TN 2421 Optica Version: April 7, 2021

Tutorial 9
Thursday 8th April 2021
Exercise 1: Interference and di↵raction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(a) Consider two identical slits of width a in the x -direction and distance between their
centres equal to b with b > a. Let the origin of the coordinate system be halfway
between the slits, hence the slits are given by: (b a)/2 < x < (b+a)/2 and ( b a)/2 <
x < ( b + a)/2. Derive that when the two slits are illuminated by a perpendicular
plane wave with unit amplitude, the intensity of the Fraunhofer far field on a screen
at large distance z is given by given by
✓ ◆" ax
#2
1 b x sin ⇡
I(x, z) = 2 2 4a2 cos2 ⇡ z
.
z z ⇡ a xz

Solution:
The transmitted near field is

U0 (x) = 1[ a/2,a/2] (x + b/2) + 1[ a/2,a/2] (x b/2)

The Fourier transform is

sin(⇡a⇠) i⇡b⇠ sin(⇡a⇠)
F(U0 )(⇠) = aei⇡b⇠ + ae
⇡a⇠ ⇡a⇠
sin(⇡a⇠)
= 2a cos(⇡b⇠)
⇡a⇠
The Fraunhofer far field is the Fourier transform of the transmitted
2 2
near field evalu-
ik(x +y )
eikz e 2z
ated at spatial frequencies ⇠ = x/( z) and multiplied by i z . By taking the
square of the modulus of this field the result follows.
(b) Suppose that the upper slit contains a piece of glass of thickness such that there is a
phase di↵erence between the transmitted near field at the two slits of ⇡. Derive that
the intensity of the Fraunhofer far field is
✓ ◆" ax
#2
1 b x sin ⇡
I(x, z) = 2 2 4a2 sin2 ⇡ z
z z ⇡ a xz

Solution:
In this case the transmitted near field is

U0 (x) = 1[ a/2,a/2] (x + b/2) 1[ a/2,a/2] (x b/2)

The Fourier transform is

sin(⇡a⇠) i⇡b⇠ sin(⇡a⇠)
F(U0 )(⇠) = aei⇡b⇠ ae
⇡a⇠ ⇡a⇠
sin(⇡a⇠)
= 2ia sin ⇡b⇠)
⇡a⇠
The Fraunhofer far field is the Fourier transform of the transmitted
2 2
near field evalu-
ik(x +y )
eikz e 2z
ated at spatial frequencies ⇠ = x/( z) and multiplied by i z . By taking the
square of the modulus of this field the result follows.

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TN 2421 Optica Version: April 7, 2021

(c) Explain by looking at path di↵erences and by making a drawing that in case b) the
smallest positive angle ✓ = x/z for which a zero in the far field occurs is given by
✓ = /b.
(d) How does the far field intensity in b) change if the screen with the slits is illuminated
by a unit amplitude plane wave under oblique angle of incidence with the normal of
45o ?
Solution:
The entire pattern shifts over the angle 45o .

Exercise 2: Two sources and two pinholes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Two independently radiating small sources S1 and S2 emits light with centre frequency
!c and bandwidth ! ⌧ !c . (see the figure below). The coherence time of the sources
is thus ⌧c = !. At a distance z1 a mask with pinholes P1 and P2 is placed. Far away,
at a Fraunhofer distance z2 from the first screen a second screen is placed. Which of the
following statements are true (there can be more than one correct answer)?

Figure 20: Two independent small sources S1 and S2 with a mask with 2 pinholes and a screen
at Fraunhofer distance form the mask (Exercise 3).

a) The interference fringes disappear if the di↵erence between distances: |P1 S1 P2 S1 | and
|P1 S2 P2 S2 | are larger than lc = ⌧c c.
b) There are no fringes on the second screen if one of the sources S1 or S2 is switched o↵.
c) There can only be fringes on the second screen when there is only one source.
d) The interference fringe contrast on the second screen decreases when z2 is decreased.
e) The interference fringe contrast on the second screen decreases when z1 is increased.
f ) There are no fringes when the pinholes are of the order of a wavelength and one of the
pinholes is closed.
g) There are interference fringes when the distance between the pinholes and at least one
of the point sources is smaller than the coherence length.
h) If more pinholes are added between P1 and P2 the interference fringes become broader.

