Interference of Light Due to

Thin Films
 Thin Film
A thin film is an optical medium with thickness of the order of 1 wavelength of
light in the visible region. Thus, a thickness of the film ranging from 0.5 µm to
10 µm may be considered as a thin film. Example: Thin sheet of glass, mica, air
film enclosed between two transparent plates, soap bubble etc.

Characteristics:
When light is incident on a thin film, a small part of light gets reflected from the
top surface and a major part is transmitted into the film. Again, a small part of
transmitted light is reflected back into the film by its bottom surface and the rest
of light emerges out of the film.

 Plane parallel film

Fig.17

A transparent thin film of uniform thickness bounded by two parallel surfaces is

known as a plane parallel thin film (Fig.17). Thin Films transmit incident light
strongly and reflect weekly. After two reflections, the intensity of reflected rays
drops to a negligible strength.
1
Reflected rays
2

Film

S1
S2 Emerging rays

Fig.18
We consider two reflected rays 1 and 2 (Fig.18). These rays are derived from
the same source of light but seem to come from two sources S1 and S2. They are
virtual coherent sources. Rays 1 and 2 will interfere by a lens and the case is
called two-beam interference.

 Wedge-shaped film

θ=constant θ=varying

Fig.19

Wedge-shaped film is such a film which has zero thickness at one end and
progressively increasing thickness at other end. It is of two types. One type has
constant wedge angle and the other has varying wedge-angle.

 Interference due to reflected light

L
i C
A i H
F
G i
B E
r
t
Film r r

K
Fig.20
Let, in Fig.20
t= Thickness of the film; µ= Refractive index of the film,
AB= A ray of monochromatic incident light, BL= Normal to the top surface,
i= Angle of incidence; BC= Reflected ray from the top surface,
BD= Transmitted ray through the film;
DE= Reflected ray from the bottom surface;
EF= Emerging ray from the top surface; DK= Emerging ray from the bottom
surface,
r= Angle of refraction; EH = Normal to BC ray.
The film is surrounded by the air. BC and DE rays will interfere if they are
overlapped by a convex lens. The rays HC and EF travel equal path.
The geometrical path difference between ABDEF and ABHC rays is:
BD+DE‒BH.

The optical path difference between them is, Δ= µ(BD+DE) ‒1(BH+ ) ------(1)
2
DG t
In ΔBDE, BDG  GDE  r ; So, BD   ,  DG  t
cos r cos r
ΔBDG and ΔGDE are congruent,  BD  DE
t t 2t
 BD  DE   
cos r cos r cos r -------------------(2)
Also, BG  GE  DG tan r  t tan r
 BE  2 BG  2t tan r
Again, LBH  HBE  90 and HEB  HBE  90
o o

So, LBH  HEB  i , Then, BH  BE sin i  2t tan r sin i ------------------(3)

sin i
From Snell’s law,  sin i   sin r
sin r
2t sin 2 r
 BH  2t tan r (  sin r ) 
cos r -------------------(4)
Using equations (2) and (4) in equation (1),
2t 2t sin 2 r 
 (  )
cos r cos r 2
2 t 
 (1  sin 2 r ) 
cos r 2

 2 t cos r 
2
Condition for maxima:

If the difference in optical path between two rays is equal to an integral number
of full wave, i.e. Δ=nλ, the rays meet each other in phase.
Thus, constructive interference occurs when,

2 t cos r   n
2

or 2 t cos r  ( 2n  1) 2 , A condition for Bright Fringe

Condition for minima:

If the difference in optical path between two rays is equal to an odd integral
number of full wave, i.e. Δ=(2n+1)λ/2, the rays meet each other in opposite
phase.

Thus, destructive interference occurs when,

 
2 t cos r   ( 2n  1)
2 2
or 2t cos r  (n  1)

The phase relationship of interfering waves does not change if a full wave, λ, is
added or subtracted from interfering waves. So, ((n+1)λ can be replaced by nλ.
Thus,

