Physical Optics

Unit Fizik
Kolej Matrikulasi Perak

1
 Course Framework Cognitive Domain
(Learning Outcomes)
C1 = Remembering
C2 = Understanding Lecture Tutorial
C3 = Application
C4 = Analysing

CHAPTER 8: Physical Optics

8.1 (a) C1 /
8.1 (b) C3 /
8.2 (a) C1 / /
8.2 (b) C1 /
8.2 (c) C1 / /
8.3 (a) C3 /
8.3 (b) C3 /
8.4 (a) C3 /
8.4 (b) C3 /
8.4 (c) C3 /
8.4 (d) C3 /
8.4 (e) C3 /
8.5 (a) C1 /
8.5 (b) C3 /
8.5 (c) C3 /
8.6 (a) C3 /
8.6 (b) C3 /
8.6 (c) C4
2
8.6 (d) C4
Topic Overview:
Physical Optics

Huygens’ Interference
Diffraction
principle Systems

Single slit Grating

Young Thin film

double-slit

3 3
8.1 Huygens principle

a) State Huygens’s principle (e.g, spherical and plane wave fronts)

b) Sketch and explain the wave front of light after passing through
a single slit and obstacle using Huygens’s principle

4
 8.1 a) State Huygens’s principle (e.g, spherical and plane wave fronts

• Every point on a wave

front can be considered
as a source of secondary
wavelets that spread out
in the forward direction at
Huygens’s
Principle
the speed of the wave.
The new wave front is
the envelope of all the
secondary wavelets - i.e.
the tangent to all of them.

Figure 8.1.1
5
8.1 b) Sketch and explain the wave front of light after passing through
a single slit and obstacle using Huygens’s principle

a) Huygens’ principle can

be used to explain the
diffraction of wave.

e) Huygens’ principle suggest that in

conforming to the curved shape of the b) Each of the point in Figure 8.1.2 acts as
wavelets near the edges, the new wave a secondary source of wavelets (red
front bends or diffracts around the circular arc)
edges - applied to all kinds of waves.

d) But at the edges, c) The tangent to the

points 1 and 5 are the wavelets from points
last points that 2, 3 and 4 is a plane
produce wavelets. wave front.

Figure 8.1.2
6
Construction of new wave front Construction of new wave front for a
for a plane wave circular wave

Figure 8.1.3 Figure 8.1.4

7
8.2 Constructive and destructive interferences

a) Define coherence.
b) State the conditions for interference of light.
c) State the conditions of constructive and destructive interference.

8
8.2 a) Define coherence

Sources having
Type equation here.

Coherence
same frequency
and constant
phase difference

9
8.2 b) State the conditions for interference of light.

10
8.2 b) State the conditions for interference of light.

Permanent
sources must have The light waves that are
interference interfering must have the
same frequency. The distance between the
between two same or approximately of coherent sources should
sources of light sources must have a amplitude to obtain total be as small as possible of
only take place if constant phase cancellation at minimum or the light wavelength (  )
they are coherent difference between to obtain a good contrast at
sources them. maximum.

11
8.2 c) State the conditions of constructive and destructive interference

Occurs if the
amplitude of the
Constructive resultant waves that
overlaps equals the
interference sum of the
amplitudes of each
wave (in phase)

12
Figure 8.2.1
8.2 c) State the conditions of constructive and destructive interference

Occurs if the
amplitude of the
Destructive resultant waves
interference that overlaps
equals to zero
(anti phase)

Figure 8.2.2 13
Table 8.2.1 shows the summary of two
coherent sources, in phase and antiphase
14
8.3 Interference of transmitted light through double-slits
a) Use:
i) mD for bright fringes (maxima)
ym 
d
ii)
ym 
m  12 D for dark fringes (minima), where m =0, +1, +2, +3, …

b) Use:
D
y  and explain the effect of changing any of the variables
d

15
8.3 Interference of transmitted light through double-slits

Figure 8.3.1 Figure 8.3.2 shows the separation between central

16
bright and mth order bright fringes
17
Figure 8.3.3 shows the separation between central bright and mth order dark fringes 18
19
 D
8.3 b) Use, y  and explain the effect of changing any of the variables
d

