What Are the Key Distances in a Double Slit Experiment with 632.8 nm Light?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating distances in a double slit experiment using light with a wavelength of 632.8 nm. The slits are separated by 0.2 mm, and the screen is positioned 1 meter away. Key calculations involve determining the positions of the first zeros of irradiance and the fifth bright fringe using the double slit interference equation, which relies on the path length difference between waves from the two slits.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of double slit interference principles
  • Familiarity with the Poynting vector and irradiance calculations
  • Knowledge of wave equations and superposition
  • Basic grasp of trigonometric functions in wave physics
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the double slit interference equation and its derivation
  • Learn about the Poynting vector and its application in optics
  • Explore the concept of path length difference in wave interference
  • Investigate the characteristics of cylindrical and plane waves
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Students and educators in physics, particularly those focusing on wave optics and interference phenomena, as well as anyone conducting experiments related to light behavior in slit configurations.

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Homework Statement


A extent ray of light with wavelength \lambda _0=632.8 nm incide over a screen containing 2 horizontal parallel slits very thin and separated by a distance of 0.2 mm. We observe an interferance over a screen at 1.00 meter away from the screen containing the horizontal slits.
1)At what distance from the principal axis are situated the first zeros of irradiance?
2)How far from the principal axis is the fifth bright fringe?
3)Compare the previous results.

Homework Equations


I know I should find the formula given there: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-slit_experiment#Results_observed but how to reach this?

The Attempt at a Solution


3) Since I already made the experiment, I know that the fifth fringe is roughly 5 times farer than the 1st fringe, from the principal axis. Hmm not sure it's true, but I know that the distance between the fringes is equal. So my statement is true only if the first fringe coincide with the principal axis, which isn't true.
1)Irradiance is the Poynting vector averaged over... well I'm not sure. It's worth \frac{|\vec E_0 |^2}{2 \eta} according to my notes. So I need to find out the electric field of the wave.
I know that there are 2 sources of light considering the problem after the light from the laser passed by the slits. How are these waves? Cylindrical? I never dealt with such waevs. Spherical? Can I consider them as plane waves since the 1 meter distance is really big compared to the wavelength of the wave? In that case E total is the sum of E_1= E_0 \cos (kx - \omega t + \alpha) and E_2= E_0 \cos (k... - \omega t + \alpha). Can you help me with the "..." part? I don't know what to put as "x".

Also I don't know how can L=1m appear in the final result. I guess I should consider the wave as cylindrical, but I've no idea about how the expression is.
Any idea?
 
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I don't understand a lot of what you are saying. But if all you need to do is find the double slit interference equation then all you need to do is find the path length difference between the two waves originating from both slits to the wall, \Delta L. If the path length difference is m\lambda then you have constructive interference assuming both waves are in phase.
 

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