Diffraction of Light

Definition:
i)
Whenever light waves meet an obstacle whose dimension is comparable with the
wavelength of the wave, the light wave bends around the corners of the obstacle and
encroaches into the geometrical shadow region of the obstacle. This phenomenon is known as
Diffraction of Light.
ii)
In other words, the phenomenon of bending of light around the sharp edges of the
obstacles and narrow slits whose dimensions are comparable with the wavelength of light is
known as Diffraction of Light.
iii)
The phenomenon of bending of light waves around the obstacle or the encroachment
of light in the geometrical shadow is known as diffraction of light.
Diffraction phenomenon is classified into two types:
1. Fresnel diffraction
2. Fraunhofer diffraction
Following are the main differences between Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction
Fresnel Diffraction
Fraunhofer Diffraction
1. The source and the screen are placed
1,
The source and the screen are placed
At finite distances from the obstacle
At infinite distances from the obstacle
Causing diffraction.
Causing diffraction
2. The incident and diffracted wave fronts 2.
The incident and diffracted wave fronts
are either spherical or cylindrical.
are plane.
3. Converting lenses are not employed.
3.
Converting lenses are employed.
4. Theoretical treatment is complex.
4.
Theoretical treatment is simple.

Wave front(WF)
The locus of all such particles of the medium vibrating in the same phase is called a wave
front.
S

I.

II.

III.

Spherical WF: It is produced by a point source of light,

it is as shown in fig, it is because locus of all such points
are equidistant from the point source.

Cylindrical WF: When the source of light is linear shapes

(eg. Slit), cylindrical WF is produced it is because, all the
points equidistant from a linear source lie on the surface of
a cylinder.
Plane WF: A small part of a spherical or cylindrical WF
Originating from a distant source will appear plane and
Hence it is called a plane wave front.
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Point
source

L
S

line
source

Fraunhofer diffraction at a single slit:

Pricipal
or
central
maxima

Fraunhofer diffraction is obtained when the source of light and the screen are placed
at infinite distances from the aperture(slit). To achieve this two convex lenses are used. One
of them renders the incident beam parallel and the other focuses the diffracted light on the
screen.

L2

L1
F
Source of light
()

A1

C1

B1

Converging
lens
Screen

A converging lens L1 is placed such that a monochromatic source of light lies exactly
at its principal focus. With the help of the lens L1 , plane fronts are obtained. These plane
wave fronts are made to incident on a fine narrow slit AB. The undeviated waves come to
focus at O on the screen placed at the focal point of the lens L 2 . Light waves undergoing
diffraction at the sharp edges of the point O.

L1
F

C'1

C
d

Source of light
()

L2

A'1

B'1

A1

C1

x
O

B1

I minima
central
maxima

H
Converging
lens

BH = path difference
Screen

Analysis of the diffraction pattern:

Let AB be the width of the slit equal tod and C be the mid-point of AB. Let a plane
WF be incident on the slit AB. According to Huygen, every point on AB acts as a secondary
source and generates secondary waves. The undeviated waves AA1 , BB1 and CC1 come to
focus at O. Since the waves reaching the point O have no path difference, the point O will be
of maximum intensity of light, it is called central maximum and principal maximum.
Now consider the diffracted waves traveling the direction AA1 , BB1 and CC1 . All
such waves reach the point p on the screen. The point P is maximum or minimum depends on
the path difference between the waves reaching P.

Difference between Interference and Diffraction

1.

2.
3.
4.

5.

Interference of Light
Produced by two coherent sources. It
Is a phenomenon of redistribution of
light energy in the regions of
overlapping of light.
Pattern consists of alternate dark and
bright fringes of equal width.
Intensity of all bright fringes are equal
and dark fringes are zero.
For bright fringe path difference = n

For dark fringe path difference =

2n 1
2

1.

2.
3.
4.

5.

Diffraction of Light
Produced by sharp edges whose
dimension is comparable with
wavelength of light, and encroachment
into geometrical shadow.
Pattern consists of alternate dark and
bright fringes of unequal width.
Intensity of successive bright fringes
decreases and dark fringes increases.
For bright fringe path difference =

2n 1
2
For dark fringe path difference = n

To find the path difference:

Let us draw a perpendicular AM from A. Here BM gives the path difference between
the waves AA' 1 , BB1' and CC1' .
From right angled triangle ABM,
BM BM
sin

AB
d
BM Path difference d sin

For Bright band at P

d sin (2n 1)

For Dark band at P

d sin n where n = 1,2,3..

im

B
p2

p2

p1

p1
p0

2/a

/a

/a

2/a

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Resolving power of optical instruments:

Definition:
(i)

The ability of the optical instrument to produce their separate diffraction

patterns(images) is known as Resolving power.
OR

(ii) It is the ability or capacity of an optical instrument to show two close objects from a
distance as separate images.
One of the consequences of diffraction is that the point object does not give rise to a
point image (and also spectral line). The image of the point object is actually the diffraction
pattern consisting of central maxima followed by other maxima and minima in concentric
rings, with rapidly decreasing intensity.
When two images of the objects appear to
overlap on each other, they are said to be Unresolved.

When the two images of the objects appear to

be just separated, they are said to be just resolved.

When the two images of the objects appear to

be clearly separated, they are completely resolved.

B
A
Object

B1

A1

Diffraction pattern

Resolving power of a microscope:

Images
Negative

The function of a microscope is to magnify image of an object and to give its finer
details which cannot be observed by naked eye.
Let A and B two objects and A1 and B1 be their images formed by a microscope.
Actually these images are diffraction patterns consisting of central maxima and other maxima
and minima of rapidly decreasing intensity.
Hence the size of A1 and B1 will be grater than that of A and B due to diffraction.
Suppose A and B are brought closer and closer, than A1 and B1 will come closer and closer.
At a particular distance(stage), A1 and B1 overlap even though A and B are separate.
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Limit of Resolution:
The minimum distance between two objects for which microscope can produce
images which are just separated is called Limit of resolution of the Microscope.
Limit of Resolution of a microscope=d=

2 sin

The reciprocal of limit of resolution of a microscope is called its resolving power.

1 2 sin
Resolving power of a microscope
d

Where is the refractive index of the medium between the object and objective.
is the semi vertical angle of cone of rays that enters the objective.
wavelength of light.

Rayleigh criterion for resolution:

The resolution of any optical system, its ability to produce sharp images. Lord
Rayleigh proposed a criterion for judging whether the images are resolved.

1)

According to him,
Two point sources are just resolved, if the central maximum of the diffraction
pattern of one source just falls on the first minimum of the other.
OR

2)

If the separation between their central maximum is just equal to the separation
between the principal maximum of one and its first minimum.

Two objects are unresolved, if the separation between their central

maxima is less than this distance d and well resolved if it is more than
d and just resolved, equal to d

d
separation

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