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 SP 025
Semester 2
Physical Optics

distance between slits

and the screen, D

y
depends
on

the wavelength the distance apart, d

of light,  of the double slits,

21
Explanation the effect of changing any of the variables above factors:

if the experiment is carried out in a

if  is short and thus Δy decreases if the source slit S is moved nearer different medium, for example water,
for fixed D and d. The interference the double slits, Δy is unaffected but the fringe separation Δy decreased or
fringes are closer to each other and their intensity increases. increased depending on the
vice-versa. wavelength, λ of the medium.

if white light is used the central bright

if the distance apart d of the slits fringe is white, and the fringes on
if one of the slit, S1 or S2 is covered
diminished, Δy increased for fixed D either side are coloured. Violet is the
up, the diffraction fringes pattern
colour nearer to the central fringe
and  and vice-versa. appear.
and red is farther away as shown in
figure below

if a source slit S (Figure 8.3.3) is

widened the fringes gradually
disappear. The slit S then equivalent
to large number of narrow slits, each
if D increases Δy also increases for
producing its own fringe system at
fixed  and vice-versa different places. The bright and dark
fringes of different systems therefore
overlap, giving rise to a uniform
illumination.

22
Table 8.3.1 shows the range of wavelength for colours of
visible light.

Table 8.3.1
23
8.4 Interference of reflected light in thin films

a) Identify the occurrence of phase change upon reflection.

b) Describe with the aid of a diagram the interference of light in thin
films at normal incidence
c) Use the following equations for reflected light with no phase difference (non reflective coating ):

Constructive interference : 2nt = m

Destructive interference : 2nt = (m + ½ ) 
d) Use the following equations for reflected light of phase difference 𝜋 𝑟𝑎𝑑 (reflective coating ):

Constructive interference : 2nt = (m + ½ ) 

Destructive interference : 2nt = m where m = 0, ±1, ±2, ±3, …
e) Explain the application of thin films (eg: solar panel, glass tint)

24
8.4 a) Identify the occurrence of phase change upon reflection.

Phase change upon reflection

A wave traveling from a medium of
Optical path difference index of refractive n1 towards a
If a ray travel a distance of t in a medium of index of refractive n2
medium of refractive index n, then the undergoes
optical path of the ray is given by: - a 180° phase change upon a
reflection when n2 > n1

to  n t
- no phase change if n2 < n1 .
(Refer Figure 8.3.1 & 8.3.2)

Identify the
occurrence of
phase change
upon reflection.

25
Figure 8.3.1 26
No phase change

Figure 8.3.2 27
8.4 b) Describe with the aid of a diagram the interference of light in thin films at
normal incidence

Is there any phase change upon reflection for ray 1 and 2 ?

Figure 8.4.1 Figure 8.4.2 Figure 8.4.3 28

Reflected rays when moving in different
materials

Refer diagram 8.4.4

29
 Thin film on a denser medium

(reflected light with no phase difference)

Figure 8.4.4 30
 8.4 c) Use the following equations for reflected light with no phase difference (non reflective coating ):
Constructive interference : 2nt = m
Destructive interference : 2nt = (m + ½ ) 

Condition for constructive interference:

PD  m 
2 nt  m  m  0,1,2,3,

Condition for destructive interference:

1
PD  (m  ) 
2
1
2 nt  (m  )  m  0,1,2,3,
2

For minimum thickness ( t > 0) we get destructive interference  non-

reflective coating.
82
Thin film in air
(reflected light of phase difference
π rad)
• A monochromatic light incidence almost normally onto a thin film of
thickness t and index of refraction n in air.
✓
✗

(1.0)

( n  1)

Soap
( n = 1.40)
• Ray1 – π rad phase change
•Ray 2 – no phase change

(1.0)

Figure 8.4.1 33
 A monochromatic light incidence onto a thin film

Ray 2 travels an extra

Both reflected rays ( ray 1 distance in thin film
& 2 ) interfere. before the waves
recombine in the air
above surface and
interfere.

