Interference and Diffraction

Newton's Rings

[S | t++ | ★★★]
Circular interference pattern formed between spherical and flat glass plates.

[In-Depth Description]

Thin Film Interference

[M | t+ | ★★★★]
Interference patterns on soap films or oil slick.

[In-Depth Description]

Gold Mirror

[M | t+ | —]
Thin gold-film interference selects spectral bandwidth.

Michelson Interferometer

[S | t+ | ★★★]
The classic application of spatial coherence lengths.

[In-Depth Description]

Fabry-Perot Etalon

[S | t++ | —]
The most common multiple-beam interferometer.

Hear the Wall Bend

[L | t+ | —]
A room size laser interferometer with audio signal output.

[In-Depth Description]

Adjustable Single Slit

[M/L | t++ | —]
Diffraction pattern changes with slit aperture.

Slit Diffraction

[M/L | t++ | —]
Single or multiple slit diffraction patterns with laser.

[In-Depth Description]

Edge Diffraction

[L | t+++/t+ | —/★★]
Schlieren optics is used to demonstrate the diffraction of light around objects; more simply done with razor blade and laser or white light source.

[In-Depth Description]

Diffraction Gratings

[M | t | —]
Hand held transmission gratings or large reflection grating.

Two-Dimensional Interference

[M/L | t+ | —]
Various two-dim gratings, apertures, Fresnel zone plates, opaque objects, and edges.

Laue Optical Analog

[L | t | —]
2-Dim interfernce pattern as optical analog of x-ray diffraction; spinning the grating simulates polycrystaline ring patterns.

Laser Diffraction Off Ruler

[M | t+ | —]
Machinist's scale used as reflective grating.

Single Photon Interference

[L | t+++ | ★★★★]
Wave/particle duality observed in Young's double slit experiment with camera sensitive to individual photons.

[In-Depth Description]

Poisson's Spot

[L | t++ | ★★]
Diffraction produces a bright spot where Poisson believed there would be darkness.