SINGLE SLIT DIFFRACTION

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 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Amilia C Shibu
Reg No: of class XII has
successfully completed this Physics project on
the topic Single Slit Diffraction under the
guidance of Ms Madhusmita during the year
2019-20 in partial fulfilment of physics
practical examination conducted by Central
Board of Secondary Examination.

External examiner Internal examiner

Principal

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 Acknowledgement
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the principal, Ms. Latha for
giving me the opportunity to work on this project. I would also like to thank my
physics teacher, Ms. Madhusmita for guiding me and clearing all the doubts
that arose through the course of this project. Her constant motivation and
constructive advice has played an immense role in the successful completion of
this project.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my parents for their constant
support and help. They taught me to be patient with each error, each mistake,
which, needless to say helped me in my project.

Lastly, I would like to thank all those who extended their help, directly or
indirectly, in the completion of this project.

Thank you once again.

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 Index

Aim 5
Materials required 6
Introduction 7
Theory/Formula used 9
Procedure 13
Gallery 14
Observation Table 17
Result 21
Conclusion 22
Bibliography 23

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 Aim
To study the phenomenon of diffraction using a single slit and to determine the
width of the slit used.

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 Materials required
Laser source (red light, wavelength: 650 nm)

Screen

Measuring tape/Metre scale

Tripod stand

Single slit aperture (made by putting two razor blades close to each other and
put in position by sticking it onto a disc)

Adhesive tapes

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 Introduction
We can classify optical phenomena into one of two categories: ray optics and
wave optics.

Light is a transverse electromagnetic wave. In many situations, the

wavelengths of the light being studied are very small compared to the
dimensions of the equipment used to study the light. Under these conditions
we can make an approximation called geometrical optics or ray optics.
Consider the wavelength scale of light waves. Wavelengths in the middle of the
visible band are on the order of 500 nm. So a laser beam with a diameter of 1
mm has a diameter of 2000 wavelengths. Individual atoms in a solid are
separated by distance on the order of 0.1 nm. So, as far as visible light is
concerned, matter is quasi-continuous.

If the wavelengths of the light become comparable to the dimensions of the

equipment, then we study optical phenomena using the classical theory of
radiation, or wave optics. Wave optics contains all of ray optics, but the
mathematical treatment is much more involved.

Diffraction and interference are phenomena observed with all waves.

Diffraction can only be observed with waves travelling in two or three
dimensions.

Diffraction is the tendency of a wave emitted from a finite source or passing

through a finite aperture to spread out as it propagates. Diffraction results
from the interference of an infinite number of waves emitted by a continuous
distribution of source points in two or three dimensions. Huygens ‘
Principle lets us treat wave propagation by considering every point on a wave
front to be a secondary source of spherical wavelets.
These wavelets propagate outward with the characteristic speed of the wave.
The wavelets emitted by all points on the wave front interfere with each other
to produce the travelling wave. Huygens' principle also holds for
electromagnetic waves. When studying the propagation of light, we can

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replace any wave front by a collection of sources distributed uniformly over the
wave front, radiating in phase.

When light passes through a small opening, comparable in size to the

wavelength λ of the light, in an otherwise opaque obstacle, the wave front on
the other side of the opening resembles the wave front shown on the right.

The light spreads around the edges of the obstacle. This is the phenomenon
of diffraction. Diffraction is a wave phenomenon and is also observed with
water waves in a ripple tank.

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 Theory/Formula used
The positions of all maxima and minima in the Fraunhofer diffraction pattern
from a single slit can be found from the following simple arguments

● Consider a slit of width w, as shown in the diagram on the right. A plane

wave is incident from the bottom and all points oscillate in phase inside
the slit.

● For light leaving the slit in a particular direction defined by the angle θ,
we may have destructive interference between the ray at the right edge
(ray 1) and the middle ray (ray 7). To arrive at a distant screen
perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the rays, the rays
coming from different points inside the slit have to travel different
distances. They have a different optical path length. If ray 7 has to
travel an extra distance of one-half wavelength (λ/2) compared to ray 1,
then ray 1 and ray 7 destructively interfere. Crest meets trough.

● The optical path length (OPL) of a light ray travelling from point A to
point B is defined as c times the time it takes the ray to travel from A to
B. In free space the optical path length is just the distance d between
the points. In a transparent medium with index of refraction n, it equals
n times this distance, OPL = nd, because the light moves with speed c/n.

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If the optical path length of two rays differs by λ/2, the two rays interfere
destructively. For ray 1 and ray 7 to be half a wavelength out of phase we need

(w/2)sin θ = λ/2 or w sin θ = λ.

But from geometry, if these two rays interfere destructively, so do rays 2 and 8,
3 and 9, and 6 and 10, 5 and 11, and 6 and 12.
In effect, light from one half of the opening interferes destructively and cancels
out light from the other half.

