Interaction of Laser Diffraction Intensity Through High Voltage Plasma Interaction: An Experimental Study

This experiment investigates the effect of high voltage plasma generated at a single slit on the interference pattern of a laser beam. Using a 532nm class 3 laser we directed it to a slit connected to a high-voltage power supply of 3K Volts creating a plasma discharge at the slit. The interference patterns were recorded and analyzed both with and without the plasma present. The results indicated a very slight deflection in the intensity of fringes when plasma was introduced. This tells us that the presence of ionized gas alters the refractive index in the region of the slit. This may be due to the fact that plasma might be inducing oscillations or disturbances within the laser’s interaction zone. The findings provide insight into the interaction between plasma and when light is diffracting.