Chapter 32 Lecture In this lecture you’ll learn

• How interference occurs with lightg

waves
• To describe double-slit
interference q quantitatively
antitati el
– To extend the description to
multiple
p slits and diffraction
gratings
Interference and Diffraction • To describe how interferometry is
usedd ffor precise
i measurements t off
distance and other quantities
• To explain diffraction and the
fundamental limitations it puts on
our ability to form perfect optical
images

Slide 32-1 Slide 32-2

Destructive and Constructive Interference Wave Interference

• Destructive interference occurs when two interfering
g waves • Interference from two closely spaced
are 180 out of phase. sources results in patterns of alternating
– Then crests meet troughs and the waves cancel. high- and low-amplitude oscillations.
• Constructive interference occurs when two interfering
waves are in phase. Constructive:
– Then the waves reinforce.
reinforce rA

rB
m: integer
g

rA Destructive:
est uct e

rB

Slide 32-3 Slide 32-4

 Double-Slit Interference Conditions for Bright and Dark Fringes
• Light
g interference requires
q two sources • Assumingg L>>d,, the p path difference,,  is
that are monochromatic and coherent. given by  = |r2 – r1|= d sin 
• A convenient way to produce the two • Conditions for constructive interference:
sources is
i tto pass lilight
ht ffrom a single
i l d sin  bright  m
source through two narrow slits.
− m = 0, 1, 2, ... is called order number
• Interference pproduces a p pattern of light
g
• Conditions for destructive interference:
and dark interference fringes.  1
d sin dark   m   
 2
• Assuming d >> , tan  = y/L  sin  (small
angle approximation). The vertical positions
of the fringes are given by:
L  1  L
ybright  m ydark   m  
d  2 d
− Spacing
S i b between
t adjacent
dj tbbright
i ht ((or
dark) fringes: y   L d
Slide 32-5 Slide 32-6

Clicker Question Clicker Question

A laboratory experiment produces a double-slit interference A laboratory experiment produces a double-slit interference
pattern on a screen using red light. If green light is used, with pattern on a screen. If the slits are moved closer together, with
everything else the same, the fringes will be everything else the same, the fringes will be

A. Closer together. A. Closer together.

B. In the same positions. B. In the same positions.
C. Farther apart. C. Farther apart.
D. There will be no fringes because the conditions for D. There will be no fringes because the conditions for
interference won’t
won t be satisfied
satisfied. interference won’t
won t be satisfied
satisfied.

Slide 32-7 Slide 32-8

 Clicker Question Clicker Question

Consider the setup of a double slit experiment. Find the phase

Suppose a Young’s experiment is carried out in air, and then, angle and path difference for the third minimum.
in a second e
experiment,
periment the apparat
apparatus
s is immersed in water.
ater
In what way does the distance between bright fringes
change?

1. They move further apart.

2. They move closer together.
3. There is no change. A.
A   3 and
d   3 2
B.   4 and   2
C
C.   5 and   5 2
D.   6 and   3
Slide 32-9 Slide 32-10

Multiple-Slit Interference Diffraction Grating

• With three or more slits,, the condition • A diffraction g
grating
g consists of a large
g number of equally
q y
for constructive interference remains spaced narrow slits or lines.
the same as with two slits, namely
• A transmission grating has slits, while a reflection grating has
i  bright  m
d sin lines that reflect light.
– As the number of slits • The resolution of the grating is its ability to distinguish nearby
increases the intensity maxima
increases, wavelengths:
l th 
 mN
become higher and narrower. 
– The intervening g regions
g consist
of minima interspersed with
secondary maxima
– With a very large number of
slits, the interference pattern
becomes a set of very bright,
narrow lines at the primary
maxima
Slide 32-11 Slide 32-12
 Spectrometer and Spectroscopy Clicker Question
• A spectrometer
p uses diffraction g
grating
g to separate
p light
g into its
constituent wavelengths. White light passes through a diffraction grating and forms
• The wavelength can be determined to high accuracy by rainbow patterns on a screen behind the grating. For
measuring the angle at which the light is diffracted. eachh rainbow,
i b

• Atoms and molecules can be identified when they are in a thin

gas through
th h th
their
i characteristic
h t i ti emission
i i lilines.
1. the red side is on the right, the violet side on the left.
2. the red side is on the left, the violet side on the right.
3 the red side is closest to the center of the screen
3. screen, the
violet side is farthest from the center.
4. the red side is farthest from the center of the screen,
the violet side is closest to the center.

