Young’s Double Slits Experiment (Fringe separation)

 Young used a single light source. When the same wavefront from the
single slit reaches the double slits, S1 and S2 form 2 coherent
sources.
 Since the wavelength of light is very short, the separation of the slits
must be small to make the path difference small and comparable to
the wavelength.
 If the slit is narrow enough, diffraction causes the emerging beams
to spread into the region beyond the slits.
a

Ray box
Single slit Double slit
Colour filter Translucent
screen

Bright
S1 fringes
S
S2

Bright
S S1 fringes
S2

 Depends on the path difference, the waves may reinforce or cancel

each other.
 For constructive interference:
  m where m is any integer  bright fringe is seen.
 For destructive interference:
 1
   m   where m is any integer  dark fringe is seen.
 2
 Alternate bright and dark fringes are thus observed on the screen.

Young’s double slit experiment (fringe separation) Page 1

 Besides using light bulb, this experiment can be modified by using
laser.
Screen

Danger

Laser D

Double slit

 Laser can produce a very intense and parallel beam of monochromatic

light. (monochromatic: with only one colour/with only one wavelength)
 The double slit is placed with the slits horizontal so that the
interference fringes are spread out vertically  to prevent the
intense laser beam from entering the eye accidentally.
 Slit separation = a,
distance between the screen and the double slit = D,
separation between two adjacent bright (or dark) fringes
= s = y in the textbook
(we can measure a by using a traveling microscope)
 S1 and S2 are in phase. (parallel beam of laser is incident normally on
the double slit)
 D >> a. (S1X, MX and S2X are all nearly parallel)

S1  ym
S1

a a M  O
 T  T
 S2
S2
D

 Path difference of rays at X = S 2 X  S1 X  S 2T  a sin 

 For constructive interference (bright fringe is formed):
a sin   m where m is any integer (start from zero)
 For destructive interference (dark fringe is formed):
 1
a sin    m   where m is any integer (start from zero)
 2

Young’s double slit experiment (fringe separation) Page 2

 mth bright fringe from the central line:
Da sin  Dm
y m  D tan   D sin   
a a
(tan   sin  when  is very very small which is correct for double
slits experiment)

(Extra: tan   sin    when  is very very small and  is measured in

terms of radian)

 Separation between 2 adjacent bright fringe:

D D  D
s  y m1  y m  m  1 m 
a a a
 During the superposition of waves, energy is re-distributed.
 For monochromatic light, dark and bright line of approximately equal
width are observed.
 For ordinary white light, the edge of the fringe will be coloured.

Young’s double slit experiment (fringe separation) Page 3