Diffraction is the slight bending of light as it passes around the edge of an object.

The amount
of bending depends on the relative size of the wavelength of light to the size of the opening.
If the opening is much larger than the light's wavelength, the bending will be almost
unnoticeable. However, if the two are closer in size or equal, the amount of bending is
considerable, and easily seen with the naked eye.

When a monochromatic light view is a lot to fall on a tiny opening with size in few
micrometers the light undergoes diffraction, now if we place a screen in front of the
opening, alternate dark and bright pattern is formed on the screen.
Oke, now let us discuss about the diffraction pattern formed by a monochromatic light
source, consider a plane wavefront X Y of wavelength lambda, incident on a narrow
slit A B of with small a.
According to Huygens principle, every point on the wavefront, at this slit will become
source of secondary wavelength, waves of same amplitude are emitted from these
points in all directions, with the help of a convex lenses L, all these waves are focused
on to a screen placed at a distance D from the slit. A diffraction pattern is obtained on
the screen, and the pattern consists of alternate bright and dark bands of decreasing
intensity on either side, of the central maximum.

Now let's calculate, what causes these bands, now consider a point O on the screen,
which lies on the perpendicular by sector of the slit. The wavelength that fall on the
length L, parallel to C walk converge on point o, since the waves from these points,
travel equal distances to reach point o, the phase difference between them will be zero,
the veil superpose with each other and produce maximum intensity at o, this point o
becomes the location of central bright fringe.

Now consider an arbitrary point P on the screen. All the secondary waves from the slit
a B make an angle theta with C, O and reach the point P, the intensity at Point P,
depends on the path difference between the views .
Now, let us draw a perpendicular A en from the point yet to this Ray, diffracted from
B. Now the distance B N, gives the path difference between the secondary waves from
A and B reaching point P, from triangle a and B .
BN by AB is equal to sin theta and BN is equal to AB sine theta. since A B is the slit
width, which is equal to Y and B en is the path difference, therefore, the path
difference is equal to a sine theta.

now case one, if the path difference between the waves is equal to lambda,..
to analyze this condition, let us divide the whole wavefront A B, into two equal half
A C and C B
since the path difference between the secondary waves from a and B is lambda, the
path difference between the secondary waves from A and C, reaching P, will be
lambda by two. due to path difference of lambda by two these two waves will interfere
destructively at Point P,
over all point P will be of minimum intensity, and it is called first secondary
minimum, and it is formed, on either side of the central maximum

the angle of diffraction theta, for which the first secondary minimum is produced is
given by the relation.
A sin theta is equal to lambda, or sine theta is equal to lambda divided by A.
since theta is very small,
sine theta is approximately taken as theta,
therefore theta is equal to lambda by A, if the path difference between secondary
waves from A and B is equal to 2 lambda in this case the wavefront A B can be
divided into four equal parts…
Now every point in a part will have a point in its adjecent part, for which the path
difference is two lambda by 4 or lambda by 2, hence all these waves will interfere
destructively
in general the angle of diffraction theta en for eN the secondary minimum is given by
A sine theta EN is equal to EN lambda, where EN is equal to 1 2 3 4 and so on

Now let us find, the positions of secondary maxima,

if the path difference between these secondary waves A and B is equal to 3 lambda by
2, in this case the wavefront A B can be divided into three equal parts, the part
difference between the corresponding points of the first two parts, will be equal to
lambda by 2,
therefore they will interfere destructively
however, the wavelength from the third unused part will interfere constructively at
Point P to prodius a weak first secondary maxima,
similarly, second secondary Maxima, will be formed on the screen where, the path
difference is equal to 5 lambda by 2
in general, the angle of diffraction for which the secondary maximum are produced is
given by,
A sine theta EN is equal to 2 EN plus 1 lambda by 2 where EN is equal to 1 2 3 4 so
on

now let us look at the width of the central maximum

the linear width of the central maximum is the distance between the first secondary
minimum,, on either sides of the central maximum at o
linear width of central maxima is given by DABELYU is equal to two lambda D
divided by A.
here D is the distance of the screen from the slit.
A is the width of the narrow slit, and lambda is the wavelength of the light

angular width of the central maximum is given by,

Omega is equal to two lambda divided by A , and the units of angular width is Radian

Figure here shows the intensity of diffraction pattern for single slit, for various angular
positions sine theta, the pattern has central bright maximum formed at point O
The angular positions of various secondary minima are, sine theta is equal to plus
lambda by A, minus lambda by A, plus 2 lambda by ay, minus 2 lambda by A and so
on
Similarly, the angular positions of various secondary maxima are, sine theta is equal
to 3 lambda by 2 A, minus 3 lambda by 2 A, plus Phi lambda by 2 A, minus Phi
lambda by 2 A and so on
the intensity of central maximum is highest and the intensities of secondary maxima
goes on decreasing, as the distance from the center o goes on increasing.

A lattice is an arrangement of a large number of wide parallel gaps and the distance between
gaps is the same. The lattice can be made using a diamond tip to etch many grooves of equal
distance (high precision) on a glass or metal surface. If a beam of monochromatic light is
passed on the lattice, the diffraction patterns produced on the screen are alternately bright
lines and dark lines. The diffraction pattern produced by the lattice is much sharper compared
to double slit interference. The more gaps in a lattice that have the same width, the sharper
the diffraction pattern produced on the screen.