Tools

Measurement of Wavelength of a Laser (He-Ne) Light using Single-Slit Diffraction

Textbooks

  1. OpenStax. (2016). University Physics Volume 3. OpenStax CNX.
    https://openstax.org/details/books/university-physics-volume-3
    (Chapter 4.2: Single-Slit Diffraction; laboratory extension for wavelength ( \lambda ) determination using first minima.)

  2. Hecht, E. (2017). Optics (5th ed.). Pearson.
    (Chapter 10: Experimental determination of He–Ne laser wavelength using single-slit diffraction; includes error analysis.)

  3. IIT Delhi Physics Department. (Ongoing). To determine the wavelength of laser light using single slit diffraction.
    https://physics.iitd.ac.in/uploads/manual_UUEuAhJSeu.pdf
    (Procedure includes intensity scan up to second minima and plotting of the ( \text{sinc}^2 ) diffraction pattern.)

  4. Ghatak, A. (2024). Optics (8th ed.). McGraw Hill Education India.
    (Chapter 17: Fraunhofer Diffraction using Single-Slit and Circular Aperture)

Online Resources

University virtual labs, manuals, and experimental demonstrations.

  1. IIT Delhi. (Ongoing). Measurement of wavelength of a laser (He–Ne) light using single-slit diffraction. Virtual Labs.
    https://virtual-labs.github.io/exp-measurement-of-wavelength-dei/theory.html
    (Theory includes phase difference ( \delta = \frac{2\pi}{\lambda} a \sin\theta ) and lens-focused diffraction pattern.)

  2. Michigan State University. (2008). Experiment 11 – Diffraction and Interference. MSU Physics Lab Manual.
    https://web.pa.msu.edu/courses/2008summer/phy252/manual/diffraction_and_interference.pdf
    (Uses He–Ne laser with ( \lambda = 632.8 \text{ nm} ); detailed single-slit experimental procedure.)

  3. Physics LibreTexts. (2025). 4.2: Single-Slit Diffraction.
    https://phys.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/University_Physics/University_Physics_(OpenStax)/University_Physics_III_-_Optics_and_Modern_Physics_(OpenStax)/04%3A_Diffraction/4.02%3A_Single-Slit_Diffraction
    (Derives minima condition for determining laser wavelength.)

  4. Basavaraj, S. (2023). Determination of wavelength of He–Ne laser using single slit method. YouTube.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYLEdyB95cU
    (Demonstration experiment measuring ( \lambda \approx 654.9 \text{ nm} ) with ~3.5% error compared to 632.8 nm.)