Fraunhofer Diffraction by double slit

we studied the Fraunhofer diffraction pattern produced by a slit of width b and found that the intensity
distribution consisted of maxima and minima. In this section we
will study the Fraunhofer diffraction pattern produced by two
parallel slits (each of width b) separated by a distance d.

1
THE DIFFRACTION GRATING
The diffraction grating, a useful device for analyzing light sources,
consists of a large number of equally spaced parallel slits. A transmission
grating can be made by cutting parallel lines on a glass plate with a
precision ruling machine

A diffraction grating consists of a large number of equally spaced,

identical slits. The condition for intensity maxima in the interference

2
pattern of a diffraction grating for normal incidence is the resultant
complex amplitude is the sum of the series

intensity in the Fraunhofer pattern of an ideal grating

Resolving Power of the Diffraction Grating

Resolving power of a grating

3
A diffraction grating consists of a large number of equally spaced,
identical slits. The condition for intensity maxima in the interference
pattern of a diffraction grating for normal incidence i s

where d is the spacing between adjacent slits and m is the order number
of the diffraction pattern. The resolving power of a diffraction grating in
the mth order of
the diffraction pattern is

where N is the number of lines in the grating that are illuminated.

COMPARISON OF THE SINGLE-SLIT AND DOUBLE-SLIT

PATTERNS

4
5
 Single slit diff. pattern Double slit diff. Pattern
I=Ao2 I=A2
=

Imax=Ao2 Io max =4 Ao2

Imin=0 Io min =0
β=1/2 k b sin⁡Ө
β

6
 Fraunhofer diffraction
1- both of light source and
screen are an infinite
distance from diffraction
element
2-We are dealing with plane wave
3-lenses are required
7
Fresnel diffraction
1- Either the source and the screen
or both are finite distance from the
diffraction element
2-We are dealing with spherical
wave
3- lenses are not required
8