$3$ DIFFRACTION FROM A SINGLE SLIT

$3\mathrm{.}1$ Purpose

The purpose of this experiment is to examine the diffaction pattern formed by laser light pasing through a single slit and verify that the positions of the minima in the diffraction pattern match the positions predicted ly theory,

$3\mathrm{.}2$ Apparatus

View screen

$1\mathrm{.}2m$ Optics Track

Red Diode Laser

Diffraction Slits

$3\mathrm{.}3$ Safety

Do not stare into the laser beam.

$3\mathrm{.}4$ Procedure

Set up the red laser at one end of the optics track and place the diffraction slits about $3cm$ in front of the laser $($Figure $1).$

Put the screen on the other end of the optics track so that the aperture faces the laser.

Select the $0\mathrm{.}02mm$ single slit by rotating the slit disk until the $0\mathrm{.}02mm$ slit is centered in the slit holder. Turn on the laser and adjust the position of the laser beam until it is centered on the slit

$8$

Measure the distance from the slit to the screen. Record the slit$-$to$-$screen distance in Table $1.$

Record the wavelength of the laser $($labeled on the laser$)$ in Table $1.$

Measure the distance between the central maximum and the first order $)=(1$ minimum and record this distance in Table $2.$ Also measure the distance between the central maximum and the second order $)=(2$ minimum and record in Table $2.$

Repeat the steps for the $0\mathrm{.}04mm$ slit.

$3\mathrm{.}5$ Data Collection

$\backslash$table$[[$Slit$-$to$-$screen distance$($mm$)],[$Wavelength$]]$

Table $2$: Slit width versus distance from central maximum to first and second order minimum

$\backslash$table$[[$Slit Width $(mm),1^{nt}$ Oriler $(mm),2^{nd}$ Order $(mm),$SW $1,$SW $2,$Calculate $(mm),$ perc$],[0\mathrm{.}02,,,,,,],[0\mathrm{.}04,,,,,,]]$

SW $1$~~ Slit Width from $1^{at}$ Order Data$($mm$)$

SW $2$~~ Slit Width from $2^{ed}$ Order Data$($mm$)$