Interference in A Thin Film: Newton's Rings: Experiment 17 - Andrew Underwood

Interference in a Thin Film: Newtons rings
Experiment 17 - Andrew Underwood

Purpose
The purpose of this experiment was to show how light interference works in a thin film Part 1: Thin wedge
consecutive lines of fringes circles of fringes
Part 2: Newtons Rings

Theory
Index of refraction
glass air
n = 1.5 n = 1.0
When nA > nB
rays reflecting from the side where n=nA reflect the same phase rays reflecting from the side where n=nB experience a phase reversal

Theory
A phase reversal is equivalent to shifting the ray by half a wavelength
Diagram from Physics 294 Laboratory Manual, page 17-1

Theory
When waves interfere constructively:

Theory
When waves interfere destructively:

Theory
When waves interfere destructively:

Theory Part 1

Theory Part 1
Two glass plates at an angle cause the space between them t to increase with x
t = /2 = x tan
Where

t x
is the distance between the two pieces of glass is the wavelength of the light is the distance between consecutive fringes is the angle between the glass
tan = t / x

Since is constant, t / x should be constant Implies fringes happen at regular intervals

Theory Part 2

Theory Part 2

Theory Part 2

Theory Part 2
Diagrams from Physics 294 Laboratory Manual, page 17-3

Theory Part 2
rm2 = xm2/4 + 2 = mR
Where

rm xm ring m

is the actual radius of the mth fringe is the measured diameter is the perpendicular offset from the center of the is the order of the ring
m=0 for the bulls eye m=1, 2, 3, for each consecutive ring
is the wavelength of the light is the curvature radius of the plano-convex lens

Apparatus

Apparatus

Procedure

Procedure Part 1
The distance from an arbitrary (m=0) fringe to 20 consecutive dark fringes was measured The difference between each fringe was calculated
x = xn - xn-1 /2 = x tan
From x we can calculate

Procedure Part 2
Position the microscope over the center of the bulls eye Measure xL and xR to get xm for 10 rings
xm = |xL - xR| xm2/4 + 2 = mR xm2 = mR/4 - 2/4 y = mx +b
Plot xm2 versus m to find R and 2


Analysis

Analysis Part 1
Error for x
x = (x)2 + (x)2 x = 2(x)2 x = 2(0.004 cm)2 x = 0.006 cm
m 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Xm (cm) 11.883 11.941 11.990 12.040 12.090 12.141 12.190 12.233 12.290 12.332 12.380 12.432 12.486 12.530 12.580 12.632 12.684 12.734 12.786 12.838 12.888
error Xm (cm) 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004 0.004
difference Xm (cm) 0.058 0.049 0.050 0.050 0.051 0.049 0.043 0.057 0.042 0.048 0.052 0.054 0.044 0.050 0.052 0.052 0.050 0.052 0.052 0.050
error difference (cm) 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006

Analysis Part 1
Average x = 0.050
Excel =AVERAGE(x)
Excel =STDEV(x)
Standard Deviation x = 0.004

Analysis Part 1
t = /2 = x tan /2 = x tan

for sodium light is 589.3 nm = 5.893*10-7m x average was 0.050 cm = 5.0 * 10-4m (5.893*10-7m)/2 = (5.0 * 10-4m ) tan = 3.4 * 10-2 degrees
Solve for


Analysis Part 1
For small angles (tan) (tan) = (/2) / x

(tan) = (5.893*10-7m )/2 / (6*10-5 m) (tan) = .004
= 0.034 +/- .004 degrees

Analysis Part 2

Analysis Part 2
xm2 = xm2 * (xm/xm)2 + (xm/xm)2 xm2 = xm2 * 2(xm/xm)2

x12 = (0.062 cm) * 2(0.006/0.248)2 x12 = 0.002

m 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 xr (cm) 11.900 11.770 11.721 11.678 11.650 11.618 11.594 11.576 11.550 11.530 11.518 xl (cm) 12.018 12.064 12.092 12.124 12.152 12.180 12.202 12.226 12.246 12.260 xm (cm) 0.248 0.343 0.414 0.474 0.534 0.586 0.626 0.676 0.716 0.742 error xm (cm) 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 0.006 xm^2 (cm) 0.062 0.118 0.171 0.225 0.285 0.343 0.392 0.457 0.513 0.551 error xm^2 (cm) 0.002 0.003 0.004 0.004 0.005 0.005 0.005 0.006 0.006 0.006

Analysis Part 2
Xm^2 versus m
0.600 y = 0.0555x + 0.0064
0.500
0.400
Xm^2 (cm^2)
0.300
0.200
0.100
0.000 0 2 4 6 m 8 10 12
Used Excels LINEST() function to calculate slope and intercept Slope = 0.0555 +/- 0.0006 Intercept = 0.006 +/- 0.004
0.0555 0.0006 0.006 0.004

Analysis Part 2
xm2 = mR/4 - 2/4 y = 0.0555x + 0.0064 y = mx +b To find 2

- 2/4 = 0.006 2 = -0.024 cm2 2 = 0.02
2/4 = 0.004
2 = -0.02 +/- 0.02 cm2

Analysis Part 2
xm2 = mR/4 - 2/4 y = 0.0555x + 0.0064 y = mx +b To find R
mR/4 = 0.0555x
where x = m
= 589.3 nm = 5.893 * 10-5 cm
(5.893 * 10-5 cm)R/4 = 0.0555 R=3.767 * 103 cm

Analysis Part 2
R/4 = 0.0006 R = 0.0006 * 4 /

R = 0.0006 * 4 / 5.893 * 10-5 cm R = 40 cm
R = 3.77 * 103 +/- 0.04 * 103 cm

Conclusion
We were able to see how rays of light could interfere causing fringes Dark fringes: destructive interference Bring fringes: constructive interference Interference explains colours in a thin film

Conclusion
Measured distance between fringes Able to calculate the thin films properties In Part 1 we were able to calculate
= 0.034 +/- .004 degrees 2 = -0.02 +/- 0.02 cm2 R = 3.77 * 103 +/- 0.04 * 103 cm
In Part 2 we found


Conclusion
Errors
Error in positioning the travelling microscope over the same place for each fringe Error in taking measurements from the micrometer scale Error would arise in Part 1 if the fringes were not aligned perpendicular to the direction of the travelling microscope

Conclusion
Experiment could be improved
by using a travelling light sensor instead of a microscope
Questions?
Additional pictures at www.goldenratio.ca

Interference in A Thin Film: Newton's Rings: Experiment 17 - Andrew Underwood

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Interference in a Thin Film: Newtons rings

Experiment 17 - Andrew Underwood