Interference Fringes Study Materials

When two or more waves arrive at a point in

Interference fringes: space simultaneously the net wave disturbance
The Science of light is called optics. The study at that point and at any given time is the vector
of optics acoustic impedances of the media. This sum of all-the wave, disturbances at that point at
property is used is divided into geometrical that particular time. This is called principle of
optics and physical optics, in ultrasonic testing. superposition. This principle is applied to the
Geometrical optics deals with the applications analytical treatment of interference of light.
of the rectilinear propagation of light to
different optical light must travel in straight Conditions for interference:
lines. Optical instruments like microscope, 1. To produce interference, we require two light
telescope and camera work on this principle. sources. That two light sources must be coherent
Reflection and Refraction can be explained by i.e. two sources must send out waves having 1
this principle. constant phase difference or same phase,
Interference, Diffraction and polarisation can be 2. The two sources must be perfectly
explained only on the basis of wave theory of monochromatic emitting light, of a single
light. That is, these phenomena could be wavelength.
explained only it we assume that light is a form 3. The two sources must be as near as possible
of wave motion. The physical optic deals with and the screen must be as far as possible from
these phenomena exhibited by light on account them.
of its wave aspect. 4. The frequency and amplitude of the waves
from these two coherent sources must be the
Interference: same.
Interference is the optical phenomenon in which 5. The two sources must be narrow.
brightness and darkness are produced by two 6. The two waves must be propagated along the
exactly similar light Waves meeting. When two same direction to get coincidence.
light waves, of same frequency and having 7. The interfering waves are polarised, then their
constant phase difference, coincide in space and state of polarisation must be same.
time, there is a modification in the intensity of The two coherence sources can be obtained
light. The resultant intensity at any point from the same single soured. Any change in
depends upon the amplitudes and the phase phase at the time of emission will affect these
relationships of the two waves." This two sources (which are derived from a single
modiciation in the intensity distribution source) equally and the light starting from them
resulting from the superposition of two waves of will always be in phase.
light is called' interference and the pattern of
bright and dark fringes produced is called Production of the coherent sources in various
interference pattern. methods:
1. Lloyd’s single mirror
Principle of Superposition: 2. Fresnel’s double mirror

1
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 Interference Fringes Study Materials

3. Fresnel’s biprism A narrow adjustable slit S, a biprism and a

4. Billet’s split lens micrometer • eye-piece E are arranged in
5. Michelson’s interferometer, Newton’s rings uprights on the bed of the optical bench in the
and thin films same straight line and at the same height.

Formation of interference fringes: Fringewidth 𝛽:

The intensity of a light wave at a point is 0.20
𝛽2 − 𝛽; = 𝜆
𝑑
proportional to the square of its amplitude.
where
When two waves meet at a point the resultant
d is the distance b/w the two virtual sources S1
amplitude is the vector sum of the two
and S2.
amplitudes. If it is maximum there will be
By this method we are able to eliminate D, the
brightness and it is zero, there will be darkness
distance from the virtual source to the eyepiece
at that point. The point where a light wave has
which is difficult to measurer.
got maximum possible displacement, is termed
crest.
Determination of d:
The point where there is negative displacement
To measure d, the distance b/w the two virtual
is called trough. Wavelength is the distance b/w
sources by a direct method is difficult. Hence a
two successive crests or troughs. Prom Fresnel’s
convex lens is introduced b/w the biprism and
biprism method,
𝐷
the eyepiece and it is moved until the two
Bandwwidth ′𝛽 ′ = 𝑑 𝜆 images of the slit are obtained in the eyepiece.
where ‘d’ is the distance b/w the ‘two virtual 𝛽2 − 𝛽1 =
0.20
𝜆
𝑑1 𝑑2
images of a narrow monochromatic source S
Since 𝛽2, 𝛽1, d1 and d2 are all known, the
produced by the biprism.
wavelength of light can be calculated.
D - distance of the screen XY from the source S
𝜆 - wavelength of light
Effect of width of the slit on interference
This shows that the distance b/w two
bands:
consecutive dark or bright fringes is equal and
When the width of the slit is increased
so the bandwidth or fringewidth is constant
continuously in Fresnel’s biprism experiment, a
throughout the interference pattern.
broad source of light is obtained. A broad
• If d and D are constants, the bandwidth, ∝ 𝜆.
source of light is equivalent to a large number of
Hence fringes produced by shorter wavelengths
sources lying side by side. Each set of two
will be narrower than those produced by longer
sources will give rise to its own pattern of
wavelengths.
fringes. The overlapping of a number of such
• If D, d and p are known, the wavelength of
patterns will result in general illumination and
light can be determined.
hence the fringes will vanish.
Determination of wavelength of light from a
monochromatic source using Biprisms:
2
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 Interference Fringes Study Materials

