Question about the color of a thin film

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the behavior of light interacting with a thin film, specifically focusing on how the color observed changes with varying angles of incidence when monochromatic light is used. It includes concepts of interference and the effects of film thickness on color perception.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant claims that the color observed from a thin film illuminated by monochromatic light varies only in intensity and is dependent on the angle of incidence, suggesting that only the color of the incident light is visible.
  • Another participant agrees that while the brightness of the reflection may vary, real light sources are not perfectly monochromatic, implying that some variation in the reflected spectrum would occur in practice.
  • A later reply supports the initial reasoning and references an external source to illustrate the concept of thin-film interference with a specific wavelength.
  • Another participant introduces the concept of Haidinger fringes and Newton's fringes, suggesting that variations in film thickness can lead to different observable interference patterns.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the basic principles of thin-film interference, but there are differing views on the implications of real-world light sources and the effects of film thickness on observed colors.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the ideal conditions of monochromatic light and the isolation from other light sources are discussed, but the implications of real-world conditions and variations in film thickness remain unresolved.

Antoha1
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TL;DR
Color of thin film if monochromatic light is pointed against it
If monochromatic light is pointed directly at thin film, film's color can only vary in intensiveness of that particular color of light, because of interference. So, if light is pointed at it, so it is maximum or minimum or neither of interference. The color apeared can only be the color of light pointed (the same wavelength). If we start changing angle of direction of light pointed to the film, the color of the film changes from no color (minimum of interference) to the color pointed (maximum of interference) with no any other colors (wavelenghts) of light apeared. asking if this is correct. The space is fully isolated from any other light sources.
 
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Yes, ideally the brightnness of the reflection will vary and that's all. In reality, all sources have some bandwidth (they are not perfectly monochromatic), so in an actual experiment there would be some variation in reflected spectrum.
 
Antoha1 said:
TL;DR: Color of thin film if monochromatic light is pointed against it
Yes, your reasoning is correct. Take a look at: https://www.soapbubble.dk/en/articles/thin-film-interference which shows a half soap-bubble illuminated by a monochromatic sodium-vapor lamp of wavelength ##589\,\text{nm}##:
1765642462102.webp

1765642489730.webp
 
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You need look to Haidinger fringes, fringes of equal inclination, formed with extended monochromatic source passing though the equal thickness film media. Interference fringes are localised at infinity.
Otherwise if the film thickness is variated, you can observe Newton fringes of equal thickness.
 

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