Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321740904
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-090-8

Chapter 22 - Wave Optics - Exercises and Problems - Page 652: 69

Answer

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Work Step by Step

$$\color{blue}{\bf [a]}$$ We know that the circular aperture causes diffraction, so the laser beam must spread out. In other words, $\bf No$, the laser beam can't be perfectly parallel. You can test that by watching the point of the laser pointing pen in a wall that is 50 m away, you can say that the red circle on the wall is more than 10 cm in diameter while the pen is only 1 or 2 mm in diameter. $$\color{blue}{\bf [b]}$$ We know, in a circular aperture, that the first dark fringe's angle is given by $$\theta_1=\dfrac{1.22\lambda }{D}$$ Plugging the known; $$\theta_1=\dfrac{1.22(633\times 10^{-9})}{1\times 10^{-3}}=\bf 7.7226\times 10^{-4}\;\rm rad$$ $$\theta_1=\color{red}{\bf 0.442}^\circ$$ $$\color{blue}{\bf [c]}$$ The width of the laser beam at some distance is given by the bright central maximum in a circular aperture. $$w=\dfrac{2.44\lambda L}{D}$$ Plugging the known; $$w=\dfrac{2.44(633\times 10^{-9})(3)}{1\times 10^{-3}}=\bf 0.00463\;\rm m$$ $$w=\color{red}{\bf 4.63}\;\rm mm$$ $$\color{blue}{\bf [d]}$$ And at 1 km, $$w=\dfrac{2.44(633\times 10^{-9})(1000)}{1\times 10^{-3}} $$ $$w=\color{red}{\bf 1.54}\;\rm m$$
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