Fraunhofer diffraction due to single

 As shown in the figure ‘AB’ is a narrow

slit
Slit of width “e”.

 For the incident wavefront to be plane,

here either the light source must be at
very large distance or the collimating lens
must be used.
 In order to find out the resultant intensity
at P1 on the screen a perpendicular is
drawn from A i.e., AC on BC.
 The path difference between secondary
wavelets from A and B in the direction of θ
is BC, which is given by

 BC = AB Sin θ = e Sin θ
 Phase difference = (Path difference)
 BC = AB Sin θ = e Sin θ
 Phase difference = (Path difference)
= e Sin θ
Assuming the phase difference = d,
(. e sinθ) = d -------------(1)
 Using the vector addition method of amplitudes, the resultant amplitude is given by
R = a. = a.
 Let =α

Therefore R = a. since is very small, sin) =

R = a. » R = a. n.
But ‘na’ = A

Therefore R = A -------------(2)
But intensity I = » I = ( ----------------(3)

Let =
Therefore I= ( -----------------(4)

 Above equation represents the intensity that present on the screen at different
points.
 Condition for Principle Maxima:
From equation (2)
R=A sinα/α
R=Aα[α−α3/3!+α5/5!−α7/7!+.....]

R=A[1−α2/3!+α4/5!−α6/7!+.....]
If α=0
then resultant amplitude will be maximum then

R=A
And
λ/e sinθ=0
{From equation (6)}
sinθ=
sinθ=sin0∘
θ=0∘
 the secondary wave travel normal to the slit and arrives at P is in phase and gives raise to
maximum intensity called principal maxima.

I0=A2
 Secondary Maxima: In addition to the principal maxima at α = 0 there are week secondary
maxima between equally spaced minima

Differentiating equation (4) with respect to α and equating it to ‘0’ i.e.,

= =0

=0

Here either sin= 0 or α cos α – sin α = 0

α cos α = sin α

α=

i.e., α = tan α
this equation is called transcendental equation . The above equation can be solved graphically
by plotting the curve y=α and y=tanα
 If we draw the graph between y = α and y = tan α then the point of
intersections of these two curves gives the maximum intensity as shown
above.

 These are referred to first order, second order, third order and so on..

 The zero intensity positions are α =

Condition for position of minima:
 The intensity will be minimum when sin α = 0
and α should not be ‘0’ then α = m

 If α = m
then = m

e sin m

This is the condition for minimum intensity.

 The condition for principle maxima
α=0,
 The condition for secondary maxima
α=±3π2,±5π2,±7π2,.......

 The condition for minimum intensity.

α= m
 The equation y=α gives the straight line passing
Similarly, the intensities of secondary maxima
through the origin and making an angle 45∘with the x-
axis.
 The points of intersection of these two curves gives I2=A2[sin(5π/2)/(5π2)]2
the value of αsatisfying the equation α=tanα. These
points correspond to the value of I2=(42/5π2)A2=A2/62=I0/62

α=0,±3π2,±5π2,±7π2,................ Thus, It is obvious from the value of I0,I1,I2,....., etc that the
diffraction pattern consists of a bright central maximum
The first value α=0, gives the position of principle maxima followed by minima of zero intensity and then secondary
while the value of α=±3π2,±5π2,±7π2,................ maxima of decreasing intensity on either side of it.
gives the position first secondary maxima, second
secondary maxima, and third secondary maxima and so
on respectively.

The intensity of the first secondary maxima

I1=A2[sin(3π/2)/(3π/2)]2

I1=(4/9π2)A2=A2/22=I0/22
 Fraunhofer diffraction due to double slit

Let a plane wavefront be incident normally on slit S1 and

S2 of equal e and separated by an opaque distance d. The
diffracted light is focused on the screen XY. The diffracted
pattern on the screen consists of equally spaced bright
and dark fringe due to interference of light from both the
slits and modulated by diffraction pattern from individual
slits.

