WAVE OPTICS - I

1. Electromagnetic Wave
2. Wavefront
3. Huygens’ Principle
4. Reflection of Light based on Huygens’ Principle
5. Refraction of Light based on Huygens’ Principle
6. Behaviour of Wavefront in a Mirror, Lens and Prism
7. Coherent Sources
8. Interference
9. Young’s Double Slit Experiment
10. Colours in Thin Films

Created by C. Mani, Principal, K V No.1, AFS, Jalahalli West, Bangalore

Electromagnetic Wave:
Y
E0

0
X
B0
Z

1. Variations in both electric and magnetic fields occur simultaneously.

Therefore, they attain their maxima and minima at the same place and at
the same time.
2. The direction of electric and magnetic fields are mutually perpendicular
to each other and as well as to the direction of propagation of wave.
3. The speed of electromagnetic wave depends entirely on the electric and
magnetic properties of the medium, in which the wave travels and not on
the amplitudes of their variations.

Wave is propagating along X – axis with speed c = 1 / √μ0ε0

For discussion of optical property of EM wave, more significance is given

to Electric Field, E. Therefore, Electric Field is called ‘light vector’.
Wavefront:
A wavelet is the point of disturbance due to propagation of light.
A wavefront is the locus of points (wavelets) having the same phase of
oscillations.
A line perpendicular to a wavefront is called a ‘ray’.

Spherical Cylindrical
Wavefront Wavefront
from a point • from a linear
source source

Plane Pink Dots – Wavelets

Wavefront Blue Envelope– Wavefront
Red Line – Ray
Huygens’ Construction or Huygens’ Principle of Secondary
Wavelets:

. . .
. .
. .
S• . .
. .
. . New
. .
New Wavefront
(Spherical) . Wave-
front
. (Plane)
(Wavelets - Red dots on the wavefront)

1. Each point on a wavefront acts as a fresh source of disturbance of light.

2. The new wavefront at any time later is obtained by taking the forward
envelope of all the secondary wavelets at that time.
Note: Backward wavefront is rejected. Why?
Amplitude of secondary wavelet is proportional to ½ (1+cosθ). Obviously,
for the backward wavelet θ = 180° and (1+cosθ) is 0.
Laws of Reflection at a Plane Surface (On Huygens’ Principle):
If c be the speed of light, t
be the time taken by light to
go from B to C or A to D or
N N
E to G through F, then

EF FG B D
t = + E G
c c r
i
X i r
AF sin i FC sin r Y
t = + A F C
c c
AB – Incident wavefront
AC sin r + AF (sin i – sin r)
t = CD – Reflected wavefront
c XY – Reflecting surface

For rays of light from different parts on the incident wavefront, the values of
AF are different. But light from different points of the incident wavefront
should take the same time to reach the corresponding points on the
reflected wavefront.
So, t should not depend upon AF. This is possible only if sin i – sin r = 0.

i.e. sin i = sin r or i=r

Laws of Refraction at a Plane Surface (On Huygens’ Principle):
If c be the speed of light, t
be the time taken by light to N N
go from B to C or A to D or
B Rarer
E to G through F, then
E c, μ1
i
EF FG X i F C
t = + r Y
c v A Denser
G v, μ2
AF sin i FC sin r r
t = + D
c v
AC sin r sin i sin r
t = + AF ( - ) AB – Incident wavefront
v c v CD – Refracted wavefront
XY – Refracting surface
For rays of light from different parts on the incident wavefront, the values of
AF are different. But light from different points of the incident wavefront
should take the same time to reach the corresponding points on the
refracted wavefront.
So, t should not depend upon AF. This is possible only
sin i sin r sin i sin r sin i c
if - or = or = = μ
c v =0 c v sin r v
Behaviour of a Plane Wavefront in a Concave Mirror, Convex Mirror,
Convex Lens, Concave Lens and Prism:
C
A A
C

D
B B
Concave Mirror D Convex Mirror
C
A A
C

D
B B
Convex Lens Concave Lens D

AB – Incident wavefront CD – Reflected / Refracted wavefront

 A C

B D
Prism
Prism
AB – Incident wavefront CD –Refracted wavefront

Coherent Sources:
Coherent Sources of light are those sources of light which emit light waves of
same wavelength, same frequency and in same phase or having constant
phase difference.
Coherent sources can be produced by two methods:
1. By division of wavefront (Young’s Double Slit Experiment, Fresnel’s
Biprism and Lloyd’s Mirror)
2. By division of amplitude (Partial reflection or refraction)
Interference of Waves:
E 1 + E2 Bright Band
E1

Dark Band
E2 S1 •
Bright Band
S2 •
Dark Band
Constructive Interference E = E1 + E2
E1
E 1 - E2 Bright Band
E2

