Optics
Theory of interference Fringes
Problems relating to interference
1
Optics
Theory of interference Fringes
Consider a light emitting from a monochromatic source falls
on two narrow pinholes S1 and S2 equidistant from the source
(Fig. 1)and produces interference pattern on the screen. Let S1
and S2 acted as coherent sources are separated by a distance d
and the screen is placed at distance D from the coherent
sources.
The point C on the screen is equidistant from S1 and S2.
Consider a point P at a distance x from C. The waves reach at
the point P from S1 and S2.
2
Optics
Fig.1
From Fig.1 we have
𝑑 𝑑
𝑃𝐸 = 𝑥 − and 𝑃𝐹 = 𝑥 +
2 2
2 2
Now, 𝑆2 𝑃 − 𝑆1 𝑃 = 𝐷 2 + 𝑃𝐹 2 − 𝐷 2 + 𝑃𝐸 2
2 2 𝑑 2 𝑑 2
Or, 𝑆2 𝑃 − 𝑆1 𝑃 = 𝐷2 + 𝑥 + 2
− 𝐷2 + 𝑥 − 2 3
Optics
2 2 2 2 𝑑 2
Or, 𝑆2 𝑃 − 𝑆1 𝑃 = 𝐷 + 𝑥 + 𝑥𝑑 + 2
2
2
𝑑
2
− 𝐷 + 𝑥 − 𝑥𝑑 +
2
2 2 𝑑 2
Or, 𝑆2 𝑃 − 𝑆1 𝑃 = 𝐷 2 + 𝑥 2 + 𝑥𝑑 + −𝐷 2 − 𝑥 2 +
2
𝑑 2
𝑥𝑑 − 2
Or, (𝑆2 𝑃 + 𝑆1 𝑃) 𝑆2 𝑃 − 𝑆1 𝑃 = 2𝑥𝑑
2𝑥𝑑
Or, 𝑆2 𝑃 − 𝑆1 𝑃 =
(𝑆2𝑃+𝑆1𝑃)
In the experiment d is very small compared to the D and the
point P is very close to the C. So 𝑆2 𝑃 ≈ 𝑆1 𝑃 ≈ 𝐷
4
Optics
2𝑥𝑑 𝑥𝑑
Therefore, 𝑆2 𝑃 − 𝑆1 𝑃 = 𝐷+𝐷
= 𝐷
𝑥𝑑
So, The path difference 𝑆2 𝑃 − 𝑆1 𝑃 = ……….(1)
𝐷
2𝜋 𝑥𝑑
Or, The phase difference = …………………(2)
𝜆 𝐷
Bright Fringes
when the path difference is a whole number multiple of
wavelength λ, the point P is bright i.e.
𝑥𝑑
𝐷
= 𝑛𝜆; 𝑛 = 0, 1, 2, 3, … … .
𝑛𝐷𝜆
Or, 𝑥= 𝑑
…………………………………..(3)
Eqn.(3) gives the positions of bright fringes. At C, the path
difference is zero and a bright fringe is formed.
5
Optics
Thus, 𝑥0 = 0
𝐷𝜆
𝑥1 =
𝑑
2𝐷𝜆
𝑥2 =
𝑑
𝑛𝐷𝜆
𝑥𝑛 =
𝑑
Therefore the distance between any two consecutive bright fringes
2𝐷𝜆 𝐷𝜆 𝐷𝜆
𝑥2 − 𝑥1 = − = ………….(4)
𝑑 𝑑 𝑑
Dark Fringes
when the path difference is a odd number multiple of half
wavelength, the point P is dark i.e.
𝑥𝑑 𝜆
= 2𝑛 + 1 ; 𝑛 = 0, 1, 2, 3, … … .
𝐷 2 6
Optics
2𝑛+1 𝐷𝜆
Or, 𝑥= 2𝑑
…………………….(5)
Eqn.(5) gives the positions of dark fringes.
𝐷𝜆
Thus, 𝑥0 =
2𝑑
3𝐷𝜆
𝑥1 = 2𝑑
5𝐷𝜆
𝑥2 =
2𝑑
2𝑛+1 𝐷𝜆
𝑥𝑛 =
2𝑑
The distance between any two consecutive dark fringes,
5𝐷𝜆 3𝐷𝜆 𝐷𝜆
𝑥2 − 𝑥1 = − = ……..(6)
2𝑑 2𝑑 𝑑
7
Optics
Alternately bright and dark parallel fringes are formed.
The fringes are formed on both sides of C.
The distance between any two consecutive bright fringes is
equal to that between any two consecutive dark fringes.
Fringe width
The distance between any two consecutive bright or dark fringes
is known as fringe width.
The distance between two consecutive bright or dark fringes is
𝐷𝜆
𝑥2 − 𝑥1 = 𝑑
So, The Fringe width
𝐷𝜆
β= 𝑑
8
Optics
Green light of wavelength 5100 Å from a narrow slit is
incident on a double slit. If the overall separation of l0
fringes on a screen 200 cm away is 2 cm find the slit
separation.
In Young's double slit experiment the separation of the slits
is 1.9 mm and the fringe spacing is 0.31 mm at a distance
of 1 metre from the slits. Calculate the wavelength of light.
Two coherent sources are 0.18 mm apart and the fringes
are observed on a screen 80 cm away. It is found that with
a certain monochromatic source of light, the fourth bright
fringe is situated at a distance of l0.8 mm from the central
fringe. Calculate the wavelength of light.
9