SMC/Physics/Thin Film Experiment/ff Name________________________

EXPERIMENT: THIN FILM INTERFERENCE

The video associated with this lab can be found at:

Light from a monochromatic source is shined downward on two glass plates that are separated at
one end by a small piece of cellophane. Light that is reflected from the top and bottom surfaces
of the wedge-shaped thin film of air undergoes interference, and a series of dark and light lines are
seen. By counting the number of dark or light lines over a known distance, measuring the length
of the glass plates, and knowing the wavelength of the monochromatic light, the thickness of the
hair can be found.

THEORY

Suppose monochromatic light is incident on a thin film of thickness t and having an index of
refraction n. Part of this light reflects back toward the observer from the top and bottom surfaces
of the thin film, and part is transmitted through the thin film. (Refer to Figure 1.)

Figure 1. Monochromatic light shown reflecting off the top and bottom surfaces
of the thin film. The transmitted light is not shown.

The light leaving the source is in phase. However, upon reflecting from the thin film back to the
observer, the light will necessarily be out of phase due to the extra distance ray B travels as it
reflects off the bottom surface of the thin film. If the light hits the surface perpendicularly or
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SMC/Physics/Thin Film Experiment/ff Name________________________

almost perpendicularly, then the extra distance ray B travels is twice the thickness of the thin
film at the point where the light is incident. This extra distance and the corresponding phase
differences are related to each other as
phase difference = path difference ,
2 wavelength within the thin film (1)
or

(2)
where  is the phase difference, t is the thickness of the film, and n is the wavelength of the
light in the thin film. In this case, the thin film has an index of refraction n and n = /n, where 
is the wavelength of the light in air.

If two waves interfere and the phase difference between them is 2m, where m = 0, 1, 2, ..., then
constructive interference results. And, if the phase difference is 2(m + ½), where m = 0, 1, 2, ...,
then destructive interference results. Other phase differences give partial constructive or
destructive interference.

Therefore, for constructive interference we have: , (3)

which simplifies to
2 t n=m, m=0,1,2,… (4)

Similarly, for destructive interference:

, m= 0,1,2,… (5)
An added complication arises in thin film interference. It is found that when light traveling in a
medium of one index of refraction is reflected from a surface of higher index, a  phase shift
occurs. No phase shift occurs at the surface when the reflecting surface has a lower index of
refraction. The result is that if the total number of phase shifts that rays A and B undergo is zero
or an even number, then (4) and (5) hold as above. But, if an odd number of phase shifts occur,
then (4) corresponds to destructive interference and (5) corresponds to constructive interference.
That is, for destructive interference. 2tn=m , m=0,1,2,…. (6)
, and for constructive interference: , m=0,1,2,… (7)
For a wedge-shaped film of air between two glass plates a total of one phase shift occurs, so (6)
and (7) are the appropriate expressions. A single phase shift occurs at the bottom surface of the
thin film of air, but no phase shift occurs at the top surface. Each value of m in (6) corresponds to
a dark line and in (7) a bright line. When m = 0 in (6), this indicates that the thickness of the
film is zero (t = 0), so m = 0 corresponds to the dark line produced at the point of contact

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SMC/Physics/Thin Film Experiment/ff Name________________________

between the two glass plates. The next dark line away from the point of contact is m = 1, and so
on.
In this experiment a wedge-shaped layer of air between two glass plates is produced by
separating one end of the glass plates with a piece of cellophane (Refer to Figure 2.) When
monochromatic light is shined on the plates from above, a series of bright and dark lines are
seen. (In Figure 2 the bright and dark lines are indicated by the letters B and D, respectively.

Figure 2. A side view of the thin film of air. The distance between the lines
and the thickness of the film are greatly exaggerated.

If the number of dark lines is counted over a known distance d, similar triangles can be used to
find the cellophane thickness T. That is, in the triangle PQR and the triangular wedge of air,

QR T
= . (8)
PR L

But QR =ti+N - ti where ti is the thickness of the film at the ith dark line, ti+N is the thickness of the
film at the (i + N)th dark line, and PR = d. Using (6) and setting M =i+ N then setting m =i and
subtracting,

(9)

where N is the number of dark lines in the distance d. Equation (8) then becomes
N L
T= . (10)
2d

APPARATUS
o sodium light source o blank paper
o two plane, parallel glass plates o ruler
o micrometer o 10 cm focal length lens

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SMC/Physics/Thin Film Experiment/ff Name________________________

PROCEDURE These procedures were performed in the film.

a) Clean the surfaces of the two glass plates and handle them so that no smudges are left on
their surfaces.

b) Plug in and turn on the sodium light source.

c) Carefully draw two parallel lines one centimeter apart on the notebook paper. This is
the distance d. Record d and the uncertainty, d.

