PH1161: Engineering Physics

Department of physics
NIT Warangal

Instructor: Dr. Bommareddy Poojitha

Email: poojitha@[Link]
 PH1161: Engineering Physics: Interference
❑ Principle of Superposition
❑ Coherence and Coherent Sources, Production of Coherent Light
❑ Interference by division of wavefront
▪ Young’s Double Slit Experiment
▪ Fresnel's biprism
▪ Lloyds single mirror
❑ Interference by division of amplitude
▪ Newton’s Rings
▪ Michelson Interferometer
▪ Fabry-Perot Interferometer
❑ Application: wavelength filter

Dept. of Physics NIT Warangal PH1161: Engineering Physics

 Principle of superposition

𝑦1 𝑥, 𝑡 = 𝑎 cos(𝑘𝑥 − 𝜔𝑡)

𝑦2 𝑥, 𝑡 = 𝑏 cos(𝑘𝑥 − 𝜔𝑡 + 𝜑)

y 𝑥, 𝑡 = 𝑅 sin(𝑘𝑥 − 𝜔𝑡 + δ)
The difference in indexes 𝑦1 𝑥, 𝑡 = 𝑎 cos(𝑘𝑥 − 𝜔𝑡)
➔ a phase shift 𝑅= 𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 + 2𝑎𝑏𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜑
𝑦2 𝑥, 𝑡 = 𝑎 cos(𝑘𝑥 − 𝜔𝑡 + 𝜑)
𝐿
𝑁2 − 𝑁1 = (𝑛2 − 𝑛1 ) 𝑏𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜑
λ Principle of superposition 𝑇𝑎𝑛𝛿 =
𝑎 + 𝑏𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜑
y 𝑥, 𝑡 = 𝑦1 𝑥, 𝑡 + 𝑦2 𝑥, 𝑡

y 𝑥, 𝑡 = 𝐴 cos 𝜑/2 sin(𝑘𝑥 − 𝜔𝑡 + 𝜑/2) For light waves

𝐼 = 𝑅2

Dept. of Physics NIT Warangal PH1161: Engineering Physics

 Wave theory of light
Phase difference & Principle of superposition

The difference in
indexes ➔ a phase shift

𝐿
𝑁2 − 𝑁1 = (𝑛2 − 𝑛1 )
λ

How long they can interact with each other?

Dept. of Physics NIT Warangal PH1161: Engineering Physics

 Coherence
A wave which appears to be pure sine wave for an infinitely long period of time → Perfectly coherent wave
A definite relation between the phase of the wave
(i) at a given time and at a certain time later (ii) at a given point and at a certain distance away
Temporal Coherence Spatial Coherence

S
A B

Coherence time (τ): The average time- Point source: A & C are in coherence
interval for which the field remains sinusoidal Extended: A & B are incoherent
Coherence length: L = τc : c = speed of light Spatial coherence ➔ Size of the source
Temporal coherence ➔ Monochromaticity

Dept. of Physics NIT Warangal PH1161: Engineering Physics

 Temporal Coherence
A definite relation between the phase of the wave at a given time and at a certain time later
T

Young’s double slit

experiment
Coherence time (τ):
The average time-interval for which Path difference: 𝑟2 − 𝑟1
the field remains sinusoidal
𝑟2 −𝑟1
Coherence length: L = cτc 𝑟2 − 𝑟1 ≪ 𝐿 << τc Interference pattern √
𝑐
c = speed of light

𝑟2 − 𝑟1 ≫ 𝐿 𝑟2 −𝑟1
>> τc Interference pattern X
𝑐

Dept. of Physics NIT Warangal PH1161: Engineering Physics

 Temporal Coherence
Coherence time (τ): The average time-interval for which the field
remains sinusoidal

Coherence length: L = cτc : c = speed of light

d
2𝑑 Definite phase relationship
2𝑑 ≪ 𝐿 ⇒ ≪ τc
𝑐 ➔ Interference √

Beam splitter 2𝑑 NO definite phase relationship

2𝑑 ≫ 𝐿 ⇒ ≫ τc ➔ NO Interference
𝑐

Examples:
Neon line (λ = 6438 Å): τc~10-9 sec: L ~ 30 cm
He-Ne laser (λ = 6328 Å): τc~50 msec: L ~ 15,000 km
Commercial He-Ne laser (λ = 6328 Å): τc~50 nsec: L ~ 15 m
Michelson’s interferometer arrangement

Dept. of Physics NIT Warangal PH1161: Engineering Physics

 Temporal Coherence
The linewidth or Monochromaticity
Source: beam containing λ1 , λ2 1
Interference patter will disappear when 𝐿 = 𝑛λ1 = (𝑛 + )λ2
2
λ1 λ2 λ2
d 𝐿= =
2(λ1 − λ2 ) 2(λ1 − λ2 )

