2 Interference 2.1, INTERFERENCE When two waves of the same frequency travel approximately in the same or irregular shape. These are call Interference are of two types terference produced by the di of amplitude. incident wavefront is divided into two parts by making use of the phenomenon of reflection, refraction or diffraction. The two parts of the waveftont travel unequal distances a For example, Young's doi it experiment, and Fresnel’s bi In the second ease the amp! either by parallel reflection or ret reinforce after travelling different distances and produce For example. Newton's rings and Mich interferometer. ference by Division of Wavefront (Young's Experiment). Thomas 1801, demonstrated the phenomenon of interference of light. His shown in Fig, 2.1. He allowed the sunlight to fall on a pinhole S2.2 A TEXT BOOK OF ENGINEERING PHYSICS and sunlight by monechromatic instead of spherical a ofone falls over the troug] amplitudes due to each wa oe interference wf ak a crest duo to one falls on a trough due to other, the ressliont wench difference of the amplitudes due to separate waves and the rexcitant ieeante ‘minimum. At these pointe destructive Interference wil take phen In Fig. 2.1 the arcs indicate the crests while the dotted ares indicate the 1¢8 are the loci of the points of maximum intensity and are called. the loci of the points of minimum intensity ion of the ind dark fi L tines’. The inter Drespectively gives the position of bri @) and dark (D) fringes appesr alternately on the sere alternate bright and dark fringes are called interference 2.2, COHERENT SOURCES Two sources are said to be coherent if th ‘same frequency or wavelength, nearly the eara Phase difference that remains constant with time. In actual practice it is not possible to have two independent sources which are coherent. But for experimental purposes, two virtual sources formed from a single source can act as coherent sources. Production of Coherent Sources. Iftwo sources are derived from a single source by some device, then any phase-change in one is simultaneously accompanied. by the same phase-change in the other. Thus the phase difference between the two 5 mains constant. The devices for cresting coherent sources of ight are as it continuous light waves of the tude and having sharply defined two narrow slits S; and Sz receive light ind S2 act as coherent sources, as shown Llyod's mirror. In this device, a slit S and its virtual image S’ formed by at a mirror are the coherent 's, as shown in Fig. 2.3. Fresnel’s double mirror. In this device two virt le slit S, formed by reflection at two plane mirrors jle t6 each other, are the coherent sources (Fig. “[Link] is defined asthe locus of such points which are in the same state of vibration Ge, in the same phase, INTERFERENCE, 28 yf Fig. 22. ) iv) Fresnel’s biprim, In this device, Sy and Sz, which are the images of slit $ formed by refraction through a biprism, act as coherent sources, as shown Fi helson’s interferometer, In this device, a single beamis broken into two jendicular to ench other, one by reflection and the other by refraction. produce interference fringes. Here these two beams,24 TEXT BOOK OF ENGINEERING PHYSICS Fig. 26. 2.3, PHASE DIFFERENCE AND PATH DIFFERENCE The difference between optical path of difference is given as : Path difference = SP —S,P Suppose for a path difference x, the phase difference For a path difference 2, the phase difference = 2r. Fig. 20, _ Fer path diference the phase aifirenc = 282 Phase diferonce 8 = 28 « 2 (path dtfrence) 2.4. RESULTANT INTENSITY DUE TO SUPERPOSITION OF TWO INTERFERING WAVES Let us consider a monochromatic source of light $ emitting waves of wavelength A and let S; and Sp are two similar parallel slits very close together and equidistant from S (Fig. 2.7]. Let a and ay be the amplitudes at P due to the waves from S and Sy respectively. The waves, reunite at point P after traversing different path SyP and S2P. Let the phase difference between two waves is 8, 6 = 25 (s,P_s,P) Ify, and yp are the di yea 3 Lan ain (ot +8) where Fis the common frequency of two waves. INTERFERENCE, 25 nol Fig. 2.7, By using the principle