Past exam of the physics A course of the University of Cambridge 2010 Paper 1 Section A 2 Solution 2026-10-20
For the adjacent reflected minima of an air-film-air layer in thin-film interference, reflection at the front surface acquires a phase reversal, while reflection at the rear does not. Near normal incidence the reflected minima therefore obey for integral m. A single intermediate maximum means that the two stated minima are consecutive orders:Thus , with orders6 and5, andThe intermediate reflected maximum is at . This assumes negligible dispersion of the supplied refractive index and an air environment on both sides. [ref]
University Physics Volume 3 by Samuel J. Ling and others. §3.4, reflection phase reversals and thin-film interference