PHY125:

Optics
Shaher Azad Himu
Lecturer
Department of Physics
Syllabus

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 Syllabus

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Interference
 Interference of light
Definition: The phenomenon of the variation of
intensity of light created due to the Figure 1
superposition of two light-waves emitted from
two coherent sources is called interference.

Constructive
Light +light = more light

Figure 2

Destructive
Figure 3 Light +light = No light
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 Conditions of Interference

[Link] amplitude and frequency of

the two waves should be equal.
[Link] two sources of light should
be coherent sources (i.e having
constant phase relation).

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 Realization of coherent sources
Realization of coherent source in practice

• The width of the Slits (a, b, c) should be very

small comparable to wavelength of light used
• distance ab = distance ac
• b and c very close to each other

Coherent source can be realized or produced in

two ways Figure 1

1. Wave front splitting: In this method the coherent

sources are produced by the division of wave front.
Example: Young’s double slit experiment.
2. Amplitude splitting: In this method, the coherent
sources are produced by the division of amplitude.
Example: Interference in thin film
Figure 2 7
Young’s Double-Slit experiment

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 Young’s Double-Slit experiment
The displacements of the waves
incident at point P

Figure 1

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 Young’s Double-Slit experiment
Condition of constructive
interference
Path difference,

The corresponding phase difference is

Condition of destructive
interference
Path difference,

The corresponding phase difference

Figure 1

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 Separation between any two successive
fringes

Figure 1

In the figure 1, The distance represents the nth

bright fringe
and ,
So, one can write from figure 1,

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 Separation between any two successive
fringes
From the triangle

From the tringle

Subtracting (1) from (2) Figure 1

As and are very small compared ,

Path difference =

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 Separation between any two successive
For nth bright fringe
fringes

For bright fringes, 𝛽𝑏

From equation (5) and (6)

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 Separation between any two successive
For nth dark fringe
fringes

For dark fringe,

𝛽𝑑
From equation (8) and (9)

From equation
(7) and (10)

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 Resultant Intensity due to superposition of two
interfering
The displacement at point P due waves
the simple harmonic
waves from S and S can be represented by
1 2

The resultant wave on the screen is

Let

Equation (1) becomes

R is the amplitude of the resultant wave

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 Resultant Intensity due to superposition of two
interfering
R can be found by squaring and adding waves
equations (2) and (3)

The intensity is given by

When , equation (4) becomes

From triangle POQ,

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 Resultant Intensity due to superposition of two
interfering waves
From equation (7)

Condition of bright fringes

When

Condition of dark fringes. • Where is it bright?

When
• Where is it dark?

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Resultant Intensity due to superposition of two
interfering waves Path difference,
Phase difference

bright Dark, Bright dark

0 0 0
1
2
3

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Interference in thin film due to reflected
light
The geometrical path difference between
the two rays

The optical path difference

Optical path = geometrical path

From figure Figure 1
Phase
From the triangle BME, change of π
Additional
path
difference of
From triangle BDL, λ/2
Figure 2
2π 2π
𝛿= × ∆⇒ 𝜋 = × ∆⇒ ∆=λ /2
λ λ
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Interference in thin film due to reflected
light
From equation (3) and (4)

From equation (2) and (5)

Figure 1
From the triangle BDL, Phase
change of π
Additional
From (6) and (7) path
difference of
λ/2
Figure 2
2π 2π
𝛿= × ∆⇒ 𝜋 = × ∆⇒ ∆=λ /2
λ λ
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Interference in thin film due to reflected
light
So, the total effective path difference
will be

(i)For constructive interference Figure 1

Phase
change of π
Additional
For normal incidence, , So, path
difference of
λ/2
Figure 2
2π 2π
𝛿= × ∆⇒ 𝜋 = × ∆⇒ ∆=λ /2
λ λ
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Interference in thin film due to reflected
light
(ii) For destructive
interference

For normal incidence, , So,

Figure 1
Phase
change of π
Additional
path
difference of
λ/2
Figure 2
2π 2π
𝛿= × ∆⇒ 𝜋 = × ∆⇒ ∆=λ /2
λ λ
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Determination of the radius of curvature of a Plano-
A C
F convex lens