d) Use a cellophane paper and measure its diameter with the micrometer. Record this value
and its uncertainty. (Be sure not to crush the cellophane when you tighten the
micrometer.)

e) Carefully place the cellophane between the two glass plates perpendicular to the length
of the plates and close to one end.

f) Lay the plates down over the lines drawn on the notebook paper so that the length of the
plates is perpendicular to the lines. Measure the distance from the point of contact of the
glass plates to the position of the hair. Record the value L and its uncertainty, L.

g) Adjust the position of the sodium lamp until the light from the lamp shines almost
straight downward on the glass plates. Notice the bright and dark interference lines.

h) Use the 10 cm focal length lens as a magnifying glass and count the number of dark lines
between the one-centimeter marks on the notebook paper. Record the number of lines,
N, and the uncertainty in the count, N.

ANALYSIS

The uncertainty in the thickness of the cellophane due to uncertainties in measurements is

 N L d 
T = T  + + , (11)
N L d 

where the wavelength of the sodium light is assumed to be exactly 589 nm and the index of
refraction of air is 1.000.

Calculate the thickness of the cellophane from (10) and its uncertainty from (11). Report these
values and the value obtained from the micrometer reading in a table.

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SMC/Physics/Thin Film Experiment/ff Name________________________

DATA

Ttheory  Ttheory L d N Texperimental

 Texperimental  difference

Sample calculations

GRAPH
Show your theoretical and experimental values of T along with their associated errors on a one-
dimensional graph.

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 T_th delta T_th L d N T_exp delta T_exp % diff
0.016836 0.1457 147.00 18.00 7.00 0.0150 0.001 11.53%
SI units mm mm mm mm mm mm

Assumed Uncertainties
delta_L delta_d delta_N
1 0.5 1
SI units mm mm
Wavelength of sodium light
lambda 589.00 5.89E-04
SI Units nm mm
SMC/Physics/Thin Film Experiment/ff Name________________________

QUESTION

1. Explain why it is necessary to use a special sodium vapor lamp for this experiment rather
than an ordinary white lamp.

2. Explain how the number of bars to be counted would be affected if the lamp were
changed to a different source producing red light. Would this make the uncertainty in the
experiment smaller or greater?

3. What percentage error would result from miscounting the bars by one?

4. How would the data and results of the experiment be affected if instead of glass we had
used a different transparent material for the plates?

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Lab 13
1) Explain why it is necessary to use a special sodium vapor lamp for this experiment
rather than an ordinary white lamp.

That lamp is necessary because it produces monochromatic light. Monochromatic light has a
single wavelength, which is crucial for interference experiments because it ensures consistent
and coherent interference patterns. If an ordinary white lamp were used, it would emit a broad
spectrum of wavelengths (multiple colors), resulting in overlapping and blurred interference
patterns. This would make it difficult to accurately count the interference fringes.
2) Explain how the number of bars to be counted would be affected if the lamp were
changed to a different source producing red light. Would this make the uncertainty in
the experiment smaller or greater?

If the lamp were changed to a different source producing red light (~650 nm), the number of
interference fringes over the same distance would decrease. This is because the spacing
between the fringes is directly related to the wavelength of the light used.

I would guess that the uncertainty in the experiment would likely increase. With fewer fringes to
count over the same distance, any miscounting or measurement errors would have a more
significant impact on the final result.
3) What percentage error would result from miscounting the bars by one?

To determine the percentage error resulting from miscounting the bars by one, use the formula
for percentage error:

ΔN
Percentage Error = ( ) × 100%
N

ΔN is the change in the number of bars (ΔN = 1 in this case)

N is the total number of bars counted

For example, if we counted 20 bars and miscounted by one, the percentage error would be:

1
Percentage Error = ( ) × 100% = 5%
20

So, miscounting by one bar would result in a 5% error if we initially counted 20 bars.
4) How would the data and results of the experiment be affected if instead of glass we
had used a different transparent material for the plates?

If a different transparent material with a different index of refraction were used for the plates, it
would affect the interference pattern. The primary changes would include:

1. Phase Shifts: The number of phase shifts could change depending on the relative indices
of refraction of the new material and air. This could alter whether certain conditions result
in constructive or destructive interference.
2. Wavelength in the Material: The wavelength of light in the new material would differ from
that in air because λ . This change in wavelength would affect the spacing
λair
material =
nmaterial

between the interference fringes.

3. Thickness Calculations: The calculations for the thickness of the thin film would need to
account for the new index of refraction of the material. The equations used in the analysis
(such as for constructive and destructive interference) would include the new index of
refraction, potentially leading to different numerical results for the thickness of the
cellophane.

Overall, the data would reflect these changes, and the final results would be different, but the
fundamental principles of thin film interference would still apply.