DIFFRACTION

6C10.10 Single Slit Diffraction

Shine laser beam through slit to produce diffraction pattern. Slide has several slit widths.

Setup Requirements:Assembled as needed. Dark room needed. Only center and first order visible from back of large room. Use  bright laser with separate power supply.

Equations: width x sin(A)= n x wavelength

Safety Issues: Laser has ten times power of pointer. 

6C10.15 Adjustable Single Slit Diffraction

Shine laser beam through narrow slit to produce diffraction pattern. Width of slit is adjustable.

Setup Requirements: Minimal. Use bright laser with separate power supply. Need dark room. Only center and first order visible from back of large room

Equations: width x sin(A) = n x wavelength

Safety Issues: Laser has 10 times power of pointer.

6C20.10 Diffraction Around Objects

Shine laser beam on small object to produce diffraction pattern. Lens needed to widen laser beam. Pattern is too small to see from seats in large lecture rooms.

Setup Requirements: Ask ahead of time. Some time needed to assemble and test.Try small sphere (Arago/Poisson spot) or razor blade.

Equations: None

Safety Issues: Laser

6C20.30 Diffraction Pattern Using Round Opening

Shine laser beam on hole in slide to produce diffraction pattern. Pattern limits ability to separate binary stars using telecope.

Setup Requirements: Dark room needed. Pattern not visible from back of large lecture rooms. Use extra bright laser.

Equations: Position of first minimum given by sin(A) = 1.22 x wavelength / diameter

Safety Issues: Bright laser has 10 times power of pointer.

6C20.31 Diffraction Pattern Using Round Opening In Laser

The new smaller laser from Metrologic produces a good example of diffraction pattern produced by a round opening just using the hole the laser beam comes through.

Setup Requirements: Dark room needed. Pattern not visible from back of large lecture room.

Equations: Position of first minimum given by sin(A) = 1.22 x wavelength / diameter

Safety Issues: Laser