Fig. 6.
The Cylindrical Diffraction Grating.
gratings were thus made With strips or spaces equal to 3 cm., 2·5 cm., 2 cm., 1·5 cm., and 1 cm. respectively.
The diameter of the cylindrical grating is 100 cm. It would perhaps have been better to use a grating with a less curvature, but it must be remembered that the intensity of radiation is very feeble, and I was apprehensive of the receiver failing to respond when placed at too great a distance. I find from the sensibility of the receiver used that it would be possible to increase the diameter of the cylinder to about 150 cm., and this size I intend to use in the construction of my next grating. The aperture of the grating is in the following experiments reduced to the smallest practicable limit.
Account of the Experiments.
The receiver being placed at a suitable position on the focal curve, the radiator is moved about on the same curve till the diffracted image falling on the receiver produces response in the galvanometer. The procedure adopted is as follows. The receiver is placed, say, at the centre of the grating (θ = 0°). The electric ray at first falls on the grating at a large angle of incidence. A series of flashes of electric radiation are now produced by manipulating the key, and the angle of incidence gradually decreased till the receiver suddenly responds. The angle of incidence corresponding to the zero angle of diffraction is thus determined. The receiver is then placed at a new position on the focal curve, and the corresponding angle of incidence determined as before. In this way a series of angles of incidence, with their corresponding angles of diffraction, are found for each grating.
