2.

710 Optics Problem Set 5 Solutions

1.
2π
|�k1 | = |�k2 | =
λ
� √ �
�k1 = 2π (sin 30 ◦ x̂ + cos 30 ◦ ẑ) = 2π 1
x̂ +
3
ẑ
λ λ 2 2
�k2 = 2π (cos 45 ◦ x̂ + sin 45 ◦ sin 30 ◦ ŷ + sin 45 ◦ cos 30 ◦ ẑ)
λ �
√ √ √ �
2π 2 2 6
= x̂ + ŷ + ẑ
λ 2 4 4

Assuming |E1 | = |E2 | = 1,

√ �
� 2π x 3
E1 (x, y, z) = eik1 ·�r = ei λ ( √2 + 2 √z) ≡ √eiφ1
� 2π 2 2 6 interference pattern I
E2 (x, y, z) = eik2 ·�r = ei λ ( 2 x+ 4 y+ 4 z) ≡ eiφ2

I = |E1 + E2 |2 = |E1 |2 + |E2 |2 + 2|E1 ||E2 | cos(φ1 − φ2 )

= 2[1 + cos(φ1 − φ2 )]
(a) In the xy-plane, z = 0
2π � �� √ � √ �
φ1 = (x/2) √
λ √ 2π 1 2 2
φ1 − φ2 = − x− y = Δφ
φ2 = 2π
λ
( 22 x + 42 y) λ 2 2 4

I = 2[1 + cos Δφ] so the profile is a sinusoidal profile. The maxima are along the
lines whose equation is:
�� √ � √ �
2π 1 2 2
− x− y = 2mπ, where m ∈ Z
λ 2 2 4
√ √
1− 2 2
x− y = mλ
2 4
(b) For the plane z = λ
√
√ √ √ √ �
� � ⎫
2π 1 3
�
φ1 = λ 2 x + 2 λ ⎬ 2π 1 − 2 2 2 3 − 6
�√ √ √ � Δφ = x+ y+ λ
φ2 = 2π 2
x + 2y + 6λ ⎭ λ 2 4 4
λ 2 4 4

I = 2[1 + cos Δφ], so the interference pattern is still a sinusoid (i.e. a set of linear
fringes). The maxima occur when Δφ = 2πm, m ∈ Z. The equation of the fringe
lines are: � √ √ √ √ �
2π 1 − 2 2 2 3− 6
x+ y+ λ = 2πm, m ∈ Z
λ 2 4 4

1
 √ √ � √ √ �
1− 2 2 2 3− 6
x+ y = m− λ
2 4 4
Note that the slopes are the same as 1a, but the maxima are shifted.
(c) In the yz-plane, x = 0
�√ � � √ �√ √ � �
⎫
3
φ1 = 2π
λ
z ⎬ 2π 2 3 6
� √2 √ � Δφ = − y+ − z
φ2 = 2λπ 42 y + 6
z ⎭ λ 4 2 4
4

√
2
We
√ √
also observe a set of fringes along the lines where Δφ = 2mπ, i.e. − 4
y +
2 3− 6
4
z = mλ, m ∈ Z

2.
2π
Plane wave: Epl = |Epl |ei λ z
|Esp | i 2π z iπ (x2 +y2 )
Spherical wave: Esp = e λ e λz
αz
(a) At z = 1000λ, assuming the amplitudes of the two waves are equal:
2π
Epl = eiφpl where φpl = z
λ
2π π
Esp = eiφsp where φsp = z + (x2 + y 2 )
λ λz
π 2 2
Δφ = φsp − φpl = (x + y )
λz
2 2
We have bright fringes where Δφ = 2πm, m = 0, 1, 2 . . ., so x 2+zy = mλ.
At z = 1000λ → x2 + 2 2
√y = 2000λ m, m = 0, 1, 2, 3 . . ., which is a set of concentric
rings of radii R = λ 2000m, m = 0, 1, 2, 3 . . .
(b) At z = 2000λ, the amplitude of the spherical wave decreases by a factor of 1/2
(energy conservation).
� � �2 � �
Epl = eiφpl 1 1 5
I =1+ + 2(1) cos Δφ = + cos Δφ
Esp = 21 eiφsp 2 2 4
The maxima are given by Δφ = 2πm.
x2 + y 2
= mλ ⇒ x2 + y 2 = 4000λ2 m
2z
√
Therefore the maxima are concentric circles of radii R = 20λ 10m, m = 0, 1, 2, . . .
(c) Observations:
i. The interference pattern is a set of concentric circles whose radii are given by
√
Rm = 2zλm

2
 ii. The radius of the first fringe (R1 ) increases with both λ and z
iii. At a certain distance z, the spacing between the fringes decreases as we go
radially outwards. √ √ √
ΔRm = 2zλ( m − m − 1)
(d) If we insert a lens in branch 1 of a Michelson interferometer, the lens focuses the
plane wave to a point at its back focal plane.

