Astrophysics, astronomy, and forensic science use monochromatic light technologies. Throughout the ancient world, monochromatic was a single or sole color. It originates from the Greek word monos, meaning one. The light that has one color, or monochromatic light, is primarily electromagnetic radiation emitted by atoms. As wavefronts with differing levels and lengths of energy, photons propagate. A wave’s length determines the color of a wave, and its frequency determines its frequency. The wavelengths of visible light are those that can be seen by humans.
Violet light, which is in the higher visible energy level of the electromagnetic spectrum, is a form of visible light (in the lower energy level of the electromagnetic spectrum). It interacts with atoms in molecules as it travels through various media, such as air, water, and organic matter. Known as atomic transitions, these processes involve the emission or absorption of energy packages (or wavelengths).
It is the physical-chemical properties of isotopes (atoms or molecules of an element of the periodic table) as well as complex molecules (containing several elements) that are defined by the structure of those atoms or molecules. The wavelengths that are absorbed and those that are emitted are determined by these properties. Quanta, which are energy packages known as packets of light, are absorbed and emitted by atoms.
As light travels through an atom, electrons suddenly jump to their outer orbits, causing absorption. The energy quanta are being absorbed, not progressed between orbits in a progressive manner.
What Is Monochromatic Light?
Light (optical radiation) with only one frequency in the optical spectrum is monochromatic. A point in space has a pure sinusoidal electric field strength, with a periodicity and bandwidth at the same instant. It is also possible to describe a light source as monochromatic if it emits monochromatic light.
It is antonymous with polychromatic. As an example of polychromatic light, consider thermal radiation, such as light provided by incandescent lamps. Incandescent lamps display a broad range of optical frequencies.
Monochromatic light is often used in optical and photonic calculations. Laser beams, for example, are usually calculated in this way; each optical wavelength or frequency is fixed.
The bandwidth of a real light source will never be exactly zero since real light sources cannot be exactly monochromatic. However, optical sources, including lasers, are often quasi-monochromatic, i.e., the bandwidth is so narrow as to make certain characteristics of the light impossible to distinguish from monochrome light. Here are some examples:
- In laser absorption spectroscopy, the laser light can be considered quasi-monochromatic if the bandwidth is far below the spectral characteristic of interest.
- Whenever an optical resonator must enhance the intensity of light waves (for instance, resonant frequency doubling), the beam’s bandwidth should be lower than the resonator’s.
- When interferometers are used, the finite wavelength of light is irrelevant if the coherence length is considerably larger than any differences in path lengths.
In quasi-monochromatic light, the optical bandwidth will depend on many factors.
In its original usage, monochromatic refers to the use of a single color. The visible spectrum contains a variety of wavelengths, each of which has a different color. Monochromaticity is not simply determined by light colors, and other colors can be present in non-monochromatic light. As well visible light, infrared, ultraviolet, and solar light is also included in the term.
Quasi-monochromatic light is primarily produced by lasers. When compared with narrow-band light obtained from bandpass filters (see below), lasers can produce monochromatic, quasi-monochromatic light with very high optical powers. In some lasers, the optical bandwidth is so small that they exhibit extreme monochromaticity. A laser with a well-stabilized single-frequency (sometimes with a bandwidth under 1 Hz) attains maximum monochromaticity.
Monochromatic light was quite difficult to produce before the advent of the laser. Using gas discharge lamps and metal vapor lamps (such as mercury vapor lamps and sodium vapor lamps), emitting light predominantly in narrow spectral lines and isolating one such line with a monochromator, was one possibility. There was not much power or intensity achieved.
An optical monochromator is basically an optical filter that isolates certain wavelengths from other wavelengths. There are therefore no colors in the output. All other wavelengths of light are lost, however.
Refraction of Monochromatic Light
If two materials have different indexes of refraction, then the light will be refracted as it passes from one to the other. A variety of familiar phenomena can be explained by refraction, including the apparent bending of a partially submerged object in water or the mirages in a dry, sandy desert.
As a result of refraction, visible light beams can also be focused onto a single point with lenses. The refraction angle of monochromatic light at the interface is affected by changes in incident angle and differential refractive index between two dissimilar media.
