Interfering liquid surface waves are generated by electrically driven vertical oscillations of two or more equispaced pins immersed in a liquid (water). The corresponding intensity distribution, resulting from diffraction of monochromatic light by the reflection phase grating formed on the liquid surface, is calculated theoretically and found to tally with experiments. The curious features of the diffraction pattern and its relation to the interference of waves on the liquid surface are used to measure the amplitude and wavelength of the resultant surface wave along the line joining the two sources of oscillation. Finally, a sample diffraction pattern obtained by optically probing surface regions where interference produces a lattice-like structure is demonstrated and qualitatively explained.

Surface waves on liquids act as a dynamical phase grating for incident light. In this article, we revisit the classical method of probing such waves (wavelengths of the order of mm) as well as inherent properties of liquids and liquid films on liquids, using optical diffraction. A combination of simulation and experiment is proposed to trace out the surface wave profiles in various situations (eg. for one or more vertical, slightly immersed, electrically driven exciters). Subsequently, the surface tension and the spatial damping coefficient (related to viscosity) of a variety of liquids are measured carefully in order to gauge the efficiency of measuring liquid properties using this optical probe. The final set of results deal with liquid films where dispersion relations, surface and interface modes, interfacial tension and related issues are investigated in some detail, both theoretically and experimentally. On the whole, our observations and analysis seem to support the claim that this simple, low-cost apparatus is capable of providing a wealth of information on liquids and liquid surface waves in a non-destructive way.