In a double-slit experiment, each slit has a width of 0.02 mm and they are space

Question

In a double-slit experiment, each slit has a width of 0.02 mm and they are spaced 0.14 mm apart. The pattern of light when a coherent 550 nm beam is incident on the slits is observed on a screen 4 m away.
(a) Find the spacing between interference fringes on the screen.
(b) Find the full width of the central diffraction maximum on the screen.
(c) How many fringes are visible within the central diffraction maximum?
(d) What happens to the pattern if the entire apparatus is immersed in water? Find new answers to each of the above parts.
(e) Describe what will happen to the pattern of light if a different polarizer is placed in front of each slit with their transmission axes at right angles to each other (assume the incident light is unpolarized). Will the intensities change? Will the pattern change? Give reasons for your answers.

Explanation / Answer

a)

d sinTheta = lamda

d * y/L = lamda

==> y = L lamda/d = 4*550e-9/0.14e-3 = 0.0157 m

b)

y = L lamda/a = 4*550e-9/0.02e-3 = 0.11 m

c)

d/a = m

==> m = 0.14/0.02 = 7

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