Interference 17

The path difference between the reflected rays

D = (BF + FD)in film – (BM)in air
D = m (BF + FD) – BM
Q BF = FD
\ D = 2 mBF – BM (i)
In the right angled DBFH,
t t
cos r = or BF = (ii)
BF cos r
BH
and tan r = or BH = t tan r
t
BD = 2 ¥ BH
\ BD = 2t tan r (iii)
In the DBMD,
BM
sin i = or BM = BD sin i
BD
\ BM = 2t tan r sin i (iv)
From Eqs. (i), (ii) and (iv), we get
t
D = 2m - 2t tan r sin i (v)
cos r
sin i
Q m= or sin i = m sin r (vi)
sin r
2 mt sin r 2 mt
\ D= - 2t m sin r = [1 - sin 2 r ]
cos r cos r cos r
D = 2mt cos r (vii)
Equation (vii) represents only the apparent path difference and does not represent the effective total path
difference. When the light is reflected from the surface of an optically denser medium in case of rad BC, a
phase change of pa equivalent to path difference of l/2 is introduced. Therefore, the total path difference
between BC and DE will be
D = 2mt cos r + l/2 (viii)
Condition for Maxima: To have a maximum at a particular point, the two rays should arrive there in phase.
So the path difference must contain a whole number of wavelength, i.e.,
D = nl, n = 0, 1, 2..., (ix)
From Eq. (viii) and (ix), we get
2mt cos r + l/2 = nl
2mt cos r = nl – l/2
2mt cos r = (2n – 1)l/2 (x)