YDSE with slab &

Intensity Variation Wave Optics:

Lecture - 5
Jayant Nagda
Physics Educator

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B.Tech, IIT Bombay

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 Young’s Double Slit Experiment

S1 y For nth maxima Δx = nλ

θ
d

S2 n = 0, ± 1, ± 2…...

D For nth minima Δx = (n - ½)λ

n = 1, 2, 3…...
Young’s Double Slit Experiment
For nth maxima
Screen

3 Bright

2 Bright n = 0, ± 1, ± 2…...
1 Bright
y1 : distance of first bright
fringe from centre O
1 Bright
y2 : distance of second bright
2 Bright
fringe from centre O
3 Bright
y7 : distance of seventh bright
fringe from centre O
Young’s Double Slit Experiment
For nth minima
Screen
4 Dark

3 Dark

2 Dark n = 1, 2, 3…...

1 Dark

1 Dark y1 : distance of first dark

fringe from centre O
2 Dark

3 Dark y2 : distance of second dark

fringe from centre O
4 Dark
y7 : distance of seventh dark
fringe from centre O
Example Numerical Decimal Value Type Question [+4, -0]
In a YDSE arrangement distance between the slits d is 6mm,
distance of screen from source is D = 2m and wavelength of light
used is λ = 6000Å.

Find fringe width, position of 2nd minima, & position of 3rd

maxima.

Mention all answers in one single comment separated by

commas

Ans : 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.6 mm

Relation between 🛆Φ and 🛆x

Relation between phase difference (Φ) and path difference (Δx) is

Example:

Δx = λ/4 ⇒ Φ = ?

Δx = 5λ/6 ⇒ Φ = ?
Example MCQ type Question [ +4 , -1]

In YDSE if intensity of each source is I0.

The resultant intensity at a point on screen where
i. phase difference is π/3
ii. path difference is 3λ/4

A. 2I0, 3I0 B. 3I0, 0 C. 3I0, 2I0 D. 3I0, 4I0

Ans : 3 I0 , 2 I0
Intensity Variation in YDSE
If slits of equal sizes are used
then I1 = I2 = I0

By superposition principle, resultant intensity

Imax = 4 I0 Imin = 0

very bright spot dark spot

In general, at any other point:

Intensity Variation in YDSE

In general, at any other point

d sinθ
-3λ/2 -λ -λ/2 0 λ/2 λ 3λ/2 2λ 5λ/2

Φ
Intensity Variation in YDSE

In general, at any other point

I If slits of equal sizes are used

4I0

d sinθ
-3λ/2 -λ -λ/2 0 λ/2 λ 3λ/2 2λ 5λ/2

-3π -2π -π π 2π 3π 4π Φ
Intensity Variation in YDSE

Imax = (√I1 + √I2)2

Imin = (√I1 - √I2)2

π 2π 3π 4π

In interference, the intensity

in a maximum (√I1 + √I2)2 greater than (I1 + I2) by 2√(I1I2),
while in minimum (√I1 - √I2)2 less than (I1 + I2).
Intensity Variation in YDSE
Whatever energy disappears at the minimum, it actually
appears at the maximum.

Imax = (√I1 + √I2)2

Imin = (√I1 - √I2)2

π 2π 3π 4π

So in interference, energy is neither created nor destroyed

but is redistributed i.e.
law of conservation of energy is valid in interference.
Order of Maxima on Screen
Δx = nλ ⇒ d sinθ = nλ

S1

θ
d

S2
Order of Maxima on Screen

Hence, the highest order of interference maxima,

While [ ] represents the greatest integer function

Similarly, the highest order of interference minima,

Example MCQ type Question [ +4 , -1]
The maximum number of possible interference maxima for slit-
separation equal to twice the wavelength in Young’s double-slit
experiment is
[AIEEE 2004]

A. three
B. five
C. infinite
D. zero
Optical Path It is the distance travelled by light in vacuum
taking the same time in which
it travels a given path length in medium.

d
d: geometrical path
μ travelled in medium (μ)

l: Optical path length

Optical Path Hence Optical Path Length l

l = μd

For all media, optical path length (l) is greater

than geometrical (actual) path length (d)
Path Difference due to a Slab

μ
Path Difference due to a Slab

Time taken in vacuum = t1 = t/c

t

μ Time taken in vacuum = t2 = t/c’ = μt/c

(t2 > t1)

During this time ray in vacuum travels by

Path Difference due to a Slab

t Path difference created by slab

μ Δx = (μ - 1) t

When two light waves arrive at a point

after travelling different distances in different media,
the phase difference between the two is related by
optical path difference instead of geometrical path difference.
Example Theoretical Ans type Question [ +4 , -1]
Rays starting in phase from sources S1 & S2 travel
through two different media as shown.
Find (a) Path difference (b) Phase difference
between them at P
μ=1
S1 P

S2 P
μ = 1.5

d = 5λ
YDSE with thin Slab If Slab is placed in front of S2
What happens to the Fringe pattern on the screen?