2t cos r  n , A condition for Dark Fringe

 Interference due to transmitted light
P
L
i r
S

C
A
r
t
Film r r M

r D
B i
Q
N R
Fig.21

Let, in Fig.21,
t= Thickness of the film; µ= Refractive index of the film,
SA= Incident ray; AB= Refracted ray; BC= Reflected ray from lower surface;
BR and DQ are emerging rays; BM=Normal to CD; DN=Normal to BR,
The optical path difference between BCDQ and BR is :
Δ= µ(BC+CD) ‒1(BN) -----------------------(1)
sin i BN
Also, from Snell’s law,    or BN  .MD
sin r MD
In Fig.21, BPC  r and PC  BC  CD  BC  CD  PD
  .PD  .MD   ( PD  MD)  .PM
PM
In ΔBPM, cos r  or PM  BP cos r
BP
But BP  2t  PM  2t cos r
  2t cos r
When Δ=nλ, Bright fringe occurs
2t cos r  n
When Δ=(2n+1)λ/2, Dark fringe occurs

2 t cos r  (2n  1)
2
 Interference in wedge-shaped film due to reflected light

Microscope

45° L
Half-
silvered S
mirror

Fringe

θ Thin Film

Fig.22

The arrangement of observing interference pattern in a wedge-shaped film is

shown in Fig.22. The wedge angle, θ, is small. When parallel monochromatic
beam illuminates the wedge from above, the rays reflected from its two
bounding surfaces will not be parallel. The path difference between rays
reflected from the upper and the lower surfaces of the air film varies along its
length due to thickness variation. Thus, alternate dark and bright fringes
(Fig.22) are observed on its top surface. The thickness of the glass plates is
large compared to the wavelength of incident light. Hence observed interference
effects are entirely from wedge-shaped film.
The optical path difference between two reflected rays (from upper and lower
surfaces of the film) is:

  2 t cos r 
2

Maxima occur when 2 t cos r  ( 2n  1)
2
Minima occur when 2t cos r  n
 E
C
A D
B t3
θ t1 t2
O
K L M
Dark Dark Dark

Fig.23

Let us say a dark fringe occurs at A (Fig.23), where 2t cos r  n is

satisfied. For normal incidence, r=0 and cos r  1 . If the thickness of air film at
A is t1, then
2t1  n ------------------------------(1)
The next dark fringe will occur, say at C, where the thickness is t2. So, at C,
2t2  (n  1) -------------------------(2)
Subtracting equ(1) from equ(2), we get:
2 (t2  t1 )  
2.BC    (t2  t1 )  BC

BC 
2
Now, from ABC, BAC   , BC  AB tan 

 AB tan  
2
Where AB= the distance between successive dark fringes, also equal to the
distance between successive bright fringe. This distance is called fringe
separation, β. That is AB=β. We may write,

 
2 tan 
 
For small values of θ, tan    ,   
2
Thus, it is clear that β decreases with the increase in θ. In Newton’s rings
experiment, the width of Newton’s ring becomes smaller with the increase of
wedge angle θ.

Characteristics of Fringes:
(i) Fringe at the apex is dark,
(ii) Fringes are straight and parallel.
(iii) Fringes are equidistant,
(iv) Fringes are localized

 Newton’s rings

Microscope

45° L
Half-
silvered S
mirror

Plano
Convex Circular fringe
lens P
r Air Film
A B
O
Fig.24

Newton’s rings are examples of fringes of equal thickness. Newton’s rings are
formed when a plano-convex lens P of large radius of curvature placed on a
sheet of plane glass AB is illuminated from the top with monochromatic light
(Fig.24). Air film is formed in between P and AB of variable thickness in all
directions around the point of contact (O) of the lens and the plate. The locus of
all points at a distance r from O will make a circle. The thickness of air film at
this circle is same. When light rays reflected from the curved surface of the lens
and top surface of AB interfere, interference fringes are observed. Interference
fringes in the form of a series of concentric rings with their center at O are
observed in the microscope. Newton observed the rings first and hence the rings
are called Newton’s rings.

After interference, consider dark fringes are produced. For reflected light, dark
fringes will be produced if,
2t cos r  n
Where μ= refractive index of the air=1, angle of refraction, r=0 for normal
incidence, n=order of the fringe, and λ= wavelength of light. So, we write the
above equation as:
2t  n -------------------------------------(1)

R R

P t rn N
A B
Q O

Fig.25

Consider that a dark fringe is located at P. Let, R=radius of curvature of the

lens, t=thickness of the air film at PQ, i.e. PQ=t, and rn= radius of the circular
fringe.
Using Pythagoras theorem,
R 2  rn2  ( R  t ) 2
rn2  2tR  t 2
 if R  t , then 2tR  t
2

 rn2  2tR --------------------------------------(2)

Using the value of 2t from equation (1), we can write:
rn2  nR

So, rn  nR

Diameter of the ring: Dn  2rn  2 nR ---------------------------------(3)

Hence, D1  2 R , D2  2  1.4  R , D3  2 1.7  R

D4  2  2  R . Thus the ring gets closer as n increases.
Why is the ring circular?
At a fixed distance r from the contact point O of the lens to outward, the air film
thickness is constant. The locus of all points at r will make a circle of radius r.
Thus, this constant thickness will make a circular ring, because light rays from
this thickness will produce a circular ring after interference.