Slide 32-13 Slide 32-14

Clicker Question Interference in Thin Films

• Reflection at both surfaces of a thin
What is the highest order maximum that can be obtained with film results in interfering light rays
a diffraction grating that has 600 lines per mm for light of a that produce wavelength
wavelength-
wavelength of 450 nm? dependent interference patterns.
• The interference is caused by:
– phase difference of reflected
a) 2 waves due to path length
b) 3 differences
diff
c) 4 – Possible phase reversals on
d) 5 reflection
• Examples include the colors seen
in soap films, oil slicks, and similar
thin layers.
Slide 32-15 Slide 32-16
 Phase Change Due to Reflection Interference in Thin Films: Case I
• Assuming g the incident light
g is nearly
y 180° phase No p
phase
perpendicular to the film surface, change change
the path length difference is 
approximately 2t 2t. Ai
Air
• There is a 180 phase difference
((half of a wavelength)g ) due to the  Film t
first reflection. n 
n
• Caution: The wavelength in the film
Air
is different than in air: n = /n.
/n
• Destructive interference occurs when the path difference is
an integral number of wavelengths:
2t  m n  m  n  2 nt  m , m  0,1,2 
“Low to high, g is .”
g , change • Constructive interference occurs when the path difference is
a half-integral number of wavelengths:
2t   m  1 2  n   m  1 2   n  2nt   m  1 2  
Slide 32-17 Slide 32-18

Interference in Thin Films: Case II Clicker Question

180° phase
• B
Both
th rays experience
i a 180 change 180°
phase shift on reflection, so the Air phase
A thin layer of oil (n = 1.25) is floating on water (n =
total phase difference is due to the nAir = 1.00 change
1 33) What is the minimum thickness of the oil film in
1.33).
path difference of the two rays
MgF2 the region that reflects green light (λ = 530 nm)?
only. t
n= 1.38
• C
Conditions
diti ffor constructive
t ti and d
destructive interference are 1. 212 nm
reversed from Case I. glass, ng =1.50
2
2. 313 nm
• Constructive interference occurs when the path difference is 3. 404 nm
an integral number of wavelengths: 4. 500 nm
2t  mn  m  n  2nt  m , m  0,1,2 
• Destructive interference occurs when the path difference is a
h lf i t
half-integral
l number
b off wavelengths:
l th
2t   m  1 2  n   m  1 2   n  2nt   m  1 2  
Slide 32-19 Slide 32-20
 Clicker Question Clicker Question

A silicon monoxide thin film (n = 1.45) of thickness 100 nm

is applied to a camera lens made of glass (n = 1.58). This A soap bubble (n = 1.35) is floating in air. If the thickness
will
ill result
lt iin a d
destructive
t ti iinterference
t f ffor reflected
fl t d lilight
ht off of the bubble wall is 300 nm, which of the following
what wavelength? wavelengths of visible light is strongly reflected?

1. 720 nm 1. 620 nm (red)

2
2. 640 nm 2
2. 580 nm (yellow)
3. 580 nm 3. 540 nm (green)
4
4. 435 nm 4
4. 500 nm (blue)

Slide 32-21 Slide 32-22

Clicker Question Clicker Question

Given  = 0.5 m and t = 1.6 m, determine the total number of
dark fringes.
A monochromatic light shines on a
pair of glass microscope slides that
form a very narrow wedge of air.
The light waves reflected from the
top and the bottom slides interfere. t
A.
What is the interference pattern
from top view?
B.
A. Ndark = 5
B. Ndark = 6
edge C
C. Ndark = 7
D. Ndark = 8
Slide 32-23 Slide 32-24
 Michelson Interferometer Detection of Gravitational Waves by LIGO
• The Michelson interferometer uses interference to make very y
precise measurements of distance, wavelength, and other • Th
The LIGO interferometer
i t f t
quantities. consists of two beam lines of 4
km length
g and is capable
p of
– The instrument was developed by
detecting a length change as
Michelson in the 1880s.
small as 10-19 m in one of its
– The design is still in widespread legs
use for precision measurements in
• On February 11, 2016, the
science and technology.
LIGO team announced the
– The interferometer splits a beam of detection of gravitational
light, sends it traveling on two waves, which were produced
perpendicular paths, and when two black holes spiralled
recombines the beams to produce towards each other and
an interference pattern. merged 1.3 billion years ago
– Details of the pattern depend on
the difference in travel lengths for
light along the two paths. Slide 32-25 Slide 32-26