Destructive interference produces the dark fringes. Dark fringes in the

diffraction pattern of a single slit are found at angles θ for which

w sin θ = mλ,

where m is an integer, m = 1, 2, 3, ... .

For the first dark fringe we have

w sin θ = λ.

When w is smaller than λ , the equation w sin θ = λ has no solution and no dark
fringes are produced.

If the interference pattern is viewed on a screen a distance L from the slits,

then the wavelength can be found from the spacing of the fringes. We have

λ = w sin θ/m

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 and

sin θ = z/(L2 + z2)½),

or

λ = zw/(m(L2 + z2)½),

where z is the distance from the centre of the interference pattern to the mth
dark line in the pattern.

If L >> z then (L2 + z2)½ ~ L and we can write

λ = zw/(mL)

Further,

w= mλ/sin θ

Further, verification of the same can be done by measuring the fringe width of
the central bright fringe at the corresponding distances and verify λ used by
putting the value of w obtained in the equation:

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 Procedure
1. A circular or rectangular glass plate, or an old compact disk is taken

2. Two razor blades are placed such that their sharp edges are parallel and
extremely close to each other to form a narrow slit in between.

3. Using adhesive tapes, the razor blades are positioned on the plate or
disk as closely together as possible to form a very narrow slit.

4. This setup is placed at a suitable distance from a wall or screen of a dark

room by setting it on a tripod stand.

5. The distance taken is recorded

6. A beam of light is thrown on the slit by the laser pencil.

7. A diffraction pattern of alternating bright and dark bands is seen on the

wall.

8. This pattern is traced onto paper and the distance between dark fringes
are noted.

9. The needed information is calculated and recorded in the observation

table.

10. The result is recorded and the experiment is repeated a second time
with a different value of L.

11. Verify the wavelength used by putting the values of the width obtained
in the equation 2β = λL/w where 2β is fringe width of CBF.

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Gallery

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 Precautions
i. Keep the laser turned off when not in use;

ii. Do not move the laser around when it is on;

iii. Do not mount the laser at eye level;

iv. Do not look head on at the beam or at its reflection from a mirror or
other shiny surfaces;

v. Never aim a laser at another person.

vi. The razor blades should be placed extremely closed as possible.

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 Sources of error

i. The distance measured between light fringes may be incorrect

ii. The slit formed is not narrow enough

iii. Width of the slit may be measured incorrectly

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 Observation Table

λ used = 650 nm (red laser point)

1. L = 150.0 cm

m z sin θ = z w = mλ
(cm) L sin θ
(mm)
1 0.6 0.0040 0.162

2 1 0.0067 0.194

Average width = (0.162 + 0.194 ) = 0.178 mm

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VERIFICATION : w = 0.162 mm
2β= 0.6 cm
Therefore, λ = 2β w / D
= 648 nm

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 2. L = 100.0 cm

m z sin θ = z w = mλ
(cm) L sin θ
(mm)
1 0.4 0.0040 0.162

2 0.6 0.0060 0.217

Average width = (0.162 + 0.217 ) = 0.189 mm

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VERIFICATION : Taking w = 0.162 mm

2β= 0.4 cm
Therefore, λ = 2β w / D
= 648 nm

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 3. L = 200.0 cm

m z sin θ = z w = mλ
(cm) L sin θ
(mm)
1 0.8 0.0040 0.162

2 1.5 0.0075 0.173

Average width = (0.162 + 0.173 ) = 0.168 mm

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VERIFICATION : Taking w = 0.162 mm

2β= 1.0 cm
Therefore, λ = 2β w / D
= 810 nm

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 4. L = 272.0 cm

m z sin θ = z w = mλ
(cm) L sin θ
(mm)
1 1.1 0.0040 0.162

2 1.9 0.0070 0.185

Average width = (0.162 + 0.185 ) = 0.174 mm

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VERIFICATION : Taking w = 0.162 mm

2β= 1.2 cm
Therefore, λ = 2β w / D
= 714 nm

Final width = ( 0. 174 + 0.168 + 0.189 + 0.178) = 0.177 mm

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 Result
The width of the slit found experimentally = 0.177 mm

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 Conclusion
When light waves are incident on a slit or aperture then it bends away (spread)
at the comers of slit showing the phenomena of diffraction of light, which is
easily explained by Huygens principle. The width of the slit used was
experimentally found out to be 0.177 mm.

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 Bibliography
i. Single Slit Diffraction is like getting surprised by a text you just sent
yourself | Doc Physics – Doc Schuster – YouTube

ii. mypages.iit.edu/~segre/phys223/09F/lab07_223.pdf

iii. CBSE Physics practical manual – Grade 12

iv. physics.bu.edu/ulab/intro2/interference.pdf

v. labman.phys.utk.edu/phys222core/modules/m9/diffraction.htm

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