MIT Art Design and Technology University

MIT School of Computing, Pune

Department of Applied Sciences and Humanities
First Year Engineering
23ASH1105-Engineering Physics

Class – F.Y. (SEM-II), Divisions: SOC 12, SOC 14

Unit - III Wave optics and Applications

Dr. Bhavik Kodrani

AY 2024-2025 SEM-II
 Unit III - Syllabus
Intereference

Interference in thin films of uniform thickness

formation of Newton’s rings and its application (i) for the determination of
wavelength of incident light or radius of curvature of a given plano-convex lens

Anti-reflection coating.
Diffraction

Fraunhofer diffraction at Single slit

Plane diffraction grating, Conditions for maxima and minima.
Polarization

Definition, Types of polarization

Production of plane polarized light

Application: LCD
Department of Applied Sciences and Humanities, First Year Engineering
 Interference

1678: Christian Huygens suggested that light propagates in form of waves

No suggestion about nature of the wave, no knowledge about speed of light or
wavelength

1801: Thomas Young provided first experimental evidence for the wave theory
of light from double slit experiment and determined wavelength of the light


Interference: Consequence of the super position of waves of same frequency
and having constant phase difference, traveling in the same region of a medium
simultaneously and crossing each other

Example of interference: Color effects caused by white light on soap bubbles

Oil spreading over small puddle of water

Thomas Young suggested that the sustained interference would be obtained
only when coherent sources of light are used

Waves having same frequency and having constant phase difference are called
coherent waves

Waves having fluctuating phase difference are called incoherent waves
 Conditions for observing sustained Interference

Same frequency of the two light sources

Constant phase difference

To obtain distinct bright and dark fringes, the vector sum of overlapping
electric field vectors should be zero in dark regions. This requires that
the vectors are anti parallel and have same magnitude

If the light waves are plane polarized then the plane of polarization
should be same. Waves polarized in perpendicular plane can not
produce interference effects

The path difference between the overlapping waves must be less than
the coherence length of the waves
 Techniques of obtaining Interference

Phase difference between the waves emitted from two different light
sources fluctuates rapidly. They can never be coherent

Division of Wavefront: A wavefront emerging from a slit is divided
into two parts by the two slits S1,S2. e.g. Young's double slit experiment
 Techniques of obtaining Interference

Division of amplitude: In this method amplitude of light beam is
divided by partial reflection into two or more beams. e.g. Interference in
thin films
Interference in Thin films

An optical medium is called thin film when the thickness is about the
order of wavelength in visible region. (Thickness: 0.5 μm to 10 μm)

e.g. thin sheet of glass or mica, air film enclosed between two
transparent plates, soap bubble
Plane parallel thin film (Thin film of uniform thickness)

Ai
r

Ai
r
Plane parallel thin film (Thin film of uniform thickness)
Incident
ray
A
i
Ai
r
B

Ai
r
Plane parallel thin film (Thin film of uniform thickness)
Incident C
ray 1
A
i i Ai
G r
B

F
Ai
r
Plane parallel thin film (Thin film of uniform thickness)
Reflected
Inciden C rays
t 1 E
A
ray 2
i i Ai
G r
B D

F
Ai
r
 Plane parallel thin film (Thin film of uniform thickness)
Reflected
Incident C rays
ray 1 E
A H
i 2
i Ai
G i r
B D

r r
r t

F
Ai
Geometrical path difference r

DH is normal to BC

From points H and D onwards the rays HC and DE travel equal path

The ray BH travels in air while DE travels in the film of refractive
index μ along the path BF and FD
 Geometrical path difference
The geometric path difference between two
Reflected
rays: BF+FD-BH
Incident C
ray 1
rays
E Optical path difference
A H
i 2
i Air Δ = μ (BF+FD) – BH
G i
B
--------------------------------------------
D

r
BF = FD = FG/cos r = t/cos r
r r t
BF+FD = 2 t/cos r
---------------------------------------------
F
Ai BG = GD
r
BD = BG+GD = 2 BG = 2 FG tan r = 2 t tan r
BH = BD sin i = 2 t tan r sin i
From Snell’s law sin i = μ sin r
BH = 2 μ t sin2 r/cos r
 Optical path difference


Δ = μ (BF+FD) – BH

Δ = 2μt/cos r - 2μt sin2 r/cos r

Δ = 2μt/cos r (1 - sin2 r)

Δ = 2μt cos r
 Reflected
Incident C rays
ray 1 E
A H
i 2
i Ai
180 Phase change
0
G i r
B D

r
r t

No 1800 Phase
change
F
Ai
r
Correction on account of phase change at reflection

When a ray is reflected at a boundary of rarer to denser medium a phase change
of 1800 takes place

When a ray is reflected at a boundary of denser to rarer medium no change of
phase takes place

Phase change of 1800 corresponds to path difference of λ/2
 Optical path difference