An optical path difference

Ray 1 and ray 2 act as
exists between ray 1 and
two anti-phase coherent
ray 2 :
sources.
PD= 2 nt

34
Reflected light with no phase difference Reflected light of phase difference π rad
Figure 8.4.2 35
Figure 8.4.3
8.5 Diffraction by a single slit
a) Define diffraction.
b) Explain with the aid of a diagram the diffraction of a single slit.

Use:
n D
yn  for dark fringes (minima)
a

yn 
n  12  D for bright fringes (maxima),where n = ±1, ±2, ±3, ...

36
What is diffraction?

• the bending of light

waves as they travel
around obstacles or
pass through an
aperture or slit
comparable to the
wavelength of the light
waves.

37
The bending of plane wavefront

Figure 8.5.1

38
 Single slit diffraction experiment
f) Other rays with angle
θ2 and θ1 will produce
minimum and maximum
on both sides of the
central maximum.

e) The intensity of bright a) Wavefront from

fringes reduce as the light source falls on a
distance increase from narrow slit S and
the central bright fringe. diffraction occurs.

b) Every point on the

wavefront that falls on S
d) The central fringe acts as sources of
has the highest secondary wavelets and
intensity compare to superposed each
the other bright another to form an
fringes. interference pattern on
the screen as shown in
c) The central fringe figure 8.5.2.
is bright (maximum)
and widen compare
to other bright
fringes. Figure 8.5.2 39
• In general, for minima (dark fringes)

a sin  n  n 
where n : order   1,  2,  3,..
• If the distance of single slit to the screen is D, and D>>a
yn
then:
sin  n  tan  n 
D
Therefore the distance of nth minimum from central
maximum is:

 yn  n D
a    n yn 
When D a
n  1 1st minimum fringe (1st order minimum)

n  2 2nd minimum fringe (2nd order minimum)

n  3 3rd minimum fringe (3rd order minimum)

• In general, for maxima (bright fringes)

 1  where
a sin  n   n   n   1,  2,  3,..
 2
• If the distance of single slit to the screen is D, and D>>a
yn
then:
sin  n  tan  n 
D
• Therefore the distance of nth maximum from central
maximum is:
When  yn   1
a     n   yn 
n  12  D
D  2 a
n  1 1st maximum fringe (1st order maximum)

n  2 2nd maximum fringe (2nd order maximum)

n  3 3rd maximum fringe (3rd order maximum)

8.6 Diffraction grating
a) Explain with the aid of a diagram the formation of diffraction.
𝟏
b) Apply ,𝒅𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽 = 𝒏𝞴 where 𝒅=
𝑵

42
• Figure 8.6.1below illustrates light travels to a distant viewing screen from five
slits of the grating.
first order maximum
(n = 1)

incoming plane central or zeroth order

wavefront of light
maximum (n = 0)

first order maximum

(n = 1)
diffraction grating

d sin 
d θ
θ
 Explaination of diffraction in a single slit

a) The maximum (bright) fringes

are sometimes called the principal
maxima or principal fringes since
they are placed where the light
intensity is a maximum.

f) The maximum fringes produce by b) Since the screen is far so that the
a grating are much narrower and rays nearly parallel while the light
sharper than those from a double-slit travels toward the screen as shown
as the intensity graph in Figures 8.62 in Figure 8.6.1
(a) and 8.62 (b)

e) The maximum fringes produce by a

grating are much narrower and sharper c) In reaching the place on the
than those from a double-slit as the screen while the 1st order
intensity graph in Figures 8.62 (a) and 8.62 maximum is located, light from
(b) one slit travels a distance of
one wavelength farther than
light from adjacent slit.

