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Date May 2013 Marks available 3 Reference code 13M.3.HL.TZ1.13
Level Higher level Paper Paper 3 Time zone Time zone 1
Command term Determine Question number 13 Adapted from N/A

Question

This question is about thin-film interference.

The anti-reflective coating of a lens consists of a thin layer of a suitable material placed between the air and the glass of the lens.

 

The following data are available.

                                                                             Refractive index of air        = 1.0
                                                                             Refractive index of coating = 1.2
                                                                             Refractive index of glass     = 1.5

State what phase change occurs on reflection at the air-coating boundary and at the coating-glass boundary.

[1]
a.

The thickness d of the coating layer is 110 nm.

Determine the wavelength for which there is no resultant reflection from the surface of the lens for light at normal incidence (θ = 0º).

[3]
b.

Markscheme

180º / π;

a.

path difference must be λ2;

physical thickness must be λ2n;

so, maximum wavelength (is[2nt=[m+12]λ]λ=4ncd)=528(nm);

Allow any valid alternative method.

b.

Examiners report

was well done in general

a.

Was poorly understood. There were some good answers but many candidates omitted n or put n = 1 as in a diffraction grating.

b.

Syllabus sections

Additional higher level (AHL) » Topic 9: Wave phenomena » 9.3 – Interference
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