Chapter 2:

Wave Optics
 Some formulae

In an EM wave the magnitudes

of the fields have ratio

: Wavelength
k: Wave number
f: Frequency
T: Period
c is the speed of light in free space
: Angular velocity
v is the speed of light in the material
v: wave velocity
n: refractive index of material
c: the speed of light
 The Law of Malus
Let  be the angle between the light’s plane of polarization and
the sheet’s polarizing axis.
Only the component of E parallel to the axis is transmitted:

The intensity of transmitted light

If unpolarized light falls on the sheet,  varies with time.

The half the intensity is transmitted
The Brewster Angle
The angle at which reflected light is fully
polarized is called the Brewster angle
Constructive Interference
 Constructive Interference

Waves interfere
constructively if their path
lengths differ by an integral
number of wavelengths:

L = m (m = 0, 1,  2, …)
Destructive Interference
Destructive Interference

Waves interfere destructively if

their path lengths differ by a half
integral number of wavelengths:

L = (m+1/2) 
(m = 0,  1,  2, …)
Two-Source Interference of Light

r2 − r1 = dSinθ
 Two-Source Interference of Light
Locating the Fringes
Light at S1 and S2 is in phase.
∆L: the path length difference.

L = d sin 

Maxima: L = m
1
Minima: L = (m + )
2
Condition for constructive interference dSinθ = m (m = 0, 1, 2, …)
Condition for destructive interference 1
dSinθ = (m + ) (m = 0, 1, 2, …)
2
Interference from Thin Films
Phase Shifts on Reflection

 When a wave is reflected off a

material of lower refractive
index, its phase is unchanged.

 When a wave is reflected off a

material of higher refractive
index, its phase changes by 180°.
 Equations for Thin Film Interference
Case 1:
If the rays are perpendicular to the film,
one ray travels an extra distance 2t
One ray has a 180° phase change, so we have:

* The constructive interference

L = 2tn = (m+1/2)  (m = 0, 1, 2, …)

* The destructive interference

L = 2tn = m (m = 0, 1, 2, …)
 Example: a film of oil on water
1800 phase
change
No phase
change
 Equations for Thin Film Interference

Case 2: Two ray has a 180° phase change, interference is fully

* The constructive interference
1800 phase
L = 2tn = m (m = 0, 1, 2, …) change
1800 phase
change
* The destructive interference

L = 2tn = (m+1/2)  (m = 0, 1, 2, …)

t
 Thin Film Interference

* The constructive interference

L = 2t = (m+1/2)  (m = 0, 1, 2,
…)
* The destructive interference

L = 2t = m (m = 0, 1, 2, …)
 Newton’s Rings
No phase
change 1800 phase
change

* The constructive interference

L = 2t = (m+1/2)  (m = 0, 1, 2, …)

* The destructive interference

L = 2t = m (m = 0, 1, 2, …)
1) A plane electromagnetic wave, with wavelength 3.0 cm, travels in vacuum in the
positive direction of an x-axis. The electric field, of amplitude 300 V/m, oscillates
parallel to the y-axis. For this wave, find (a) the frequency, (b) the wavenumber, (c) the
amplitude of the magnetic field component. (d) Parallel to which axis does the magnetic
field oscillate?
2. Three polarizing sheets are stacked. Unpolarized light is incident on a series of three
polarizing sheets. The transmission axis of the first sheet is vertical, the axis of the
second is at 20° to the right of vertical, and the axis of the third is at 20° to the left of
vertical. What fraction of the initial intensity is transmitted?
3. When red light in vacuum is incident at the Brewster angle on a certain
glass slab, the angle of refraction is 32.00 . What are (a) the refractive
index of the glass, and (b) the Brewster angle?
4. Unpolarized light passes through two polarizers in
turn with polarization axes at 45° to one another.
What is the fraction of the incident light intensity that
is transmitted?
(Ans: 0.25)
5. Unpolarized light is incident on a system of three polarizers. The
second polarizer is oriented at an angle of 30.0 ° with respect to the first
and the third is oriented at an angle of 45.0 ° with respect to the first. If
the light that emerges from the system has an intensity of 23.0 W/𝑚2 ,
what is the intensity of the incident light?

Ans: 65.7 W/𝑚2

6. Monochromatic green light of wavelength 550 nm illuminates two
parallel narrow slits 7.70 m apart. Find the angle  at which the 3rd
order bright fringe appears.
7. In a double-slit experiment, the light has wavelength 580 nm, the slit separation is d
= 4.50 m and the viewing screen is at a distance D = 4.00 m. Point P lies on the
screen 20.5 cm from the centre of the pattern. Describe where P is in the interference
pattern by stating the maximum and minimum between which it lies.

