Playing with refraction

G. Calzà, T. López‐Arias, L. M. Gratton, and S. Oss

Citation: The Physics Teacher 48, 270 (2010); doi: 10.1119/1.3362005

View online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.3362005
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Playing with refraction
G. Calzà, T. López-Arias, L. M. Gratton, S. Oss, Physics
Department, University of Trento, 38123 Povo (Trento) – Italy
matched blocks (c). We have found that a demonstration such
as this can be effective when teaching about optical coupling.
A common example of optical coupling is the achromatic dou-
blet, a lens combination cemented together with an adhesive
whose refractive index lies between that of lenses to be joined.

A very simple demonstration can show how to optically

match two pieces of the same substance, illustrating an
important property of the refractive index. As is well known,
References
1. For an interesting method to visualize geometric optics, see for
example P. Bunton, “Edible optics: Using gelatin to demonstrate
light crossing the boundary between two media of differ- properties of light,” Phys. Teach. 35, 421–422 (Oct. 1997).
ent refractive index bends due to its different speed in each
medium.1 Even two solid blocks of the same substance (i.e.,
with the same refractive index) put in contact will display
light reflection at the boundary caused by the gap between
them. The blocks can be optically matched if an appropri-
ate interface (typically a fluid medium with a refractive
index as close as possible to that of the two blocks) is placed
between them. In this case, light will not bend anymore at
the boundary but will propagate as it would in a single block.
Nevertheless, optical coupling can also be achieved without
using any matching interface if the surfaces that are joined
are optically polished. The roughness of both surfaces must
be well below light’s wavelength if reflection is to be avoided.
Such a procedure is used, for instance, to inject light into an
optical fiber since the necessary angles are otherwise difficult
to achieve. Fig. 1. Light path through (a) two separated blocks of Plexiglas,
(b) the same two blocks in contact through a layer of air, and (c)
We use two blocks of Plexiglas to observe light propaga- through a thin layer of castor oil. In (d) we show a single block of
tion in presence or absence of optical matching. This can be double thickness.
achieved by spreading a thin film of castor oil over the contact
surfaces. Plexiglas and castor oil have very similar refractive
indexes, which are, respectively, nP = (1.4885 ± 0.0005) and
nC = (1.4780 ± 0.0005), both measured with an Abbe refrac-
tometer adopting the yellow line of sodium as reference wave
length (589 nm).
In Fig. 1(a) we show a light beam that passes through four
interfaces experiencing a number of refractions and reflec-
tions as there is a thick layer of air between the blocks. When
the blocks are in contact [Fig. 1(b)], a boundary remains
Fig. 2. Images seen
in between. The two central emerging rays in (a) are now
through (a) a single
overlapped into a single brighter one. We then join the two block of Plexiglas,
blocks with a thin layer of castor oil spread over the contact (b) two blocks cou-
surfaces [Fig. 1(c)], pressing them as much as possible to avoid pled with castor oil,
air bubbles. As is clearly shown, light propagates now in a and (c) the same
two blocks with air
straight path through the two blocks coupled with castor oil. in between.
The light’s path is essentially the same in Fig. 1(d), where one
single block of double thickness is shown. The layer of cas-
tor oil eliminates the optical boundary between the Plexiglas
blocks. A different way to show this same effect can also be
nicely seen in Fig. 2, where the single block (a) and the opti-
cally matched blocks (b) give the same image. Light travels in-
ternally through the two solids without undergoing reflection
at the boundary while this is clearly seen in the case of the un-

270 The Physics Teacher ◆ Vol. 48, April 2010 DOI: 10.1119/1.3362005