Diffraction Date :

Grating

9. Diffraction Grating
Background
Fraunhofer diffraction
Fresnel diffraction
Angular dispersion
Resolving power
Spectral lines

Aim of the experiment

To determine the wavelengths of the prominent lines of mercury by a
plane transmission diffraction grating, hence to find (a) the chromatic
resolving power of the plane transmission diffraction grating and (b) the
dispersive power of the grating.

Apparatus required
Spectrometer
Plane transmission diffraction grating
Mercury-lamp
Spirit level

Theory
If a parallel beam of monochromatic light is incident normally on the
face of a plane transmission diffraction grating, bright diffraction maxima are
observed on the other side of the grating. These diffraction maxima satisfy
the grating condition :

a  b sin n  n , …(1)

where (a+b) = the grating element (=2.54/N, N being the number of

rulings per inch of the grating),
n = the angle of diffraction of the nth maximum
n = the order of spectrum which can take values 0, 1, 2,
3 …….
 = the wavelength of the incident light
Clearly, the diffraction is symmetrical about 0 = 0. If the incident
beam contains different colours of light, there will be different n
corresponding to different  in the same order n. By measuring n and
knowing N,  can be calculated.
Chromatic resolving power of a grating is defined as its power of
distinguishing two nearby spectral lines and is defined as


Chromatic R.P = …(2)


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Where  is the separation of two wavelengths which the grating can
resolve; the smaller the value of , the larger the resolving power.
Employing Rayleigh’s criterion for the limit of resolution, one can show in
the case of a grating

R.P = = nN. … (3)

The angular dispersion or dispersive power of a grating is defined as
the rate of change of angle of diffraction with the change of wavelength in a
particular order of the spectrum. Differentiating eqn. (1) with respect to ,
we get
d n
 . … (4)
d a  b  cos
Eqn.(4) shows that for a given small wavelength difference  the angular
separation  is directly proportional to the order n. When  is small (less
than 60), cos is constant and hence  is proportional to . Such a
spectrum is called a normal spectrum.

Procedure
(a) Adjustment of the Collimator and the Telescope :
1. Level the prism table, telescope and collimator with spirit level such
that telescope axis and collimator, axis intersect the principal vertical
axis of the spectrometer. A prism may be used for this purpose.
2. Focus the eye-piece of the telescope on the cross-wire by drawing it
in or out of the telescope tube until the cross-wire is seen clearly.
3. Use Schuster’s method for focusing telescope and collimator for
parallel rays [see Page no. 117, topic (v)]

(b) Adjustment of the Grating :

The grating is to be adjusted on the prism table such that light from
the collimator falls normally on it. For achieving this :
4. First the collimator and the telescope are brought in one line and the
image of the slit is focused on the vertical cross-wire. The
corresponding reading on both the verniers is noted.
5. The telescope is rotated through 900.

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6. Mount the grating on the prism table and rotate the prism table so that
the reflected image is seen on the vertical cross-wire in the telescope.
Take the vernier readings.
7. Turn the prism table from this position through 450 or 1350, so that
‘writing’ on the grating is away from the collimator. In this position,
the grating is normal to the incident beam (see Fig.1).
8. The slit is rotated in its place till the spectral lines are very sharp and
bright. This brings the slit parallel to the lines of grating.

(c) Measuring the Diffraction Angles :

The spectrum is shown in Fig. 2.
9. Rotate the telescope to the left
side of the direct image and adjust it
on different spectral lines (starting
with first order blue line and
finishing with second order yellow
line) turn by turn. It should be taken
care that the movement of telescope
is in one direction.
10. Note the vernier readings V1
and V2.
11. Now rotate the telescope to
the right side of the direct image and
repeat steps 9 and 10. The
difference of corresponding vernier
readings will give twice the angle of diffraction.
12. Find the angles of diffraction for prominent lines in the first and the
second order spectra.

Observations
Vernier constant of the spectrometer (Least Count) :

Number of lines per inch of the grating (N) :

2.54
Grating element (a+b) = cm
N
Table 1
To set the unruled surface of the grating for normal incidence

Direct reading of the telescope without Telescope Reading of the prism table when the Prism table is
grating is rotated angle of indicence is 450 rotated through
Main Vernier Total through Main Vernier Total 450 or 1350 and
Scale (M) (V) (T=M+V) 900 and Scale (M) (V) (T=M+V) set at
set at angle
angle

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Table 2
Determination of the angles of diffraction for the lines of different colour and order

Readings for the diffracted images Difference Mean Angle of

Colour of the line

with the telescope at the between the (2) Diffraction

Vernier No.
Order No.

Left Right left and ab ()

right ( )
(n)

Main Vernier Total Main Vernier Total

scale (V) (T=M+V) scale (M) (V) (T=M+V) readings of 2
(M) vernier (2)
1st

(= a1) (= a2) (a1 ~ a2)

1
(=a)
2nd

(=b1) (=b2) (b1~b2)

(=b)
Blue
1st

(= a1) (= a2) (a1 ~ a2)

2
(=a)
2nd

(=b1) (b1~b2)
(=b2) (=b)

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Colour of the line

Readings for the diffracted images Difference Mean Angle of
with the telescope at the between the (2) Diffraction
Vernier No.
Order No.

