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Exam 3: Tuesday, April 18, 5:00-6:00 PM: Instructor Sections Room
Exam 3: Tuesday, April 18, 5:00-6:00 PM: Instructor Sections Room
Exam 3: Tuesday, April 18, 5:00-6:00 PM: Instructor Sections Room
Dispersion.
You must understand that the index of refraction of a material is wavelength-dependent.
What is Light?
Geometric optics:
•light consists of rays, moves in straight line until it hits
interface
•arose in ancient Greece ~300BC (= appearance)
•greatly developed in Persia in the middle ages
(in 984, mathematician Ibn Sahl wrote treatise "On burning mirrors and lenses“
that contained a version of Snell’s law)
Wave optics:
•light is a wave phenomenon (Huygens 1690)
•new effects beyond geometric optics: interference
•later: light is electromagnetic wave
•unified with theory of electromagnetism by Maxwell (1860s)
In this course:
geometric optics and wave optics, for quantum optics take
Physics 2305 “Introduction To Modern Physics”
Reminder:
Visible light is a small part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Dispersion.
You must understand that the index of refraction of a material is wavelength-dependent.
Reflection
• light striking a surface may be reflected, transmitted, or
absorbed
• reflection from a
smooth surface is
specular (mirror- like)
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/j
ava/reflection/specular/index.html
/
Specular reflection:
i = r
i r
Real Important Note: the angles are measured relative to the surface normal.
Refraction
c
n = If you study light in advanced classes,
you’ll find it is more complex than this.
v
c
v= and n = .
n n
Because light never travels faster than c, n 1.* For
water, n = 1.33 and for glass, n 1.5. Indices of refraction
for several materials are listed in your text.
c
v =
n
3×10 8 m/s
v =
2.42
v = 1.24×10 8 m/s
*Actually, not true but don’t worry about it unless you take advanced courses in optics.
Snell’s Law
• quantitative description of refracted (bent) ray
in re
cid f ra
en ct
t ed
ra
y a ra b
air (na) y air (nb)
water (nb) water (na)
b a
inci
refr
den
acte
t
ray
d ra
nb>na na>nb
y
na sin θa = nb sin θb
Java Applet”
Light passing from air (n 1) into water (n 1.33).
in
cid
en
t ra
y a
air (na)
(1) sin θa = (1.33) sin θb
water (nb)
θ a > θb
b
refr
acte
d ra
nb>na
y
na sin θa = nb sin θb
Light passing from water (n 1.33) into air (n 1).
re
f ra
ct
(1.33) sin θa = (1) sin θb
ed
ra b
y air (nb)
water (na)
θ a < θb
a
inci
den
t
ray
na>nb
na sin θa = nb sin θb
Snell’s law: na sin θa = nb sin θb .
a a
b b
water (nb) water (nb)
45
ng=1.50
45
nw=1.33
i
Example: a 45-45-90 glass (n=1.50) prism is surrounded by
water (n=1.33). Light is incident at a 23 angle, as shown in
the diagram. What angle does the light make when it exits the
prism?
ng=1.50 1.33
sin θg = sin 23
g 1.50
45 Trig…
45
24.73 45
nw=1.33
Example: a 45-45-90 glass (n=1.50) prism is surrounded by
water (n=1.33). Light is incident at a 23 angle, as shown in
the diagram. What angle does the light make when it exits the
prism?
24.73 45
= 28.2
nw=1.33
Interactive applet: Fun with Snell’s Law.
Dispersion.
You must understand that the index of refraction of a material is wavelength-dependent.
Total Internal Reflection; Fiber Optics
n1 sin θ1 = n2 sin θ2
n2
sin θ1 = sin θ2
n1
Suppose n2<n1
•largest possible value of sin(2) is 1 (when 2 = 90)
•therefore, largest possible value of sin(1) is
n2
sin θ1,max = sin(θc ) = . For 1 larger than c , Snell’s
n1 Law cannot be satisfied!
1 1
1 > C
1
n2
n1>n2
n1>n2
n1>n2
n1>n2
n1>n2
http://laser.physics.sunysb.edu/~wise/wise187/janfeb2001/reports/and
rea/report.html
Example: determine the incident angle i for which light strikes
the inner surface of a fiber optic cable at the critical angle.
Light is incident at f
an angle i on a i
transparent fiber. nf>1
ni=1 (air)
ni sin θi = nf sin θf
sin θi = nf sin θ f
90
Light strikes the fiber
wall an an angle of 90-f
f
90-f normal to the i
nf>1
surface.
ni=1 (air)
Solve the above for f and use sin θi = nf sin θ f to solve for
i .
90
Numerical example:
what i will result in the f
90-f
critical angle if nf=1.4? i
nf>1
ni=1 (air)
θ f = 44.41
90
Numerical example:
what i will result in the f
90-f
critical angle if nf=1.4? i
nf>1
θ f = 44.41 ni=1 (air)
θi = 78.5
This is a very large angle of incidence! If you want the incident light to be
nearly parallel to the fiber axis, you must surround the fiber with a coating
with noutside<ncoating<nfiber.
application: swimming underwater
(used in binoculars)
application: diamonds
Today’s agenda:
Introduction to Light.
You must develop a general understanding of what light is and how it behaves.
Dispersion.
You must understand that the index of refraction of a material is wavelength-dependent.
Picture from the Exploratorium (http://www.exploratorium.edu/).
Dispersion
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/refrn/Lesson-4/Dispersion-of-Light-by-Prisms