d) Therefore the path difference

for maximum fringe
(constructive interference) is
given by
Equation 8. 1

44
Figure 8.6.2

45
• If the white light is falls on the grating, a rainbow colours would be
observed to either side of the central fringe on the screen which is
white as shown in Figure 8.63. This because the white light
contains wavelengths between violet and red.
n  2 1 0 1 2

Rainbow Rainbow white Rainbow Rainbow

White
light
Figure 8.6.3
Dear students, u need to apply d sin 90  nmax 
• To calculate the maximum number of orders for bright
fringes observed, take the diffraction angle, = 90.
Therefore
d sin 90  nmax


d
nmax 

where nmax : maximum number of orders that can be
observed.
• From the equation for maxima, we obtain

sin  n   and sin  n 

1
d
By using this two relations, the changes of diffraction grating
pattern can be explained.

47
48
Example 1:
(Interference of transmitted light through double-slits)

A double-slits pattern is view on a screen 1.00 m from the slits. If

the third order minima are 25.0 cm apart, determine
a. the ratio of wavelength and separation between the slits,
b. the distance between the first order minimum and fourth order
maximum on the screen.
Solution : D  1 .00 m;  x 3  0 .25 m; m  3
a. 3rd order minimum
S1 x3
d x3 zeroth order maximum
S2
x3
D 3rd order minimum
From the figure,
x3 0.25
x3  
2 2
x3  0 .125 m 49
Solution : D  1 .00 m;  x 3  0 .25 m; m  3
a. By using the equation of separation between central bright and
mth order dark fringes, thus
 1  D  1  D
xm   m   x3   3  
 2 d  2 d
 1   1.00 
0.125   3  
 2 d

 3.57  10  2
d
b. The separation between central max and the 1st order min. is
 1  D
x1  1  
 2 d
D
x1  1.5
d
50
Solution :
b. and the separation between central max and the 4th order max.
(m = 4) is given by
m D D
ym  y4  4
d d
Therefore the distance between the first order minimum and
fourth order maximum on the screen is
 d  y 4  x1
 D   D 
d   4    1 .5 
 d   d 
D
 d  2 .5
d
d  2 .53 .57  10 2 1 .00 
d  8 .93  10 2 m
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Example 2:
(Interference of transmitted light through double-slits)

In a Young’s double-slit experiment, when a monochromatic light of

wavelength 600 nm shines on the double slits, the fringe
separation of the interference pattern produced is 7.0 mm. When
another monochromatic light source is used, the fringe separation
is 5.0 mm. Calculate the wavelength of the second light.
Solution :   600  10  9 m;  y  7 .0  10  3 m;
1 1
3
y 2  5 .0  10 m
1st case:
y1
S1 y1
d Central of interference pattern
S2

D
By applying the fringe separation equation, thus

y1 
1 D
7.0  10 3 
600  10 D 9
(1)
d d 52
Solution : 1  500  10 9 m;  y1  7 .0  10 3 m;
y 2  5 .0  10 3 m
2nd case:
y 2
S1 y 2
d Central of interference pattern
S2

D
2 D 2 D
y 2  3
5.0  10  (2)
d d
5.0  10 3
2
(2)(1):
3

7.0  10 600  10 9
 2  429  10 9 m OR 4 29 nm

53
Exercise 1.1 :
1. Young’s double-slit experiment is performed with 589-nm light
and a distance of 2.00 m between the slits and the screen.
The tenth interference minimum is observed 7.26 mm from the
central maximum. Determine the spacing of the slits.
(Physics for scientists and engineers,6th edition,Serway&Jewett,
Q37.5, p.1198)
ANS. : 1.54 mm
2. A Young’s interference experiment is performed with
monochromatic light. The separation between the slits is
0.500 mm, and the interference pattern on a screen 3.30 m
away shows the first side maximum 3.40 mm from the centre
of the pattern. What is the wavelength?
(Physics for scientists and engineers,6th edition,Serway&Jewett,
Q37.2, p.1197)
ANS. : 515 nm