Left Right left and ab ()

right ( )
(n)

Main Vernier Total Main Vernier Total

scale (V) (T=M+V) scale (M) (V) (T=M+V) readings of 2
(M) vernier (2)
1st

(= a1) (= a2) (a1 ~ a2)

1
(=a)
2nd

(=b1) (=b2) (b1~b2)

(=b)
Green
1st

(= a1) (= a2) (a1 ~ a2)

2
(=a)
2nd

(=b1) (b1~b2)
(=b2) (=b)

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Readings for the diffracted images Difference Mean Angle of

Colour of the line
with the telescope at the between the (2) Diffraction
Vernier No.
Order No.

Left Right left and ab ()

right ( )
(n)

Main Vernier Total Main Vernier Total

scale (V) (T=M+V) scale (M) (V) (T=M+V) readings of 2
(M) vernier (2)
1st

(= a1) (= a2) (a1 ~ a2)

1
(=a)
2nd

(=b1) (=b2) (b1~b2)

(=b)
Yellow
1st

(= a1) (= a2) (a1 ~ a2)

2
(=a)
2nd

(=b1) (b1~b2)
(=b2) (=b)

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Calculation and Results

Table 3
Determination of wavelength of unknown lines

No. of lines Wavelength of

per cm of Colour of Order Angle of the spectral Mean 
the grating the line no. diffraction () line() (Å)
surface (N) (n) (From Table 2) (Å)
(given)

Blue
2

Green
2

Yellow
2

Table 4
Determination of Resolving power and dispersive power of the grating

Colour Order Angle of No. of grating Resolving Angular dispersion

of No. diffraction  lines illuminated power of the grating =
the line (n) (from Table 2) by the of the nN
collimator (N) grating = nN
2.54 cos 

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Error calculation
The wavelength of unknown spectral line is determined from the relation:
sinθ
λ
nN
Therefore, the maximum proportional error in the determination of  is
δλ cos δ

λ sinθ
δλ δθ
 ….(A)
λ tanθ

2 measured from the difference between two readings corresponding to two positions of
the telescope. Hence  is equal to the value of one vernier constant (in radian).
Substituting the measured values of  and the value of  in eqn. (A) and multiplying by
100, the maximum percentage error in  can be calculated.

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Discussion
(i) When mounting the grating on the prism table, if the ruled surface of the grating is
towards the collimator, two images are viewed in the telescope placed with its axis normal
to that of the collimator. The two images are formed by reflection at the front and back
surfaces of the grating. In this case, work is to be done with the front surface image. To
distinguish between the front and back surface images, an electrical lamp is to be placed
behind the sodium flame. Both the monochromatic sodium light and the white light are
incident on the grating. The image formed by reflection of the white light from the back
surface of the grating will be coloured. This image is ignored and the adjustments for
making the plane of the grating vertical are to be done with the other image.

(ii) When the ruled surface of the grating is in the side of the collimator, the prism table
is to be rotated through 450 in the proper direction to make the unruled surface of grating
normal to the rays from the collimator. Also, it should be placed on the prism table so as to
get the maximum area of the surface exposed to the incident light.

(iii) The slit should be made very narrow to increase the brightness of the higher order
diffracted images.

(iv) The source position should be so adjusted as to make the diffracted images on both
sides of the central one equally bright.

(v) If necessary, the slit illumination can be increased by forming an image of the source
on the slit by inserting a convex lens of short focal length between the slit and the source.

(vi) While rotating the telescope, it should be moved always in the same direction so as
to avoid any back-lash error.

Questions
1. In this experiment, how does diffraction occur?
2. What is a plane transmission diffraction grating?
3. What is a reflection grating?
4. How are commercial gratings made?
5. What type of grating do you use for your experiment?
6. Define grating element and corresponding points.
7. What is the effect of increasing the number of lines per cm on the grating?
8. What do you understand by the angular dispersive power of the grating?
9. How does the angular dispersive power of the grating vary with (i) the order
number n of the spectrum, (ii) the grating element or the number of lines per cm
in the grating, and (iii) the wavelength ?
10. Distinguish between a grating spectrum and a prismatic spectrum.
11. What will happen if the slit is illuminated with white light?
12. What will happen if the rulings of the grating are not parallel and the distance
between two consecutive rulings is not constant?
13. What is the SI unit of wavelength?
14. What happens if the ruled surface of the grating faces the collimator?

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15. What do you mean by the resolving power of a grating?

16. How can you experimentally verify that the incident rays are normal to the
grating surface?
17. What are the uses of a diffraction grating?

References

1. Fundamental of Optics by F. Jenkins and H. White 535 JEN/F

2. Optics by A.Ghatak 535 GHA/O
3. Optics by E. Hecht 535 HEC/O

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