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Diffraction, and Nanometre Order

In case you haven’t yet noticed my Flickr photo feed in the widget column, I thought I’d show you some of my more physics oriented photos.

They are all of the diffraction patterns (pretty colours!) on one or more CDs or DVDs. The set is called “Nanometre Order” as the gaps between the binary peaks and troughs on the disc surface are of the order of a few hundred nanometres. Thus visible light – electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of about $3.5*10^-7$ to $7.5*10^-7$, i.e. ~350 to ~750 nanometres – is diffracted by these gaps. This, of course, obeys the diffraction equation $n\lambda=dsin(\theta)$, which features in some of the photos.

Below are a few of my favourites. Otherwise, just visit my Flickr page or the Nanometre Order set or slideshow. Enjoy!

Nanometre order - Two CDs

Nanometre Order - Three DVDs

Nanometre Order - Rewritable DVD

Nanometre Order - Two DVDs

Categories: General, Photography