54
3. A coherent light that contains two wavelength, 660 nm (red)
and 470 nm (blue) passes through two narrow slits separated
by 0.3 mm and the interference pattern is observed on a
screen 5.00 m from the slits. Determine the distance between
the first order bright fringes for each wavelength.
(University physics,11th edition, Young&Freedman, Q35.14,
p.1362)
ANS. : 3.17 mm
4. A monochromatic light of wavelength 560 nm passes through
a Young’s double-slit system of unknown slit separation. After
that, the slits is illuminated by a monochromatic light of
unknown wavelength. It was observed that the 4th order
minimum of the known wavelength light overlapped with the
5th order maximum of the unknown wavelength light on a
screen. Calculate the wavelength of the unknown wavelength
light.
ANS. : 504 nm
55
Reflected light with no phase difference (non-
reflective coating)
Example 1 :
A non-reflective coating of magnesium fluoride of refractive index
1.38 covers the camera lens of refractive index 1.52. The coating
prevents reflection of yellow-green light of wavelength in vacuum
565 nm. Determine the minimum non zero thickness of the
magnesium fluoride.
(Physics,7th edition, Cutnell&Johnson, Q48, p.886)
Solution :   565  10 9 m
 rad phase  rad phase
change change

1 2 2 coherent sources in
n1  1 .0 phase

n  1 .38 t min
n 2  1 .52 56
Solution :   565  10  9 m
By using the condition of destructive interference for non-reflective
coating, thus
 1
2 nt   m  
 2
For minimum thickness of MgF2, m 0
 1
2 nt min   0  
 2
  565  10  9 
1
21.38 t min
2
7
t min  1 .02  10 m
OR
102 nm
57
Reflected light with phase difference (reflective
coating)
Example 2 :
White light is incident on a soap film of refractive index 1.30 in air.
The reflected light looks bluish because the red light of wavelength
670 nm is absent in the reflection.
a. State the condition for destructive interference.
b. What is the minimum thickness of the soap film?
(Physics,3rd edition, J.S.Walker, Q26, p.966)
Solution :   670  10 9 m
 rad phase no phase
change change

2 coherent sources
1 2
antiphase
n1  1 .0

n  1 . 30 t min
n1  1 .0 58
Solution :   670  10  9 m
a. The condition of destructive interference is given by
2 nt  m 
b. For minimum thickness of soap film, m 1
2 nt min  1

2 1 .30 t min  670  10 9 
t min  2 .58  10 7 m
OR
2 58 nm

59
Diffraction gratings
Example 1 :
A sodium light of wavelength 580 nm shines through a slit and
produces a diffraction pattern on a screen 0.60 m away. The width
of the central maximum fringe on the screen is 5.0 cm. Determine
a. the width of the slit,
b. the angular width of the central maximum fringe,
c. the number of minimum that can be observed on the screen.
Solution :  580  10 m; D  0 . 60 m, w  5 . 0  10 m
9 2

1st minimum
Central
a w maximum
1st minimum
D
w  2 y1 and
a. Since y1 
 D 
w  2 
a
2
5.0  10  2

580  10 0.60 
9

 a  a 5
a  1 .39  10 m 60
Solution :  580  10  9 m; D  0 . 60 m, w  5 . 0  10  2 m
b. The angular width of the central maximum fringe is given by

 w  21 and 1  sin 1

a
 1    580  10 9

 w  2 sin   w  2 sin 
1

5 
 a  1.39  10 
 w  4.78 

c. By applying the equation for minimum fringe,

a sin   n 
For the maximum no. of order for minimum fringe,   90 
1.39  10 sin 90
5 
 n max 580  10 9 
nmax  23.97  23
Therefore the number of minimum that can be observed is
23  2 = 46 fringes
61
62