The diffraction pattern due to double-slit can be explained

considering the following points All the points in slits S 1
and S2 will send secondary waves in all directions. All the
secondary waves moving along the incident wave will be
focussed at P and the diffracted waves will be focussed at
P′

The amplitude at P′ is the resultant from two slit each of

amplitude R=A sinα/α
Two waves from two-slit S1 and S2 will interfere at P′
Expression for Intensity R′2 = R2+R2+[Link]ϕ
R′2 = R2+R2+2R.R.cos2β {∵2β=ϕ}
Δ = S2M R′2 = 2R2+2R2cos2β
R′2 = 2R2 (1+cos2β)
Δ = (e+d) sinθ ------------------(1) R′2 = 4R2cos2β(5)
Where R- Resultant amplitude of each slit S1
The corresponding phase difference R = A sinα/α --------------(6)
Substituting the value of R in equation (5)
ϕ = 2π/λ (e+d)sinθ --------------(2) R′2 = 4A2sin2α/α2cos2β -----------(7)
R′ = 2A sinα/α cosβ ---------------(8)
The intensity of the resultant diffraction pattern at P′
Let ϕ = 2β -------------(3) I = R′2 = 4A2 (sin2α/α2)cos2β ----------------------(9)
Where α = π/λ (esinθ) -------------(10)
β = π/λ (e+d)sinθ ------------------(4) The resultant intensity at any point is the contribution of the
following two factors
The resultant amplitude at P′ can be obtained  The factor A2sin2α/α2, represents the intensity distribution
by the vector addition method. The resultant due to diffraction from any individual slits.
 The factor cos2β represents the intensity distribution due
amplitude at P′
to interference of waves from two parallel slits.
[Link] for Maxima and Minima
Maxima and minima due to diffraction term 2. Maxima and minima due to interference term
Maxima and minima due to interference term i.) Maxima
The interference term cos2β gives maxima in the direction
1. Maxima and minima due to diffraction term cos2 β = 1
i.) Principal Maxima β = ±nπ
The diffraction term A2sin2α/α2 gives the
central maxima, for α = 0 ii.) Minima
The interference term cos2β gives minima in the direction
ii.) Minima cos2 β = 0
The diffraction term A2sin2α/α2 gives the β = ±(2n+1)π/2
central minima, for sinα = 0
so α = ±mπ
esinθ = ±mπ
iii.) Secondary Maxima
The secondary maxima are obtained in the
direction given by
α=±3π2,±5π2,±7π2,..............
 Diffraction due to a plane diffraction grating or N- Parallel slits
A diffraction grating (or N-slits) is consist of a large
number of parallel slits of equal width and separated
from each other by equal opaque spaces.

1. It may be constructed by ruling a large number of

parallel and equidistance lines on a plane glass
plate with the help of a diamond point.
2. The duplicates of the original grating are prepared
by pouring a thin layer of colloidal solution over it
and then allowed to Harden.
3. This layer is then removed from the original
grating and fixed between two glass plates which
serve as a plane transmission grating.
4. Generally, A plane transmission grating has 10000
to 15000 lines per inch. Since plane diffraction
grating is an N-slit arrangement, the deflection
pattern due to it will be the combined diffraction
effect of all such slits.
1. Let a plane wavefront of monochromatic
light be incident normally on the N-
parallel slit of the gratings. Each point
within the slits then sends out secondary
wavelets in all directions.
2. Let e be the width of each slipped and d
be the separation between any two
consecutive slits then (e+d) is known as
the grating element.
3. The diffracted ray from each slit, then
(e+d) is knowns as the grating element.
4. The diffracted ray from each slit is
focussed at a point P on the screen XY
with the help of a convex lens L.
 As there are N slits, we have N diffracted waves. The path difference between two consecutive
slits is (e+d) sinθ.
 Therefore, the phase difference (e+d) sinθ = 2β --------------(1)

 Thus the resultant amplitude and the intensity at point P due to N slits in the direction of θ can
be obtained by using the method of vector addition and is given by

