STUDY HALL

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

2023-2024

TO STUDY THE PHENOMENON OF DIFFRACTION OF LIGHT

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

Mr. Vishnu Sahu Name: Pranjal Singh
(PGT Physics) ROLL No.:
 CERTIFICATE

This certificate acknowledges that Pranjal Singh from STUDY HALL SCHOOL has independently
completed an Investigatory Project in Physics. The project, titled "To study the phenomenon of
Diffraction of Light", focused on investigating the effects of light diffraction when encountering
various optical elements. This study involved analyzing how different configurations of materials
and structures influence the diffraction patterns produced, utilizing a controlled light source and
adjustable parameters. Throughout the academic year 2023-24, Pranjal conducted this project under
the guidance and supervision of Mr. Vishnu Sahu.

SIGNATURE OF SIGNATURE OF
EXTERNAL EXAMINER TEACHER-IN CHARGE

SIGNATURE OF
PRINCIPAL
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my Physics teacher, Mr. Vishnu Sahu, for
his able guidance and support in the completion of this project.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to our Principal, Mrs. Meenakshi Bahadur for providing me
with all the facility that was required.

I also acknowledge my sincere thanks towards my parents and friends who helped me gather
resources and kept up my morale while also encouraging new ideas and perspectives during this
journey.
 INDEX

S.NO. TOPICS
1. AIM
2. INTRODUCTION
3. THEORY
4. CONCLUSION
5. BIBLIOGRAPHY
 AIM
TO STUDY THE PHENOMENON OF DIFFRACTION OF LIGHT
 INTRODUCTION
The phenomenon of diffraction was first documented in 1665 by the Italian Francesco Maria
Grimaldi, the use of lasers has only become common in the last few decades. The laser's ability to
produce a narrow beam of coherent monochromatic radiation in the visible light range makes it ideal
for use in diffraction experiments: the diffracted light forms a clear pattern that is easily measured.
As light, or any wave passes a barrier, the waveform is distorted at the boundary edge. If the wave
passes through a gap, more obvious distortion can be seen. As the gap width approaches the
wavelength of the wave, the distortion becomes even more obvious. This process is known as
diffraction. If the diffracted light is projected onto a screen some distance away. Then interference
between the light waves create a distinctive pattern (the diffraction pattern) on the screen. The nature
of the diffraction pattern depends on the nature of the gap (or mask) which diffracts the original light
wave. Diffraction patterns can be calculated by from a function representing the mask. The
symmetry of the pattern can reveal useful information on the symmetry of the mask. For a periodic
object, the pattern is equivalent to the reciprocal lattice of the object. In conventional image
formation, a lens focuses the diffracted waves into an image. Since the individual sections (spots) of
the diffraction pattern each contain information, by forming an image from only particular parts of
the diffraction pattern, the resulting image can be used to enhance particular features. This is used in
bright and dark field imaging.

1.) WHAT IS DIFFRACTION?

When parallel waves of light are obstructed by a very small object (i.e. sharp edge, slit, wire, etc.),
the waves spread around the edges of the obstruction and interfere, resulting in a pattern of dark and
light fringes.

2.) WHAT DOES DIFFRACTION LOOK LIKE?

When light diffracts off of the edge of an object, it creates a pattern of light referred to as a
diffraction pattern. If a monochromatic light source, such as a laser, is used to observe diffraction,
below are some examples of diffraction patterns that are created by certain objects.
DIFFRACTION PATTERNS
 SINGLE SLIT DIFFRACTION
In our consideration of the Young's double-slit experiments, we
have assumed the width of the slits to be so small that each slit
is a point source. In this, section we shall take the width of slit
to be finite and see how Fraunhofer diffraction arises. Let a
source of monochromatic light be incident on a slit of finite
width a, as shown in Figure 1.

FIGURE 1: Diffraction of light by a slit of width ‘a’

In diffraction of Fraunhofer type, all rays passing through the
slit are approximately parallel. In addition, each portion of the
slit will act as a source of light waves according to Huygens's principle. For simplicity we divide the
slit into two halves. At the first minimum, each ray from the upper half will be exactly 180 out of
phase with a corresponding ray form the lower half. For example. Suppose there are 100 point
sources, with the first 50 in the lower half, and 51 to 100 in the upper half. Source 1 and source 51
are separated by a distance and are out of phase with a path difference °a/2 δ = λ/2. Similar
observation applies to source 2 and source 52, as well as any pair that are a distance a/2 apart. Thus,
the condition for the first minimum is (a/2) sin θ = λ/2 [14.5.1], sin θ = λ/a [14.5.2].

