Submitted to: Sir Mohsin

Submitted by: Amna Bibi

Sap No. 87

Lab report
Experiment to determine the wavelength of incident light by using
newton rings.

Objectives:

1. To understand thin film interference.

2. To understand and observe the formation of newton's ring
3. To learn, calculate unknowns like wavelength of light being used, refractive index of film
medium etc while having other parameters known.

Apparatus:
1. Plano-convex lens
2. Plane glass plate
3. Traveling microscope
4. A monochromatic light source
5. A focusing lens
6. A glass plate
Theory of the experiment:

Light is an electromagnetic wave like other waves; it also shows phenomena of interference and
diffraction provided certain conditions are satisfied. For light waves to show interference, the spacing
between slits or thin films etc, at least one of the parameters of a thing with which light is going to
interact, should be comparable to wavelength of light being used. If this condition is satisfied then
light will show its beautiful interference pattern.

In daily observation we normally see beautiful colourful patterns of light on soap bubbles, on oily
roads etc all these are due to the thin film interference. When light is reflected from such thin surfaces,
the reflected light superimposes to give an interference pattern.

Thin film interference:

Thin film interference is a phenomenon in which light reflected from the upper and bottom part of
film interfere to produce a pattern of dark and bright fringes.

● When a wave is incident on the boundary of a denser medium, it reflects back with a phase
change of 180 degrees also known as hard reflection.
● When the wave is incident on the boundary of a rarer medium, it reflects back with no phase
change also known as soft reflection.

When a light wave traveling in a certain media of refractive index n reaches the boundary of another
media of refractive index n' , a portion of the wave reflects off the boundary and a portion is
transmitted across the boundary ( if the second media is partially transparent) . The reflected portion
of the wave remains in the original medium. Now if the boundary has a refractive index n' greater
than the previous medium n in which light was traveling then the reflected light would have a phase
shift of 180° (hard reflection) but if its refractive index is lower ( n' less than n ) then there would be
no phase shift.(soft reflection)
Note that a shift by 180° is equivalent to the wave traveling a distance of half a wavelength i.e
lambda /2.
The transmitted portion of the wave enters the new medium and continues traveling through it until it
reaches a subsequent boundary. If the new medium is a thin film, then the transmitted wave does not
travel far before it reaches a new boundary and undergoes the usual reflection and transmission
behavior. Thus, there are two waves that emerge from the film :
one wave that is reflected off the top of the film (ray 1) and the other wave that reflects off the bottom
of the film (ray 2)

Important points for getting mathematical conditions for constructive and

destructive interference:

For interference : These two waves could interfere if they meet two conditions.
 1. One condition is that the two waves must be relatively close together such that their crests and
troughs can meet up with each other and cause interference. To meet this condition, the light
must be incident normally on the boundary, at angles close to zero with respect to the normal.
2. The second condition depends upon the type of reflection that occurs on both boundaries..
This condition helps to determine the perfect thickness that film must have so that the wave
that travels through the film and back into the original medium must have traveled just the
right distance such that it is in phase or out of phase with the other reflected wave. In order for
the second condition to occur, the thickness of the film must be just perfect. And must be
lower (lower values of n) integral multiple of half / quarter and full wavelengths . for higher
values of 'n' the pattern is not observable or does not form.

To get constructive interference, the two reflected waves have to be shifted by an integral multiple
of wavelengths. This must account for any phase shift introduced by a reflection off a higher-index
material, as well as for the extra distance traveled by the wave traveling down and back through the
film

Note : Two waves that are in phase are waves that are always at the same point on their wave cycle.
That is, the two waves must be forming crests at the same location and at the same moment in time
and forming troughs at the same location and at the same moment in time.

For destructive interference: The phase of two reflected waves must differ by an odd multiple of
half wavelength.

Two cases to consider:

The mathematical conditions for constructive and destructive interference depends upon two factors.

1. One is that at which angle light is incident upon boundaries.

2. And second is which type of reflections occurs at two boundaries. Two type of possibilities
are there for ray 1 and ray 2:
● Both rays undergoing soft reflection or both undergoing hard reflection.
● One undergoing hard and other going soft reflection and vice versa.

Case 1:
When both rays undergo either soft reflections or hard reflections on two boundaries then there would
be no phase difference between two rays due to reflection. Only possibility for creating phase
difference is the path length that the ray 2 travels through the film. Hence by adjusting the correct
thickness of film we can get constructive or destructive interference.
Both waves undergoing either soft reflections or hard reflections at boundaries as shown in
image ( both hard reflections)
● Both , Ray 1 and ray 2 has phase change due to reflection
Mathematical conditions:
1. For constructive interference:

The phase difference must be an integral multiple of wavelength. Hence the thickness of film
t should be integral multiple of half wavelength. So that the ray 2 travels a total distance (
down through film and then back off) of integral multiple of wavelength, so that it is in phase
with the ray 1. As given by

