Lecture 2, Module 6, engg Phys II, expt

Interference of light : Fresnel biprism

Objective:

To study the phenomenon of interference of light using a Fresnel biprism and to determine the
wavelength of the given light source.

Theory:

The Fresnel biprism experiment was one of the early experiments which demonstrated the
phenomenon of interference between two coherent light beams. A thin biprism is used to derive
two coherent sources (capable of interfering with each other) from a single monochromatic
source of light. Figure 1 (Fig 1 is fig 11.1.1 of engg phys I, module 11, lectutre1) shows how the
light from the slits sources S 1 and S2 are formed by the biprism. Interference fringes can be
observed in the region where the two beams overlap.

If D is the distance between the sources (or the single slit in the experiment) and the screen, and d
is the lateral separation between the two virtual sources, then the fringe width β is given by (ref to
lectureno. Modul,1 engg physics I, theory)

Dl
b= (1)
d

Where l is the wavelength of the monochromatic light used.

Procedure:

1. Mount the the slit, biprism, microscope eye-piece etc., on an optical bench with the help
of translation stages such that thy are almost at same height as shown in fig 2 (Fig 1 is fig
11.1.2 of engg phys I, module 11, lectutre1). The microscope eye-piece has a cross-wire
and vernier scale for the measurement of the fringe width.
2. Illuminate the slit with the given source (sodium lamp).
3. Align the slit and the vertex of the biprism such that they are coplanar. With these
adjustments, the interference fringes can be observed through the eyepiece. Eye
piece may be placed at a distance of appoximatly 75 cm from the biprism.
Measure the distance (D) between the slit and the eyepiece (see Fig).
4. Measure the slit width b with the help of verinier attached to the eye piece.
5. Insert biconvex lens between the biprism and the eyepiece without disturbing any
other components as shown in fig 3 (generate with the help of fig 2 above). The
image of the two virtual slits on the eyepiece can be observed. Measure the lateral
separation (d1) of the two images.
6. Move the lens to another position 2 as shown in fig 4 (generate with the help of
fig 2 above) and again capture the image of the slits on the eyepiece. Measure the
 separation between the images (d2) again. (simple geometrical optics tells that the
object and image distances can be interchanged in an imaging system).
7. From the measured values of d1 and d2 the separation between the silts can be
found by d = d1d 2
8. Estimate the wavelength of light using equation 1

convenience
9.
10.