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Michelson interferometer
2.2

Used concepts Surface mirror 30 x 30 mm 08711.01 1

Interference, wavelength, refraction index, light ve- Magnet foot 08710.00 4
locity, phase, virtual light source. Michelson interferometer 08557.00 1
Lens support 08723.00 1
Principle Objective, 25 x 62470.00 1
Light is caused to interfere by means of two mirrors Sliding device, horizontal 08713.00 1
according to Michelson’s array. The wavelength is xy shifting device 08714.00 1
determined by shifting one of the mirrors. Adapter ring 08714.01 1
Metallic screen, 300 x 300 mm 08062.00 1
Equipment
Base plate with rubber feet 08700.00 1 Problem
HeNe laser 08180.93 1 Determination of the wavelength of the used laser
Adjusting support 35 x 35 mm 08711.00 1 light.

Fig. 1: Experimental set up for the Michelson interferometer (* only required for 5 mW laser)

PHYWE Series of publication • Handbook • LASER PHYSICS I • PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH • D-37070 Göttingen, Germany 12171 25
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Michelson interferometer
2.2

Set-up and performance — Due to the free motion of the mirror, the screw
— The experimental set up is shown in fig. 1. The micrometer is now turned further on in the same
recommended set up height (height of beam direction. Whilst doing so, the clear-dark periods
path) should be 130 mm. are counted.
— After the beam path has been adjusted with the — The path of the mirror can be read from the screw
adjustable mirror M, the two mirrors of the inter- micrometer and is divided by ten (lever transmis-
ferometer are adjusted. sion 1:10).
— To begin with, the beam widening system E is Hint: if the centre of the circles runs out of the
removed. The laser beam impinges on the semi luminous point, new adjustment is necessary.
transparent mirror with an angle of 45o and is
split.
— The two partial beams are reflected by the cor- Theory and evaluation
responding mirrors and meet on screen SC. If two waves of the same frequency ω and different
— The two luminous points are brought to cover amplitudes and phases impinge at the same place,
each other by means of the two adjusting screws they will superimpose to
on one of the two mirrors.
— The luminous points are widened by introducing y = a1 sin (ωt − α1) + a2 sin (ωt − α2)
the beam widening system E into the beam path.
This is achieved by shifting the round aperture
nearer to the focal point of the microscope, whilst The resulting wave can be described by:
continuously adjusting the round aperture in the
plane by means of the adjusting screws. One y = A sin (ωt − α)
obtains a luminous point without any diffraction
patterns, that is, there are neither diffraction stri- with the amplitude
pes nor rings.
— One now can observe interference patterns on
screen SC (stripes, circles). A2 = a12 + a22 + 2 a1a2 ⋅ cos δ (1)
— Careful adjustment allows to obtain concentric
circles.
— To measure the wavelength, the screw micrometer and phase difference
is turned to any initial position for which the
centre of the interference circles is dark. δ = α1 − α2

Fig. 2: Michelson interference set-up Fig. 3: Formation of interference rings

26 12171 PHYWE Series of publication • Handbook • LASER PHYSICS I • PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH • D-37070 Göttingen, Germany
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Michelson interferometer
2.2

In a Michelson interferometer, a light beam is split Thus, peaks occur when δ is a multiple of 2π, that is,
into two partial beams by a semi transparent glass with (2):
plate (amplitude splitting), reflected by two mirrors
and brought to interfere again after the glass plate 2 ⋅ d ⋅ cos Θ = m ⋅ λ ; m = 1, 2, … (4)
(fig. 2). As only extended light spots can display
interference rings, the light beam is widened by That means that circular rings are obtained for se-
means of a lens between the laser and the glass lected fixed values of m and d, as θ remains constant
plate. (cf. fig. 3).
If the real mirror M2 is replaced by a virtual image If one changes the position of mobile mirror M1 in
M2′ obtained through reflection on the glass plate, a such a way that for example d decreases, according
point P of the real light source appears as points to (4), the diameter of the rings also decreases, as
P ′ and P ′′ of virtual sources L1 and L2. m is fixed for this ring. Thus, a ring vanishes every
Due to the different light paths, one obtains the time d is decreased by λ/2 . The ring pattern vanis-
following phase difference with the designations of hes when d = 0. If M1 and M2 are not parallel, one
fig. 3: obtains crooked stripes which become straight for
d = 0.
2π
δ = ⋅ 2d ⋅ cos Θ (2) To measure the wavelength of the light, 500 changes
λ of rings were counted, during which a shifting of the
where λ is the wavelength of the used laser light. mirror by 158 µm was measured. From this the wa-
According to (1), the intensity distribution for a1 = a2 = a velength
is λ = 632 nm
δ
I ~ A2 = 4 ⋅ a 2 ⋅ cos 2 (3) is obtained.
2

PHYWE Series of publication • Handbook • LASER PHYSICS I • PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH • D-37070 Göttingen, Germany 12171 27
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Michelson interferometer
2.2

Space for notes

28 12171 PHYWE Series of publication • Handbook • LASER PHYSICS I • PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH • D-37070 Göttingen, Germany