λ2
Source: beam: λ to λ+∆λ: 𝐿 =
∆λ
Beam splitter λ2
The spectral line has wavelength spread of ∆λ =
𝐿
Coherence length (L) & Coherence time (τc) :
L = cτc : c = speed of light
Δυ
Δυ =
𝑐 ⇒ Monochomaticity
υ
𝐿

Michelson’s interferometer arrangement Q: Find ∆λ for (i) cadmium red line (λ = 6438 Å) and L ~ 30 cm 0.01 Å
(ii) Sodium Yellow line (λ = 5893 Å) and L ~ 3 cm 0.1 Å
Dept. of Physics NIT Warangal PH1161: Engineering Physics
 Spatial Coherence
A definite relation between the phase of the wave at a given point and at a certain distance away
C A𝐵 ≪ 𝐿 Definite phase relationship A𝐵 ≫ 𝐿 c NO definite phase relationship
➔ Interference √ ➔ NO Interference
S
A B
Spatial coherence vs the size of the source
λ
Dark fringe at O due to S’ if 𝐾𝑆2 =
2
(𝑙 + 𝑑ൗ2)𝑑
𝐾𝑆2 = θ𝑑 =
𝑎
𝑙 λ
𝑙𝑑 𝛼≈ Lateral spatial coherence width 𝑙𝑤 =
𝐾𝑆2 = If 𝑙 ≫ 𝑑Τ2 𝑎 𝛼
𝑎
λ𝑎 Task: Find 𝑙𝑤 for sunlight:
Interference pattern would disappear if 𝑙 ≅ 𝑙𝑤 = 0.005 cm
2𝑑
λ𝑎 𝛼 ≈ 32’ ≈ 0.01 rad. (take λ = 5000 Å)
Bright fringes if 𝑙 ≪
𝑑
Dept. of Physics NIT Warangal PH1161: Engineering Physics
 Coherent sources and Production of coherent light
Do we have perfect coherent sources?

Sunlight: Partially coherent LASER: Coherent

Dept. of Physics NIT Warangal PH1161: Engineering Physics

 Types of Interference
Interference by division of wavefront Interference by division of amplitude

Beam splitter

Examples Examples
Young’s double slit Newtons rings
Fresnel biprism Michelson’s interferometer
Lloyd’s mirror Fabry-Perot interferometer
Dept. of Physics NIT Warangal PH1161: Engineering Physics
 Young’s Double Slit interference Experiment
Interference by division of wavefront

Interference pattern

Dept. of Physics NIT Warangal PH1161: Engineering Physics

 Young’s Double Slit interference Experiment
Locating the fringes Interference by division of wavefront

Bright fringes:
∆𝐿 = 𝑚λ, 𝑚 = 0, 1, 2, …
(waves are in phase)
⇒ 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑚λ

Dark fringes:
1
∆𝐿 = 𝑚 + λ, 𝑚 = 0, 1, 2, …
2
(waves are out of phase)
Path length difference ∆𝐿 1
⇒ 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑚 + λ
2
∆𝐿 = 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝐷≫𝑑

Q: Find ∆𝐿 and phase difference (in λ) for 1st, 2nd, 3rd Maximum and minimum.
2π
𝜑= ∆𝐿 𝜑 = π i.e., λ/2
λ
Dept. of Physics NIT Warangal PH1161: Engineering Physics
 Young’s Double Slit interference Experiment
Separation of fringes
Bright fringes: 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑚λ
𝑚 = 0, 1, 2, …
𝐷≫𝑑 1
Dark fringes: 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑚 + λ
2

Nearest maximum to the center

𝑦 𝑚λ 𝑚λ𝐷
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 ≈ θ ≈ 𝑚 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 ≈ θ ≈ ⇒ 𝑦𝑚 =
𝐷 𝑑 𝑑
(𝑚+1)λ𝐷
Next maximum 𝑦𝑚+1 =
𝑑
∆𝐿 = 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 λ𝐷
∆𝑦 = 𝑦𝑚+1 − 𝑦𝑚 =
𝑑
Separation of fringes is independent of m as long as d and θ are small
➔ Fringes are evenly spaced

Problem: Find the distance between adjacent maxima near the center of interference pattern?
If λ = 546 nm, D = 55 cm, d = 0.12 mm, Assume θ is small (sin θ ≈ tan θ ≈ θ)
Ans: 2.5 mm
Dept. of Physics NIT Warangal PH1161: Engineering Physics