Applying the same reasoning to the wavefronts from four equally spaced points a distance a/4 apart,
the path difference would b δ=(a sin θ)/4 and the condition for destructive interference is sin θ =
2λ/a. The argument can be generalized to show that destructive interference will occur when,

a sin θ = m λ, m= ±1, ±2, ±3 (destructive interference). [14.5.4]

FIGURE 2: Illustrates the intensity distribution

for a single-slit diffraction. (note that θ = 0 is at
max)
By comparing Eq. (14.5.4) with Eq. (14.5.2) we see that
the condition for minima of a single-slit diffraction
becomes the condition for maxima of a double-slit
interference when the width of a single slit a is replaced
by the separation between the two slits d. The reason is
that in the double-slit case, the slits are taken to be so
small that each one is considered as a single light source,
and the interference of waves originating within the same
slit can be neglected. On the other hand, the minimum
condition for the single-slit if fraction is obtained
precisely by taking into consideration the interference of waves that originate within the same slit.
 SINGLE SLIT INTERFERENCE
How do we determine the intensity distribution for the pattern produced by a single-slit diffraction?
To calculate this, we must find the total electric field by adding the field contributions from each
point. Let's divide the single slit into N small zones each of width Δy a = / N, as shown in the Figure
14.6.1. The convex lens is used to bring parallel light rays to a focal point P on the screen We shall
assume that Δy << λ so that all the light from a given zone is in phase. Two adjacent zones have a
relative path length δ = Δy sin θ. The relative phase shift Δβ is given by the ratio

FIGURE 3: Single-slit Fraunhofer diffraction

Suppose the wavefront from the first point (counting from the top) arrives at the point P on the
screen with an electric field given by

The electric field from point 2 adjacent to point 1 will have a phase shift Δβ, and field is
 FIGURE 4: Intensity of the single-slit Fraunhofer diffraction pattern

FIGURE 5: Intensity of single-slit diffraction as a function of θ for a = λ and a = 2 λ

 DIFFRACTION GRATING
A diffraction grating consists of a large number N of slits each of width a and separated from the
next by a distance d, as shown in Figure 6

FIGURE 6: Diffraction grating

If we assume that the incident light is planar and diffraction spreads the light from each slit over a
wide angle so that the light from all the A slits will interfere with each other. The relative path
difference between each pair of adjacent slits is δ = d sin θ, similar to the calculation we made for the
double-slit case. If this path difference is equal to an integral multiple of, wavelengths then all the
slits will constructively interfere with each other and a bright spot will appear on the screen at an
angle θ. Thus, the condition for the principal maxima is given by

the wavelength of the light and the location of the m-order maximum are known, the distance d
between slits may be readily deduced. The location of the maxima does not depend on the number of
slits, N. However, the maxima become sharper and more intense as N is increased. The width of the
maxima can be shown to be inversely proportional to N. In Figure 14.8.2, we show the intensity
distribution as a function of β / 2 for diffraction grating with N =10 and N-30. Notice that the
principal maxima become sharper and narrower as N increases.
 FIGURE 7: Intensity distribution for a diffraction grating for (a) N=30 and (b) N=30
The observation can be explained as follows: suppose an angle θ (recall that B=2πasinθ / λ) which
initially gives a principal maximum is increased slightly if there were only two slits then the two
waves will still be nearly in phase and produce maxima which are broad. However, in grating with a
large number of slits, even though θ may only be slightly deviated from the value that produces a
maximum, it could be exactly out of phase with light wave from another slit far away. Since grating
produces peaks that are much sharper than the two-slit system, it gives a more precise measurement
of the wavelength.
 CONCLUSION

o Through this investigatory project, we gained a comprehensive understanding of the diffraction

of light, recognizing it as a fundamental aspect of wave behavior. We explored how light waves
bend and spread when encountering obstacles or passing through narrow openings, elucidating
the intricate patterns that emerge.

o Our research highlighted the key factors influencing light diffraction, such as the size of
apertures and the wavelength of light. Delving into these parameters allowed us to discern the
nuances of diffraction patterns, contributing to a deeper appreciation of the underlying principles
governing this optical phenomenon.

o Beyond theoretical insights, our project explored practical applications of light diffraction in
fields like optics, demonstrating the relevance of our findings in technologies such as medical
imaging and astronomical observations. This project underscores the importance of
understanding light diffraction not only in advancing fundamental physics knowledge but also in
facilitating advancements in various scientific and technological domains.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

 www.google.com
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffraction
 Physics NCERT text book (Class 12)
 Physics reference books