Superposition of

waves

Introduction to Optics: Pedrotti

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What is going to be superimposed ?
Scientists don't usually talk about the amplitude of
a light wave, since light isn't traveling in some
substance like water or air. Instead they talk
about the intensity of the light

Intensity is like brightness, and is measured as

the rate at which light energy is delivered to a unit
of surface, or energy per unit time per unit area

The energy of light depends on both intensity

and wavelength

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 Superposition of waves

∂ 2ψ ∂ 2ψ ∂ 2ψ 1 ∂ 2ψ
+ 2 + 2 = 2 2
∂x 2
∂y ∂z v ∂t
If ψ1 and ψ2 are solutions to the wave equation,
then the linear combination
ψ = aψ 1 + b ψ 2
where a and b are constants

is also a solution

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 Superposition of waves
E1 = E0 1 cos(ks1 − ωt + ϕ1 )
E2 = E02 cos(ks2 − ωt + ϕ 2 )
-harmonic waves
-same frequency
initial phase (at
t=0)
propagation distance
(measured from reference plane)

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 Superposition of waves
E1 = E0 1 cos(ks1 − ωt + ϕ1 )
E2 = E02 cos(ks2 − ωt + ϕ 2 )
simplify by intoducing constant phases:
α 1 = ks1 + ϕ1
α 2 = ks2 + ϕ 2
E1 = E0 1 cos(α1 − ωt )
E2 = E02 cos(α 2 − ωt ) .
At point P, phase difference is
α 2 − α 1 = k ( s2 − s1 ) + (ϕ 2 − ϕ1 )
hence the resultant electric field at P is
ER = E1 + E2 = E01 cos(α 1 − ωt ) + E02 cos(α 2 − ωt )
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 Superposition of waves
ER = E1 + E2 = E01 cos(α 1 − ωt ) + E02 cos(α 2 − ωt )
constructive destructive
interference interference

E1

E2

ER

“in step” “out of step”

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 Superposition of waves
constructive general superposition destructive

NS104 (AKK)
 Superposition of waves

ER = E1 + E2 = E01 cos(α 1 − ωt ) + E02 cos(α 2 − ωt )

where α 1 = ks1 + ϕ1 and α 2 = ks2 + ϕ 2
Expressed in complex form:
E R = Re( E01e i (α1 −ωt ) + E02 e i (α 2 −ωt ) ) = Re(e − iωt ( E01e iα1 + E02 e iα 2 )

Simplify with phasors

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 Phasor Diagram

magnitude Ε0

angle α
projection
onto x-axis

Definition of phasor:
1. represent harmonic motion
2. complex plane representation
3. use to track waves
4. simplifies computational manipulations

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 Phasor Diagram
complex space representation; vector addition

E R = Re( E01e i (α1 −ωt ) + E02 e i (α 2 −ωt ) ) = Re(e − iωt ( E01e iα1 + E02 e iα 2 )

E R = Re( E0 e i (α −ωt ) ) = E0 cos(α − ωt ) E 0 e iα

π − [α2−α1]
from law of cosines we get the amplitude of the resultant field:
E02 = E012 + E022 + 2 E01 E02 cos(α 2 − α1 )
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 Phasor Diagram

E0 sin α = E01 sin α1 + E02 sin α 2

E0 cos α = E01 cos α1 + E02 cos α 2

taking the tangent we get the phase of the resultant field

E01 sin α1 + E02 sin α 2
tan α =
E01 cos α1 + E02 cos α 2
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 Phasor Diagram
N

∑E 0i sin α i
tan α = i =1
N

∑E
i =1
0i cos α i

N N N
E = ∑ E + 2∑∑ E0i E0 j cos(α j − α i )
2
0
2
0i
i =1 j >i i =1

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 Two important cases
for waves of equal amplitude and frequency
N N N
E = ∑ E + 2∑∑ E0i E0 j cos(α j − α i )
2
0
2
0i
i =1 j >i i =1

randomly phased coherent

phase differences random in phase; all αi are equal

N →∞
N N N
hence as
E = ∑ E + 2∑∑ E0i E0 j
2
0
2
0i
hence α j − αi ) → 0
cos(as i =1 j >i i =1
2
N
 N

E02 = ∑ E02i = NE012 E02 =  ∑ E0i  = ( NE0i ) 2
i =1  i =1 

E02 = NE012 E =N E2
0
2 2
01

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 Coherent –Incoherent light

Coherent light: Incoherent light:

- strong - relatively weak
- uni-directional - omni-directional
- irradiance ∝
∝ N2 - irradiance ∝ N

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 Light from a light bulb
is very complicated!

1 It has many colors (it’s white), so we have to add waves of

many different values of ω (and hence k-magnitudes).
2 It’s not a point source, so for each color, we have to add
waves with many different k directions.
3 Even for a single color along one direction, many different
atoms are emitting light with random relative phases.

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 Standing waves

- occur when wave exists in both forward and reverse directions

- if phase shift = π, standing wave is created
ER = (2 E0 sin kx) cos ωt
A(x)

- when A(x) = 0, ER=0 for all t; these points are called nodes
- displacement at nodes is always zero

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 Standing waves

E R = A( x) cos ωt where A( x) = 2 E0 sin kx

- nodes occur when A(x) = 0

- A(x) = 0 when sinkx = 0, or kx = mπ (for m = 0, ±1, ±2, ...)

- since k = 2π/λ, x = ½ mλ

- ER has maxima when cosωt = ±1

- hence, peaks occur at t = ½ mT (T is the period)

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