Def.

of interference/Introduction: In nature we observed different types of colors in thin films like soap
bubbles, oil film etc. .All these colors are appeared due to thin film interference. When two light waves
from coherent source superpose each other, then at the point of superposition there is redistribution of
energy takes place in the form of bright band or dark band, this phenomenon is known as interference
of light.

Thin Film Interference:

Content:

 Introduction of thin film interference.

 Def. of interference.
 Demonstration.
 Types of interference.
 Condition for constructive and destructive interference.
 Def. of coherent source.
 Methods of producing coherent sources.
 Stoke’s law.
 Some useful relations.
 Quiz.
 Young’s
Experiment :
Condition for Constructive and destructive interference :

 Constructive : When two light waves superpose in phase or

path difference between them even multiple of λ/2. It appears
in the form of bright band.
 Destructive : When two waves superpose out of phase or path
difference between them odd multiple of λ/2. It appears in the
form of Dark band.
 Def. of coherent source : When two light source derived from
a single source by some methods having same frequency and
phase difference are known as coherent source.
Methods of producing coherent source :

 1.Division of wavefront : Ex. Young Double slit Expt. and Fresnel Biprism.
 2. Division of amplitude : Ex. Color of thin films, color of CD.

 Some of the useful relations : 1. Stoke’s law : According to this law when light
travels in rarer medium and incident on the denser medium then there is a phase
difference of π between reflected ray and original ray, and the corresponding path
difference is λ/2. But reverse is not true.

 2. Relation between phase diff. and path difference is given by the following
equation : φ = 2π/λ(path difference).
 3.When light travels in denser medium of thickness t and refractive index µ, then
optical path is given by µt.
Quiz :

 What is the phase difference between original light and

reflected light when light travels in denser medium and
reflected from the rarer medium ?
Answer :

 Zero.
Thanks. Questions, if any ?