Analytic problems involving diffraction

1.The Fourier transform of a helix.

(a) First parametrize it by an angle theta, so that

{\bf r_H}(\theta) = R(\cos\theta {\hat x} + \sin\theta {\hat y}) + \frac{h}{2\pi}\theta {\hat z}rH(θ)=R(cosθˆx+sinθˆy)+h2πθˆz  

RR and hh are parameters with meanings you should try to understand. The density of the helix is

Calculate the three dimensional Fourier transform of \rhoρ up to multiplicative prefactors. Here RR and hh are constants.

\rho({\bf r}) = \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \delta({\bf r} - {\bf r_H}(\theta))d\theta .ρ(r)=δ(rrH(θ))dθ.

Hint: Look at http://physics.ucsc.edu/~josh/116C.07/index.html for a handout with relevant equations in it.

(b) Sketch what the diffraction pattern should look like for a helix.

2. Fourier for a spherical shell of radius.

Take  \rho({\bf r}) = \delta (|{\bf r}| -R)ρ(r)=δ(|r|R). Calculate its three dimensional Fourier transform, up to multiplicative prefactors.

3. Now consider a cubic crystal of spherical shells, with lattice spacing aa that is greater than 2R2R. What is the Fourier Transform in this case?

4. Consider a comb function but without an infinite number of delta functions:

C_L(x) = \sum_{n=-L}^{L} \delta(x-n)CL(x)=Ln=Lδ(xn)

Normally the comb function has  L = \inftyL=. Calculate the Fourier transform of C_LCLfor finite LL.

Hint. Write C_LCL as the product of C_\inftyC(which you know how to Fourier transform) and a top hat function. Then use the convolution theorem.

5. What does the previous problem tell you about how a diffraction pattern changes for crystals of finite size? How about finite length DNA molecules?

6. Give three examples where helices are important in biological systems. Find an example of a structure such as in problem 2.

7. How would your answer for 1 change for a double helix? Hint: use the shift theorem for fourier transforms.