B G Lens
t 𝑟
D
Plane Mirror
Figure 1 (a). Schematic diagram of
light rays in Newton’s rings Figure 1 (b). Newton’s Rings.
experiment.
The effective optical path difference between BC and DF
will be , For nth dark rings,
For nth bright ring,
For normal incidence, , So, and for
For normal incidence, , So, and for air air

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Determination of the radius of curvature of a Plano-
convex lens
Microscope

L O
Glass plate
θ
𝑅 −𝑡
𝑜
45 S R
Light
Air film B A
Lens Source 𝑟𝑛
t
Plane mirror Plane mirror
Figure 2 (a) Figure 2 (b)
From From equation (3) and 6)

Since can be neglect

Diameter for nth bright ring

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 Determination of the radius of curvature of a Plano-
convex lens
From equation (4) and (6)

Diameter for nth dark ring

Diameter for dark ring

From equation (9) and (10)

Figure 3

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 Nature of Newton’s Rings
Diameter for nth dark ring

Difference in diameters of the 5th and 4th

dark rings

Difference in diameters of the 17th and 16th

dark rings

Thus it is clear that the alternate bright and

dark rings surrounding the central dark spot
in Newton’s rings gradually become Figure 3

narrower as their radii increase.

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 Nature of Newton’s Rings

Reason for dark central spot:

• The optical path difference is
• Since, , So,
• Thus the superposing waves are out of
phase by which is equivalent to a phase
shift of .
Reason for circular rings:
• Radial symmetry of air film, Fringes of
equal thickness.

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Math problems of Newton’s rings

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 Homework

● Two coherent beams of wavelength 5000 Å reaching a point

would individually produce intensities 1.44 and 4.00 units. If
they reach there together, the intensity is 0.90 units.
Calculate the lowest phase difference with which the beams
reach that point.
● In the Newton’s rings experiment, the diameter of 15th ring
was found to be 0.59 cm and that of the 5th ring was 0.336
cm. if the radius of the plano-convex lens is 100 cm.
calculate the wave length of the light used.
● Determine the wavelength of a monochromatic light and the
refractive index of a liquid using Newton’s ring.
● Read about Fresnel Biprism and Michelson Interferometer. 29
 Wedge Shaped Film
A thin film having zero thickness at one
end and progressively increasing to a
particular thickness at the other end is
called a wedge.

The optical difference between the two

rays BC and DE is given by

where λ/2 takes account the gain of

half–wave dueto the abrupt jump of π
radians in the phase of the wave
reflected from the bottom boundary of
air –to – glass.

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 Wedge Shaped Film
let us say a dark fringe occurs at A where
the relation

is satisfied. If normal incidence is assumed,

and if the thickness of air film at A is
denoted by , then at A.

The next dark fringe will occur, say, at C

where the thickness . Then at C

Subtracting the two eqn we get

But,

And,
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 Wedge Shaped Film

AB is the distance between successive dark

fringes and it also equals the separation of
the
successive bright fringes. It is, therefore,
called the fringe width, . That is . We may
write

For small values of ,

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 Wedge Shaped Film
DETERMINATION OF THE WEDGE
ANGLE

The wedge angle can be experimentally

determined with the help of a travelling
microscope. Using the microscope the
positions of dark fringes at two distant
points Q and R are noted. Let the
distance OQ be and OR be . Let the
thickness of the wedge be at Q and at
R.

The dark fringe at Q is given by

But as is very small, we can write

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 Wedge Shaped Film
We can write similarly for the dark fringe
at R as

where N is the number of dark fringes

lying between the positions Q and R.

Subtracting and simplifying we get

In case of air and the above relation

reduces to

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 Wedge Shaped Film
The thickness of the spacer used to form
the wedge shaped air film between the
glass slides can be determined from the
above measurements. If is the thickness
of the spacer (foil or wire) used, we can
write

Combining with the previous eqn we get

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 Fresnel Biprism
Fresnel biprism is an optical device to
produce two coherent sources for
interference phenomenon by division
of wave front.
Construction
A biprism consists of a
combination of two acute
angled prisms placed base
to base.

