Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
S1
resultant
P
S2
Destructive interference:
The waves arrive at a point exactly out of
phase.
S1
resultant
P
S2
½l
1 1 1
Path difference from 2 sources equals l , 1 l , 2 l
2 2 2
and so on.
Factors affecting the interference pattern
(1) Source separation
When source separation increases, the
separation between antinodal (or nodal) lines
decreases.
Increase the
separation of two
sources
(2) Wavelength
When wavelength decreases, the separation
between antinodal (or nodal) lines decreases.
Decrease the
wavelength
Young’s experiment
http://www.fed.cuhk.edu.hk/sci_lab/download/project/interferen
ce/interference.html
Young’s double-slit experiment
It is very important to use a single light source
and a double slit, rather than two light
sources. It is because the two sets of light
waves passing through the double-slit are
coherent.
Since the wavelengths of light waves are very
small, the separation between the slits must
be very small.
The screen should be placed at an
appreciable distance from the slits so that the
separation of fringes is observable.
Interference pattern of light
Explanation:
Diffraction of light occurs at each slit. Since
the two diffracted waves overlap, interference
occurs.
Bright fringes are where constructive
interference occurs while dark fringes are
where destructive interference occurs.
Path difference for Young’s
double-slit experiment
P
X
a
Q a R
Y
P
X
a
Q a R
Y
yn = n l D
a
Dy = distance between 2 successive bright fringes
nl
n 1l D l D
= yn – yn-1 = D
a a a
lD
1. The fringes are evenly spaced ( Dy )
a
2. The fringe spacing for red light is greater than for blue
light.
aDy
l
D
∴ lred > lblue
air
A C
phase change
of p film d
B air
air
A C
phase change
of p film d
B air
If light travelling in a less dense medium is reflected by a dense medium,
the reflected wave is phase-shifted by π.
No phase change will be experienced by transmitted rays.
(Optical) Path difference for rays 1 and 2 = 2nd
Conditions for constructive interference and destructive interference
Bright fringes: 2nd = (m + ½)l where m = 0, 1, 2, 3…..
(a phase change of p occurs at A)
Dark fringes: 2nd = ml where m = 0, 1, 2, 3…..
ray 1 ray 2
air
A C
phase change
of p film d
B D air
ray 3 ray 4
Interference due to transmitted rays (ray 3 and ray 4)
http://users.erols.com/renau/thinfilm.html
air (n = 1)
Glass (n = 1.72)
Glass (n = 1.72)
Note:
1 The thickness of the film (coating) should be of ¼
wavelength of light in the film.
2. With suitable blooming, the reflectance can be reduced
from 4% to less than 1%.
3 The interference is complete for one wavelength only.
An average value of l (i.e. green – yellow) is chosen.
For red and blue light, the reflection is weakened but
not eliminated and bloomed lens appears purple.
no phase change air (n = 1)
Coating film MgF2 (n = 1.38)
phase change of p Glass (n = 1.72)
oil film
no = 1.4
water
nw = 1.33
oil film
no = 1.4
water
nw = 1.33
phase change of p
3 4
http://www.gg.caltech.edu/~zhukov/applets/film/applet.html
Thin Film of Air
Consider almost normal incidence.
Path difference of two rays = 2d
For dark fringes, 2d = nλ.
For bright fringes, 2d = (n+½)λ.
θ d
Phase change of p
Thin Film of Air, Wedged-shaped (2)
θ d
Phase change of p
Fringe separation
For two adjacent dark fringes, Dd = ½[ml – (m – 1)l] ½l
Dd l l
Dx since q is very small.
tan q 2 tan q 2q
Note:
1. If the path difference > coherent length, no fringe
is formed.
2 In order to have a clear fringe pattern, the fringe
separation should be increased. This can be done by
making the air wedge as thin as possible.
3 At the practical level, every film absorbs some of
the light going through it. Thick films absorb
proportionately more than thin ones, thereby reducing
the dark and light bands in an interference pattern.
Applications of air wedge
1.Measuring diameter of a metal wire
q d l l
Dx q
2q 2Dx
5 cm
Suppose the distance between the 1st fringe and the 91st fringe
observed is 16.2 mm and the wavelength of light emitted from
the light source is 690 nm.
Fringe separation Dx = 16.2 mm / 90 = 0.18 mm
690 10 9 3
Angle of the wedge = 1.91 10 radian = 0.110 o
2 0.18 10 3
If the length of the air wedge is 5 cm, the diameter of the
metal wire d
≈ 5 cm x 1.91 x 10-3 = 9.58 x 10-3 cm = 9.58 x 10-5 m
2. Testing the flatness of surface
xP
xQ
What is the thickness of the air
wedge at R?
xR
7 slits 15 slits
Computer simulations
The locations of the Relative intensity
Central band
(zero-th order)
Colour band (2nd order)
A Zero th order d θ Y
maximum
B (m = 0)
Path difference
Diffraction grating 1st order maximum = d sin θ
(m = -1)
Light θ
Telescope T
source
Achromatic Eyepiece
lenses
Cross-wire
Example
Find the wavelength of light if the angle turned for 1st
order maximum is 20o when a diffraction grating of 500
line / mm is used.
Solution:
For 1st order maximum,
d sin q = l where d = 1mm / 500 = 2 x 10-6 m
The wavelength of light l = 2 x 10-6 sin 20o
= 6.84 x 10-7 m
Turntable
Collimator C Diffraction grating
Light θ
Telescope T
source
Achromatic Eyepiece
lenses
Cross-wire
d
The highest order maximum is the greatest integer
l
.
Overlapping of colour bands
ml1
sin q m represents the condition for the mth order maximum
d
of wavelength l.
nl2
sin q n is for the nth order maximum of wavelength l2
d
If q m q n , the two colour band overlap.
Example 3
Show that 2nd order orange fringe will overlap with 3rd
order violet fringe.
It is given that the wavelengths for orange light and
violet light are 6 x 10-7 m and 4 x 10-7 m respectively.
Solution:
For 2nd order orange fringe,
2 6 10 7 1.2 10 6
sin q orange2
d d
For 3rd order violet fringe,
3 4 10 7 1.2 10 6
sin q violet3 sin q orange2
d d
∴ qorange2 = qviolet3 ⇒ 2nd order orange fringe overlaps with 3rd order
violet fringe.
Note:
1 cm
*For a diffraction grating of 5000 lines / cm (d = = 2 x 10-6 m)
5000
2 7 10 7
sin q red 2 6
q red 2 44.4
2 10