706 15 Optics
x
m
=
m +
1
2
λ
D
d
(dark fringes), m = 0, 1, 2,... (15.17)
where x
m
is the distance of the mth fringe from the central fringe, D is the source–
screen distance, d is the separation of slits and λ is the wavelength of monochro-
matic light used.
If white light is used, the central fringe will be white, flanked by coloured fringes
on either side with the system of violet fringes closer to the central fringe and red
one farther. In three dimensions the shape of the fringes is that of hyperboloids, and
on the screening the shape would be that of a set of hyperbolas. However, because
of limited field of view the fringes appear as a set of equidistant straight lines. The
separation of fringes is known as bandwidth (β):
β =
λD
d
(bandwidth) (15.18)
Shift of fringes (): When a thin film of thickness t is introduced in the path of one
of the rays
(n − 1)t = mλ (15.19a)
=
D
d
(n − 1)t (15.19b)
and the entire system of fringes undergoes a lateral shift.
The intensity distribution of the fringes is given by
I = 4A
2
cos
2
πdx
λD
(15.20)
The principle of optical reversibility states that if there is no absorption of light, then
a light ray that is reflected or refracted will retrace its original path if its direction is
reversed.
Interference by Reflection from Thin Films
When reflection occurs from an interface beyond which the medium has a lower
index of refraction, the reflected ray does not undergo a phase change; when the
medium beyond the interface has a higher index, there is a phase change of π.The
transmitted wave does not undergo a change of phase in either case.
Thus for air–glass–air media (Fig. 15.2) for normal incidence
2tn = (m + ½)λ, m = 0, 1, 2,...(maxima) (15.21)
The term ½ λ is introduced because of the change of phase of 180
◦
which is equiv-
alent to half a wavelength
2tn = mλ, m = 0, 1, 2,... (minima) (15.22)