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Constructive Thin-Film Interference

Thin-film interference is a natural phenomenon in which light waves reflected by the upper and lower boundaries of a thin film interfere with one another, either enhancing or reducing the reflected light. When the thickness is a multiple of a half-wavelength of the light, the two reflected waves reinforce each other, increasing the reflection and reducing the transmission.

Twice the thickness equals the product of the order plus 1/2, the wavelength and the index of refraction of the outside medium divided by the index of refraction of the thin film.

Formula

2*QuantityVariable["t", "Thickness"] == ((1/2 + QuantityVariable["m", "Unitless"])*QuantityVariable["λ", "Wavelength"]*QuantityVariable[Subscript["n", "1"], "Unitless"])/QuantityVariable[Subscript["n", "2"], "Unitless"]

symbol description physical quantity
t thickness "Thickness"
m order "Unitless"
λ wavelength for constructive interference "Wavelength"
n1 index of refraction of outside medium "Unitless"
n2 index of refraction of thin film "Unitless"

Forms

Examples

Get the resource:

In[1]:=
ResourceObject["Constructive Thin-Film Interference"]
Out[1]=

Get the formula:

In[2]:=
FormulaData[ResourceObject["Constructive Thin-Film Interference"]]
Out[2]=

Use some values:

In[3]:=
FormulaData[ ResourceObject[ "Constructive Thin-Film Interference"], {QuantityVariable[ \!\(\*SubscriptBox[\("n"\), \("1"\)]\),"Unitless"] -> 1, QuantityVariable["\[Lambda]","Wavelength"] -> Quantity[570, "Nanometers"], QuantityVariable["t","Thickness"] -> Quantity[320, "Nanometers"]}]
Out[3]=

Source Metadata

  • Creator:
  • Date: 1801

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