The obtuse angle of the

biprism is 179° and other
two acute angles are 30°. 36
 Fresnel Biprism
• is the source
• and are coherent sources
(virtual) obtained through
the two surfaces of the
biprism
• d = distance between the
sources and .
• a = distance between
biprism and source S.
• b = distance between screen
and biprism
• D=a+b
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Determination of the wavelength of a monochromatic
light using Fresnel’s Biprism

The theory of the interference and fringe formation in case

of Fresnel biprism is the same as the double-slit.

The width of the dark or bright fringe is given by equation

Where is the distance between two coherent sources

andis the distance between the slit and the focal plane of
the eyepiece.

The same equation can be used to determine the

wavelength of a monochromatic light.

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Determination of the wavelength of a monochromatic
light using Fresnel’s Biprism

Figure 1 Figure 2
is the distance between the slit and the 𝑥 𝑁 −𝑥 𝑜
focal plane of the eyepiece measured 𝐹𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑠𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝛽=
from the optical bench 𝑁
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Determination of the wavelength of a monochromatic
light using Fresnel’s Biprism
By the principle of linear magnification
for the position of the lens L1,

By the principle of conjugate foci for

the position of the lens L2

From equation (2) and (3)

Use equation (1) to determine the

wave length of monochromatic light,

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 Lateral Displacement of Fringes
Suppose and are the virtual
coherent monochromatic sources.
The point is equidistant from and ,
where we obtain the central bright
fringe. Therefore, the optical path

Let a transparent plate of thickness

and refractive index be introduced
in the path of one of the beams (see
Fig. 1). The optical path lengths and
are now not equal and the central
bright fringe shifts to from . The
light waves from to travel partly in
air and partly in the sheet G; the Figure 1
distance travelled in air is and that
in the sheet is t.
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 Lateral Displacement of Fringes
The optical path,

The optical path,

The optical path difference at P is ,
since in the presence of the thin
sheet the optical path lengths and
are equal and central zero fringe is
obtained at P
L

But,
So, Figure 1

Or,
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 Mathematical problem
In a biprism experiment the eyepiece is placed at a
distance of 1.2 m from the source. The distance
between the virtual sources was found to be 7.5 x
10-4 m. Find the wavelength of light , if the eyepiece
is to be moved transversely through a distance of
1.89 cm for 20 fringes.
𝑥𝑁 − 𝑥𝑜 𝑥 𝑁 − 𝑥 𝑜=1.89 𝑐𝑚
𝛽=
𝑁
𝜆𝐿
𝛽=
𝑑
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 Mathematical problem
Interference fringes in biprism are formed by superposition of two coherent light beam of
wave length m. If a thin plate of material having refractive index 1.6 is placed in the
path of one of the beams, the central fringe shifts to the place previously occupied by
the 10th fringe. Find the thickness of the plate.

The shift of the central fringe is given by

The fringe separation is given by

From equation (1) and (2)

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 Michelson Interferometer

G1
G2

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 Michelson Interferometer
When mirror and are exactly perpendicular to each
other, then circular fringes form. 𝑆2
𝑀2
The path difference between the light waves
2𝑑 𝜃 𝐺
There is an additional phase shift or path difference
′
𝑆1 𝑀1
between the two waves so the total path difference

For constructive interference, 𝑑 𝜃𝜃 ′

𝑀1

For destructive interference,

Source
Telescope

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 Michelson Interferometer
𝑆2
𝑀2

2𝑑 𝜃 𝐺
′
𝑆1 𝑀1

𝑑 𝜃𝜃 ′
𝑀1

Source
Telescope

A light ray comes from the source S and is reflected by both and M2 , the observer
will se two virtual images; S1 due the reflection at and S2 due to the reflection at
M2

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Determination of spectral resolution

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Determination of spectral resolution

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 Homework

● Read about Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction

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