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Light Deviation in Parallel Plates

When light moves from one medium to another with a different refractive index through a parallel flat plate, it changes path. The ray enters and exits parallel to its original trajectory but with a deviation ∆ that depends on the refractive indices n1 and n2 of the media, the width h of the plate, and the incidence angle α of the ray. The deviation grows linearly with α until the limit of π/2, where the ray is parallel to the plate and |∆| → h. For n1 < n2, ∆ is given by the equation shown. For n1 > n2, ∆' = -∆. Examples are given for different media.

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124 views3 pages

Light Deviation in Parallel Plates

When light moves from one medium to another with a different refractive index through a parallel flat plate, it changes path. The ray enters and exits parallel to its original trajectory but with a deviation ∆ that depends on the refractive indices n1 and n2 of the media, the width h of the plate, and the incidence angle α of the ray. The deviation grows linearly with α until the limit of π/2, where the ray is parallel to the plate and |∆| → h. For n1 < n2, ∆ is given by the equation shown. For n1 > n2, ∆' = -∆. Examples are given for different media.

Uploaded by

Javier
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Parallel flat plate

Exercise 1

When the light moves in a medium with a refractive index n1 and go through a
parallel flat plate with a different refractive index n2, the ray changes its path.
Then, when the ray comes back to the first medium, its trajectory is parallel to the
initial trajectory but with a deviation ∆.
This is shown in the picture, where a ray go through a parallel flat plate of width
h, with a refractive index higher tan the first médium.

It’s posible to find the value of this deviation. For this case n1<n2:

𝑛1
∆ = ℎ𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝛼) 1 − 𝑛2 cos(𝛼)
2
√1 − (𝑛1) 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 (𝛼)
( 𝑛2 )

In the case of n1>n2 then we have: ∆′ = –∆

So we can see that the deviation depends of the values of the refractive index n1
and n2 of both mediums, the width h of the flat and the incidence angle of the ray 𝛼.
Now we’ll see with a graphic how the deviation of the ray depends of the
incidence angle in a parallel flat plate with an undetermined width h, and for the
next cases:

a) n1 = 1 (Air) ; n2 = 2.4 (Diamond)


b) n1 = 2.4 (Diamond) ; n2 = 1 (Air)
c) n1 = 1.33 (Water) ; n2 = 1.5 (Glass)
d) n1 = 1.5 (Glass) ; n2 = 1.33 (Water)

∆
Substituting these values in the equation of the deviation we can represent |ℎ|
depending on 𝛼 and this graphic is obtained:
a) n1 = 1 (Air) ; n2 = 2.4 (Diamond)
The deviation grows when the incidence ray increases and it makes this in a
relation almost linear from 𝛼=0 to 𝛼=𝜋⁄2 . When the incidence angle is 0 the ray
incides completely perpendicular to the plate and it continues in this way so there
is no deviation at all, and this happens in all the cases. Then the deviation grows
with the incidence angle until this approaches to its limit 𝜋⁄2 where the ray is
parallel to the plate and |∆| → ℎ

b) n1 = 2.4 (Diamond) ; n2 = 1 (Air)


In this case the first medium has a higher refractive index , so the refractive
angle will be higher tan the incidence angle. That’s why we observe in the graphic
that the deviation grows quickly with the incidence angle until this one reaches a
value almost 𝜋⁄8 (aprox 20°) where the deviation tends to infinite. This is the
critical angle, and more than this there is not refraction, just reflexion.

c) n1 = 1.33 (Water) ; n2 = 1.5 (Glass)


This case is similar to the first one, although the deviation grows more slowly
with the incidence angle at the beginning (until 𝛼 ≈ 60°) and after that it grows
more quickly, until 𝛼 is near to its limit 𝜋⁄2 and then |∆| → ℎ .

d) n1 = 1.5 (Glass) ; n2 = 1.33 (Water)


Similar to case b, with a higher refractive index in the first medium although
there is not so much difference in the refractive indices. Here the critical angle is a
little more than 5𝜋⁄16 (aprox 58°), so ∆→ ∞ when 𝛼 →58°. If the incidence
angle is higher there isn’t refraction and there is only reflexion.

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