Solution:
Correct answers: a ), f) and g).

Exercise 3: Di↵raction by a rectangular aperture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

In Fig. 21 the far field di↵raction pattern of a rectangular opening in an opaque screen in
the z = 0-plane is shown. The screen and aperture are illuminated by a plane wave. Which
of the following statements is correct (there can be more than one correct answer)?

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The aperture is roughly 5 times wider in the horizontal (x)-direction than in the
vertical (y)-direction.
The aperture is roughly 5 times wider in the vertical (y)-direction than in the
horizontal (x)-direction.
The aperture is illuminated by a plane wave that is at at angle of incidence
di↵erent from 90o (i.e. it is not at perpendicular incidence on the screen).

Figure 21: Intensity pattern of the Fraunhofer far field of a rectangular opening in an opaque
screen illuminated by a plane wave (Exercise 5).

Solution:
Correct answer ”b” only

Exercise 4: Interference and di↵raction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Note: to answer the following questions it is NOT necessary to compute di↵raction inte-
grals.
(a) Consider two equally strong point sources which with respect to a coordinate system
(x, y, z) are at ( a/2, 0, 0) and (a/2, 0, 0), where the z-axis is the optical axis. Suppose
the point sources are mutually coherent and suppose that they emit in phase. The
maximum intensity on a screen at large (i.e. Fraunhofer) distance is then on the
optical axis. Show that the smallest angle with the optical axis at which there is a zero
on this screen is given by /(2a).
Solution:
The di↵erence in path length from the sources to the zero on the screen that is closest
to the optical axis is /2. Using the construction with the triangle we easily find that
the angle is /(2a).

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(b) What is the smallest angle with the optical axis at which there is a zero on the screen
when the two point sources emit with phase di↵erence ⇡/2?
Solution:
A phase di↵erence of ⇡/2 corresponds a length of /4. This implies that the path
length di↵erence from the point sources to the zero on the screen only need to be /4
and hence the angle is /(4a).

(c) Are there any zeros on the screen when the two point sources are mutually incoherent?

Solution:
No because the intensity on the screen far away is twice the intensity pattern of one
point source and that pattern does not have a zero.

(d) Consider now two identical apertures in an opaque screen at z = 0. One aperture has
its centre at ( a/2, 0, 0) and the other has its centre at (a/2, 0, 0). The apertures are
illuminated by a time-harmonic plane wave at perpendicular incidence to the screen
(i.e. propagating parallel to the z-axis). Explain that whatever the shape of these
apertures, the angle /(2a) always is an angle in the far field where the intensity is
zero.
Solution:
Choose pairs of corresponding points in the two apertures, i.e. points that are sepa-
rated by the distance a in the x-direction and have the same y-coordinate. Each of
these pairs will cancel each other for angle /(2a) hence the two apertures also cancel
each other.
(e) Suppose that the plane wave is incident at some angle di↵erent from 90o . Let its
complex field be given by
U (x, z) = ei(kx x+kz z)
p
where kx2 + kz2 = k. Suppose that kx a = ⇡/2 (modulo 2⇡). What is now an angle
where are zero always occurs on the screen in far field? Explain your answer.
Solution:
The incident field at the screen in z = 0 is

U (x, 0) = eikx x

Consider again pairs of points in the two apertures that are separated by the distance
a in the x-direction and have the same y-coordinate. The phase di↵erence between
the fields in these points is kx a = ⇡/2 + 2⇡m for some integer m. Hence the smallest
angles for which the fields from these two point sources cancel is as derived in b),
hence this angle is /(4a). Hence the two apertures cancel each other at this angle
as well.
(f) Now imagine that both (identical) apertures are filled with glass plates with thickness
that varies with position. The two glass plates are identical and they are identically
positioned in each of the two apertures. Imagine that we illuminate the apertures with
a plane wave at perpendicular incidence. The field transmitted by each aperture is
now a rather complicated function of position, however the transmitted fields behind
both apertures are identical. Does the far field intensity still vanish for angle /(2a)
or will it be modified by the presence of the glass plates? Explain your answer.

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Solution:
There still occurs a zero for the angle /(2a) just as in a) because, although the phase
inside the apertures is quite di↵erent from previous cases, the phase di↵erence
between pairs of corresponding points is zero as in d).

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