2. For destructive interference:

The phase difference must be an odd multiple of half wavelength. Hence the thickness of film
t should be an odd multiple of quarter (¼) wavelength. So ray 2 will travel a distance of half
wavelength and become out of phase and cancel out each other. As given by
Case 2 :
The first wave undergoes hard reflection and the other wave undergoes soft reflection as shown
in image.
● Ray 1 has phase change due to reflection.
● Ray 2 has phase change due to path difference ( it travelled inside the film depends upon
thickness of film )

Mathematical conditions:
1. For Constructive interference:
Constructive interference will occur if the film thickness is 1/4 wavelength, 3/4 wavelength,
5/4, etc.
In the case of 1/4 wavelength film thickness, the wave reflected off the top surface is shifted
by 1/2 wavelength by the reflection ( in other words that ray 1 has travelled a distance of half
wavelength).
The wave traveling through the film has no phase shift, but travels a total down-and-back
distance of 1/2 wavelength, meaning that it will be in phase with the wave reflected from the
top.
 Mathematically
Path difference = 2t

2. For Destructive interference:

Destructive interference occurs when the thickness of the oil film is 1/2 wavelength, 1
wavelength, 3/2 wavelength, etc.

If the film thickness is 1/2 wavelength, the first wave gets a 1/2 wavelength shift and the other
gets a wavelength shift; these waves would cancel each other out.
Mathematically:
Path difference = 2t

Note: The film thickness, for constructive interference has to be 1/4 (or 3/4 or 5/4 or ...) Etc of the
wavelength of the light in the film, Not in the air. This wavelength in film of refractive index "n" is
related to wavelength in air by
Given by
Lamda film = lamdaair / n

Now we'll see one type of thin film interference which is Newton rings.

Newton rings:
Newton rings are produced when a plano-convex lens of large radius of curvature is placed on the
plane glass plate. At the point of contact, the thickness of air film is zero and it goes on increasing on
both sides. When a monochromatic light is incident perpendicularly/ normally on the lens surface,
then light reflected from the upper side of films, it interferes with light reflected from the lower part of
film. As a result concentric dark and bright rings are formed.

The plano convex lens of large radius of curvature is used because, in newton rings we have
interference of light with thin air film formed between the lower surface of the lens and the upper
surface of the glass plate. To get visible interference effect, the thickness of the film should be of
the order of few wavelengths of the light used. Now a convex lens of large radius of curvature has
less curved surface and hence air film between such less curved surface and a plane glass surface will
be appropriately thin to make interference effect visible. While using a lens with a small radius would
have a largely curved surface hence the film thickness would be large and the pattern would be blurry
or not visible.
Also as the radius of the lens is increased the distance between consecutive rings also increases. Using
a small curved lens have consecutive rings at very very small distance so that they will be nearly
merging into each other hence no observable pattern will be obtained.

The Newton's rings are circular because the shape of the fringe depends on how the thickness of the
air film enclosed varies in all directions.The thickness of the film is constant over a circle (or
concentric circles) having center at the center of the lens. So light from all these parts interferes
symmetrically in all directions producing symmetrical circular rings.

The center ring is always dark because light is only reflected from the central part of the lens but not
transmitted. Because the thickness of film is zero there. The reflected light has a phase shift of 180
degrees and will interfere destructively with incoming light. ( as light is incident normal to a lens at
point of contact, so it will retrace the same path and will interfere with incoming light).

A bright centre can be obtained by selecting the lens, medium and the glass plate in such a way that
the refractive index of the lens is less than the medium and the refractive index of the medium is less
than the plate. In that case only the center ring will be a bright one.

When moving away from the center, the newton rings become closer and closer. At the point of
contact i.e. center, the curved glass surface touches the plane glass plate, but away from the contact
point, the distance between the two surfaces slowly increases. When the distance between the two
surfaces /thin film is half wavelength , a bright ring will be obtained. When distance is integral
multiple of wavelength the dark ring will be obtained . when the distance reaches another half wave in
distance, another bright ring is created.
As we move towards the edges, the distance between the lens and glass plate increases with greater
rate ( property of curved surface) hence the next condition for bright and dark rings are obtained
earlier. Therefore the distance between the consecutive rings goes on decreasing as we move away
from the center.
The following mathematical relation shows this:
The radii r of the rings depend upon the air film thickness t.
t= r square / 2R
The derivative of 'r' radius w.r.t thickness 't' will tell us how the distance between consecutive rings
goes on decreasing as 't' increases.

We can clearly see as 'x' i.e thickness of film is increasing from zero to onwards, the distance between
consecutive rings (dr/dt) or f'(x) is decreasing, until the distance between rings becomes infinitely
small.
The experimental setup:
A source of light S is there which emits light and it goes to a lens C is a focusing lens and there is a
glass plate inclined at an angle 45° with horizontal so that light reflected by this will fall normally on
the lens and glass plate.
As incidents of rays are normal, rays of light after reflection will retrace their path, which can be seen
through a microscope. Newton's ring can be observed through a microscope

The Mathematical expression:

Here r is the radius of the ring

Here 'n' is the refractive index of film medium. If it is air then n = 1 . The diameter of rings
decreases in the presence of liquid or any other medium due to their high refractive index.