Crest
Destructive Interference E = E1 - E2 Trough
Bright Band
1st Wave (E1) Dark Band
2nd Wave
(E2) Resultant The phenomenon of one wave interfering
Wave with another and the resulting
Reference Line redistribution of energy in the space
around the two sources of disturbance is
called interference of waves.
Theory of Interference of Waves:
The waves are with same speed, wavelength, frequency,
E1 = a sin ωt
time period, nearly equal amplitudes, travelling in the
E2 = b sin (ωt + Φ) same direction with constant phase difference of Φ.
ω is the angular frequency of the waves, a,b are the
amplitudes and E1, E2 are the instantaneous values of
Electric displacement.
Applying superposition principle, the magnitude of the resultant displacement
of the waves is E = E1 + E2
E = a sin ωt + b sin (ωt + Φ)
E = (a + b cos Φ) sin ωt + b sin Φ cos ωt
Putting a + b cos Φ = A cos θ (where E is the
A sin θ
resultant
b sin Φ = A sin θ displacement, A b sin Φ
b
is the resultant A
We get E = A sin (ωt + θ) amplitude and
θ is the resultant
phase difference) Φ θ
a
A = √ (a2 + b2 + 2ab cos Φ) b cos Φ
b sin Φ A cos θ
tan θ =
a + b cos Φ
 A = √ (a2 + b2 + 2ab cos Φ)

Intensity I is proportional to the square of the amplitude of the

wave.
So, I α A2 i.e. I α (a2 + b2 + 2ab cos Φ)
Condition for Constructive Interference of Waves:
For constructive interference, I should be maximum which is possible
only if cos Φ = +1.
i.e. Φ = 2nπ where n = 0, 1, 2, 3, …….

Corresponding path difference is ∆ = (λ / 2 π) x 2nπ

∆=nλ Imax α (a + b)2

Condition for Destructive Interference of Waves:

For destructive interference, I should be minimum which is possible
only if cos Φ = - 1.

i.e. Φ = (2n + 1)π where n = 0, 1, 2, 3, …….

Corresponding path difference is ∆ = (λ / 2 π) x (2n + 1)π

∆ = (2n + 1) λ / 2 Iminα (a - b)2

Comparison of intensities of maxima and minima:

Imax α (a + b)2

Imin α (a - b)2

Imax (a + b)2 (a/b + 1)2

= =
Imin (a - b) 2 (a/b - 1)2

Imax (r + 1)2
= where r = a / b (ratio of the amplitudes)
Imin (r - 1) 2

Relation between Intensity (I), Amplitude (a) of the wave and

Width (w) of the slit:

I α a2
a α √w I1 (a1)2 w1
= =
I2 (a2) 2
w2
Young’s Double Slit Experiment:

S •
Single Slit Double Slit
P

S1
y Screen
d/2
S • d
d/2
O
S2
D

The waves from S1 and S2 reach the point P with

some phase difference and hence path difference
∆ = S2P – S1P
S2P2 – S1P2 = [D2 + {y + (d/2)}2] - [D2 + {y - (d/2)}2]

(S2P – S1P) (S2P + S1P) = 2 yd ∆ (2D) = 2 yd ∆ = yd / D

Positions of Bright Fringes: Positions of Dark Fringes:
For a bright fringe at P, For a dark fringe at P,
∆ = yd / D = nλ ∆ = yd / D = (2n+1)λ/2
where n = 0, 1, 2, 3, … where n = 0, 1, 2, 3, …

y=nDλ/d y = (2n+1) D λ / 2d
For n = 0, y0 = 0 For n = 0, y0’ = D λ / 2d
For n = 1, y1 = D λ / d For n = 1, y1’ = 3D λ / 2d
For n = 2, y2 = 2 D λ / d …… For n = 2, y2’ = 5D λ / 2d …..
For n = n, yn = n D λ / d For n = n, yn’ = (2n+1)D λ / 2d

Expression for Dark Fringe Width: Expression for Bright Fringe Width:
βD = yn – yn-1 βB = yn’ – yn-1’
= n D λ / d – (n – 1) D λ / d = (2n+1) D λ / 2d – {2(n-1)+1} D λ / 2d
=Dλ/d =Dλ/d

The expressions for fringe width show that the fringes are equally spaced on
the screen.
 Distribution of Intensity:
Suppose the two interfering waves
Intensity have same amplitude say ‘a’, then
Imax α (a+a)2 i.e. Imax α 4a2
All the bright fringes have this same
intensity.
Imin = 0
y 0 y
All the dark fringes have zero
intensity.
Conditions for sustained interference:
1. The two sources producing interference must be coherent.
2. The two interfering wave trains must have the same plane of
polarisation.
3. The two sources must be very close to each other and the pattern must
be observed at a larger distance to have sufficient width of the fringe.
(D λ / d)
4. The sources must be monochromatic. Otherwise, the fringes of different
colours will overlap.
5. The two waves must be having same amplitude for better contrast
between bright and dark fringes.
Colours in Thin Films:
It can be proved that the path
difference between the light partially A C
reflected from PQ and that from i
partially transmitted and then Q
reflected from RS is P O B
μ
∆ = 2μt cos r r t

Since there is a reflection at O, the

R S
ray OA suffers an additional phase
difference of π and hence the
corresponding path difference of
λ/2.

For the rays OA and BC to interfere For the rays OA and BC to interfere
constructively (Bright fringe), the destructively (Dark fringe), the path
path difference must be (n + ½) λ difference must be nλ
So, 2μt cos r = (n + ½) λ So, 2μt cos r = n λ

When white light from the sun falls on thin layer of oil spread over water in the
rainy season, beautiful rainbow colours are formed due to interference of light.
End of Wave Optics - I