Exercise (Week 11)

Light from ray A refracts from material 1 (n1 = 1.60) into a thin layer of material 2
(n2 = 1.80), crosses that layer, and is then incident at the critical angle on the
interface between materials 2 and 3 (n3 = 1.30).
(a) What is the value of incident angle θA?
(b) If θA is decreased, does part of the light refract into material 3?

Chapter 33: Electromagnetic Waves

1
 Exercise (Week 11)
A small lightbulb suspended at
distance d1=250 cm above the
surface of the water in a swimming
pool where the water depth is d2=200
cm. The bottom of the pool is a
large mirror.

How far below the mirror surface is

the image of the bulb?

(Hint: Assume that the rays are close

to a vertical axis through the bulb,
and use the small-angle approximation
in which sin θ ≈ tan θ ≈ θ.)
Chapter 34: Images 2
Week 12:
Interference
Reference [1], Chapter 35
http://lecture.siit.tu.ac.th

Mar 31, 2016

SCS139 Applied Physics II 3
 Timetable
Week Date Topic Chapter
10 Mar 17 Induction & AC Ch. 30, 31
11 Mar 24 Maxwell & Images Ch. 32, 33, 34

12 Mar 31 Interference Ch. 35

13 Apr 7 Diffraction Ch. 36

14 Apr 14 SONGKRAN DAY (Holiday)

15 Apr 21 Photons and Matter Waves Ch. 38

More about Matter Waves

16 Apr 28 Ch. 39, 40
& All about Atoms
17 May 5 CORONATION DAY (Holiday)
May 12 FINAL EXAM
4
 Interference
• Constructive and Destructive Interferences of waves
• Thin Film Interference Patterns
• The Michelson Interferometer

5
 Wave
• A wave is a disturbance or an oscillation
that travels through space in time,
accompanied by the transfer of energy.

6
 Light as a wave
• Wave theory for light was proposed by
Christian Huygens in 1678.

“All points on a wavefront serve as point sources of

spherical secondary wavelets. After a time t, the new
position of the wavefront will be that of a surface tangent
to these secondary wavelets.”

7
 The present location of a
Huygens’ wave theory:
waveform of a plane wave
• Based on a geometrical construction. traveling to the right in vacuum.

Find the wavefront position at time Δt

• Several points on plane ab (the dots) =
sources of spherical secondary wavelets
that are emitted at t=0.
• At time Δt, radius of all wavelets will be
cΔt where c is the speed of light in
vacuum.
• Plane de
• is tangent to these wavelets at time
Δt.
• represents the wavefronts of the
plane wave at time Δt
• is parallel to plane ab
• the perpendicular from plane ab is cΔt.

8
Coherent Wave
➢ Two waves are coherent
if they maintain a fixed
phase relationship so that
the difference in phase
at any location is
constant in time
producing stable pattern
(e.g. waves from the same
source). Two waves are
incoherent otherwise.
9
 Constructive and
Destructive Interference
➢ Constructive interference occurs
when two waves are

” in phase “, (meaning top coincides
with top, bottom coincides with
bottom parts of the waves).
➢ To be in phase, the points on the
interfering waves must have Δφ =
m(2π), where m is an integer.
➢ When coherent waves are in phase, the resulting 
 I = intensity
amplitude is just the scalar sum of the individual 
 A = amplitude of
amplitudes. the wavelet
➢ The energy content of a wave depends on A2 i.e. I∝A2.
10
Constructive interference

Δφ = m(2π ) B

Red line (R) is the resulting wave of interference between green

and blue waves, which have maxima and minima at the same time
and position (in phase)
For in-phase waves, the resulting amplitude and intensity are:
A = A1 + A2
Note: I α A2
I = I1 + I 2 + 2 I1 I 2
11
Destructive interference
occurs when two waves are a half cycle out of phase, i.e. maxima
of one wave coincide with minima of the other wave.
To be out of phase the points on the wave at that location must
have Δφ=(2π)(m+½), where m is an integer (± 0, 1, 2, … )

1
Δφ = (m + )(2π )
2

G A = A1 − A2
I = I1 + I 2 − 2 I1 I 2
R

12
Coherent waves can interfere constructively or destructively if
they travel different distances to the point of observation, e.g.
the point P here. S1 and S2 are the sources of coherent waves.

