19-Aug-12

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Lecture 5

NAREN
Department of Physics

Interference in thin films

K L University

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

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?

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

Phasor Addition of Waves

E

= /2

E1 = E0 sin t E2 = E0 sin (t + )
E = 2 E0 cos = 2 E0 cos 2

E = E sin t + 2 = 2 E0 cos sin t + 2 2

19-Aug-12

Three-Slit Interference Pattern

E1 = E0 sin t E 2 = E0 sin (t + )

Phasors for Several Waves

The resultant phasor, ER, is the vector sum of the individual phasors.
E

E3 = E 0 sin (t + 2 )

The phase angle is the phase angle between ER and the first phasor.

E = ER sin (t + )