Demonstrations

Diffraction - Laser and Cornell Plate

Code Number :	6C10.12
Disclaimer:	Reprinted by permission of Dick Berg, University of Maryland, for use on this website. The demonstrations contained and referenced herein are listed for the purposes of cataloging and describing physics demonstrations which should be conducted only under the direction of a trained instructional support professional or physicist. These demonstrations are not presented for the purpose of being conducted by persons unconnected to this Facility and/or persons not consulting with or being supervised by the recognized instructional support professional or physicist and his/her staff. The University is responsible only for those demonstrations carried out using its own equipment using established safety and scheduling policies, and bears no responsibility for those choosing to use this source material for their own purposes. All demonstrations described and contained herein are public domain, and can also be found in reference materials in libraries, bookstores, and electronic sources. Further information regarding legal liability in use of demonstrations and labs will be found on the web site Injuries in School/College Laboratories in USA. The University of Iowa Disclaimers: University of Iowa Disclaimer All Rights Reserved..
Condition :	Good
Principle :	Diffraction of Waves
Area of Study :	Optics, Astronomy
Equipment :	Helium-neon laser (2 to 5 mw.), Optics bench, Cornell Plate.
Procedure :	The Cornell plate has a explanation sheet that goes with it telling things like slit width, slit spacing, and number of slits. Choosing the appropriate slit in the dark can be aided by shining a flashlight through the plate during alignment.

References

Jeffrey W. Rylander, John J. Miller, "Diffraction Patterns with Light and Motion Sensors", TPT, Vol. 37, # 2, p. 106, Feb. 1999.

Jack Higbie, "The Case of The Missing Pattern", TPT, Vol. 35 # 1, Feb. 1997, p. 106.

Thomas B. Greenslade, Jr., "Quick Measurement of Wavelength of Laser Light", TPT, Vol. 35, # 5, May 1997, p. 309.

Joe L. Ferguson, "Wedding PC Interfaces to Interference and Diffraction Experiments", TPT, Vol. 34, # 2, p. 124, Feb. 1996.

Scott R. Welty, "Long-Playing Diffraction Grating", TPT, Vol. 19, # 3, Mar. 1981, p. 187.

Roland A. Hultsch, "Simple Young's Experiment Grating Made Photographically", TPT, Vol. 18, # 7, Oct. 1980, p. 534.

Robert Gardner, "Single Slit Diffraction - A Test of the Theory", TPT, Vol. 18, # 3, Mar. 1980, p. 193.

Vincent Mallette, "Laser Beam Diffraction by a Plastic Ruler", TPT, Vol. 9, # 1, Jan. 1971, p. 47

Roy H. Biser, "Modern Method for the Study of Optical Diffraction", TPT, Vol. 7, # 2, Feb. 1969, p. 116.

Harriet Slogoff, Jeff Mackowiak, Milen Shishkov, and Alan T. Johnson, "Erratum: 'Photolithographic Fabrication of Diffraction and Interference Slit Patterns for the Undergraduate Laboratory', AJP, Vol. 72, # 10, Oct. 2004, p. 1328", AJP, Vol. 72, # 12, Dec. 2004, p. 1530.

Harriet Slogoff, Jeff Mackowiak, Milen Shishkov, and Alan T. Johnson, "Photolithographic Fabrication of Diffraction and Interference Slit Patterns for the Undergraduate Laboratory", AJP, Vol. 72, # 10, Oct. 2004, p. 1328.

Wolfgang Gilliar et al., "Light Scattering from Fibers: An Extension of a Single-Slit Diffraction Experiment," AJP, p. 555, Vol. 55, No. 6, (June 1987).

M. L. Mukherjee, "Negative Order Fraunhofer Diffraction Pattern of He-Ne laser Light", AJP, Vol. 45, # 7, July 1977, p. 678.

A. L. Schawlow, "Measuring the Wavelength of Light with a Ruler", AJP, 33, (11), Nov. 1965, p. 922.

Ol-3, 5, 6: Freier and Anderson, A Demonstration Handbook for Physics.

Od-7: Wallace A. Hilton, Physics Demonstration Experiments.

"Diffraction," The Exploratorium Teacher Institute, Paul Doherty, Don Rathjen, The Magic Wand & Other Experiments in Light & Color, p. 41-45.

Seville Chapman and Harold Meese, "Effective and Inexpensive Slits for Teaching Physical Optics," Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory, Inc., Buffalo, New York, August 8, 1956.

C. Harvey Palmer, "Experiment B15: Fraunhofer Diffraction by a Single Slit," Optics - Experiments and Demonstrations, John Hopkins Press, 1962.

"18, Diffraction on a Slit", Experiments in Optics, Part 1, J. Klinger Scientific Apparatus Corp., Bulletin 101.

T. D. Rossing, C. J. Chiaverina, "5.9, Multiple Slits And Gratings", Light Science, Physics and Visual Arts, p. 120.

T. D. Rossing, C. J. Chiaverina, "5.7, Combined Interference And Difraction", Light Science, Physics and Visual Arts, p. 116.

Mail Questions and Comments to: Dale Stille