Interference and Young’s

Double Slit Experiment

Young’s Double Slit Experiment,
Diagram
• In Young’s
experiment, light
from a
monochromatic
source falls on two
slits, setting up an
interference pattern.
Interference Pattern
• The light from the two slits form
a visible pattern on a screen
• The pattern consists of a series
of bright and dark parallel bands
called fringes
• Constructive interference occurs
where a bright fringe appears
• Destructive interference results
in a dark fringe
 The Superposition Principle
• The resultant displacement of two simul-
taneous waves (blue and green) is the
algebraic sum of the two displacements.
• The composite wave is shown in yellow.

Constructive Interference Destructive Interference

The superposition of two coherent light waves

results in light and dark fringes on a screen.
 Young’s Interference Pattern
s1 Constructive
Bright fringe
s2
s1
s2
Dark fringe
Destructive
s1
s2

Constructive
Bright fringe
 Interference Patterns
• Constructive
interference occurs
at the center point
• The two waves
travel the same
distance
– Therefore, they
arrive in phase
 Interference Patterns, 2
• The upper wave travels
one-half of a
wavelength farther than
the lower wave
• The trough of the
bottom wave overlaps
the crest of the upper
wave
• This is destructive
interference
– A dark fringe occurs
 Interference Patterns, 3
• The upper wave has to
travel farther than the
lower wave
• The upper wave travels
one wavelength farther
– Therefore, the waves
arrive in phase
• A bright fringe occurs
 Conditions for Bright Fringes
Bright fringes occur when the difference in path Dp
is an integral multiple of one wave length l.

p1 l l l
p2
p3
p4

Path difference Bright fringes:

Dp = 0, l , 2l, 3l, … Dp = nl, n = 0,
1, 2, . . .
 Conditions for Dark Fringes
Dark fringes occur when the difference in path Dp
is an odd multiple of one-half of a wave length l/2.
 
p1 p  n
2
p2 2
l n = odd
p3 l n=
p4 1,3,5 …


Dark fringes: p  n n  1, 3, 5, 7, . . .
2
Analytical Methods for Fringes
D Path difference
s1 Dp
determines light
a and dark pattern.
s2 p1
x Dp = p  1 – p2
p2
Dp =

Bright fringes: Dp = nl, n = 0, 1, 2, 3, . . .

Dark fringes: Dp = nl/2 , n = 1, 3, 5, . . .
Analytical Methods for Fringes
D
s1 Dp
a
s2 p1
x
p2

Bright fringes: Dark fringes:

nl  = , n = 0, 1, 2, 3, . . . =  n = 1, 3, 5, . .
Example 1: Two slits are 0.08 mm apart, and
the screen is 2 m away. How far is the third
dark fringe located from the central maximum if
light of wavelength 600 nm is used?
D = 2 m; a= 0.08 mm D
s1
l = 600 nm; x = ?
s2 x
The third dark fringe
n = 1, 3, 5
occurs when n = 5

= 
x = 3.75 cm
Example 1 (Cont.): Two slits are 0.08 mm
apart, and the screen is 2 m away. How far is
the third dark fringe located from the central
maximum if l = 600 nm?
D
s1

s2 x
= 
n = 1, 3, 5

5 x 5(600 x 10-9 m)(2 m)

y  yy == 3.75
2d 2(0.08 x 10-3m) 3.75 cm
cm
 Summary
Young’s x
Experiment: s1 d sin q

Monochromatic d q
light falls on two s2 p1
slits, producing y
p2
interference fringes
dy
on a screen. d sin  
x

Bright fringes: Dark fringes:

dy dy 
 n , n  0, 1, 2, ...  n , n  1, 3, 5...
x x 2
 FINISH! =]

Biggest thanks to: Paul E. Tippens, Professor of Physics, Southern

Polytechnic State University