 Considering a oil film spread on the water or glass plate

 The film thickness is t and refractive index >1

 Interference takes place between R1, R2 …… and T1, T2……

The path difference between AR1 and CR2:
Path difference in transmitted light:

The conditions of Maxima and Minima is just reverse in the reflected and transmitted light.
 Illumination by white light source

At same point of thickness on the film maximum and

minimum will be appeared for different wavelengths
Formation of interference film on the thin Wedge-shaped film:

• Light incident on the film at point p nearly in normal fashion

• The path difference between two reflected rays from the top
and bottom of the film is 2µt.
• The additional path difference introduced is λ/2.
• The effective path difference is
Similar spacing can be obtained for bright fringe
 Interference by Division of Amplitude
Newton’s Ring Experiment
Travelling microscope
The system of Newton’s ring experimental setup is shown here. Here, the source
and plano-convex lens arrangements are such that the light waves incident
normally on the plane surface of the plano-convex lens. If the curved surface of
the Plano-convex lens has a huge radius of curvature R, a very thin film of air
will be trapped between the glass plate and the plano-convex lens. The thickness
of the film will have circular symmetry. Due to this, we get an interference
pattern of alternate dark and bright concentric circular rings around the point of
contact. Each alternate bright and dark concentric circular rings represent the
locus of the points of equal film thickness, satisfying the conditions of
constructive and destructive interference. Therefore, these fringes are called
Monochromatic
Glass Plate
light
fringes of constant thickness.
S In this experiment, the interference pattern is formed due to the superposition of
the light waves reflected from the top and bottom surfaces of the air film.
Under these experimental conditions, The effective path difference between two
interfering rays

Plano Convex Lens

Clamp Air film
Glass Plate
Diameters for bright rings:
Diameters for dark rings:
 Bright central spot: Here, µ1<µ2<µ3

• Light reflected from top of the oil film will suffer π phase change
• Light reflected from bottom of the oil film will also suffer π phase change
Travelling microscope • The interfering rays have zero effective phase change.
• The central fringe is bright.
How to determine the refractive index of unknown film:
Diameter of the nth Bright ring obtained for a liquid of R.i. µ

Monochromatic
light

S
Crown glass lens
Sassafras oil

µ1
Clamp µ2
µ3
Flint glass plate
(1)
 2

Dividing 1 and 2
 Problems: Interference by Division of Amplitude
P9: A parallel beam of light of wavelength 589 nm is incident on a thin glass plate of refractive index 1.5 such that the angle of refraction is 60o.
Calculate the smallest thickness of the plate which will appear dark by reflection. Hint. 2𝜇𝑡cos𝑟=𝑛𝜆, take 𝑛=1
P10: A thin film of soap solution is illuminated by white light at an angle of incidence 𝑖=sin−1(4/5). In reflected light two dark consecutive
overlapping fringes are observed corresponding to wavelength 610 nm 600 nm. The refractive index of the soap solution is 4/3 . Calculate the
thickness of the film. Hint. 𝑛𝜆1=(𝑛+1)𝜆2 with 𝜆1>𝜆2. Find n then 2𝜇𝑡cos𝑟=𝑛𝜆
P11: A soap film of ri. 1.33 is illuminated with light of different wavelengths at an angle of 45o. There is complete destructive interference for
wavelength 5890 Å. Find the thickness of the film. Hint. 𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑑cos𝑟, 2𝜇𝑡cos𝑟=𝑛𝜆, take 𝑛=1
P12: Light of wavelength 600 nm falls normally on a thin wedge-shaped film of ri. 1.4 forming fringes that are 2 mm apart. Find the angle of the
wedge. Hint. 𝛼=𝜆/(2𝜇𝛽)
P13: Interference fringes are produced with monochromatic light falling normally on a wedge shaped film of ri. 1.4. The angle of the wedge is 10
seconds of an arc and the distance between the successive fringes is 0.5 cm. Calculate the wavelength of light used. Hint. 𝜆=2𝜇𝛼𝛽
P14: In Newton ring experiment the diameter of the 15th ring was found to be 0.590 cm and that of the 5th ring was 0.336 cm. If the radius of the
plano-convex lens is 100 cm, calculate the wavelength of the light used. Hint. 𝜆=(𝐷𝑚+𝑝2−𝐷𝑚2)/(4𝑝𝑅)
P15: Newton rings are formed in refracted light of wavelength 6000Å with a liquid between the plane and curved surface. If the diameter of the
sixth bright ring is 3.1 mm and the radius of curvature of the curve surface is 1 m, calculate the ri. of the liquid. Hint. 𝐷𝑚2=2(2𝑚−1)𝜆𝑅/𝜇
P16: Newton rings are observed in reflective light of wavelength 5900Å. The diameter of 10th dark ring is 0.5 cm. Find the radius of curvature of
the lens and the thickness of the air film. Hint. 𝐷𝑚2=4𝑚𝜆𝑅 and 2𝑡=𝑛𝜆
P17: In a Newton’s ring experiment, the diameter of the 5𝑡ℎ ring is 0.3 cm and the diameter of 25𝑡ℎ ring is 0.8 cm. if the radius of curvature of the
plano convex lens is 100 cm, find the wavelength of light used.
P18: In Newton's ring experiment the diameters of the 5𝑡ℎ and 10𝑡ℎ dark rings are 0.450 cm and 0.700 cm respectively. Find the diameter of the 20𝑡ℎ
dark ring.
P19: In a Newton’s rings experiment the diameter of the 10𝑡ℎ ring changes from 1.40 cm to 1.27 cm when a liquid is introduced between the lens
and the plate. Calculate the refractive index of the liquid.
P20: Light containing two wavelengths λ1 and λ2 falls normally on a plano convex lens of radius of curvature R resting on a glass plate. If the 𝑛𝑡ℎ
dark ring due to λ1, coincides with (𝑛+1)𝑡ℎ dark ring for λ2. Find the radius of 𝑛𝑡ℎ dark ring for λ1.
Interference by Division of Amplitude
Michelson Interferometer
• A monochromatic light falls on partially silvered plate P1
• The light rays partly reflected (1) and partly transmitted (2).
• The rays are reflected from M1 and M2 and recombined at P1.
• The rays are interfering to each other and focused by telescope (T)
to obtained the pattern.
• The ray 1 travel twice through P1. But ray 2 not even once.
• To make the path difference equal of ray 1 and ray 2
a parallel plate P2 has introduced. Plate P2 is known as
“compensating
plate”.
Formation of fringe:
• Due to reflection of M2 at P1 plate an image of M2‫ י‬has been
generated.
• Here OM2=OM2‫י‬.
• Air film trapped between M1 and M2‫י‬.
• Light reflected from the surface of M1 and M2‫ י‬interfere
to each other to form the pattern.
• The shape of the fringe depends on the inclination between M1 and
M2‫י‬.
• Circular fringe obtained when M1 and M2‫ י‬is
parallel to each other.
• Films are straight at t=0 condition.
Shape of interference fringes
 Coherence

No light is emitting sinusoidal for a longer time

Non-Coherence
Coherence
For Na light the pulse duration is
After this time the phase changes abruptly 2d
Non-Coherence