

The phenomenon of bending of light around corners

of an obstacle or aperture in the path of light.

Diffraction as explained by Huygen’s principle.

Light deviates from its linear path.

wavelets from secondary sources superpose

and resulting wavefront has different shape.

On the Screen Fringe pattern comprising

maxima & minima are formed.

obstacle
Diffraction of Light Light deviates from its linear path.

wavelets from secondary sources superpose

and resulting wavefront has different shape.
Incident
Screen
wavefront
Due to this :
light penetrates into the
geometrical shadow of
obstacle.

Thus light deviates from its

linear path.

obstacle On the Screen Fringe pattern comprising

maxima & minima are formed.
Single Slit Diffraction

Fraunhofer Diffraction

S P0
a

C
Fraunhofer Diffraction

θ
S B P0
a

C
Fraunhofer Diffraction

Since the screen is far from slit optical path from

any point on the wavefront AM to point P are equal.

A
θ
Hence optical path difference between
M
a/2 waves sent by the upper edge A of the slit
θ and waves sent by centre of the slit(B)
B
a/2 sinθ is ‘a/2 sinθ’
Fraunhofer Diffraction
If
A
Condition for Destructive Interference

a/2
Two waves will cancel each other. The wave from
B any point in the upper half of the slit is exactly
cancelled by wave from the point a/2 distance below
it.
C Hence for first minimum

a sin θ = λ
Fraunhofer Diffraction
In general, for dark fringe
A
a sin θ = n λ
a/2
Condition for Destructive Interference or Minima
B

and for first minimum

C sin θ =
Fraunhofer Diffraction

for width of Central Bright fringe

1st minima: a sinθ = λ

a (y/D) = λ

y = λD/a

Width of central maxima = 2λD/a

Fraunhofer Diffraction

most of the diffracted light is

distributed between sin θ = -λ/a and +λ/a

2λ/a 2λD/a

λ/a λD/a

-λ/a -λD/a

sin θ x
Fraunhofer Diffraction

For first minima and

➔ Linear width of central maxima wx = 2x ⇒

➔ Angular width of central maxima

Example Numerical Answer Type Question [+4, -0]

a = 4 cm, λ = 2 cm. Find angular spread of central maxima.

Fraunhofer Diffraction Intensity of maximas

I0
where

I0/22 I0/62.5

-λ/b 0 λ/b 2λ/b 3λ/b sin θ

Intensity of first maxima after central one is

1/22th of intensity at central maxima
Daily Practice Problems
Example Light of wavelength 5000Å incident over a slit of width 1 μm.
The angular width of central maxima will be

A. 300

B. 600

C. 900

D. 1200

Ans : B
Example
Consider fraunhofer diffraction pattern obtained with a single
slit illuminated at normal incidence. At the angular position of
the first diffraction minimum, the phase difference (in
radians) between the wavelets from the opposite edges of
the slit is

A. π

B. 2π

C. π/4

D. π/2

Ans : B
Example Yellow light is used in a single slit diffraction experiment with
slit width of 0.6 mm. If yellow light is replaced by X– rays,
then the observed pattern will reveal,
(IIT JEE 1999)

A. that the central maximum is narrower

B. more number of fringes
C. less number of fringes
D. no diffraction pattern

Ans : D
Example The fraunhofer diffraction pattern of a single slit is
formed at the focal plane of a lens of focal length 1m.
The width of the slit is 0.3 mm. If the third minimum is formed
at a distance of 5 mm from the central maximum then calculate
the wavelength of light.

A. 2000 Å

B. 3000 Å

C. 4000 Å

D. 5000 Å

Ans : D
Example In a Fraunhofer diffraction experiment at a single slit using
light of wavelength 400 nm, the first minimum is formed at
an angle of 300. Then the direction θ of the first secondary
maximum is
A. tan-1(4/3)

B. 600

C. sin-1(3/4)

D. tan-1(3/4)

Ans : C
Example If I0 is the intensity of the principal maximum in the single
slit diffraction pattern, then what will be its intensity when
the slit width is doubled? [AIEEE 2005]
A. 4 I0 B. 2 I0 C. I0/2 D. I0

Ans : A
Example The box of a pin hole camera, of length L, has a hole of radius a. It is
assumed that when the hole is illuminated by a parallel beam of light of
wavelength λ the spread of the spot (obtained on the opposite wall of
the camera) is the sum of its geometrical spread and the spread due to
diffraction. The spot would then have its minimum size (say bmin) when :
[JEE Main 2016]

A.

B.

C.

D.

Ans : A
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