Wavelength and size of holes or grating

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between the size of holes or gratings in a Faraday cage and their effect on opacity or transparency to electromagnetic radiation. Participants explore concepts related to interference patterns, diffraction, and wave propagation in the context of classical physics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the size of the hole or grating determines its opacity or transparency due to interference patterns in classical physics.
  • One participant asserts that to block radiation, the hole must be smaller than half a wavelength in diameter, indicating that this is not related to diffraction.
  • Another participant explains that the hole acts as a short piece of metallic waveguide, which can cut off wave propagation if it is smaller than certain critical dimensions.
  • It is proposed that large holes create surface impedance that reduces the flow of current necessary for reflection.
  • Some participants discuss the concept of resonant slots and their ability to radiate as they deflect surface currents.
  • One participant questions whether resonance is involved, noting that the effect does not exhibit a peak but behaves like a high pass function.
  • There is mention of a network of conductors changing the impedance presented to incident waves, suggesting that at low frequencies, the grid behaves like a perfect reflector.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various viewpoints on the mechanisms at play, with no consensus reached regarding the primary factors influencing the opacity or transparency of the Faraday cage. Multiple competing explanations are presented, indicating an unresolved discussion.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference concepts such as diffraction, reflection, and impedance without fully resolving the implications of these terms in relation to the Faraday cage's functionality. The discussion includes assumptions about wave behavior and critical dimensions that remain unexamined.

merlyn
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Could someone explain to be the reason why size of the hole or grating in the case of Faraday cage is what determines if the screen or grating is opaque or transparent? I'm pretty sure it has something to do with interference patterns in classical physics.

Thank you all in advanced.
 
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Have you looked for an existing answer online?
 
Yes. I didn't know how to phrase the question.
I thought I could get a more succinct and definitive answer here.
 
merlyn said:
Yes. I didn't know how to phrase the question.
I thought I could get a more succinct and definitive answer here.
It's probably best to be more precise about what you don't understand about what you've read.
 
PeroK said:
It's probably best to be more precise about what you don't understand about what you've read.
I just wanted the basic mechanism explained, or at least a reference.
Should I look under defraction, reflection or perhaps slit experiment ?
 
merlyn said:
Could someone explain to be the reason why size of the hole or grating in the case of Faraday cage is what determines if the screen or grating is opaque or transparent? I'm pretty sure it has something to do with interference patterns in classical physics.

Thank you all in advanced.
It needs to be somewhat smaller than half a wavelength diameter to block radiation. Not to do with diffraction.
 
tech99 said:
It needs to be somewhat smaller than half a wavelength diameter to block radiation. Not to do with diffraction.
Wonderful...Why? What are the physics?
 
The hole behaves as a very short piece of metallic waveguide. If it is smaller than certain critical dimensions it is cut-off and will not support propagation of a wave.
Another way to look at is that large holes create surface impedance which reduces the flow of current in the surface, which is necessary for reflection.
And another way to look at it is that resonant slots will radiate as they deflect surface currents around them.
 
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tech99 said:
The hole behaves as a very short piece of metallic waveguide. If it is smaller than certain critical dimensions it is cut-off and will not support propagation of a wave.
Another way to look at is that large holes create surface impedance which reduces the flow of current in the surface, which is necessary for reflection.
And another way to look at it is that resonant slots will radiate as they deflect surface currents around them.
Do you have any references which I can explore further?
 
  • #10
tech99 said:
resonant slots will radiate
Could it be resonance? The effect doesn't have a peak; it's just a high pass function.

One way of looking at it is that the network of conductors changes the Impedance presented to the incident wave. At a low enough frequency, the grid looks just like a metal plate (Z=0) and is a perfect reflector.
 

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