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Module 11 Interferometer April 2022

This document describes an experiment using a Michelson interferometer to determine the ratio between the movement of a mirror and the movement of a micrometer screw gauge. The experiment uses a He-Ne laser and Michelson interferometer setup to produce interference patterns. By measuring the number of interference pattern rotations and the corresponding distance changes on the micrometer, the shifting ratio relating mirror movement to micrometer readings can be calculated using an equation derived from interference conditions. The goal is to obtain the shifting ratio and compare it to a reference value to check for any differences, which could be explained.

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12 views

Module 11 Interferometer April 2022

This document describes an experiment using a Michelson interferometer to determine the ratio between the movement of a mirror and the movement of a micrometer screw gauge. The experiment uses a He-Ne laser and Michelson interferometer setup to produce interference patterns. By measuring the number of interference pattern rotations and the corresponding distance changes on the micrometer, the shifting ratio relating mirror movement to micrometer readings can be calculated using an equation derived from interference conditions. The goal is to obtain the shifting ratio and compare it to a reference value to check for any differences, which could be explained.

Uploaded by

radhisyaha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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MODULE 11

INTERFEROMETER

1. GOAL
1.1. Determine the value of ratio between movement of mirror and movement of
micrometer screw gauge

2. EXPERIMENTAL APPARATUS
2.1 Precise interferometer set (1 set)
2.2 He-Ne laser (1 set)

3. BASIC THEORY
Interference is superposition phenomena of two waves that produce a
pattern with periodically varying intensity as a result of constructive and
destructive superposition. When observing light wave, the interference result will
be observed as a pattern of alternating bright and dark lines. Interference pattern
were set up to have same frequency and amplitude, as well as same phase.
Interferometer is a configuration of lenses and a coherent light source (from
LASER) to produce interference pattern. One of well-known interferometers is
Michelson interferometer. Michelson initially developed the interferometer to
examine the characteristics of light wave, especially to detect Luminiferous aether or
ether. Ether, in the past, was believed to be a matter which responsible to
propagate the light wave. Ether was also believed to be transparent and present
throughout the universe.

Module 11 - Interferometer 1
Figure 11.1. Michelson interferometer configuration.

Michelson interferometer consists of two flat mirrors and a beam splitter


(BS), as in Figure 1. As seen in the figure, the interferometer splits a light beam
into two equivalent light beams by using beam splitter (BS) and then recombine
them into one on the screen. Half of the light were reflected to moveable mirror
(M1) and half other were transmitted to adjustable mirror (M2). Both the beam
1 and beam 2 were reflected back to beam splitter and then continues to the
screen. M2 mirror can be set by the micrometer as a tool to configure distance
between M2 and the BS more accurately to scale of nm. On the screen, there are
constructive and destructive superpositions in circular shape, known as Newton’s
ring. The resulting pattern depends on the phase difference of the beams when
they come to the screen.

Figure 11.2. Michelson interferometer configuration.

Module 11 - Interferometer 2
The shifting ratio is introducing to describe the ratio between movement of
mirror and movement of screw micrometer. The value depends on the
characteristic of each instrument. This ratio could be calculated by the following
formula:
𝑛𝜆
𝑘= (11.1)
2𝛥𝑥
Information:
𝑘 = the shifting ratio
𝑛 = number of rotations
𝜆 = the wavelength of the laser (nm)
𝛥𝑥 = distance difference on micrometer screw gauge (mm)

4. EXERCISES
4.1 Derive Eq. (11.1) and explain the required condition of constructive and
destructive interference!
4.2 Explain what will happen if the light beam is not equivalently splitted (50:50)!
4.3 Explain why the observed interference pattern has a shape of bright and dark
rings! Is the center supposed to be bright or dark spot?

5. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS
This experiment will be conducted as follows:
5.1 Configure the interferometer until bright and dark pattern is observed,
5.2 Specify the observed pattern and determine the lenses’ shift,
5.3 Find the wavelength of laser.

5.1. Experiment Set-up (together with assistant)


1. Set up the components on the base plate and He-Ne laser on its stand as in
Figure 11.3. Install the micrometer screw, which is useful for adjusting
position of the mirror M2 precisely, on its place as in the figure,
2. Adjust He-Ne laser position so that the beam passes through divergent lens
and is reflected by mirror M2 to divergent lens through its center,
3. Loosen the screw of divergent lens and rotate the lens by about 90° out of
the line formed by the laser beam, so that the beam reaches the mirror M2.

Module 11 - Interferometer 3
Adjust beam splitter position (after loosening the screw) until beam 1 and 2
reach the same spot on the screen (completely overlapping). The interference
pattern could not be seen yet because the beam spot is small,
4. Return the divergent lens back to its position so that the laser beam passes
through it,
5. Adjust the lens finely until the interference pattern (bright and dark rings)
clearly observed.

Figure 11.3. Michelson interferometer setup used in this experiment.

5.2. Lens’ shift measurement


1. Set micrometer position at around 20 to 22 mm and adjust configuration
finely so that the bright pattern in the center is perfectly formed. Write down
the position of the adjusting micrometer screw (call it as 𝑥𝑖 ),
2. Change position of mirror M2 by turning the adjusting micrometer screw
slowly in clockwise direction and continuously while observing how many
times the pattern returns to its initial shape. Do it until the pattern repeats its
shape 10 times (𝑛 = 10). Write down current position of the adjusting
micrometer screw (call it as 𝑥𝑓),
3. The data can be collected in around its sensitive range of 5-10 mm and 11-
20mm depending on each tool. Outside the range, the tool’s sensitivity has
been decreased.
4. To reduce error in counting rings and determining the position 𝑥𝑖 and 𝑥𝑓 ,
repeat the step 3 above 3 times for clockwise rotation and repeat 3 more
times for counterclockwise rotation,
5. Take a look to the tool used, each set has its own wavelength reference and
the shifting ratio reference. Then, calculate the shifting ratio of each data
using equation (11.1),
6. Take the average of the shifting ratio for each set of variations,

Module 11 - Interferometer 4
7. Take the final average of the shifting ratio for clockwise rotation and the
shifting ratio for counter-clockwise rotation and calculate the error.
8. Finally, take the average of the shifting ratio from CCW-rotation and CW-
rotation and calculate the error.

6. ANALYSIS
6.1 Find shift ratio of the mirror by using equation (11.1)!
6.2 Compare the obtained shift ratio from experiment with reference!
6.3 According to no. 2, is there any differences? Explain the reason!
6.4 What is the physical meaning of shift ratio in this experiment?
6.5 Explain how to get a clear interference pattern!
6.6 Explain how the screw can change the interference pattern!

7. REFERENCES
Halliday, D., Resnick, R., Walker, J. (2006): Fundamentals of Physics6th Edition,
John Wiley & Sons, 880 – 881.
Mikhailov, E. E. (2013): Physics 251 Atomic Physics Lab Manual, College
of William and Mary, 3 – 6

Module 11 - Interferometer 5

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