Δ = 2μt cos r +/- λ/2

Condition for maxima


2μt cos r +/- λ/2 = mλ

2μt cos r = (2m-/+1) λ/2

Condition for minima


2μt cos r +/- λ/2 = (2m+/-1) λ/2

2μt cos r = mλ
 Optical path difference
Δ = 2μt cos r +/- λ/2


Conditions for interference depends on μ, t, λ, r


For constant thickness, μt is constant. When a parallel beam of light is incident on
such a film r also remains constant. Hence the interference depends on wavelength


When a parallel beam of monochromatic light is incident normal to the film, the whole
film will appear uniformly dark or uniformly bright. If the conditions of constructive
interference is satisfied, then the film will show intense color depending upon the color
of the incident light


A change in the angle of incidence of the rays leads to the change in the path
difference. Gradually we find that it will appear dark and bright in succession

If a beam of white light is incident on a thin film of uniform thickness,
the wavelengths for which 2μt cos r = mλ, will be absent from the
reflected light


The other colors for which 2μt cos r = (2m-/+1) λ/2 , will be reflected
from the film. Hence the film will appear uniformly colored
1. A parallel beam of light(wavelength=5890Å) is incident on a thin glass plate
(µ=1.5) such that the angle of refraction is 600. Calculate the smallest thickness
of the plate which will appear dark by reflection.
Solution:
λ = 5890Å
µ =1.5
r = 600
t=?
Condition for minima: 2μt cos r = mλ
t = mλ/(2μ cos r)
For minimum thickness m = 1.
tmin = λ/(2μ cos r)
tmin = 5890 x 10-10/(2 x 1.5 cos 600)
tmin = 3.926 x 10-7 m

2. A glass plate having thickness 0.4 x10-4 cm is illuminated normally by a beam of white
light . Refractive index of the plate is 1.5. Calculate the wavelength within the limits of
spectrum of visible light (wavelength = 4 x10-5 cm to 7 x10-5 cm) which will be intensified in
the reflected beam.

Solution. Here i= 0, therefore r = 0
μ =1.5, t = 0.4 x10-4 cm
λ=?
Condition for maxima for thin film: 2μt cos r +/- λ/2 = m λ
2μt - λ/2 = m λ
2μt = (2m-/+1) λ/2
λ = 4μt/(2m-/+1)
= 4 x 1.5 x 0.4 x10-4/(2m-/+1)
= 4 x 1.5 x 0.4 x10-4/(2m+1)
m=0, λ= 0.00024 cm = 24 x10-5 cm. Not in visible range.
m=1, λ= 0.00024/3 cm = 8 x10-5 cm. Not in visible range.
m=2, λ= 0.00024/5 cm = 4.8 x10-5 cm. This is in visible range.
m=3, λ= 0.00024/7 cm = 3.4 x10-5 cm. Not in visible range.
(Ans.: 4800Å)
 3. A soap film of 5.5 x10-7 m thick is viewed at an angle of 35 degrees to the normal.
Find the wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum (wavelength = 4 x10 -7 m to 7 x10-7
m), which will be absent from the reflected light. Refractive index of the film = 1.33.
Solution. t=5.5 x10-7 m
i=35 degrees
μ =1.33
λ=?
According to Snell’s law sin i = μ sin r
sin r = (sin i)/μ = sin 35/1.33
sin r = 0.43
cos r = 0.9

Condition for minima for thin film: 2μt cos r = m λ

λ = 2μt cos r/m
= 0.000001317/m
 λ = 0.000001317/m
m=1, λ= 0.000001317m = 13 x10-7 m. Not in visible range.
m=2, λ= 0.000001317/2 m = 6.58 x10-7m. This is in visible range.
m=3, λ= 0.000001317/3 m = 4.39 x10-7 m. This is in visible range.
m=4, λ= 0.000001317/4 m = 3.29 x10-5 m. Not in visible range.
λ= 6580 Angstrom and 4390 Angstrom
Newton’s rings

Plane convex lens of large radius of curvature is placed on a sheet of
plane glass

Thin film of air of variable thickness in all direction around the point of
contact is formed

The locus of all the points corresponding to a specific thickness of air
film falls on a circle whose center is O.

Monochromatic light from source S is converted in to parallel rays by a
convex lens and incident on a glass plate inclined at 450 to the
horizontal

The light is reflected in downward direction and falls normally on a
plane convex lens placed on a flat glass plate

Concentric circular fringes are observed with their center at O

A part of light is reflected from glass to air boundary at convex surface at
and remaining is transmitted

The transmitted light is reflected from air to glass boundary at glass plate

The two rays reflected from top and bottom of the air film are obtained
by division of amplitude from the same incident ray. So they are coherent

The condition of brightness or darkness depends on the path difference
between the two reflected light rays which depends on the thickness of air
film

Optical path difference

Δ = 2μt cos r +/- λ/2

Since μ = 1 for air and cos r = 1 for normal incidence

Δ = 2t +/- λ/2

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Condition for maxima

2t +/- λ/2 = mλ

2t = (2m-/+1) λ/2

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Condition for minima

2t +/- λ/2 = (2m+/-1) λ/2

2t = mλ

m=1,2,3,…
 
Dark central spot


At the point of contact of lens and glass plate, the thickness of air film
is negligible compared to the wavelength of light

t≈0

Optical path difference: Δ = λ/2

The wave reflected from the lower surface of the air film suffers a phase
change of 1800, while the light reflected from the upper surface of air
film does not suffer such change.

