Diffraction of light by two spatially separated parallel ultrasonic waves of different frequency

A theory is developed for the diffraction of light by two spatially separated parallel ultrasonic progressive waves of different frequency. The preliminary theories ofRaman andNath C. V.Raman and N. S.Nath, Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. A2, 406–412; 413–420 (1935)] for normal and oblique incidence are taken to be valid. The resulting equations are extensions of earlier results of R.Mertens, Z. Physik160, 291–296 (1960). The predicted periodicity of the diffraction spectrum with increasing sound beam separation agrees with the well known periodicity of the light intensity distributions in the Fresnel zone of the phase grating formed by the first ultrasonic wave. Results of numerical calculations are presented to illustrate features of the theoretical results, as reflected in the first order of diffraction for 3.0 and 6.0 Mc ultrasonic waves in water.