R = --------------------------(2)

The intensity at P will be I = = -----------------(3)

Condition for principle maxima

sinβ=0

β=±nπ

(e+d)sinθ=±nλ(9)

For n=0, we get θ=0

This θ=0 gives the direction of zero-order principal maxima. For the value of n=1,2,3,......
gives the direction of first, second, third,....... order principal maxima.
Condition For Minima
The intensity will be minimum, when
sinNβ=0 but sinβ=0
Nβ=±mπ

N(e+d) sinθ = ±mλ

Where m can take all integral values
except 0,N,2N,3N,...... because for these
values of m, sinβ=0
which gives the position of principal
maxima.

Secondary maxima
It is obvious from the above condition of
minima, there are (N−1) minima between
two successive principal maxima. Hence,
there are (N−2) other maxima with
alternative minima between two successive
principal maxima. These (N−2) maxima are
called secondary maxima.
 Diffraction Grating
 An arrangement consisting of large number of parallel slits of the same width and
separated by equal opaque spaces is known as Diffraction grating.
 Commercial gratings are produced by taking the cast of an actual grating on a transparent film like
that of cellulose acetate.

 Solution of cellulose acetate is poured on a ruled surface and allowed to dry to form a thin film,
detachable from the surface. These impressions of the grating are preserved by mounting the film
between two glass sheets.
 Let the width of the line is ‘e’
width of the slit is ‘d’, then
(e+d) is known as grating
element.
 If ‘N’ is the no. of lines per inch on the grating then

N(e+d) = 1” = 2.54 cm
(e+d) = 2.54/N cm.

 There will be nearly 30,000 lines/inch of a grating.

 When light falls on the grating, the light gets diffracted through each slit. As a result, both diffraction
and interference of diffracted light gets enhanced and forms a diffraction pattern, known as
diffraction patten.
 GRATING SPECTRUM
 The diffraction pattern formed with a grating is known as a Grating spectrum.

 The condition for principal

maxima is given by
(e+d)sinθ = nλ
This equation is called
grating equation.
 Spectra of different orders are situated
symmetrically on both sides of zero order.
 Spectral lines are almost straight and quite sharp.
 Spectral colours are in the order from Violet to Red.
 Spectral lines are more dispersed as we go to higher
orders.
 Most of the intensity goes to the central maximum and
remaining is distributed from various orders.
 From grating equation we can say that, for a particular
wavelength, the angle of diffraction is different for
principal maxima of different orders
 The principal maxima of all the wave lengths form the
first, second,….. Order spectra for n = 1, 2, …..
 The longer the wavelength, greater is the angle of
diffraction. Thus, the spectrum consists of violet being
the inner most position and red being the outer most
positions.
 The maximum no. of orders available with the grating
is nmax =
Resolving Power(Resolving power is the capacity of an instrument to resolve two
points which are close together)
 The resolving power of a grating is a measure of its ability to spatially separate two
wavelengths.
 The theoretical resolving power of a transmission grating is given by R = mN, where
m is the order of the principal maximum and N is the total number of lines on the
grating that are actually illuminated by the source.
 It is independent of the grating constant.
 The resolving power of a diffraction grating is defined as its ability to form separate
diffraction maxima of two closely separated wavelengths. If λ and λ + dλ are
wavelengths of two neighboring spectral lines, the resolving power of the grating is
the ratio λ/dλ.
Dispersive power of plane diffraction grating
The rate of change of the angle of diffraction with the change in the wavelength of light
are called dispersive power of plane grating.

dθ/dλ =1/√ ((e+d)/n)2−λ2 )

Here
dθ - Angular separation between two lines
The above equation gives the following conclusions:
The dispersive power is directly proportional to the order of spectrum(n)
The dispersive power is inversely proportional to the grating element (e+d)
The dispersive power is inversely proportional to the cosθ i.e Larger value of θ, higher is
the dispersive power.