S1

θ
d
Δl

S2 This represents the extra path length (Δl)

that the wave from S2 must travel to reach
point P compared to wave from S1
d = separation distance
between S1 and S2 Δl = d sin θ
13
When both waves travel in the same medium
the interference conditions are:

Δl = mλ
For constructive interference
d sin θ = mλ

( 1%
Δl = & m + #λ
For destructive interference ' 2$
( 1%
d sin θ = & m + #λ
' 2$

where m = ± 0,1,2,… in both cases, and is called the order

of the interference.
14
Example
A 60.0 kHz transmitter sends an EM wave to a receiver 21 km
away. The signal also travels to the receiver by another path
where it reflects from a helicopter.
Assume that there is a 180° phase shift when the wave is
reflected. (When waves reflect from denser materials, the
phase of reflected wave is shifted by 180 °)

15
 Thin Films
When an incident light ray reflects
from a boundary with a higher index
of refraction, the reflected wave is
inverted (a 180° phase shift is
introduced).

A light ray can be reflected many times within a medium.

16
 Interference from Thin Films
A thin transparent film can
be the soap or oil film.

Air Film Air

A thin transparent film
• uniform thickness L
• index of refraction n2
• illuminated by bright of wavelength
λ from a distant point source.

If an observer viewing the film almost perpendicularly

(θ≈0), the film will be bright or dark to him?
17
What is happening here?
1) the incident light (ray i) intercept the
front surface of the film at a —>
undergoes both reflection and
refraction there.
2)Reflected ray r1 is intercepted by the Air Air
observer’s eye.
3)Refracted light crosses the film to
5 Film
point b on the back surface —>
4
undergoes both reflection and
refraction. 2
4)Light reflected at b cross back
3
through the film to point c —> 1
undergoes both reflection and
refraction.
5)Refracted light at c (represented by
ray r2) is intercepted by the
observer’s eye.
18
What is happening here?

If light waves of rays r1 and r2

are exactly in phase at the eye:
• Interference maximum.
Air Air
• Region ac on the film is
bright to the observer.
5 Film
4

If light waves of rays r1 and r2 2

are exactly out of phase at the
eye: 3
1
• Interference minimum.
• Region ac on the film is
dark to the observer (even
though it is illuminated.).

19
What is happening here?

The key to what the observer sees

is “the phase difference between
the waves of rays r1 and r2”
Air Air

5 Film
Ray i ==> r1 and r2. 4

2
r1 = no travel of light through film.
r2 = Light traveling a-b-c. 3
1

If observer is looking perpendicularly, θ is about zero.

Path length difference of r1 & r2 = 2L
20
Behaviors of Rays r1 and r2

Ray r1:
• reflected at a (n2>n1) —> phase shift of π
• Total phase shift = π Air Film Air
Ray r2:
• reflected at b (n3<n2) —> phase shift of zero
• refracted at c —> phase shift of zero
• Total phase shift = 0

Theory about reflection Summary of Rays r1 and r2

• Different lengths of traveling path = 2L
• r1 has phase shift of zero from ray i.
• r2 has phase shift of π from ray i.
• r1 and r2 are exactly out of phase.

21
Summary of interference of thin-film

Bright film Dark film

Maxima — bright Minima — dark

Description
film in air film in air
constructive destructive
Rays r1 and r2 should produce
interference interference

The final r1 and r2 should be in phase out phase

Path 2L must cause additional 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, … 1, 2, 3 …

phase difference of wavelength wavelength

Formula of 2L 2L = (odd)(λn2) 2L = (integer)(λn2)

Formula of 2L (for m=0,1,2,…) 2L = (m+0.5)(λn2) 2L = (m)(λn2)

22
 Summary
Double-Slit Interference Interference from Thin Film
P
r1

S1

θ
d r2

S2

The phase difference between 2

Double slit Thin film
waves can change:
by the waves traveling along paths of different
lengths (ΔL)
✔ ✔
by reflection ✗ ✔
by the waves traveling through media of different
indexes of refraction
✗ ✔
23
 Summary
Double-Slit Interference Interference from Thin Film
P
r1

S1

θ
d r2

S2

Maxima - bright fringe at P Bright film Dark film

ΔL = (integer)(λ)
ΔL = mλ for m=0,1,2,… r1 and r2 r1 and r2
produces produces
Minima - dark fringe at P constructive destructive
ΔL = (odd number)(0.5λ) interference interference
ΔL = (m+0.5)λ for m=0,1,2,…
2L = (m+0.5)(λn2) 2L = (m)(λn2)
24
Example
A transparent film (n=1.30) is deposited on a glass lens (n=1.50)
to form non-reflective coating. What is the minimum thickness
of this film that will minimize reflection of perpendicular
incident light with a wavelength 500 nm in air?

