WAVE OPTICS - II

1.Diffraction
2.Diffraction at a Single Slit
3.Theory of Diffraction
4.Width of Central Maximum
5.Difference between Interference and Diffraction
Diffraction of light:
The phenomenon of bending of light around the corners and the
encroachment of light within the geometrical shadow of the opaque obstacles
is called diffraction.

X
X

S• S•

Slit Y
Y
Obstacle

Screen

Diffraction at a slit Diffraction at an obstacle Screen

X & Y – Region of diffraction
Diffraction of light at a single slit:
1) At an angle of diffraction θ = 0°:

A θ = 0°
0 •
1 •
2 •
3 •
4 •
d 5 • Bright
6 • •O
7 •
8 •
9 •
10
•
11
12
•
• D
Plane B
Wavefront Slit
Screen
The wavelets from the single wavefront reach the centre O on
the screen in same phase and hence interfere constructively
to give Central or Primary Maximum (Bright fringe).
2) At an angle of diffraction θ = θ1:
The slit is imagined to be divided into 2 equal halves.

θ1
A
0 •
1 • •
2 • P1 Dark
3 •
4 •
5 • θ1
Bright
6 • •O
•
7 λ/2
8 •
9 •
10
•
11
12
• N
θ1
•
Plane B λ
Wavefront Slit
The wavelets from the single wavefront diffract at an angle θ1 such Screen
that BN is λ and reach the point P1. The pairs (0,6), (1,7), (2,8), (3,9),
(4,10), (5,11) and (6,12) interfere destructively with path difference
λ/2 and give First Secondary Minimum (Dark fringe).
3) At an angle of diffraction θ = θ2:
The slit is imagined to be divided into 4 equal parts.
• P2 Dark

A θ2
• P1 ’
0 •
1 •
2 • • P1 Dark
3 • λ/2
4 •
5 • θ2
6 • •O Bright
7 • λ
8 •
9 • 3λ/2
10
• N
11
12
• θ2
•
B 2λ
Plane
Wavefront Slit
Screen
The wavelets from the single wavefront diffract at an angle θ2 such that
BN is 2λ and reach the point P2. The pairs (0,3), (1,4), (2,5), (3,6), (4,7),
(5,8), (6,9), (7,10), (8,11) and (9,12) interfere destructively with path
difference λ/2 and give Second Secondary Minimum (Dark fringe).
4) At an angle of diffraction θ = θ1’:
The slit is imagined to be divided into 3 equal parts. • P2

A
θ1’ • P1’ Bright
0 •
1 •
2 • • P1 Dark
3 •
4 •
•
5 λ/2 θ1’
6 • •O Bright
7 •
8 • λ
9 •
10
•
11
12
• N θ1’
•
Plane B
3λ/2
Wavefront Slit
The wavelets from the single wavefront diffract at an angle θ1’ such that Screen
BN is 3λ/2 and reach the point P1’. The pairs (0,8), (1,9), (2,10), (3,11) and
(4,12) interfere constructively with path difference λ and (0,4), (1,5), (2,6),
…… and (8,12) interfere destructively with path difference λ/2. However
due to a few wavelets interfering constructively First Secondary
Maximum (Bright fringe) is formed.
Diffraction at various angles:
•• P2 θ2

θθ’
AA θ = 101 θ2
• P1 ’ θ1’
0 •
•
1
2 • •• PP11 θ1
•
3 λ/2
4 •
•
5 λ/2 θθ2 ’ θ1 θ=0
6 • 1
•O
7 λ/2λ
• I
8 • λ
9• 3λ/2
10
•
11
• Nθ θN ’
12 N2 θ1 1
•
BB λ 2λ
Plane 3λ/2
Wavefront Slit
Screen
Central Maximum is the brightest fringe.
Diffraction is not visible after a few order of diffraction.
Theory:
The path difference between the 0th wavelet and 12th wavelet is BN.
If ‘θ’ is the angle of diffraction and ‘d’ is the slit width, then BN = d sin θ
To establish the condition for secondary minima, the slit is divided into 2, 4,
6, … equal parts such that corresponding wavelets from successive regions
interfere with path difference of λ/2.
Or for nth secondary minimum, the slit can be divided into 2n equal parts.
For θ1, d sin θ1 = λ Since θn is very small,
For θ2, d sin θ2 = 2λ d θn = nλ
For θn, d sin θn = nλ θn = nλ / d (n = 1, 2, 3, ……)

To establish the condition for secondary maxima, the slit is divided into 3, 5,
7, … equal parts such that corresponding wavelets from alternate regions
interfere with path difference of λ.
Or for nth secondary minimum, the slit can be divided into (2n + 1) equal
parts.
For θ1’, d sin θ1’ = 3λ/2 Since θn’ is very small,
For θ2’, d sin θ2’ = 5λ/2 d θn’ = (2n + 1)λ / 2
For θn’, d sin θn’ = (2n + 1)λ/2 θn’ = (2n + 1)λ / 2d (n = 1, 2, 3, ……)
Width of Central Maximum:

θ1
A
0 •
•
1
2 • • P1 Dark
3 •
4 • y1
d 5 • θ1
6 • •O Bright
D
7 λ/2•
8 •
9 •
10
•
11
12
• N
θ1
•
Plane B λ
Wavefront Slit
tan θ1 = y1 / D Screen
y1 = D λ / d
or θ1 = y1 / D (since θ1 is very small) Since the Central Maximum is
spread on either side of O, the
d sin θ1 = λ width is
β0 = 2D λ / d
or θ1 = λ / d (since θ1 is very small)
Difference between Interference and Diffraction:
Interference Diffraction
1. Interference is due to the 1. Diffraction is due to the
superposition of two different superposition of secondary
wave trains coming from coherent wavelets from the different parts
sources. of the same wavefront.
2. Fringe width is generally constant. 2. Fringes are of varying width.
3. All the maxima have the same 3. The maxima are of varying
intensity. intensities.
4. There is a good contrast between 4. There is a poor contrast between
the maxima and minima. the maxima and minima.