Interference, Young’s Equation

& Polarization
 The story so far
• The wave theory of light assumes that light
behaves like a wave

• In particular, light will interfere

constructively and destructively in certain
circumstances, producing an interference
pattern

• This interference pattern is observed on a

screen as bright dots (or fringes),
separated by dark fringes. This was rst
observed by Thomas Young
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 Path difference
• In order for a bright spot to appear,
light from the two slits must arrive at
the screen so that both waves are
crests or troughs

• The waves must travel the same

distance or an integer number of
wavelengths di erence i.e. PD = mλ

• For destructive interference

1
PD = (m + )λ

2
where m is an integer
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 Young’s Equation
• Young’s equation is used to predict where
bright spots will appear on a screen
d sin θ = mλ
Δx Δx
d = mλ
L
Δx λ
= m=1
L d
Δx
 Thin lm interference
• When a wave meets a boundary, it
will transmit or re ect (or both)

• When light hits a thin lm, some

light will re ect and some will
transmit

• The transmitted light will re ect

from the bottom of the lm

• The two outgoing waves will

interfere and create fringes under
the right circumstances
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Fringes created by light interference
Anti-nodes vs. Nodes
 Relationship of Path Difference
• Example Problem: Two narrow slits are cut into a sheet of paper and set in front of a laser beam,
causing an interference pattern to appear on the wall. If the distance from one slit to the third
bright fringe from the centre is 0.5000004 m, while the distance from the other slit to the same
bright fringe is 0.5000008 m, calculate the wavelength of the light from the laser

Given | PmS1-PmS2 | = path difference = m λ

m=
P3S1 = 0.5000004 | 0.5000004 m - 0.5000008 m | = 3λ
P3S2 = 0.5000008 0.0000004 m = 3λ
Required
0.0000004 m = λ = 0.000000133 m OR 133 n
λ=?
3
3

 Relationship of ϴ

sinϴn = (n - 1 ) * λ sinϴm = m λ
2 d d

• Example Problem: A beam of light with a wavelength of 640 nm is directed at two slits, producing
a series of fringes on a screen some distance away. Measurements reveal that the angle to the
third dark fringe is 5°. Calculate the distance between the two slits.

Given sinϴn = (n - 1 ) * λ → d = (n - 1 ) * λ
ϴ= 5 2 d 2 sinϴn
λ = 640 n
n=
d = (3 - 1 ) * 640 nm
Required 2 sin5
d=?
d = 18358 nm

OR 0.0184 m
OR 0.0000184
3

 Relationship of L and △x

• Sometimes it is dif cult to measure the angle, ϴ, in a real setting. So another equation allows you
to work without it.
sinϴn = opposite = △x
hypotenuse L

sinϴn = (n - 1 ) * λ → △x = (n - 1 ) * λ
2 d L 2 d

△x = m λ
L d

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 Relationship of L and △x
• Example Problem: Red light with a wavelength of 610 nm passes through two slits, creating an
interference pattern on a screen located 3.0 m away. If the distance to the eighth bright fringe is 3.5
cm, calculate the distance between the slits

First, nd the equation

| PnS1-PnS2 | = (n - 1 ) △x = (n - 1 ) * λ △x = m λ
→ → →
2 L 2 d L d

| PmS1-PmS2 | = path difference = m λ

△x = m λ d = mλL
→
L d △x
Given
m=
L = 3.0
△x = 3.5 cm = 0.035 d = 8(6.1 x10-7 m)(3.0 m) = 4.18 x10-4 m = 0.42 mm
λ = 610 nm = 6.1 x10-7 0.035 m

Required
d=?
8

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Polarization
 Light is an EM wave

• The electric eld and magnetic eld are perpendicular

• The two elds have the same wavelength

• The direction (or wave vector) is perpendicular to both,

meaning that light is a transverse wave

• The changing electric eld produces the changing magnetic

eld (and vice versa)
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 Light polarization
• Light polarization refers to the orientation of the electric
eld

• Most light sources are unpolarized (the Sun, LED,

ashlight)

• This means that the electric elds are pointing randomly in

space

• Lasers are usually strongly linearly polarized, so all of the

electric elds have the same orientation
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 Re ected light is polarized
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 Polarization of Light
• Light exhibits properties of a transverse wave - this is
supported by the fact that it experiences blockage and
absorption as it travels through a slit

Unpolarized light ray - transverse vibrations happening on all plane

Polarized light ray - transverse vibrations happening on one plane (all
other vibrations have been blocked or absorbed
s

 Polarization directions
• Polarization is de ned relative to a
surface or a coordinate system

• Incident light may have some

combination of S and P

• If the light hits a surface, we use S

(“skip”) and P (“plunge”)*

• S polarized light will skip, or re ect,

o a surface

• P polarized light will plunge, or

transmit through a surface
*Actually p=parallel, s=senkrecht or perpendicular
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 Polarizing lm
• A polarizing lm will absorb one of the polarizations and
transmit the other

• Polarizing lm can be made of small wires or nanoparticles

• For unpolarized light, only one polarization is transmitted



 I0
I=
2
• For light that is already linearly polarized,



2
I = I0 cos θ
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 Polarizing lm
• A bean of unpolarized light of intensity I0 passes through a series of ideal polarizing
lters with their transmission axis turned to various angles, as shown in the gure.

• a) What is the light intensity (in terms of I0) in regions A, B, and C?

• b) If we remove the middle lter, what will the light intensity be at point C?

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 Some applications
• Good sunglasses are usually coated
with thin polarizing lm to reduce glare.
What polarization (S or P) do you think is
usually used?

• 3D glasses use polarizers, with each eye

a di erent direction

• LCD screens use polarizers and wave

plates to modulate the brightness

•
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