Wolfram Computation Meets Knowledge

Wolfram Formula Repository (Under Development)

Destructive 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 of the film is an odd multiple of one quarter-wavelength of the light on it, the reflected waves from both surfaces interfere to cancel each other. Since the wave cannot be reflected, it is completely transmitted instead.

Twice the thickness equals the product of the order, 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"] == (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 destructive 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["Destructive Thin-Film Interference"]
Out[1]=

Get the formula:

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

Use some values:

In[3]:=
FormulaData[ ResourceObject[ "Destructive Thin-Film Interference"], {QuantityVariable[ \!\(\*SubscriptBox[\("n"\), \("2"\)]\),"Unitless"] -> 1.33`, QuantityVariable[ \!\(\*SubscriptBox[\("n"\), \("1"\)]\),"Unitless"] -> 1, QuantityVariable["t","Thickness"] -> Quantity[320, "Nanometers"], QuantityVariable["m","Unitless"] -> 1}]
Out[3]=

Source Metadata

  • Creator:
  • Date: 1801

Publisher Information