P Geometrical path difference at

S1 P?
y
θ

S2 μ Optical path difference at P?

t

D
YDSE with transparent film
Fringe pattern shifts in the direction which film is placed.
Optical path difference
P
S1 Δx = S2P - S1P
y
θ Δx = d sin θ + t(μ - 1)

μ For Maxima Δx =
S2
t
D
YDSE with transparent film

Fringe pattern shifts in the direction which film is placed.

P
S1
y
θ

μ
S2
t
D

N = (μ - 1)t / λ

Number of fringes displaced

Example Numerical Decimal Value Type Question [+4, -0]

λ = 5000 Å, μ = 1.5, t = 5 μm on lower slit.

D = 2m, d = 5 mm.
Find Fringe shift & No.of fringes shifted
Daily Practice Problems
Example In a YDSE experiment, I0 is given to be the intensity of the
central bright fringe & β is the fringe width. Then, at a
distance y from central bright fringe, the intensity will be

A.

B.

C.

D.

Ans : B
Example In a Young's double-slit interference experiment the fringe
pattern is observed on a screen placed at a distance D. The
slit are separated by d and are illuminated by light of
wavelength λ. The distance from the central point where the
intensity falls to half the maximum is

A. λD/3d B. λD/2d C. λD/d D. λD/4d

Ans : D
Example In Young's double slit experiment, one of the slit is wider than
other, so that amplitude of the light from one slit is double of
that from other slit. If Im be the maximum intensity, the resultant
intensity I when they interfere at phase difference Φ is given by
[2012]
A.

B.

C.

D.

Ans : D
Example In Young's double-slit experiment how many maxima can be
obtained on a screen (including the central maximum) on both
sides of the central fringe if λ = 2000 Å and d = 7000 Å

A. 12 B. 7 C. 18 D. 4

Ans : B
Example Two identical coherent sources placed on a diameter of a
circle of radius R at separation
x (<< R) symmetrically about the centre of the circle. The
sources emit identical wavelength λ each. The number of
points on the circle with maximum intensity is (x = 5λ)

A. 20 B. 22 x

C. 24 D. 26
S1 S2

Ans : A
Example An interference is observed due to two coherent sources ‘A’ & ‘B’
having zero phase difference separated by a distance 4λ along the
y-axis where λ is the wavelength of the source. A detector D is
moved on the positive x-axis. The number of points on the x-axis
excluding the points x = 0 & x = ∞ at which maximum will be
observed is.
y
A. three B. four

A
C. two D. infinite

D
B x

Ans : A
Example Two waves of light in air have the same wavelength and are initially
in phase. They then travel through plastic layers with thickness of L1
= 3.5 mm and L2 = 5.0 mm and indices of refraction n1 = 1.7 and n2 =
1.25 as shown in figure. The rays later arrive at a common point. The
longest wavelength of light for which constructive interference
occurs at the point is
L A. 0.6 μm B. 1.2 μm
1

C. 2.4 μm D. 0.3 μm
n1

n2

L2

Ans : B
Example A thin transparent sheet is placed in front of a Young's
double slit. The fringe-width will
A. increase
B. decrease
C. remain same
D. become non-uniform

Ans : C
Example Light of wavelength λ = 6000 Å, interfere through two sources
separated by d = 6 mm, on a screen kept at D = 2m,
If a slab of μ = 1.5 makes third maxima shifts to origin.

Find thickness of the slab.

Also Find position(s) of 4th maxima.

Ans : 3.6 μm , 0.2 mm & -1.4 mm

Example A Young's double slit interference arrangement with slits S1 and S2 is
immersed in water (refractive index = 4/3) as shown in the figure.
The positions of maximum on the surface of water are given by
x2 = p2m2λ2 – d2, where λ is the wavelength of light in air (refractive
index = 1), 2d is the separation between the slits and m is an
integer. The value of p is [JEE.Adv 2015]

S1
d x Air
d
S2 Water
Example In an interference arrangement similar to Young’s double slit experiment,
the slits S1 and S2 are illuminated with coherent microwave sources,
each of frequency 106 Hz. The sources are synchronized to have zero
phase difference. The slits are separated by a distance d = 150.0 m. The
intensity I(θ) is measured as a function of θ, where θ is defined as
shown. If I0 is the maximum intensity, then I(θ) for 0 ≤ θ ≤ 900 is given by
(1995)
A. I(θ) = I0/2 for θ = 300

B. I(θ) = I0/4 for θ = 900

S1
C. I(θ) = I0 for θ = 00
d/2
D. I(θ) is constant for all θ
values of θ. d/2
S2
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