Consider an extended source of light (AB) of width w placed at a distance x away from the two slits S1

and S2. Now consider a point S on the extended source. If only point S is assumed to be illuminate the
slits S1 and S2, then an interference pattern of good visibility is obtained on the screen. However, every
point on the real extended source AB acts as a source of disturbance. It means that the slits S1 and S2 are
also illuminated by other points on the extended source. This results in the displacement of fringes in
the interference pattern produced on the screen relative to the fringes of the interference pattern
produced by point source S. Thus, there occurs a spread in fringes due to the light from the extended
source. Hence, the visibility of the interference pattern on the screen is reduced considerably.

Now consider two extreme points A and B on the extended source. These two points act as two
independent sources of light.

Let AS1 = AS2 and point O on the screen is such that S1O = S2O. The pointy source A on the extended
source produces maxima around O.

However, the intensity at O due to the point source B depends upon the path difference between BS1
and BS2. The path difference between BS1 and BS2 = ( BS2 – BS1 ) = NS2 ……( 1 )

If the path difference NS2 = 𝜆⁄2 , then the phase difference between the waves S1O and S2O is 𝜋.

It means, these waves superimpose out of phase at O and hence O is the seat of minima of the
interference pattern produced by the point source B. Hence, no interference pattern is observed .

From ∆NS1S2sin 𝜃= NS2/d , where d is the distance between S1 and S2

Since 𝜃 is very small , so sin 𝜃= 𝜃

𝜃 = NS2/d or NS2 = 𝜃d

Hence eq. (1) becomes

BS2 – BS1 = 𝜃d …………( 2 )

𝜃 = w/x1 = d / 2 x2

X1 = w/ 𝜃 and x2 = d/2 𝜃

X = x1 + x2 = w/ 𝜃 + d/2 𝜃 = 1/ 𝜃 (w + d/2)

𝜃 = 1/x (w + d/2)

Hence eq. (2) becomes

𝑑(𝑤+𝑑/2)
BS2 – BS1 = 𝑥
= wd/x + d2/ 2x

Since d is very small , so neglecting the very small term d2 , we get

 𝑤𝑑
BS2 – BS1 = 𝑥

Since for no interference pattern

BS2 – BS1 = 𝜆⁄2

𝑤𝑑 𝜆𝑥
= 𝜆⁄2 or w= …….( 3 )
𝑥 2𝑑

𝜆𝑥
Thus, for an extended source of size w , interference pattern is not observed if d > 𝑤
….. ( 4 )

Let α be the angle subtended by the extended source AB at the mid point of C of S1S2 , then
𝑤
α= 𝑥 ……… (5)

using eq (4) in (3) , we get

𝜆
.d>𝛼

𝜆
Thus, d = 𝛼 is the maximum lateral distance between the slits S1 and S2 so that the beam of light from an
extended source may have some degree of spatial coherence. This lateral distance is known as lateral or
transverse coherence width and written as

𝜆
Di =
𝛼