Chapter 33, Problem 62EAP

To determine

(a)

Whether the laser beam be perfectly parallel or not.

Introduction: Spatially coherent beam will spread out due to diffraction. Diffraction means that all waves- including sound, water, radio and light bend around corners and it’s not just the edge of the wave that bends around the corners, it is the entire wave.

To determine

(b)

The divergence angle of the laser beam.

To determine

(c)

The diameter of the laser beam after it travels $3.0\text{m}$.

To determine

(d)

The diameter of the laser beam after it travels $1.0\text{km}$.