Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-a-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2018/paper-2/section-b/b8/a/solution
Past exam of the physics A course of the University of Cambridge 2018 Paper 2 Section B B8 a Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-18
In division of amplitude, one incident beam is split into two or more parts at a partially reflecting interface; they follow distinct paths and are recombined. The Michelson interferometer and thin-film interference use this principle. In division of wavefront, spatially distinct parts of the same wavefront are selected and allowed to overlap, as in double-slit interference. Both require adequate optical coherence; wavefront division particularly exposes the need for spatial optical coherence between the selected regions.
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