PHY 2105_ Part I

Activity V: Interference of Light

1. A laser beam ( = 632.8 nm) is incident on two slits 0.200 mm apart. How far apart are
the bright interference fringes on a screen 5.00 m away from the double slits?

2. Light of wavelength 460 nm falls on two slits spaced 0.300 mm apart. What is the
required distance from the slit to a screen if the spacing between the first and second dark
fringes is to be 4.00 mm?

3. A thin soap bubble film has thickness t = 250 nm and has air above and below the film.
The index of refraction of the film is n = 1.33. White light shines onto the film from a
nearly perpendicular incidence.
(a) What is the phase change upon reflection from the top surface (ray 1)?
(b) What is the phase change upon reflection from the bottom surface (ray 2)?
(c) What equation gives the path length difference between rays 1 and 2 for
maximum reflection?
(d) Use this equation to calculate the wavelength(s) in the visible that is (are) most
strongly reflected.
(e) What equation gives the path length difference between rays 1 and 2 for minimum
reflection?
(f) Use this equation to calculate the wavelength(s) in the visible that is (are) most
weakly reflected.

4. Repeat the above assuming that air is on top of the soap bubble film and glass (n = 1.6) is
underneath the soap bubble film.
(a) What is the phase change upon reflection from the top surface (ray 1)?
(b) What is the phase change upon reflection from the bottom surface (ray 2)?
(c) What equation gives the path length difference between rays 1 and 2 for
maximum reflection?
(d) Use this equation to calculate the wavelength(s) in the visible that is (are) most
strongly reflected.
 PHY 2105_ Part I

(e) What equation gives the path length difference between rays 1 and 2 for minimum
reflection?
(f) Use this equation to calculate the wavelength(s) in the visible that is (are) most
weakly reflected.

5. Repeat the above assuming that the film is 150 nm of air with glass (n = 1.6) above and
below.
(a) What is the phase change upon reflection from the top surface (ray 1)?
(b) What is the phase change upon reflection from the bottom surface (ray 2)?
(c) What equation gives the path length difference between rays 1 and 2 for
maximum reflection?
(d) Use this equation to calculate the wavelength(s) in the visible that is (are) most
strongly reflected.
(e) What equation gives the path length difference between rays 1 and 2 for minimum
reflection?
(f) Use this equation to calculate the wavelength(s) in the visible that is (are) most
weakly reflected.

6. A soap bubble (n = 1.33) is floating in air. If the thickness of the bubble wall is 115 nm,
what is the wavelength of the visible light that is most strongly reflected?

END