of superposition of waves, the resultant displacement is equal to the eum of the individual displacements of the two waves. Honce the resultant displacement is N = t+ a2 sin (at + 8) fof + ag sin wf cos 8 + a2 cosa¢ sin S = sin @ (a; + a2 cos 8) + cos as (az sin 8) Let ay + az cos 5=R cos. 8 @ sin 8 = ein 0 where R and © are new constants. This gives Hence the resultant displacement at P is simple harmonic and of amplitude R, Squaring and adding eqn. (@) and eqn, (ii), we get RP cost 0 + R? sin? 9 = (a, + az cos 8)? + (cq sin B® + ag? + 2ayaz cos 8 ‘The resultant intensity I at P, which is proportional to the square of the resultant amplitude, is given by T=R? taking the constant of proportionality as 1, for simplicity. ‘Thus Tn ay? + ax? + 2ayaz 008 8 ) where 5-25 (s,P-s,P) ence the reultant tent snot ust the sum of the intenstie due to the separate waves (a;? + a7). capes aente tie cnntade ot tw Iter waves ee sam then Tabac + Sat one 8 2a? + os 8a 202 Bet26 ATTEXT BOOK OF ENGINEERING PHYSICS 8 = 4a? cos? Tm 4a’ $ there is no violation of the law of conservation of energy in the phenomenon of interference. Conditions for Maxima and Minima : een I ana 8. ‘The intensity J is maximum when cos 5 = + 1, that is, when Oe, ome hao ditforence 8 = Inn nO; 1, Sram ote or path difference (SgP — SyP) = nd a wart on? + 20,09» (0, +09) tr fanage (ar + ag? 8) (aj2_Thgmerimum intensity is greater than the sum of two soparate intensities (ay? + 22%). It 41 =, = 4, then [Ina = 4a? ‘he Sntnsty Fe minimum when co 8 = =4, that thoes dltrence 8= Gee De nag oF path dierence (SP —8;P) = (an 35 2 Tnin = 12 + 022 ~ ayarg = (a; ~ a)? Trin = (ay ~ a)? ‘The minimum intensity is feee than the sum of the two separate intensities (ex? + 02%). It a, = a2, then rT) (6) variation in the intensity of light being alternately maximum and minimum. This ie ealled the interference pattern Average Intensity. The average intensity is the average ofthe the maximum nd mainimum intensities. It is given by £ oop [xs (ax? + a? + 2403 con 8) 26 fe fe [a125 + 095 + 2ayaz sin 813" _ nfo? + a94l (is" an marae | AD Fd aysagha Tay = 2a?oem ay The groh pole cu with ight ed loves yi Sotation. Given : hepa ng Prepay se eet tat oven sina incl aera tic Semen wn te mo 23mm n= Am phate dirs 6 = 2= a. Tho intensity varies from 0 to 4a? and the average is 2a? ++ Amplitude of the resultant wave 7 RaVay?+ al + Qayay cos b mple 2.1, Two coherent sources of intensity ratio a interfere. Prove that erference pattern, = V8 + 4 + 20364) oon ( Feet NE here symbole have ther usual meaning = VOFTG = V5 = 5 mm Tmar *Inin T+ a 2.5. FRINGE WIDTH Solution. As the resultant intensity at a point due to two waves of amplitude ‘Ooestdiv's mercer oc nati source 5 and two parall ww site $3, ay and a, is given by: and Sq very close together and equidistant from S. Let d be the separation between Tm ay? + 032+ Dayoy cos 8 two slits S; and 52, Let D be the distance of screen from coherent sources and Imar = (a3 + 43)2, Inia = (a4 = 09). att Given that a “at - Eg ‘where fy and Iz are the intensities of two sources of respective amplitudes a, and ag, Inas=Tmin (ay + a9)? = (ay ~ ap)? Tas + Imin (ey + a)? + 41a Baap LN F | eeTioreen 4? + 2ag® "Gy? + ag? ; : 4 a ae Example 2.2. Two coherent sources whote intensity ratio is 81 : 1 produce interference fringes. Deduce the ratio of maximum to minimum intensity of the fringe Fig. 29. aystem, ang point O on the screen is equidistant from S; and S2. Therefore, the path Sofution. Given that ‘ifference between the two waves ia zero. Thus, the point O has maximums inceity, 7 Gonsider a point P at a distance x from O. The waves rach at the point i gt from Srmatieg = Pe nc ‘The waves réach at the point P 1 Pa aa Himes eax pened a" hm it a1 = 909 (sors) = [pts (:+4F]-[pe+(« -4}] a fee tae gaa aaa » (Geman : Tax Tmin = 25216 Ans. Example 22. Tivo waves of amplitudes 8 mm and 4 mm respectively travel Sposa Bt inthe sama medium and inthe sae ireton. Ihe pheocelfrene hor Ba, i ‘am x a od But ‘S2P = S\P = D (approximately) waver ata point in ther path s whet wil be the resultant amplitude a tht pane eee 4 Path diternce = SP 5yP = Bs 2 Phat dtrnes «25 (22) 00