CHAPTER

10 Wave Optics

Huygen's Wave Theory I = I1 + I2

™ Intensity ∝ width of slit ∝ (amplitude)2
™ Each point source of light is a center of disturbance from
which waves are emitted in all directions. The locus of all I1 W1 A12
⇒ = =
the particles of the medium oscillating in the same phase at a I 2 W2 A22
given instant is called a wavefront.
( )
2
2
I I1 + I 2  A1 + A2 
™ Each point on a wave front is a source of new disturbance, ⇒ max = =  
I min
( )  A1 − A2 
2
called secondary wavelets. These wavelets are spherical and I1 − I 2
travel with speed of light in that medium. nλD
™ Distance of nth bright fringe yn =
™ The forward envelope of the secondary wavelets at any instant d
gives the position of the new wavefront. Path difference = nl, where n = 0, 1, 2, 3, .....
™ In homogeneous medium, the wave front is always
perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.
P
Plane wavefront Spherical wavefront
A B S1

d

Primary S2 dsin
source

Secondary ( 2m − 1) λD
source ™ Distance of mth dark fringe ym =
2d
λ
Path difference = (2m – 1) where m = 1, 2, 3,.....
Secondary 2
B' wavelets λD
A' ™ Fringe width b =
d
Coherent Sources β λ
™ Angular fringe width q = =
Two sources are coherent if and only if they produce waves of D d
same frequency (and hence wavelength) and have a constant ™ If a transparent sheet of refractive index m and thickness t is
initial phase difference. introduced in one of the paths of interfering waves, optical
path will become 'mt' instead of 't'. Entire fringe pattern shifts
Incoherent sources D ( µ − 1) t  β
Two sources are said to be incoherent if they have different by = ( µ − 1) t towards the side in which the
d λ
frequency or initial phase difference varies with time. thin sheet is introduced without any change in fringe width.
Interference : YDSE Diffraction
™ Resultant intensity for coherent sources ™ In Fraunhoffer diffraction
I = I1 + I2 + 2 I1I 2 cos φ0  For minima a sinqn = nl

Resultant intensity for incoherent sources λ

™  For maxima a sinqn = (2n + 1)
2
 2λD Polarization
 Linear width of central maxima W =
a Brewster's law
2λ m = tanqp ⇒ qp = tan–1m, qp is polarization or Brewster's angle.
 Angular width of central maxima Wq =
a Here reflecting and refracting rays are perpendicular to each other.
Malus law
I = I0 Cos2 q, I0 → Intensity of incident polarized light

P Wave Optics 25
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