Figure 1
Fraunhofer Diffraction (Single Slit):
The wave equation of light at the slit AE at a distance r from the source may be written as
𝐴
𝑦= sin(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑟)
𝑟
Where A is the amplitude at a unit distance from the source.
Let a be the width of the slit and ds be an element of the width of the wavefront in the plane of the slit, at a distance
s from O, as shown in Figure 1.
The wavelet produced by the element ds makes a displacement at P0, which is written as
𝑟𝑑𝑠
𝑑𝑦 = sin(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥0 )
𝑥0
Where x0 is the distance from s to Po.
Now if the wavelet from O covers a distance x to reach the screen at P, the wave equation becomes
𝑟𝑑𝑠
𝑑𝑦0 = sin(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥)
𝑥
The part of the wavelet from ds that reaches P covers an extra Δx path. Thus, we may write
𝑟𝑑𝑠
𝑑𝑦𝑠 = sin{𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘(𝑥 + ∆𝑥)}
𝑥
𝑟𝑑𝑠
or,𝑑𝑦𝑠 = 𝑥
sin(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥 − 𝑘∆𝑥)
𝑟𝑑𝑠
or, 𝑑𝑦𝑠 = 𝑥
sin(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥 − 𝑘𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃)
The contributions from all the wavelets produced between A and E to the location P at the screen may be found by
integrating
𝑎/2
𝑦=∫ 𝑑𝑦𝑠
−𝑎⁄2
𝑟 𝑎/2
or, 𝑦 = 𝑥 ∫−𝑎⁄2 sin{(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥) − 𝑘𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃} 𝑑𝑠
𝑟 𝑎/2
or,𝑦 = 𝑥 ∫−𝑎⁄2[sin(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥) cos(𝑘𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃) − cos(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥)sin(𝑘𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃) 𝑑𝑠
𝑟 sin(𝑘𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃) cos(𝑘𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃) 𝑎/2
or,𝑦 = 𝑥 [sin(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥) 𝑘𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
+ cos(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥) 𝑘𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
]
−𝑎/2
𝑎 𝑎 𝑎
𝑟 sin(𝑘 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃) cos(𝑘 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃) sin(−𝑘 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃)
2 2 2
or,𝑦 = [sin(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥) + cos(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥) − sin(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥) −
𝑥 𝑘𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑘𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑘𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝑎
cos(−𝑘 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃)
2
cos(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥) ]
𝑘𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝑎
𝑟 2𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝑘 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃)
or, 𝑦 = 𝑥 𝑘𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥)
𝑎
𝑟𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝑘 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃)
or,𝑦 = 𝑥
𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥)
𝑘 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
2
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛽
𝑦 = 𝑅0 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜔𝑡 − 𝑘𝑥)
𝛽
𝑎
where R0 = ra/x and 𝛽 = 𝑘 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
We know that,
Intensity = (Amplitude)2
𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝛽
Thus, 𝐼 = 𝑅02
𝛽2
Position of principle/central maximum:
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛽
For maximum intensity, 𝐼 = 𝑅02 , we have lim = 1,which implies 𝛽 = 0
𝛽→0 𝛽
𝑎
or, 𝑘 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 =0
2
or,𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 0
or,𝜃 = 0
Position of minimum intensity:
I=0 if and only if 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛽 = 0 which implies 𝛽 = 𝑚𝜋 where 𝑚 = ±1, ±2, ±3, ….
𝑎
𝑘 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑚𝜋
2
2𝜋 𝑎
or, 𝜆 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑚𝜋
or, 𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑚λ
Position of secondary maxima:
𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝛽
𝐼= 𝑅02
𝛽2
The condition for finding the maxima or minima is given by
𝑑𝐼
=0
𝑑𝛽
𝛽 2 2𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛽𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽−𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝛽2𝛽
or𝑅02 𝛽4
=0
or, 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛽𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽(𝛽 − 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝛽) = 0
or, 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛽(𝛽 − 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝛽) = 0, because 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽 ≠ 0
Either 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛽 = 0 or 𝛽 − 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝛽 = 0
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛽 = 0, gives the position of minima except 𝛽 = 0 which corresponds to the central maxima.
For the other maxima, we have
𝛽 − 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝛽 = 0
or, 𝛽 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝛽
Which is a transcendental equation. Solving it from the graph as shown in Figure 2, we get
Figure 2
𝛽 = ±1.43𝜋, ±2.46𝜋, ±3.47, ±4.48, …
Intensity pattern:
The positions of maxima obtained for
𝛽 = 0, ±1.43𝜋, ±2.46𝜋, ±3.47𝜋, ±4.48𝜋, …
The positions of minima obtained for
𝛽 = ±𝜋, ±2𝜋, ±3𝜋, ±4𝜋, …
The intensity pattern graph is shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3
