Chapter 7.

Interference of Light
Last Lecture
• Superposition of waves
• Laser

This Lecture
• Two-Beam Interference
• Young’s Double Slit Experiment
• Virtual Sources
• Newton’s Rings
• Film Thickness Measurement by Interference
• Stokes Relations
• Multiple-Beam Interference in a Parallel Plate
 Two-Beam Interference
r r
Consider two waves E1 and E2 that have the same frequency ω :
r r r r r r
( )
E1 ( r , t ) = E01 cos k1 ⋅ r − ω t + φ1 = E01 cos ( ks1 − ω t + φ1 )
r r r r r r
( )
E2 ( r , t ) = E02 cos k2 ⋅ r − ω t + φ2 = E02 cos ( ks2 − ω t + φ2 )

S2
r
k1

r
k2

S1
Two-Beam Interference

Interference
term
 Two-Beam Interference
The irradiances for beams 1 and 2 are given by :

The interference term is given by

r r r r
E1 ⋅ E2 = E01 ⋅ E02 cos(ks1 − ωt + φ1 ) cos(ks2 − ωt + φ2 )
r r r r
2 E1 ⋅ E2 = 2 E01 ⋅ E02 cos(α − ωt ) cos( β − ωt ) {α ≡ ks1 + φ1 , β ≡ ks2 + φ2 }
r r
= E01 ⋅ E02 ⎡⎣ cos(α + β − 2ωt ) + cos( β − α ) ⎤⎦ {2 cos( A) cos( B) = cos( A + B) + cos( A − B)}
r r
= E01 ⋅ E02 cos( β − α )
r r
= E01 ⋅ E02 cos δ δ ≡ k ( s − s ) + (φ − φ ) : phase difference
1 2 2 1

r r
I = I1 + I 2 + 2 I1 I 2 cos δ when E01 E02 (same polarization)

I = I1 + I 2 + 2 I1 I 2 cos δ for purely monochromatic light

Interference of mutually incoherent beams

I = I1 + I 2 + 2 I1 I 2 cos δ

cos δ = cos {k ( s1 − s2 ) + φ2 (t ) − φ1 (t )}

“mutual incoherence” means φ1(t) and φ2(t) are random in time

cos δ = 0

I = I1 + I 2

Mutually incoherent beams do not interference with each other

 Interference of mutually coherent beams

I = I1 + I 2 + 2 I1 I 2 cos δ

cos δ = cos {k ( s1 − s2 ) + φ2 (t ) − φ1 (t )}

“mutual coherence” means [ φ1(t) - φ2(t) ] is constant in time

cos δ = cos δ = cos {k ( s1 − s2 )}

I = I1 + I 2 + 2 I1 I 2 cos δ

Mutually coherent beams do interference with each other

Interference of mutually coherent beams
The total irradiance is given by

There is a maximum in the interference pattern when

This is referred to as constructive interference.

There is a minimum in the interference pattern when

This is referred to as destructive interference

 Visibility

Visibility = fringe contrast

I max − I min
V≡ {0 ≤V ≤1}
I max + I min

When

I max = 4 I 0 I min = 0

Therefore, V = 1
 Conditions for good visibility
Sources must be:

same in phase evolution in terms of

time (source frequency) Æ temporal coherence
space (source size) Æ spatial coherence

Same in amplitude

Same in polarization

Normal Very good

Very bad
 Young’s Double Slit Experiment

Hecht, Optics, Chapter 9.

 Young’s Double Slit Interference

Assume that y << s and a << s.

The condition for an interference maximum is

The condition for an interference minimum is

Relation between
geometric path difference
and phase difference :
y
⎛ 2π ⎞ θ
δ = kΔ = ⎜ ⎟Δ a
⎝ λ ⎠
Δ

s
 Young’s Double Slit Interference

On the screen the irradiance pattern is given by

Assuming that y << s :

Bright fringes:

Dark fringes:

⎛ λs ⎞
Δymax = Δymin =⎜ ⎟
⎝ a ⎠
Interference Fringes From 2 Point Sources

Figure 7-5
 Interference Fringes From 2 Point Sources

Two coherent point sources : P1 and P2

Interference With Virtual Sources:
Fresnel’s Double Mirror

Hecht, Optics, Chapter 9.

 Interference With Virtual Sources:
Lloyd’s Mirror

Light
source

Figure 7-7

mirror

Rotation
stage
Interference With Virtual Sources:
Fresnel’s Biprism

Hecht, Optics, Chapter 9.

7-4. Interference in Dielectric Films
Analysis of Interference in Dielectric Films

Figure 7-12
 Analysis of Interference in Dielectric Films
The phase difference due to
optical path length differences
for the front and back
reflections is given by
 Analysis of Interference in Dielectric Films

Also need to account for phase differences

Δr due to differences in the reflection process
at the front and back surfaces Î Δ
r

Δ = Δp + Δr
Δr

Constructive interference

Destructive interference
 Fringes of Equal Inclination

Fringes arise as ∆ varies due to

changes in the incident angle: θi Æ θt

Constructive interference

Destructive interference

Figure 7-13
 7-5. Fringes of Equal Thickness

When the direction of the incoming light is fixed,

fringes arise as ∆ varies due to changes
in the dielectric film thickness :

Constructive interference Æ Bright fringe

Destructive interference Æ Dark fringe

7-6. Fringes of Equal Thickness: Newton’s Rings

Figure 7-17
 Newton’s rings
rm2 + tm2
R = r + ( R − tm ) → R =
2 2
m
2

2tm
θ
R rm2 ≈ 2 Rtm
R-tm

n rm
tm << R Maxima (bright rings) when,
tm λ λ
Δ = 2tm + = mλ (n f = 1, Δ r = )
2 2
⎛ 1⎞
→ rm2 = ⎜ m − ⎟ λ R
⎝ 2⎠
Minima (dark rings) when,

λ ⎛ 1⎞
Δ = 2tm + = ⎜m + ⎟λ
2 ⎝ 2⎠
reflection transmission
→ rm2 = mλ R
7-7. Film-thickness measurement by interference
 7-8. Stokes Relations in reflection and transmission

Ei is the amplitude of the incident light.

The amplitudes of the reflected and transmitted beams are given by

From the principle of reversibility

Stokes relations
r = eiπ r’
7-9. Multiple-Beam Interference in a Parallel Plate

I0

IR

Reflectance
Transmittance
IT IR
IT R≡
T≡ I0
I0
 Multiple-Beam Interference in a Parallel Plate
I R = ER
2

Find the superposition of the reflected

beams from the top of the plate.
The phase difference between
neighboring beams is
I 0 = E0
2

δ = kΔ Δ = 2n f d cos θt

t’ Given that the incident wave is

r
t d

r’

IT = ET
2
Multiple-Beam Interference in a Parallel Plate

The reflected amplitude resulting from the superposition of the reflected beams
from the top of the plate is given by

Define

Therefore
Multiple-Beam Interference in a Parallel Plate
The Stokes relations can now be used to simplify the expression
Multiple-Beam Interference in a Parallel Plate
The reflection irradiance is given by
Multiple-Beam Interference in a Parallel Plate
The transmitted irradiance is given by
Multiple-Beam Interference in a Parallel Plate

Minima in reflected irradiance and maxima in transmitted irradiance occur when

Δ = 2n f d cos θt = mλ

Minima in transmitted irradiance and maxima in reflected irradiance occur when

⎛ 1⎞
Δ = 2n f d cos θt = ⎜ m + ⎟ λ
⎝ 2⎠