After reflecting off the mirror, the lens is effectively imaging a point source at a
distance (d − f ) + d = 2d − f ; thus it forms a point source image at Si , where
1 1 1 1 1 2(d − f )
= − = − =
Si f S0 f 2d − f f (2d − f )
f (2d − f )
Si =
2(d − f )
If d = f , i.e. Si = ∞, we get a plane wave back and the output is a uniform
intensity, because we would be observing the interference of two on-axis plane
waves.
If d �= f, we get circular fringes due to the interference of a plane wave and a
spherical wave.
3. The general off-axis plane wave propagates at θ with respect to the z axis.

The off-axis plane wave equation is:

2π
Epl = |Epl |ei λ (x sin θ+z cos θ)
The equation of the spherical wave is:
|Esp | i 2π z i π (x2 +y2 )
Esp = e λ e λz
αz

3
 (a) Assuming the amplitudes are equal at z = 1000λ, I = 2|Epl |2 (1 + cos Δφ), where
Δφ = φsp − φpl :

φsp = 2π π 2 2
�
z + (x + y ) π 2 2π π 2π
λ λz Δφ = x − sin θx + y 2 + z(1 − cos θ)
φpl = 2λπ (x sin θ + z cos θ) λz λ λz λ

Bright fringes occur when Δφ = 2πm:

1 2 1
x − (sin θ)x + y 2 = mλ − z(1 − cos θ)
2z 2z
x2 − 2z sin θx + z 2 sin2 θ + y 2 = 2z[mλ − z(1 − cos θ)] + z 2 sin2 θ . . . (Eq. A)
� �� �
Rm 2

(x − z sin θ)2 + y 2 = Rm 2

(b) At z = 2000λ, |Esp | = 12 |Epl |

� �
2 5
I = |Epl | + cos Δφ
4

The fringes are still given by equation A where z = 2000λ. This gives a bigger
shift along the x-axis and lower contrast in the fringes as well as larger spacing of
peaks.

4. We sketch the system as follows:

The mth plane wave is at an angle θm = θ0 + mΔθ

2π
Em = ei λ [cos θm z+sin θm x]

Assuming small angles (paraxial approximation), θm � 1

cos θm ≈ 1, sin θm ≈ θm = θ0 + mΔθ

2π 2π
Em ≈ ei λ (z+θm x) = ei λ (z+θ0 x+mΔθx)

4
 Adding all the plane waves,
N
� −1
ET = Em
m=0
N −1
2π
�
= ei λ (z+θ0 x+mΔθx)
m=0
N −1
i 2λπ z i 2λπ θ0 x 2π
�
=e e (ei λ xΔθ )m
�m=0 �� �
2π xΔθ
Geometric series: θ0 =1, r=ei λ

2π
i 2π z i 2λπ θ0 x 1 − ei( λ N xΔθ) 2π 2π 1 − eiφ1
∴ ET = e λ e · 2π = ei λ z ei λ θ0 x ·
1 − ei( λ xΔθ) 1 − eiφ2
φ1 φ1 φ1
i 2π z i 2π
θ x ei 2 e−i 2 − ei 2
=e λ e λ 0
· φ2 · φ2 φ2
ei 2 e−i 2 − ei 2
� e−i 2 − ei φ21 �2
� φ1 � � �2
φ1
2i sin( ) sin2 ( φ21 )
|ET |2 = � φ2 = 2
=
� �
� e−i 2 − ei φ22 � 2i sin( φ22 ) sin2 ( φ22 )
�

5. Forward propagating plane wave: �k1 = 2π

ẑ
λ

Backward propagating plane wave: �k2 = − 2λπ ẑ

2π 2π
E1 = ei( λ z−ωt) , E2 = ei(− λ z−ωt)
4π
I = 2(1 + cos Δφ), where Δφ = φ1 − φ2 = z
� � �� � � λ
4π 2π
∴ I = 2 1 + cos z = 4 cos2 z
λ λ

Note that although we did not ignore the time dependence of each wave (ωt), the
interference wave is independent of time, thus the term “standing wave.”

5
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2.71 / 2.710 Optics

Spring 2009

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