Unit 1: Wave Optics
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Wave Optics
❖ Huygens’ principle
❖ Superposition of waves
❖ Interference of light by wave front splitting and amplitude splitting
❖ Interference in thin films in reflected light
❖ Newton’s rings
❖ Diffraction
(Single Slit, double Slit, Diffraction Grating)
❖ Poarization
(Types of Poarisation, Double Refraction, Optic axis, Principal
Section, Nicols Prisam, Quarter and Half Plates, Optical Activity,
Specific rotaion, Half Shade Polarimeter)
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Introduction Wave Optics
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Particle nature
Photo electric Effect
Wave Nature of light
❖ Huygens principle
According to Huygens’s theory, light consists of waves that travel through a
very dilute and highly elastic material medium present everywhere in space
Huygens wave theory was able to explain phenomena like
Reflection
Refraction
Interference
Diffraction of light
But, Fails to explain
Polarization as Huygens assumed light waves to be mechanical disturbances which are
longitudinal in nature.
Black body radiation, photoelectric effect and Compton Effect.
Hypothetical medium ether which was never discovered and now we know light can
propagate in a vacuum.
❖ Wavefront
Huygens introduced the concept of a wavefront to explain the wave propagation of
light
A wavefront at any time is defined as a continuous locus of all the neighboring
particles, which are vibrating in the same phase
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There are three different types of wavefronts
1. Point Source - Spherical wavefront
In case of a point source radiating energy, the particle around the energy begins to
oscillate these waves travel in all directions and form a spherical wavefront.
2. Line Source- Cylindrical wavefront
Cylindrical wavefront is formed if the light source is linear. Here, all the points will be
equidistant from the source and we will find them on the surface of a cylinder.
3. Source from infinity- Plane wave front
If the source is at infinity then the waves coming out from the source are parallel to each
other (light rays coming from the sun are parallel to each other on earth). In such cases,
there is a formation of planer wavefront.
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❖ Huygens principle
❖ Each point on the wavefront acts as a centre of new disturbance and emits its own
set of spherical waves called secondary wavelets.
❖ These secondary wavelets travels in all the directions with the velocity of light so
long as they move in the same medium
❖ The envelope or the locus of these wavelets in the forward direction gives the
position of the new wavefront at any subsequent time.
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1. Which of the following phenomenon is not explained by Huygen’s wave theory?
a) Diffraction
b) Interference
c) Polarisation
d) Photoelectric effect
Ans:
2. What type of wave front will emerge from a
(i)point source
(ii)distant light source
Ans.
3. Differentiate between a ray and a wave front.
Ans.
Ray: A ray always remains perpendicular to the wave front and directed along the
direction of propagation of wave.
Wave front: The locus of all the particles of the medium, which are vibrating in the same
phase at any instant is called wave front.
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❖ Superposition of waves
According to the principle of superposition, the resultant displacement of a
number of waves in a medium at a particular point is the vector sum of the individual
displacements produced by each of the waves at that point.
Resultant displacement ( R )= Y1+Y2…..
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❖ Coherent Sources
Two sources are said to be coherent, If they emit same frequency or wave length and are in
same phase or constant phase difference
Coherent sources have the following characteristics:
The waves generated have a constant phase difference
The waves are of a single frequency
Eg: LASER
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❖ Interference of Light
Interference is the phenomenon in which two waves superpose to form the resultant wave
of the lower or higher
or
The modification in the distribution of intensity of light in the region of superposition is
called interference.
Eg: Young’s Double Slit Experiment, Fresnel biprism, Newton rings
The following are the light interference:
Constructive interference
Constructive interference takes place when the crest of one wave falls on the crest of another
wave such that the amplitude is maximum. These waves will have the same displacement
and are in the same phase.
Destructive interference
In destructive interference the crest of one wave falls on the trough of another wave such
that the amplitude is minimum. The displacement and phase of these waves are not the same
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The phenomenon of interference is of two types
1.Division of Wave front
2.Division of Amplitude
Division of Wave front:
In this class, the coherent sources are obtained by dividing the input wave front,
originating from a common source, by using the phenomena of reflection, refraction or
diffraction. These two parts of the same wavefront travel unequal distances and reunite at
some angle to produce interference patteren/bands
Eg: Young’s double slit Experiment, Fresnel biprism, Fresnel mirrors, Lloyd's mirror, etc.
Division of Amplitude:
In this method, the amplitude of the input beam is divided into two or more parts either
by partial reflection or refraction. These divided parts reunite after travelling different paths
and produce interference.
Eg: Newton's rings, and Michelson's interferometer
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❖ Conditions for Interference of Light
A well defined observable Interference pattern can be obtained when the constructive and
destructive interference are maintained at maximum and zero, respectively. This can be
attained by fulfilling the fallowing conditions
1. Conditions for sustained interference
i) The two interfering waves should be coherent, i.e The phase difference between
them must remain constant with time
ii) The two waves should have same frequency
iii) if the interfering waves are polarized, they must be in the same state of
polarization.
2. Conditions for observation
i) The separation between the light sources should be as small as possible
ii) The distance D of the screen from the two sources should be quite large
3. Conditions for good contrast
i) The amplitudes of the interfering rays should be equal or nearly equal
ii) The two sources must be narrow
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Diffraction
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Diffraction grating
An arrangement consisting of a large number of equidistant parallel narrow slits of
equal width separated by equal opaque portions is known as a diffraction grating.
The plane transmission grating is a plane sheet of transparent material on which
opaque rulings are made with a fine diamond pointer. The modern commercial form of
grating contains about 6000 to 8000 lines per centimetre.
Distance between two consecutive slits (lines) of the grating is called a grating element
(e+d)
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