Types of Interference

1. Interference by division of Wavefront

Young’s double experiment
Fresnel’s bi-prism experiment
2. Interference by division of Amplitude
Interference in thin film
Newton’s rings experiment
Michelson Interferometer.
Fresnel’s Biprism
 Fresnel’s Biprism
• The Fresnel Biprism is made up of two similar prisms with small prism angles,

which placed back-to-back' to form the biprism, as shown in Fig.

• When a wavefront from the source enters the biprism half will be refracted

through the left-hand prism and half through the right. When the wavefront

leaves the biprism it will appear as though the two wavefronts have been

emitted from two different sources, as in the case of the Young's slits

experiment.

• The biprism having an axial symmetry means that the two new virtual sources

are coherent and thus suitable for creating an interference pattern.

Applications of Biprism
1. To determine the wavelength of sodium light
λ=βd/D
Setting:

i) Level the bed of optical bench with the help of spirit level and leveling screws.

ii) The slit, Bi-prism and eye-piece are adjusted at the same height. The slit and the cross

wire of eye piece are made vertical.

iii) The micrometer eye piece is focused on cross wires.

iv) With an opening provided to cover the monochromatic source, the light is allowed to

incident on the slit and the bench is so adjusted that light comes straight along its lengths.

This adjustment is made to avoid the loss of light intensity for the interference pattern.

v) Place the bi-prism upright near the slit and move the eye piece sideways. See the two

images of the slit through Bi-prism; if they are not seen, move the upright of Bi prism

right angle to the bench till they are obtained. Make the two images parallel by rotating

bi-prism in its own plane.

vi.) Bring the eye piece near to the bi prism and give it a rotation at right angle of the
bench to obtain a patch of light. As a matter of fact, the interference fringes are
obtained in this patch provided that the edge of the prism is parallel to the slit
vii) To make the edge of the Bi prism parallel to the slit, the bi prism is rotated with
the help of tangent screw till a clear interference pattern is obtained. These fringes
can be easily seen even with the naked eye.
viii) The line joining the centre of the slit and the edge of the Bi prism should be
parallel to the bed of the bench. If this is not so, there will be a lateral shift and the
removal is most important
Removal of Lateral shift
(a) In order to adjust the system for no lateral shift, the eyepiece is slowly
moved away from Bi-prism; the fringes will move to the right or left but
base screw provided with Bi-prism, is moved at right angle to the bench in
such a direction so that bridge in such a direction as to bring the fringes back
to their original position.
( b) Next move the eye piece towards the bi-prism; the fringe system will move
towards right or left but this time, they are brought to their original position
by moving the screw of eye piece.
On using the above process repeatedly, the lateral shift is removed
 Measurement
• Measurement of β

The cross-wire is set at the centre of the first bright fringe and the reading
of the micrometer screw is taken. The screw is then moved in one
direction so that the wire falls in succession at the centers of the bright
fringes and the corresponding readings are taken. From these readings, the
width of a number of fringes (say, 10) are calculated by subtracting the
first fringe from eleventh, second from twelfth and so on. After taking the
mean, fringe width β for one fringe is calculated.
• Measurement of D

The position of the slit and the eye-piece are noted. The distance
between them gives observed value of D
 Measurement of d
• Without changing the position of the slit, biprism and the eye-
piece; a convex lens is mounted on the optical bench between
the latter two. The distances d1 and d2 between the well-
defined images of the two virtual slits S1 and S2 are measured
with the micrometer screw for the two positions of the lens as
shown in .

Then the distance between S1 and S2 is given by

d = √(d1d2)
Thickness of a thin transparent sheet
• Path difference = S2P-[(S1P-t)+µt]
= S2P-S1P-(µ-1)t
= xd/D-(µ-1)t
Therefore
Xd/D-(µ-1)t =n λ
X = D [n λ+ (µ-1)t] /d
For central fringe n=0
X0=D((µ-1)t)/d
Interference due to division of Amplitude
(Parallel thin film)

Path difference=2µtcosr (Cosine Law)

 Stokes Law
• Whenever reflection takes place from a
surface backed by a denser medium an extra
path difference of λ/2 is introduced.
• This interchanges the conditions of maxima
and minima.
2µtcosr =n λ (maxima)
But when extra path difference of λ/2 is
introduced then
2µtcosr =n λ+ λ/2 = (2n+1) λ/2 (maxima)
 Parallel thin film
• Reflected System
2µtcosr = (2n+1) λ/2 Maxima
=nλ Minima

Transmitted System
2µtcosr = n λ Maxima
= (2n+1) λ/2 Minima
Need of extended source
 Colours in thin films
2µtcosr = n λ
• When white light is incident on a thin film we
come across different colours from different
positions. The colours which satisfy the
condition of maxima at thet position can be
seen.
• Colours in reflected and transmitted light are
complimentry.
Wedge
Interference by Wedge shaped film
Newton’s Rings
Newton’s Rings by Reflected light
Measurement of Wavelength
Measurement of Refractive Index of a
liquid
Newton’s Rings with bright centre in
Reflected light
Michelson Interferometer
Circular fringes
Localized fringes
Applications of M/I