L
r2 ,Δφ=π
r1 ,Δφ=π

Air film Glass

n1=1 n2=1.3 n3=1.5

25
Example
A thin film of oil (n=1.50) of thickness 0.40 µm is spread over a
puddle of water (n=1.33). For which wavelength in the visible
spectrum do you expect constructive interference for
reflection at normal incidence?

Water Oil Air

Incident
wave

26
Example
A film of soapy water in air is held vertically and viewed in
reflected light as shown. The film has n=1.36
a) At one location, when we observe the film, the light
reflected perpendicular to the film at λ=504 and 630 nm are
missing (destructive interference). No other wavelengths
between these two are missing. What is the thickness of the
film here?

Soap film

27
Example
b) what wavelengths (in visible region) interfere
constructively in the reflected light where film thickness
= 926 nm ?

28
 Michelson Interferometer
In the Michelson interferometer, a beam of coherent light is
incident on a beam splitter. Half of the light is transmitted
to mirror M1 and half is reflected to mirror M2.
The beams of light are reflected by the mirrors, combined
together, and observed on the screen.

2 (d1 − d 2 ) = Nλ

If the arms are of different lengths, a phase difference

between the beams can be introduced.
29
Michelson Interferometer Experiment

30
Example
A Michelson interferometer is adjusted so that a bright fringe
appears on the screen. As one of the mirrors is moved 25.8 µm,
92 bright fringes are observed shifting on the screen.
➢What is the wavelength of the light used in the
interferometer?

31
Young’s Double-Slit Experiment

A source of coherent light is placed

behind a mask that has two vertical
slits cut into it. The slit centers
are separated by “d”, and their
widths are “a”.

Each slit acts as a new wave source.

The waves come out from the two
slits can interfere with each other
producing constructive and
destructive interference patterns
at a distance P away (possibly on a
screen).

32
Young’s Double-Slit Experiment

33
Each slit becomes a source of waves that, as they travel outward,
can interfere with each other.
zeroth order maximum
first order maximum

second order maximum

slit S1 slit S2

34
 P

S1

θ
d
Δl
S2

The bright spots occur where The dark spots occur where there
there is constructive interference: is destructive interference:

( 1%
Δl = d sin θ = mλ Δl = d sin θ = & m + #λ
' 2$
where m is an integer and indicates the “order” of fringes*

* Note that limited number of m can be used. Large values of m

will cause sinθ to be larger than 1, which cannot be allowed.
35
The pattern seen on the screen of interference
between red laser light passing double slits
There are
alternating
bright/dark spots.

An intensity trace

Mono-chromatic light

White light
(Blue interferes 

destructively first!)
36
Example
A laser of λ = 690 nm is used to illuminate two parallel slits. On
a screen that is 3.3 m away from the slits, interference
fringes are observed. The distance between central and first
maxima of the fringe pattern is 1.80 cm.
What is the distance between the slits?

Bright fringe
1.80 cm

3.3 m

37
Example
In a double-slit arrangement, the slits are separated by a
distance equal to 100 times the wavelength of the light
passing through the slits. What is the angular separation in
radians between the central maximum and an adjacent
maximum?
What is the distance between these maxima on a screen 90
cm from the slits?

Bright fringe

Bright fringe
100λ

38
Example
A thin film of acetone (n = 1.25) coats a thick glass plate
(n = 1.50). White light is incident normal to the film. In
the reflection, fully destructive interference occurs at
600 nm and fully constructive at 700 nm.
Calculate the thickness of the acetone film.

39
Example
The reflection of perpendicularly incident whiter light by
a soap film in air has an interference maximum at 600 nm
and a minimum at 450 nm, with no minimum in between. If
n = 1.33 for the film, what is the film thickness, assumed
uniform?

40
 Example: Light as a wave
A light ray is incident at angle θ1=50° on a series of five
transparent layers with parallel boundaries. For layers 1 and
3, L1 = 20 mm, L3 = 25 mm, n1 = 1.6, and n3 = 1.45.

(a) At what angle does the light emerge back into air at the right?
(b) How much time does the light take to travel through layer 3?
41
 Summary
•Conditions for Constructive/Destructive Interference
•Thin Films
•Double slit

42