P lies between central maximum and 1st minimum

8. Two slits are separated by 0.320 mm. A beam of 500-nm light
strikes the slits, producing an interference pattern. Determine the
number of maxima observed in the angular range -30.0° <  <
30.0°.
Ans: 641

9. Light of wavelength 530 nm illuminates a pair of slits separated

by 0.300 mm. If a screen is placed 2.00 m from the slits,
determine the distance between the first and second dark fringes.
Ans: 3.5 mm
10. Light of wavelength 620 nm falls on a double slit, and the
first bright fringe of the interference pattern is seen at an angle of
15.0° with the horizontal. Find the separation between the slits.

Ans: 2.4 × 10−6 m

11. A pair of narrow, parallel slits separated by 0.250 mm is illuminated by green
light ( = 546.1 nm). The interference pattern is observed on a screen 1.20 m
away from the plane of the parallel slits. Calculate the distance (a) from the
central maximum to the first bright region on either side of the central maximum
and (b) between the first and second dark bands in the interference pattern.

Ans: 2.6 mm
12. In the double-slit arrangement of Figure, d = 0.150 mm, D = 140 cm,  =
643 nm, and y = 1.80 cm. (a) What is the path difference d for the rays from
the two slits arriving at P ? (b) Express this path difference in terms of . (c)
Does P correspond to a maximum, a minimum, or an intermediate condition?
Give evidence for your answer.

a) d Sin
b)Maximum (third fringe)
13. A 600 nm thick soap film (n = 1.40) in air is illuminated with white light in a
direction perpendicular to the film. For what wavelengths in the range 400-700 nm is
there fully destructive interference in the reflected light?
14. A thin film of acetone (n = 1.25) coats a thick glass plate (n = 1.50). White light
is incident normally on the film. In the reflections, fully destructive interference
occurs at 600 nm and fully constructive interference at 700 nm. Calculate the
thickness of the acetone film.
15. A thin film of oil (n = 1.50) is spread over a puddle of water
(n = 1.33). In a region where the film looks red from directly
above ( = 630 nm), what is the minimum possible thickness of
the film? (tutorial: thin film)

16. A thin film of oil (n = 1.50) of thickness 0.40 μm is spread

over a puddle of water (n = 1.33). For which wavelength in the
visible spectrum do you expect constructive interference for
reflection at normal incidence?
17. A camera lens (n = 1.50) is coated with a thin film of
magnesium fluoride (n = 1.38) of thickness 90.0 nm. What
wavelength in the visible spectrum is most strongly transmitted
through the film?

18. A soap film has an index of refraction n = 1.50. The film is

viewed in reflected light. (a) At a spot where the film thickness
is 910.0 nm, which wavelengths are missing in the reflected
light? (b) Which wavelengths are strongest in reflected light?
19. Two optically flat plates of glass are separated at one end by a
wire of diameter 0.200 mm; at the other end they touch. Thus, the air
gap between the plates has a thickness ranging from 0 to 0.200 mm.
The plates are 15.0 cm long and are illuminated from above with
light of wavelength 600.0 nm. How many bright fringes are seen in
the reflected light? (tutorial: wedge film)
20. Suppose the two glass plates in Figure are two microscope slides
10 cm long. At one end, they are in contact; at the other end, they are
separated by a piece of paper 0.020 mm thick. What is the spacing of
the interference fringes seen by reflection? Is the fringe at the line of
contact bright or dark? Assume monochromatic light with 𝜆0 = 500 nm.
21. A pair of glass slides 10.0 cm long and with n = 1.52 are
separated on one end by a hair, forming a triangular wedge of air as
illustrated in Figure. When coherent light from a helium–neon laser
with wavelength 633 nm is incident on the film from above, 15.0
dark fringes per centimeter are observed. How thick is the hair?
22. Two rectangular optically flat plates (n = 1.52) are in contact
along one end and are separated along the other end by a 2.00-m-thick
spacer (Fig.). The top plate is illuminated by monochromatic light of
wavelength 546.1 nm. Calculate the number of dark parallel bands
crossing the top plate (including the dark band at zero thickness along
the edge of contact between the plates).
23. In a Newton’s-rings experiment, a
plano-convex glass (n = 1.52) lens having
radius r = 5.00 cm is placed on a flat plate
as shown in Figure). When light of
wavelength l = 650 nm is incident normally,
55 bright rings are observed, with the last
one precisely on the edge of the lens. (a)
What is the radius R of curvature of the
convex surface of the lens? (b) What is the
focal length of the lens?
24.