Interference and Diffraction

Physics
Mrs. Coyle

Lights Nature
Wave nature (electromagnetic wave)
Particle nature (bundles of energy called
photons)

Past- Separate Theories of Either

Wave or Particle Nature
Corpuscular theory of Newton (1670)
Light corpuscles have mass and travel at
extremely high speeds in straight lines
Huygens (1680)
Wavelets-each point on a wavefront acts
as a source for the next wavefront

Why was it difficult to prove the

wave part of the nature of light?

Proofs of Wave Nature

Thomas Young's Double Slit Experiment (1807)
bright (constructive) and dark (destructive)
fringes seen on screen
Thin Film Interference Patterns
Poisson/Arago Spot (1820)
Diffraction fringes seen within and around a small
obstacle or through a narrow opening

Proof of Particle Nature:

The Photoelectric Effect
Albert Einstein 1905
Light energy is quantized
Photon is a quantum or packet of energy

The Photoelectric Effect

Heinrich Hertz first observed the
photoelectric effect in 1887
Einstein explained it in 1905 and won the
Nobel prize for this.

Thomas Youngs Double Slit

Interference Experiment
Showed an interference
pattern
Measured the
wavelength of the light

Two Waves Interfering

Youngs Double Slit

Interference Pattern

http://galileo.phys.virginia.edu/classes/USEM/SciImg/home_files/introduction_files/doubleslit.jpg

Interference of Waves From

Two Sources
Simulation Ripple Tank
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com:8100/l
egacy/college/halliday/0471320005/simula
tions6e/index.htm?newwindow=true

Interference
Youngs Double Slit Interference
http://galileo.phys.virginia.edu/classes
/109N/more_stuff/flashlets/youngexpt
4.htm

For Constructive
Interference:
The waves must arrive
to the point of study in
phase.
So their path difference
must be integral
multiples of the
wavelength:

L= n
n=0,1,2,3,

For destructive interference:

, the waves must arrive
to the point of study
out of phase.
So the path difference
must be an odd
multiple of /2:

L= n
m=1/2,3/2,5/
2,.

Typical Question
Where is the first location of constructive
or destructive interference?

Fo Constructive Interference of Waves from

Two Sources

x=Ltan

sinL/d
L=n
For small
angles:
Lsin~Ltan

dsinn
ndx
L

n=0,1,2,3,

Double Slit Interference

dsinn
ndx
L
Constructive (brights) n=0,1,2,3,..
Destructive (darks)
n=1/2, 3/2, 5/2,..
Note:
To find maximum # of fringes set to 90o for n.

Question
How does x change with wavelength?
How does x change with slit distance?

Problem
Two slits are 0.05 m apart. A laser of
wavelength 633nm is incident to the slits.
A screen is placed 2m from the slits.
a) Calculate the position of the first and
second bright fringe.
b) What is the maximum number of
destructive interference spots there can be
on either side of the central maximum?

Diffraction Grating

http://des.memphis.edu/lurbano/vpython/matter_interactions/spectrum/spectrum_02.jpg

Diffraction Grating
Large number of equally spaced parallel slits.
Equations are same as for double slit interference
but first calculate the d (slit separation) from the
grating density, N.
d=1/N , N slits per unit length
dsinn
ndx
L
Constructive (brights) n=0,1,2,3,..
Destructive (darks)
n=1/2, 3/2, 5/2,..

Problem
A neon laser of wavelength 633nm is pointed
at a diffraction grating of 3000lines/cm. Find
the angle where the first bright occurs.
(Hint: slit separation d is inverse of grating
density)

Diffraction
Wave bends as it passes an obstacle.

Diffraction through a Narrow Slit

Each part of the slit acts as a point source
that interferes with the others.
(Based on Huygens Principle)

Pattern of Diffraction of Light

through a Narrow Slit

w
L

Intensity of the Diffraction

Interference Patterns
Simulation Interference of Light
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com:8100/l
egacy/college/halliday/0471320005/simula
tions6e/index.htm?newwindow=true

Diffraction from Narrow Slit

wsinn
nw y
L
w: is the width of the slit
Destructive (dark fringes): m=0,1,2,3,.

Questions
How does x change with the width?
How does x change with the wavelength

Diffraction around a Penny and

Poison Spot

Example of Diffraction