30 Engineering Physics

It is obvious that the path difference between the two beams produced by the reflecting surfaces M1 and M 2¢
is equal to the twice of the thickness of the film M1 M 2¢ . This path difference can be varied by moving M1
backwards or forward parallel to itself. If we use monochromatic light, the pattern of bright and dark fringes
will be formed. Here the shape of the fringes will depend upon the inclination of M1 and M2.
If M1 and M2 are exactly at right angles to each other, the reflecting surfaces M1 and M 2¢ are parallel and hence
air film between M1 and M 2¢ is of constant thickness t so that we get circular fringes of equal inclination.
These fringes are called as Haidinger’s fringes that can be seen in the field view of a telescope. When the
distance between the mirrors M1 and M2 or between M1 and M 2¢ is decreased, the circular fringes shrink and
vanish at the centre. A ring disappears each time when the path 2t decreases by l.
Since the vertical ray first gets reflected from the inner surface of P (internal reflection), and then from the
front surface of the mirror M1 (external reflection) a phase change of p takes place. The horizontal ray first
gets reflected from the front surfaces of M2 (external reflection) and then from the inner surface of glass plate
P (external reflection), so there is no phase change. Therefore, the total path difference for normal incidence
would be
l
D = 2t cos q +
2
For bright fringes, the following condition should be satisfied
Ê 1ˆ [Q D = l]
2t cos q = Á n - ˜l (i)
Ë 2¯
For dark fringes, the condition reads
È Ê 1ˆ ˘
2t cos q = nl ÍQ D = ÁË n + 2 ˜¯ l ˙ (ii)
Î ˚
When t is further decreased, a limit is attained where M1 and M 2¢ coincide and the path difference between
the two rays becomes zero. Now the field of view is perfectly dark. When M1 is further moved, the fringes
appear again.
If M1 and M2 are not perfectly perpendicular, a wedge shaped film will be formed between M1 and M 2¢ then
we get almost straight line fringes of equal thickness in the field of view of telescope, as the radius of fringes
is very large.
All the above discussed films are shown in Fig. 1.27.

(a) (b) (c) (d)

Figure 1.27