Why is the central spot Dark?


We know the optical path difference,   2t  , so at point O, t  0
2

 
2

A path difference (corresponding to a phase difference π) between two rays
2
(one from the curved surface and another one from the top surface of AB) will
interfere destructively, resulting in a dark spot.

Alternative explanation:
No phase change occurs for the rays reflected back from the curved surface
(denser to rarer medium: according to Stokes’s theorem) at O. A phase change
of π occurs for the rays reflected back from the top surface of AB (rarer to
denser medium: according to Lloyd’s experiment). So the phase difference of
these two types of rays is π, giving rise to destructive interference, and hence
dark spot is produced.

Determination of wavelength of light:

A plano-convex lens of radius of curvature about 100 cm
and a flat glass plate are cleaned. The lens is kept with its
convex face on the glass plate and they are held in position
by same means. The system is held under a travelling
microscope kept in front of a sodium lamp (Fig.24). The
light from the lamp falls on a glass plate held at 45° with Circular fringe
light beam. The light is incident on lens normally. Fig.26
The microscope is adjusted till circular rings are observed. By turning the screw
the microscope can be moved. The microscope cross-wire is set at the centre of
the ring. The cross-wire is moved along the diameter of the rings to 12th ring.
Now, the vertical line of the microscope cross wire is tangentially set at one of
the rings, say 12th ring from the center (Fig.26). The readings are taken from the
scale. The cross-wire is moved and set the vertical line tangentially as before to
the 11, 10, 9.......... 5th ring. The readings are taken; say these readings are x12,
x11, x10, x9,........x5. The cross-wire is moved to the opposite sides along the
diameter and set at 5, 6, 7,8,........12th rings. The readings are taken; say these
readings are x5 , x6 , x7 , x8 ,........ x12 . The difference of readings (x5~ x5 ) for each
ring gives the diameter, Dn, of the ring. A graph of Dn2 versus ring number (n) is
drawn. A straight line will be obtained as shown in Fig.27.

Now, from equation (3), we have 2 Dn2 p

D
Dn2  4nR
n

or Dn2 p  4(n  p)R

Dn2
D 2
n p D 2

or  n
--------------(4) p
4 pR
p
Dn2 p  Dn2
The slop of the straight line is: Fig.27
p
 slop
So, 
4R
And R can be measured by a spherometer. If we want to measure R by
Newton’s rings, similar formula of equation (4) will be applicable; slope will be
measured and λ will be given.

Formula for measuring R:

A P

h
x O
x
R‒h
x/2 R
B a/2
C
D
Q
Fig.28
a x
In Fig.28, BD  , OD  x sin 30 o
 ,
2 2
a
 x cos 30 o 
3
x, a 2  3x 2
2 2

Now, ( R  h)  x  R , R 2  2Rh  h2  x 2  R 2
2 2 2

2Rh  x 2  h2
x2 h a2 h
R  , R 
2h 2 6h 2

 Determination of Refractive index by Newton’s rings method

The gap between the lens and the plane glass plate is filled by a liquid, whose
refractive index is to be determined. Now, the liquid film substitutes the air
film. For dark fringe,
2t cos r  n
Where μ= refractive index of the liquid, angle of refraction, r=0 for normal
incidence, n=order of the fringe, and λ= wavelength of light. Then, we have
2t  n
n
or, 2t 


nR
We know, rn2  2tR 

Now, Dn2  4rn2
4nR
Dn2  , Fringe diameter decreases with μ.


4nR
 
2
For nth ring in the liquid, Dn Liquid



4(n  p)R
For (n+p)th ring in the liquid, D  
2
n p Liquid


4 pR

 Dn2 p 
Liquid
 Dn2  Liquid

 -------------------(1)

We know, for air medium,  Dn p

2
 
Air
 
 Dn2 Air
 4 pR ----------------(2)

 
D  2
n  p Air  
 Dn2
D   D 
Air
From equations (1) and (2), 2 2
n  p Liquid n Liquid