Phys213 Lec10
Phys213 Lec10
1st Midterm
34 The Wave Nature of Light 1-7
2nd Midterm
• Examples of diffraction:
• (a) around the edge of an obstacle
• (b) through a large hole
• (c) through a small hole whose size is on the
order of the wavelength of the wave.
Light & Diffraction
• Does light exhibit diffraction?
• In the mid-seventeenth century, the Jesuit priest
Francesco Grimaldi (1618–1663) had observed that
when sunlight entered a darkened room through a tiny
hole in a screen, the spot on the opposite wall was
larger than would be expected from geometric rays.
• He also observed that the border of the image was not
clear but was surrounded by colored fringes.
• Grimaldi attributed this to the diffraction of light.
• The wave model of light nicely accounts for diffraction.
– But the ray model cannot account for diffraction, and it is important to
be aware of such limitations to the ray model.
Refraction
Example of Refraction
(a) At the center of the screen the waves from each slit travel the same
(b)At this angle 𝜽1, the lower wave travels an extra distance of one whole
distance and are in phase.
wavelength, and the waves are in phase; note from the shaded triangle
(c) For this angle 𝜽2, the lower wave travels an extra distance equal to one-
that the path difference equals d sin𝜽.
half wavelength, so the two waves arrive at the screen fully out of phase.
(d)A more detailed diagram showing the geometry for parts (b) and (c).
Interference
d sin 𝜽 = mƛ where m = 0, 1, 2,
• Constructive Interference
0, 1, 2, …
Fringes
(a) Will there be an infinite number of points on the viewing screen where
constructive and destructive interference occur, or only a finite number of points?
(b) Are neighboring points of constructive interference uniformly spaced, or is the
spacing between neighboring points of constructive interference not uniform?
Max fringe: sin(theta) <=1
mƛ=d
m (5e-7m) = 1e-4m
m = 200
Lets discuss
• (a) What happens to the interference pattern, if the incident light
(500 nm) is replaced by light of wavelength 700 nm?
Interference pattern spreads out
• (b) What happens instead if the wavelength stays at 500 nm but
the slits are moved farther apart?
Lines are closer together