Interference: Newton's Rings

Introduction
Objective
To study the formation of the interference pattern known as Newton's Rings
and to
deduce the wavelength of the monochromatic light producing them.

References
Halliday, Resnick, and Walker, Chapt 36.7, and problems 36: 68-71;
Geometrical and Physical Optics by Longhurst, Fundamentals of Optics by
Jenkins and
White or Optics by Hecht and Zajac.

Equipment

Newtons Ring apparatus, containing:

o sodium lamp
o plano-convex lens
o glass plate
o focusing lens
microscope with micrometer
power supply and cord

Description

The phenomenon of Newton's rings, named after Isaac Newton, is an

interference pattern caused by the reflection of light between two surfaces: a
spherical surface and an adjacent flat surface. When viewed with
monochromatic light, it appears as a series of concentric, alternating bright
and dark rings centered at the point of contact between the two surfaces.
Using this device, observation of equal thickness interference and
determination of the radius of curvature of a lens surface can be performed.
As light strikes the boundary between two surfaces a portion of the light will
be transmitted and a portion will be reflected. How much is transmitted and
how much is reflected depends upon the characteristics of the two media. In
addition, there may be phase changes introduced at the boundary which
together with the geometry of the film, will affect whether constructive or
destructive interference occurs when the waves rejoin. If light is traveling
from medium one with an index of refraction of n into medium two with index
of n and n >n then there is a phase shift of on the reflected wave.
1

If the convex side of a plano-convex lens of long focal length is placed on a

flat glass plate, a thin air film of varying thickness is obtained (see figure 1).

The film is symmetrical about the point of contact. If the system is suitably
illuminated from above and the reflected light is observed, a set of
interference fringes is seen. The fringes are in the form of concentric circles
and are known as Newton's Rings. They result from the interference of light
that is reflected from the top and the bottom of the air film.

Figure 1: Newton's ring geometry

A relationship can be derived between the radius r of the rings, the
wavelength of the light and the radius of curvature R of the convex surface
of the lens. If t is the thickness of the air film at a distance r from the point of
contact, then
R2 r 2 (R t)2
R 2 r 2 R 2 2 Rt t 2
2 Rt t 2 r 2
t (2 R t ) r 2
t

Eq. 1

r2
2R t

Since usually R >> t, Eq. 1 may be rewritten as

t

r2
2R

Eq. 2

Recall that there is a phase change of on reflection at the lower surface,

hence the
condition for destructive interference is
2t = m,

m = 0,1,2

Eq. 3

On combining Eqs. 2 and 3 it is readily seen that m=r2/R, so that the

diameter D of the
dark rings is given by
D 2r 2 mR
Eq. 4
Eq. 4 predicts that the center of the pattern (m = 0) is a dark spot, in
agreement with the
experimental observation. This provides confirmation of the existence of the
phase
change of on reflection at a denser medium. A plot of r2 against the ring
number m will
yield a straight line of slope R so that if the curvature of the convex surface
is known,
the wavelength may be determined.

In practice, it will be difficult to position the plano-convex lens so that it

touches the
glass at exactly one point. This has the effect of changing the effective
thickness by a
constant t0, which will be positive if there is empty space between the glass
plate and the
lens, or negative if the lens is pressed too tightly against the plate.
Consequently Eq. 4
becomes
D 2 4Rm 8t o R

Eq.5
The slope of a plot of D can still be used to calculate .
2

Figure 2: Interpretation of t0, the extra distance between the lens and the
plate

Setup
1.

Check that the sodium lamp is plugged into the power supply and
that the power supply is plugged into an outlet. Turn on the power
supply, and let the sodium lamp warm up for 5-10 minutes.

