by

Naren
Department of Physics
K L University



Lecture 5
Interference in thin films
Colours of thin films
When a thin film is exposed to white light such as sun light,
beautiful colours appear in the reflected light.
Ex: soap bubble and thin oil film

Soap Bubble:
Let us assume thickness of thin film t is constant
2 t cos r , and r are the variables.

White light has varying , also varies with .
Curved Nature of soap bubble angle of incidence varies for
different colours angle of refraction varies

2 t cos r =(n+1/2) --> varies with and r
satisfies the condition Constructive
Interference particular
Thin Film:
Angle of Incidence (i) and angle of refraction (r) will
remain constant.

But for different values varies and also the
thickness of the film t may not be constant.

No dark band is seen because if a particular point satisfies
condition for destructive interference for a particular
wavelength, the same point may satisfy condition for
constructive interference for different wavelength and hence
throughout the film we see multicolours.

Film is illuminated with monochromatic light?

Phasor Addition of Waves
t E E e sin
0 1
=
( ) | e + = t E E sin
0 2
E
|
.
|

\
|
= =
2
cos 2 cos 2
0 0
|
|
u
E E E
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
2
sin
2
cos 2
2
sin
0
|
e
|
|
e
u
t E
t E E
E

2 / | | =
Three-Slit Interference Pattern
t E E e sin
0 1
=
( ) | e + = t E E sin
0 2
( ) | e 2 sin
0 3
+ = t E E
|
Phasors for Several Waves
The resultant phasor, E
R
,
is the vector sum of the
individual phasors.

The phase angle is the
phase angle between E
R

and the first phasor.
( ) | e + = t E E
R
sin
E
|