Geometrical versus Physical optics

Thursday, 9/7/2006 Physics 158 Peter Beyersdorf

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5. 1

Class Outline
Geometric optics versus physical optics Diffraction (Physical Optics) Single slit calculation Double slit calculation Snells law (Geometric optics)

5. 2

Geometric Optics
Light is treated as traveling as rays What are consequences of this? Shadows are 1:1 mapping of the obstruction Beams of light can propagate without diverging When is this a valid assumption?

5. 3

Physical Optics
Field at any point is considered the sum of the contributions from elds at all other points in space (i.e. light does not travel as rays) What are the consequences of this? Diffraction Shadows do not have sharp edges Beams of light diverge When must we consider this formalism?
5. 4

Huygens Analysis of Diffraction

Consider a slit of width d illuminated with a plane wave at normal incidence. What does its shadow look like at a distance L where L>>d?

? L

5. 5

Huygens Principle
Diffraction as considered by Huygens principle

Source: wikipedia

5. 6

Huygens Analysis of Diffraction

B
d/2

A x

x L Since small changes to the value of the

L2 + (x x )2 L

E (x) =
d/2

E (x ) L2 + (x x )2
d/2 d/2

K (x , x)dx

E0 ikL ikx2 /2L E (x) = e e L

eikxx /L dx

K (x , x) = e

denominator hardly affect the value of the function ik L2 +(xx )2

d ikL ikx2 /2L E (x) = E0 e sinc e L

kxd 2L

is called a Kernel and is a common mathematical tool for expressing how a quantity at one point in space and time affect other points
L2 + (x x )2 L 1 +

d 2 I (x) = I0 sinc L
(x x )2 2L L+ x2 xx + 2L L

kxd 2L

sin u sinc(u) u
(pronounced sink)

Since L>>x we can approximate this function by the rst order expansion

This is such a common function in optics it has been given its own name!

5. 7

Huygens Analysis of Diffraction

Consider a slit of width d illuminated with a plane wave at normal incidence. What does its shadow look like at a distance L where L>>d?

? L

This is not predicted by geometric optics!

5. 8

Youngs Double Slit

Based on the diffraction from a slit found using Huygens principle, how would you set up a calculation of the diffraction pattern for a double slit as shown?

A
5. 9

Youngs Double Slit

A
L

d d

D
L

EA ik L 2 +x 2 e E (x ) = L2+x2

E (x) =

D/2+d/2 D/2d/2

E (x ) L2 + (x + D/2)2

ik

L2 +(x+D/2)2

dx +

D/2+d/2 D/2d/2

E (x ) L2 + (x D/2)2

ik

L2 +(xD/2)2

dx

Later well learn some tricks that will allow us to evaluate E(x), For now consider the slits to be innitely narrow

5.10

Youngs Double Slit

A
L
E (x) =

d d

D
L

Considering inntesimal slits with uniform illumination E(x)=E0

L2 + (x + D/2)2

E (D/2)

ik

L2 +(x+D/2)2

E (D/2) L2 + (x D/2)2

ik

L2 +(xD/2)2

E0 ik(L+(x+D/2)2 /2L) ik(L+(xD/2)2 /2L) E (x) e +e L2 + x2

2E 0 ik(L+(x2 +D 2 /4)/2L) e cos E (x) L2 + x2

kxD 2L
5. 11

Youngs Double Slit

A
L

d d

D
L

Considering inntesimal slits with uniform illumination E(x)=E0

2E 0 ik(L+(x2 +D 2 /4)/2L) e cos E (x) L2 + x2

kxD 2L

I0 2 cos I (x) L2 + x2

kxD 2L
5. 12

Snells law
Why does the spoon appear bent in this image? Determine a relationship between the angle of the spoon and its apparent angle in a glass of water

5.13

Snells law example

nair sin t = nwater sin i

y = d tan i = d tan t

apparent distances get compressed in the direction normal to the interface

d tan i sin i nair = = d tan t sin t nwater tan a tan w tan w = = x h x h

d y d
t nair=1 i

x
nwater=1.33

nair nwater nair nwater

= tan a

5.14

Corner Cubes
Using the law of reection, determine the angle for a ray of light exiting a corner cube reector as a function of the incident angle

5.15

Corner Cubes
Using the law of reection, determine the angle for a ray of light exiting a corner cube reector as a function of the incident angle

5. 16

Summary
Some phenomena can only be understood by considering physical optics diffraction Many phenomena are well modeled by considering geometric optics refraction

5.17