Figure 3: The apparatus for the measurement of Newton's rings. ("Drum" is

the
micrometer control knob.) Picture from LEOK-30 Newtons Ring Apparatus
Users
Manual, by Lambda Scientific Systems.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

While the lamp is warming up, check that the microscope is set up as
shown in Figure 3, and that the screw holding it in place is tightened. The
silver knob at the top is the micrometer control you will be using to
measure Newtons rings.
Orient the lens at a 45 angle as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Tighten the
knobs on either side of the lens to hold it in place.
Once the lamp begins to give off light, look through the microscope and
find the interference pattern. Adjust the three screws holding the planoconvex lens in place to shift the position of the pattern so that it is
approximately centered in the field of view. Do not overtighten the screws.
Adjust the eyepiece of the microscope until the hairline and the numbered
lines are clear.
If necessary, adjust the focusing knob of the microscope to bring the
rings into the best possible focus.

Figure 4: Path of the light through the apparatus

Procedure
7.

Turn the micrometer control knob to move the measurement line

out beyond the left edge of the 10th ring (not counting the central
dark spot, if you see one). After this, only turn the knob such that the line
moves to the right.1

8.

While rotating the knob so that the measurement line moves to the
right, scan across the 10 innermost rings and record the position of
the left and right edge of each one. Here is a detailed procedure for
doing so:
a. Create a table in an Excel spreadsheet with columns for ring
number, left edge position, right edge position, and diameter.
b. Rotate the knob until the measurement line is centered on the
left edge of the 10th ring.
c. In your spreadsheet, record the position of the measurement
line to the nearest 0.01 mm or better. To do so, use the
numbered lines you can see in the microscope, which
represent distance in millimeters, and the markings on the
micrometer control knob, which correspond to hundredths of a
millimeter. The micrometer is calibrated such that the
measurement line falls on a numbered line when the control
knob reads 0.

________________________________________

You could start at the right; in that case, exchange left and right throughout steps 7 and
8. The
important thing is to only turn the micrometer control knob in one direction while you are
measuring.
1

d. Rotate the knob until the measurement line is centered on the

left edge of the 9th ring.
e. Record the position of the measurement line in table 1.
f. Continue and record the position of the left edge of smaller
rings in the same
way.
g. Skip over the central dark spot, if you see one.
h. After skipping over the central spot, continue recording the
position of the right edge of each of the 10 innermost rings
(not counting the central spot). You should have 20
measurements in total.

Analysis
9.

10.

11.

Copy the data from your Excel spreadsheet into the template.
Create a plot of diameter squared versus ring number and copy it
into the template.
Record the slope of your graph, with appropriate units, in the
location shown on the template. Using that value along with the

12.

radius of curvature of the planoconvex lens, which is 868.5 mm,

calculate the wavelength of the sodium lamp. Show your work in the
space provided.
Look up the actual wavelength of the sodium D line and calculate
the percent error of the value you determined.

Questions
For these questions, assume the lens and plate are just touching (t0 = 0).
13.
Suppose that the space between the plano-convex lens and the
glass plate is filled
with a material which has a refractive index nlow, greater than that of
air, but less
than that of glass. (Both the lens and the plate are made of glass.)
a. Derive a formula analogous to Eq. 5 that shows the
relationship between
D2 and m for this situation. Show your work in the space
provided on the template.
b. Suppose the material is water, which has a refractive index of
1.33. What would be the diameter of the 10th ring in this case?
Determine your answer by plugging the appropriate numbers
into the formula you found in part a.
14.
Now suppose that the space between the lens and the plate was
instead filled with a material which has a refractive index nhigh,
greater than that of glass.
a. Derive a formula analogous to Eq. 5 that shows the
relationship between D2 and m for this situation. (Or explain
how your derivation from 13(a) would be different.)
b. Would the central spot be bright or dark? Explain your
reasoning.
c. Suppose the material is diamond, which has a refractive index
of 2.4. What would be the diameter of the 10th ring in this
case? Does the pattern expand or contract?
15.
If the light used to view the rings were transmitted from behind the
glass plate, instead of being reflected off it, would the central spot
be bright or dark?