Young's Interference Experiment

Abstract

IN connection with Dr. Houstoun's letter on this subject in NATURE of April 28, I may direct attention to a note by my father “On a Simple Interference Arrangement” (British Association Report, pp. 703–4, 1893; Collected Works, vol. iv., p. 76). The arrangement described is a tube with a single slit at one end and a double slit at the other. The double slit is ruled on silvered glass, and is much closer than Dr. Houstoun describes—about 1/10 mm., as nearly as I can estimate without pulling the apparatus to pieces. The slit at the other end is about 0.35 mm., and the length of the tube about 31 cm. The apparatus as originally described was intended to be used with the double slit placed close to the eye and the tube directed to a source of light such as a gas flame or the sky. Interference bands are then well seen.