The superposing waves are out of phase by 1800. Thus we get dark spot
at the center
 Determination of wavelength of light

The Newtons rings are observed using a traveling microscope and the
diameter of various dark fringes are measured

For dark fringe of order m
Dm= 2(m λ R)1/2
Dm2= 4 m λ R

For dark fringe of order m+p
Dm+P2 = 4 (m+p) λ R
Dm+P2 – Dm2 = 4 p λ R
λ = ( Dm+P2 – Dm2 )/( 4 p R)
 Graph of Dm2 vs m is plotted and slope is found. The wavelength is
obtained as
λ = Slope/(4 R)
In a Newton’s ring experiment, the diameter of 15th ring was found to be 0.59
cm and that of 5th ring was 0.36cm. If the radius of curvature of plane-convex
lens is 100 cm, calculate the wavelength of light used?

Solution
Here D15= 0.59 cm = Dm+p
D5= 0.36 cm = Dm
R = 100 cm
λ=?

m + p = 15, m = 5. Therefore p = 10
λ = ( Dm+p2 – Dm2 )/( 4 p R)
= 0.592 – 0.362/(4 x 10 x 100)
= 5462 x 10-8 cm
= 5462 Å
 Anti reflection coatings

Optical instruments such as telescopes, cameras use multi component
glass lenses.

When light is incident on a lens a part of light is reflected away and that
much light is lost

As the number of optical components increases, the number of
reflection at the surfaces of these components increases. Hence the
quality of image decreases

e.g. solar cells operate on sunlight. Reflection of sunlight decreases the
electrical energy produced

A thin film of transparent medium of suitable refractive index on
surface can reduce the reflection of light. Such coatings are called anti-
reflection coating.

In 1935 Alexander Smakelle discovered that reflection of light from the
surface can be reduced by coating the surface with thin transparent
dielectric film

 μf < μg

For a thin film to work as anti reflection coating following conditions
required to be satisfied

Phase condition: The light waves reflected from the top and bottom
surface of the thin film should have opposite phase. So their
superposition leads to destructive interference. This leads to
 tmin = λ/(4μf)

Amplitude condition: The waves should have equal amplitudes. So
that their destructive interference results into very low intensity of light.
This leads to
 μf = (μg )1/2
1. What should be the thickness of the thin film of water (refractive index =
1.33) formed on a glass window pan to act as an anti reflective coating? use λ=
5550 Å.

Solution:
μf = 1.33
tmin = ?

tmin = λ/(4μf)
= 5550 Å / (4 x 1.33)
= 1043 Å
= 0.1 x 10-6 m
Questions
Derive conditions for maxima and minima due to interference of reflected light in thin transparent film of uniform thickness
with neat labeled diagram.
Explain the formation of Newton rings and write the expression for the wavelength of monochromatic light using Newton’s
ring experiment.
What are anti-reflection coatings? Write the expression for minimum thickness of the thin film to work as anti reflection
coating.
Why is the central ring in the Newton’s rings setup always a dark ring?
Give five examples of Interference of light in natural environment.
Give four applications of Interference of light in technology including computer science and engineering.

Problems
1. A parallel beam of light(wavelength=5890A) is incident on a thin glass plate (μ=1.5) such that the angle of refraction is 60 0.
Calculate the smallest thickness of the plate which will appear dark by reflection. (Hint: Condition for minima: 2μt cos r - λ/2 =
(2m+1) λ/2) (Ans.: 3.926 x 10-7m)
2. White light is incident on a soap film(μ=1.33) at angle sin -1(4/5) and the reflected light on examination shows dark bands.
Two consecutive dark bands corresponds to wavelength 6100Å and 6000 Å. Calculate the thickness of the film. (Hint:
Condition for minima for thin film: 2μt cos r - λ/2 = (2m+1) λ/2 ) (Ans.: 0.0017 cm)
3. In a Newton’s ring experiment, the diameter of 15th ring was found to be 0.59 cm and that of 5th ring was 0.36cm. Find the
radius of curvature of plane-convex lens , if the wavelength of light used is 5890 Å. (Hint: λ = ( Dm+p2 – Dm2 )/( 4 p R) , (Ans =
100 cm)
4. What should be thickness of a thin film of water (refractive index = 1.33) formed on a glass window pan refractive index =
1.52) act as a nonreflective film? (Hint: tmin = λ/(4μf))