R' is the radius of curvature of the plano-convex lens. Lambda is the wavelength of light
being used and 'm' is the ring order.

Diameter of mth and (m+p)th dark ring is given by;

This formula can be used to calculate the unknown wavelength provided other parameters are
known.

Procedure:

1. Place the plano convex lens ( of known radius of curvature R) with its convex surface (
curved surface) in contact with the glass plate.
2. Place the convex lens + glass plate under the microscope.
3. Turn the light source on and View the rings through a microscope. Adjust the microscope's
cross-wire to coincide with the center most point of the central dark ring.
4. By counting the central spot as zero, move the microscope ( change the position of
microscope) to the left side of the central spot using slow motion while counting the dark
rings.
5. When the vertical cross-wire is tangential to the 4th dark ring, note the main scale reading
and the vernier scale reading.
6. Now move the microscope and make the vertical cross-wire coincide with the 3rd dark ring
and note down the reading of the main scale and vernier scale.
7. Move the microscope towards the right side of the central spot and note the readings 3rd and
4th dark rings as was done for left sided rings.
8. Do the same to find the readings for 2nd, 1st and zero order dark rings. (Zero order dark ring
corresponds to central dark ring).
9. Tabulate the readings and calculate the diameter of each ring.
10. Knowing the diameter of two pairs of dark rings, used the following formula to calculate the
wavelength of light being used.
Lamda =[ Dm2 - Dn2 ] ÷ [ 4R(m-n) ]

Following pictures will help to take the data for calculations.

● For least count of microscopes. .

Observations and Calculations:

To find Least Count of microscope scale:

● One main scale division = 1 / 20 cm= 0.05 cm

● Number of divisions on Vernier = 50

● L. C = One main scale division/ Number of division on vernier = 0.05 / 50 = 0.001cm

Table:
● Radius of the lens
R= 50 cm

S. N Order Microscopic Diameter

of the readings
ring

Left Right D= r1 - r2
readings readings
r1 r2
Cm Cm cm

01 m=0 2.409 2.479 0.07

02 n=1 2.379 2.501 0.122

03 n=2 2.53 2.355 0.175

04 n=3 2.357 2.559 0.202

05 m=4 2.3215 2.559 0.2345

● For m=0 and n=1

2
Lamda =[ D m - Dn2 ] ÷ [ 4R(m-n) ]
putting values

lamda1 = [ 0.07^2 - 0.122^2] ÷ [ 4 ×50 × 1]

= 4.992× 10^-7 m
= 499.2 nm
 ● For m=0 and n= 2

lamda2 = [ 0.07^2 - 0.175^2] ÷ [ 4 ×50 × 2]

= 6.43 × 10^-7 m
= 643 nm

● For m=0 and n= 3

putting values

lamda3 = [ 0.07^2 - 0.202^2] ÷ [ 4 ×50 × 3]

= 5.984 × 10^-7 m
= 598.4 nm

● For m=0 and n= 4

putting values

lamda4 = [ 0.07^2 - 0.2345^2] ÷ [ 4 ×50 × 4]

= 6.26 × 10^-7 m
= 626 nm

● For m=4 and n= 2

putting values

lamda5 = [ 0.175^2 - 0.2345^2] ÷ [ 4 ×50 × 2]

= 6.09 × 10^-7 m
= 609 nm

● For m=4 and n= 1

putting values

lamda6 = [ 0.122^2 - 0.2345^2] ÷ [ 4 ×50 × 3]

= 6.68 × 10^-7 m
= 668 nm
● For m=2 and n= 3

putting values

lamda7 = [ 0.175^2 - 0.202^2] ÷ [ 4 ×50 × 1]

= 5.09 × 10^-7 m
= 509 nm

Average = [ lamda1 + lamda2 + lamda3 + lamda4 +lamda5 +lamda6 + lamda7 ] / 7

= 593.2 nm
So this wavelength almost corresponds to sodium light.
Percentage error:
% error =[ ( 593.2 - 590 ) ×100] ÷590

=0.51 % error
This error is acceptable according to you Sir. I didn't take higher order rings readings because as I
moved to higher order rings, the deviations from 590 nm wavelength were higher. The reason
according to me was that the higher order rings were so closely spaced that moving the micrometer
horizontally doesn't put the cross-wire exactly tangentially to the dark ring. It was lying somewhere
forward/backward to the desired point. So higher order readings were faulty. While lower order rings
measurements gave quite satisfactory results.

Result:

Wavelength of light from the given source is found to be 593.2 nm which is sodium light
with 0.51 % error