Chapter5 SuperpositionofWaves

LectureNotesforModernOpticsbasedon Pedrotti&Pedrotti&Pedrotti Instructor:NayerEradat Spring2009

3/21/2009

SuperpositionofWaves

SuperpositionofWaves
Studyingcombinedeffectsoftwoormoreharmonicwaves. Superpositionofwaveswithdifferentamplitudesandphases. Irradianceattainablefromrandomlyphasedandcoherentharmonicwaves. Superpositionofwaveswithdifferentfrequencies. Standingwaves. p p ofthewaveswithslightly g ydifferentfrequencies q (Beats) ( ) Superposition Groupvelocityandphasevelocity

3/21/2009

SuperpositionofWaves

SuperpositionPrinciple
What is Wh i the h net displacement di l if two independent i d d displacements di l coexist i in i a point i of f space. Acording to the superposition principl the net is sum of the individual displacements.

= 1 + 2 . To test if this is the case we need to prove that = 1 + 2 is a solution

of the wave equation. 1 2 = 2 2 V t Superposition i i of f electromagnetic l i waves
2

is expresses in terms of E and B field vectors. E = E1 + E2 B = B1 + B 2 In general oreintation of the fields is important but for now we treat the fields as scaler for the case that they are parallel or nearly parallel.

3/21/2009

SuperpositionofWaves

Superpositionofwavessamefrequency
Two harmonic plane waves of the same frequency arrive at point P in space. space E1 = E01 cos ( ks1 t + 1 ) = E01 cos (1 t ) where 1 = ks1 + 1 E1 = E02 cos ( ks2 t + 2 ) = E02 cos ( 2 t ) where 2 = ks2 + 2 s2 and s2 are the directed distances along the propagation direction of each wave from the reference plane. On the reference planes at t = 0, the individual waves have phases 1 and 2 .

2 1 = k ( s2 s1 ) + (2 1 )

  
  

Optical path difference Initial phase difference

Phase difference of the waves arriving at P

The resulting electric field E R is: E R = E1 + E2 E R = E01 cos (1 t ) + E02 cos ( 2 t ) Three cases are recognized.

3/21/2009

SuperpositionofWaves

Interference
Constructive interference: The individual waves that are superimposed are "in step" or "in phase". The resulting wave is also "in step" with the original waves. In this case E R is the sum of the amplitudes. Two waves of the same frequence q interfere constructively y if their p phase difference is: = 2 1 = m ( 2 ) ER = E01 cos (1 t ) + E02 cos (1 + 2m t ) ER _ constructive = ( E01 + E02 ) cos (1 t ) Destructive interference: The individual waves that are superimposed are "out of step" or "out of phase". In this case E R is the difference of the amplitudes. Two waves of the same frequence interfere destructively if their phase difference is: = 2 1 = ( 2m + 1) ER = E01 cos (1 t ) E02 cos (1 t ) ER _ destructive = ( E01 E02 ) cos (1 t )
3/21/2009 SuperpositionofWaves 5

ER = E01 cos (1 t ) + E02 cos (1 + ( 2m + 1) t )

SuperpositionGeneralCase
Goal: find amplitude and phase of the two waves with the same frequency arriving at a point P. It is simpler to treat this case with complex form of the fields. E R = Re E01ei(1 t ) + E02 ei( 2 t ) = Re e it E01ei1 + E02 ei 2 E0 ei = E01ei1 + E02 ei 2

( (

))

E R = Re E0 ei( t ) ER = E0 cos ( t ) E0 is the amplitude and is the phase of the resulting wave at t = 0. Using the vector form for the complex numbers (phasors) we find the E 0 and . Components of the fields on real and imaginary axis: E0 cos = E01 cos 1 + E02 cos 2 E0 sin = E01 sin 1 + E02 sin 2 ER = E0 cos ( t ) where
2 2 E02 = E01 + E02 + 2 E01 E02 cos ( 2 1 )

tan =

E01 sin i 1 + E02 sin i 2 E01 cos 1 + E02 cos 2

SuperpositionofWaves 6

3/21/2009

Superpositionofmanywaves
S Superposition i i of fNh harmonic i waves with i h identical id i l frequency. f The resulting electric field amplitude and phase are given by: tan =

E E
i =1 i =1 N

0i

sin i cos i
2

0i

N N and E = E0i sin i + E0i cos i i =1 i =1   

2 0 The Pythagorean theorem

N N N N 2 2 E0i sin i = E 0 i sin i + 2 E0i E0 j sin i sin j i =1 j >i i =1 i =1 N N N N 2 2 E0i cos i = E 0 i cos i + 2 E0i E0 j cos i cos j j >i i =1 i =1 i =1    
  
Sum of the squares of the individual terms N 2 0 2 Sum of the cross products excluding the self-products N N 2

E = E 0 i sin i + cos i + 2 E0i E0 j ( cos i cos j + sin i sin j )

2 2 i =1 j >i i =1

Sum of N harmonic waves with identical frequency is a harmonic wave of the same frequency but amplitude p of E02 = E 02i + 2 E0i E0 j cos ( j j ) and phase p of tan =
N N N i =1 j >i i =1

E E
i =1 i =1 N

0i

sin i cos i
7

0i

3/21/2009

SuperpositionofWaves

Randomandcoherentsources
Two important cases of superposition: E = E 0 i + 2 E0i E0 j cos ( j i )
N N N 2 0 2 i =1 j >i i =1

)
E
j >i i =1 N N

Two important cases of superposition: 1) ) Randomly d l phased h d sources of f equal l amplitudes li d when h N is i a large l number. b For this case the phase differences ( j i ) are random so lim E =
2 0 N large 0i

