Abstract

The theory of a multiple diffraction grating is presented. It is shown that the resolving power is that of a simple grating of equivalent ruled aperture; the intensity, that of a simple grating of an equal number of ruled apertures; and the dispersion and resulting distribution of intensity with order, that of one of the elementary gratings of which it is composed. The relative intensities and the distribution of the secondary maxima arising due to the periodicity of spacing of elementary gratings are discussed. The large spectral range, the relatively high intensity and the requirement of little or no preliminary resolution are presented as advantages over interference spectroscopes of equivalent resolving power. The further advantage is presented that the time required for ruling such a grating is so reduced that gratings of two, three or more times the present effective aperture are made readily possible in the same ruling time.

© 1936 Optical Society of America

The Diffraction Grating at Grazing Incidence

Luis W. Alvarez
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 26(9) 343-346 (1936)

Theory of Microscope Vision*†

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A Quantitative Study of the Improvement of Speculum Gratings by the Application of Aluminum

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Multiple Diffraction in Grating Spectroscopy

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