Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2017/iii/paper-338/2/c/i/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 iii Paper 338 2 c i Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Choose photodetector along increasing main grating dispersion, and along increasing wavelength for the cross-disperser. The echellogram shows two order traces and their intersections with the axis, which passes through the optical camera optical axis.
For fixed incidence, , so increasing wavelength goes to the right along each order. The cross-disperser also sends increasing wavelength upward in the chosen orientation; the traces therefore slope upward. At , , so the trace labeled lies above the trace labeled . Reflecting either plotting axis would reverse its arrow but leave the optical content unchanged. The cross-disperser separates orders that would overlap in the main dispersion direction.
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