E0 j cos ( j i ) 0

2
0i

i =1 N

2 NE01 N Irradiance of N non-coherent surces is N times irradiance of the individual source

Sum of the square of the amplitudes

2) N coherent sources have constant phase relationship sources of the same type and in phase ( j i = 0 ) . N 2 2 E = E 0 i + 2 E0i E0 j E = E0i = ( NE 01 ) = N 2 E01 
i =1 j >i i =1 i =1 Irradiance of N coherent   
2
N N N 2 0 2 2 0 Square of S f th the sum of the amplitudes 2

sources is N times irradiance of the individual source

3/21/2009

SuperpositionofWaves

Standingwaves
A special case of superposition is when waves exist in both forward and bacward directions in a medium. Example of such a case is when waves are reflected by a surface. If there is no loss of enery due to reflection or transmission, the amplitude stays the same. E1 = E0 sin (t + kx ) the wave in x directon E2 = E0 sin (t kx R ) the wave in + x directon with a possible phase shift R upon reflection. ER = E1 + E2 = E0 sin (t + kx ) + sin (t kx R )  
 
 + + + sin + + sin = 2sin + cos 2 2 ER = 2 E0 cos ( kx + R / 2 ) sin (t R / 2 ) plane conducting g mirror R = and ER is: In the case of reflection from a p ER = 2 E0 cos ( kx + / 2 ) sin (t / 2 ) =
A( x ) space dependnt amplitude

2 E sin ( kx ) ) (  

cos (t ) ER = A ( x ) cos (t )

ER = 0 at any y time if kx = m , m = 0, , 1, , 2, , A ( x ) = sin ( kx ) = 0 x = m / 2 = 0, / 2, ,3 / 2, nodes of standing waves separated by / 2 ER = Emax at any time if t = m = 2 t = ( 2 / T ) t , m = 0, 1, 2, So for t = m (T / 2 ) = 0, T / 2, T ,3T / 2, we have ER = Emax And for t = T / 4,3T / 4,... cos t = 0 and thus ER = 0
3/21/2009 SuperpositionofWaves 9

Standingwavesinalasercavity
Al laser cavity i ois i composed d of f two reflecting fl i mirrors i separatd d by b a distance di d. d Light generated by the laser material is reflected back and forth so it is acase of superposition of waves with the same frequency moving in opposite directions. Boundary B d conditions diti dictate di t t that th t E=0 E 0 at t the th mirrors i equivalent i l t to t a node. d Therefore Th f th cavity the it will ill only support the wavelengths that can generate nodes at the mirrors. This translates to: d =m

m
2

where m = 1, 2,3,... m =

c c 2d m = =m m m 2d

ms are called the standing wave normal modes of the cavity like the modes of a string.
Output of a laser will consists of those frequencies that the gain medium can produce and are part of f the th normal l modes d of f the th cavity. it

3/21/2009

SuperpositionofWaves

10

Beatphenomenon
Superposition of the waves with the same or comparable amplitudes but different frequencies. Different frequencies means different wavelengths that leads to different speed for each frequency in dispersive media. Here we are only considering the case of non-dispersive media. Note both

=2 , k=2 are different for these waves:

E1 = E0 cos ( k1 x 1t ) cos ( k1 x 1t ) + cos ( k2 x 2t ) ER = E1 + E2 = E0 E2 = E0 cos ( k2 x 2t ) 1 1 cos + cos = 2 cos ( + ) cos ( ) 2 2 k + k k k + 2 2 E R = 2 E0 cos 1 2 x 1 t cos 1 2 x 1 t 2 2
2
2     

 k k p g p g E R = 2 E0 cos ( k p x wp t ) cos ( k g x wg t )   
  

cosine wave with average frequency & propagation constant cosine wave with a smaller propagation constant

( difference ) frequency &

3/21/2009

SuperpositionofWaves

11

Beatphenomenon
Superposition of the waves with the same or comparable amplitudes but different frequencies. E R = 2 E0 cos ( k p x wp t ) cos ( k g x wg t )   
  

cosine wave with average frequency & propagation constant

( difference ) frequency &

propagation constant

cosine wave with a smaller

For p >> g the resulting wave is shown. A high frequency wave that its amplitude is modulated by a low frequency cos wave. The low frequency wave acts as the envelope for the amplitude of the high frequency wave. The energy delivered by such a wave has the beat frequency: 1 2 = 1 2 2

beat =2g =2

This phenomonon is used to measure frequency differences, tuning the musical instruments.

3/21/2009

SuperpositionofWaves

12

Phaseandgroupvelocity
Any pilse of light can be reconstructed from superposition of harmonic waves with different frequencies. The shorter the pulse (in time) the larger number of frequencies required to buid it. Waves with different frequencies travel with different speeds in the medium (dispersion). Phase velocity: is the velocity of the harmonic waves that costitute the light signal. Group velocity: is the velocity at which the position of the maximal constructive interference propagate. For the example of the beats E R = 2 E0 cos ( k p x wp t )   

Th harmonic The h i wave

cos ( k g x wg t )   

The Th envelope l result lt of f the th interference i t f

kp =

k1 + k2 + 2 k k 2 d dk ~ k, p = 1 ~ , kg = 1 2 ~ , g = 1 ~ 2 2 2 2 2 2

Velocity of the harmonic wave kx t = 0 V p = k xdk td = 0 V = d Velocity of the envelope g dk Vg = dV d d (V p k ) = Vg = V p + p dk dk dk In non-dispersive material or vacuum dV p = 0 Vg = V p = c dk In dispersive materail:

Vp =

c d c c dn Vg = V p + = Vp 2 n (k ) dk n dk n(k )

k dn dn Vg = V p 1 = V p 1 + n dk n d
3/21/2009 SuperpositionofWaves 13