Displacement of fringes due to the to denser, medium and sets reflected at the
introduction of mica sheet: surface of denser medium (rarer-denser
With a thin mica sheet of refractive index ‘𝜇’ is boundary). But no such phase change occurs
placed in the path of light from one of the two when the light travels from denser to rarer and
sources, the central bright fringe is shifted to the rejection of light takes places at the surface
some other points due to the change in the path of the rarer medium (denser-rarer boundary).
difference. If the shift can be measured, then the
wavelength of light used or thickness of the Interference at a wedge - shaped film:
sheet or the refractive index of the material of λ
Fringewidth 𝛽 = 2μθ
the sheet can be found out if two out of three
𝜇 - refractive index of a wedge shaped film
quantities are known.
having a very small angle 0 at a point A.
Displacement of any maximum or central bright
A wedge shaped air film can be obtained by
fringe by introducing mica sheet of thickness T
inserting a thin piece of paper or Gain or their
is given by
𝐷 wire between two plane parallel glass plates.
𝑆 = 𝑑 𝜇−1 𝑡 t
For air film 𝜇 = 1 and 𝜃 = X
𝑆𝑑
or 𝑡 = 𝐷 where t is the thickness of paper and X is the
𝜇 −1
knowing the value of refractive index 6f the distance from the edge where the two plates
mica the thickness of mica sheet can be touch each other to the paper.
determined. 𝜆𝑋
∴ 𝑡 = 2𝛽
Using this relation we can measure the thickness
Interference due to thin films:
of paper or hair or thin wire very accurately.
When white light is reflected by thin films like
soap bubbles, oil layers on water and oxide
Anti-reflection and reflection coatings:
layers on metal surfaces a variety of colours
In the case of transparent materials, a certain
could be seen. This is due to interference b/w
fraction of the incident light is always reflected
light waves reflected by the front and back
back by the interface, whenever a beam of light
surfaces of these films.
passes through the boundary of two media. Now
in photographic objectives and other optical
Important points:
instruments, like range finders and periscopes,
1. When a light wave travels, in denser media
there is a large number of glass - air interfaces,
other, than air or. vacuum the path of the light
which must give use to a notable loss as a result
rays in that media is called optical path. The
of reflection and the transmitted light should
optical distance in a medium is the product of
suffer in intensity. This reflected light
the refractive index of the medium and the
undergoes refraction from other surfaces in the
distance travelled by light in it.
system, gets into the image and spoil its detail
2. A phase change of n or a path difference of
and contrast. It further gives rise to ghost
𝜆/2 is introduced when light travels from rarer
images specially when the illumination is
3
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 Interference Fringes Study Materials

intense as a result of flare which is due to Holography is the process of image construction
multiple reflections from lens surfaces and is an by recording and reconstruction of hologram by
undesirable phenomenon. One of the important means of interference techniques without the aid
applications of thin film interference is used to of lenses. Thus it is a way of recording and then
reduce this unwated reflection from the lens reconstructing waves, invented by Dennis Gabor
surfaces. When a light beam travels in a in 1948. The waves may be of light or sound.
medium of refractive index n1, and is incident
on a dielectric medium of refractive index n2,
then the amplitudes of the reflected and
transmitted beams are related to that of the
incident beam by the following relation Join Us on FB :
𝑛 −𝑛
𝑎𝑟 = 𝑛 1 +𝑛 2 𝑎𝑖
1 2
2𝑛 1
𝑎𝑟 = 𝑛
1 +𝑛 2
𝑎𝑖 For English – Examsdaily
So when n2 > n1, ar = -ve which shows that
when a reflection occurs at a denser medium, a For Tamil – Examsdaily Tamil
phase change n occurs.
The reflection coefficient at the denser medium
𝑛 −𝑛
= 𝑟 = 𝑛 1 +𝑛 2
1 2
The transmission coefficient at the denser Join US on Whatsapp
medium ‘t’
2𝑛 1
=𝑛 For English - Click Here
1 +𝑛 2

Newton’s rings: For Tamil – Click Here

Circular interference fringes can be produced by
enclosing a very thin film of air or any other
transparent medium of varying thickness
between a plane glass plate and convex lens of a
large radius of curvature. Such fringes were first
obtained by Newton and are known as Newton’s
rings.
d 2 −d 2
The radius of curvature R = 4λn n−m
m

where dn and dm are the diameters of any two

bright rings.

Holography:

4
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