Single-Slit Diffraction Diffraction Minima

• Divide the slit in half
• E
Each h point
i t within
ithi a slit
lit acts
t like
lik a – The path difference between
source of circular waves. wavelets 1 and 3 is (a/2)sin
• These waves interfere to produce a – Each point can be paired with
diffraction pattern consisting of a another point distance a/2 away.
broad, intense central band, – If the path difference is exactly half
flanked by a series narrower and a wavelength,
l th th
the wavelets
l t willill
weaker secondary bands. interfere destructively:
• As the slit width decreases,, the a 2sin  dark    2  sin  dark    a
central maximum widens.
• Additional minima can be found by
• The intensity as a function of angle dividing the slits into 4, 6, equal parts
i given
is i b
by: etc.
2
• In general, diffraction minima are
 sin(( / 2))  2 given by
S  S0   ,  a sin 
  /2   sin  dark  m  a m  1,  2,  3
Slide 32-27 • The bright fringes are roughly half way in between Slide 32-28
Clicker Question Revisiting Double-Slit Interference

Consider a single slit diffraction experiment. What is the

phase angle difference  between the two end rays at the
r1
position of the first intensity minimum?
y
a
S1 r2

1.  = /2
2. = d
P

3.  = 3/2
S2
4.  = 2
5.  = 5/2
L

Slide 32-29 Slide 32-30

Clicker Question The Diffraction Limit – Rayleigh Criterion

As can be seen in the figure below
below, one of the double
double-slit
slit • Diff
Diffraction
ti means th the images
i off
interference minima coincides with the first single-slit diffraction small objects are no smaller
minimum. Determine the ratio of the slit separation d to the slit than the size of the central
width
idth a, d/a.
d/ maximum in the diffraction
pattern.
• R
Rayleigh’s
l i h’ C
Criterion:
it i T
Two objects
bj t
1. d/a = 5/2 become indistinguishable when
2. d/a = 3 their central maxima overlap.
p
3. d/a = 7/2
• For a single slit, the diffraction
4. d/a = 4 limit or the limiting angle of
5. d/ = 9/2
d/a resolution is min = /a.
• For a circular aperture of
D min = 1.22
diameter D, 1 22/D.
/D

Slide 32-31 Slide 32-32

 Example: Resolution of the Eye Clicker Question
Assuming g light
g of wavelengthg of 500 nm,, near the center of the
visible spectrum, and pupil diameter of 2 mm, Estimate the
minimum separation distance d between two point sources that You’re a biologist trying to resolve details of structures within
the eye can distinguish if the point sources are a distance L = 25 a ce
cell. They
ey look
oo fuzzy
u ye even
e aat the
e highest
g es po
powere oof you
your
cm from the observer. microscope. Which of the following might help?

• The minimum limiting angle of resolution

for the eye due to diffraction is:
 5.00  10 7 m
 min  1.22  1.22 3
D 2  10
• The minimum separation the eye can resolve is:
A. Substituting an eyepiece with shorter focal length
B. Putting a red filter over the white light source used to
illuminate the microscope slide
 3  10 4 rad C. Putting a blue filter over the white light source used to
m
illuminate the microscope slide

i   25 cm  3  10
d  L min 4
rad  8  10 3 cm
Slide 32-33 Slide 32-34

Summary
• Interference is a wave phenomenon that becomes important
when waves interact with systems whose size is comparable
to the wavelength.
– Interference
I t f in
i two-slit
t lit and
d multiple-slit
lti l lit systems
t leads
l d tto
practical devices such as diffraction gratings and
spectrometers.
p
– Interference in thin films produces wavelength-dependent
interference patterns and provides precise measurement
of the shapes of lenses and other optical devices.
devices
• Diffraction is the bending of waves as they interact with
objects.
j
– Diffraction is significant when the object size is
comparable to the wavelength.
– The diffraction limit places a fundamental limit on
resolution of any optical instruments.
Slide 32-35