As an example, we will initialize the tutorial with an incident beam of red light (represented by a sine wave) traveling from air into a medium (water in this case) of a greater refractive index. At initialization, the refraction angle for the red light is 40.51 degrees, but the angle of light passing from air to the second medium can be altered using the Incident Angle slider (default value of 60 degrees). In the tutorial window, the refraction angle range is continuously updated as the slider is translated to the left and right.
In the tutorial, you can adjust the wavelength of incident light using the Wavelength slider. You can choose a material from the drop-down list of materials having different refractive indices. The palette menu provides the refractive index values for each material. The Refractive index of the upper medium in the tutorial (vacuum) is fixed at 1.0000, and the incident angle ranges from 0 degrees to 80 degrees (normal to the interface).
Light travels straight through a boundary that separates two substances when crossing it at an angle of 90 degrees (perpendicular to the boundary). Any other angle of impact will bend or refract the light, with the degree of refraction increasing as the beam is progressively angled with respect to the boundary.
An instance can be seen when one strikes water vertically, and the light beam is not refracted, whereas if the beam is struck at an angle it is slightly refracted. Further increasing the angle of the beam will result in the light refracting with a proportional increase in entry angle. Despite the fact that the ratio between the angle at which the light crosses the interface and the angle after refraction varies from material to material, scientists realized it was an important characteristic of the material producing the refraction.
An opaque substance or material’s refractive index measures how fast light moves through it relative to its speed in a vacuum. It is generally accepted that vacuums have refractive indices of 1.0, which serve as a universal reference point. The equation for n, commonly referred to as the index of refraction of other transparent materials, is:
n (Refractive Index) = c/v
A vacuum light’s speed is c, and light’s velocity in a material is v. Since a vacuum has a refractive index of 1.0 and light moves at its maximum speed in a vacuum (which is devoid of any materials), the refractive index of all other transparent materials is greater than 1.0 and can be measured by a variety of techniques.
As a rule of thumb, the refractive index of air (1.0003) can be used to determine the refractive index of most unknown materials since that is so close to the vacuum index. The speed of light is slowed more by refractive indices than by refractive indexes. These materials appear to be more refractive since incoming light passes through an air interface at a greater angle of refraction.
While the refractive index of substances is often referred to as a fixed index, careful measurements reveal that the index varies with the wavelength (or frequency) of radiation or the color of visible light. Basically, a substance has many refractive indices, each of which may change marginally or surprisingly in response to changes in light color or wavelength. It is called dispersion and occurs for all transparent media.
A material’s degree of dispersion depends on how much its refractive index changes with wavelength. Light bends less when its wavelength increases, so its refractive index (or its refractive index of light) decreases. The short wavelength area of blue light, which consists of the shiniest light, is refracted at greater angles than the longer wavelength red light. Accordingly, ordinary glass disperses light, which is what produces the familiar splitting of light into its component colors by a prism.
Monochromatic Light Uses
In order to measure surface flatness within millionths of an inch, monochromatic lights are used. The helium light tube produces glare-free light of a known wavelength (23.2 millionths of an inch) in these self-contained units. Monochromatic Lights are easily observable on most reflective or semi-reflective surfaces when used with Lapmaster Wolters Optical Flats. The surface flatness of parts up to 10.5″ in diameter can be measured quickly and easily to within .000001″.
The interference fringe patterns of a flat surface can be accurately seen using an optical flat and monochromatic light source. In order to illuminate an optical flat completely, the unit must be large enough to cover it completely. Light waves of a specific length are emitted by the specific gas inside the light tube. Light wavelengths are used as the measurement reference for optical flats (half of a wavelength is a light band).
The company’s CP Series of tabletop monochromatic lights are currently available in two different styles. Two CP models are offered in the CP line. Portable units have hinges and latches for opening and closing, a small storage area to accommodate the electrical cord and other items, and a handle to carry. In both cases, these helium gas units operate on electricity supplied at 110 volts, one phase, 50/60 Hz. CP-1 diffusing lenses measure 11″ by 14″ while CP-2 lenses measure 6′ by 10″.
MLS-16 and MLS-8 monochromatic lights are part of the MLS line. Each unit consists of a sodium tube enclosed in a white-painted fabricated sheet metal housing. It uses 110 volts, one phase, 50/60 Hz as its power source. MLS-8 measures eight by fifteen inches and MLS-16 measures eight by twenty-eight inches.
Frequently Asked Questions About Monochromatic Light