Double Slit Interference

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Objective: The objective of this lab is to examine the diffraction and interference patterns formed by laser light passing through two slits and verify that the positions of the maxima in the interference pattern match the positions predicted by theory. [1] Background: In quantum mechanics, the double-slit interference experiment is widely performed to help demonstrate the inseparability of the wave and particle natures of light and other quantum particles. [2] Four equations will be used in this experiment to properly demonstrate this inseparability as well as the slit separation. They are as follows: When light passes through two slits, the two light rays emerging from the slits interfere with each other and produce interference fringes. The angle to the maxima (bright fringes) in the interference pattern is given by equation 1 [1]: Equation 1 gives: [1] Where d represents the slit separation represents the angle from the centre of the pattern to the mth maximum m represents the order (0 for the central maximum, 1 for the first side maximum, 2 for the second side maximum, and it continues counting from the centre outwards) represents the wavelength of light The following equation is called the small angle approximation formula simply due to the fact that angles have the ability to be very small we use equation 2. From equation 1 it can be assumed that Equation 2 gives: [2] From trigonometry we arrive at the equation, Equation 3 gives: [3] Where

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