INTERFEROMETER MICHELSON-MORLEY

Nurul Muthmainnah Herman*, Dwi Maryanti Putri, Meiliyanti

Modern Physics Laboratory Physics Department Mathematics and Science Faculty

State University of Makassar

Abstract. This experiment aims to understand the working principles or concepts Michelson interferometer and
measure the wavelength of the light source used in the experiment. Michelson interferometer experiments done
by putting perpendicular (90 degree angle) position Movable mirrors and adjustable mirrors brokered split. In
this position, there will be differences in trajectory caused by the reflectance and transmission patterns of the
split incoming light passes through the lens. Furthermore, differences in the trajectory will cause the phase
difference and the strengthening phase (commonly referred to as interference) which in turn led to the emergence
of the fringe patterns. The data of this experiment are 20 data, where we found the wavelength of He-Ne Laser
are 700 nm, 700 nm, 700 nm, 500 nm , 700nm , 600 nm, 600 nm, 600 nm, 700 nm, and 600nm.
KEYWORDS: interference, fringe, and wavelength

INTRODUCTION as people meter measurement for international

In 1882, Michelson collaborated with
Edward Morley in several studies including
research that had done in Berlin in trying to
measure the speed of the ether. Morley, a
skilled experimenter, many major contribution
in the design and execution of experiments
using artificial Michelson interferometer. Once
again, they are still reaping the rewards nil. It
seems not possible to detect any motion in the
ether. Though Michelson and Morley's
experiment by physicist regarded as the best
experimental method of various kinds of
methods to measure the speed of the
ether. Later, it nil rather the result of new
findings that there are no substances like ether
it. Michelson apparently should be grateful for
Einstein's theoretical work in the field of
special relativity, although until the end of his
life he could never believe that light is not a
vibration that occurs in a kind of ghostly ether
medium.
In 1889 Michelson went to Clark
University and then moved to the University of
Chicago three years later to serve as the
chairman of the physics department at the
university shall make an exhaustive research
and energy drain, as well as the hard times his
first marriage, Michelson is still active in
teaching physics and research development in
Chicago. Michelson also was one of the
founders of the American Physical Society,
which later became the second president.
Several years Michelson working to make a
better diffraction grating of grating made by
Henry Rowland. But Michelson better known
standardization in Paris which is based on the
wavelength cadmium light. Michelson also
was the first to measure corners does a star at
the age of 67 years using his favorite tool
interferometer.
Michelson, throughout his career, has
penetrated almost all fields in physics. But,
perhaps because of the special sense seems he
has, he's the expert in the field of optics.
Top of the range of his work in the field of
physics, in 1907 AA Michelson Awarded
Nobel Prize for his work on physics mainly a
tool of precision optical instruments
(interferometer) as well as spectroscopic and
research in the field of metrology with the help
of these tools.
THEORY
The Michelson interferometer is a
device that produces interference between two
beams of light. A diagram of the apparatus is
shown in Fig. 1. The basic operation of the
interferometer is as follows. Light from a light
source is split into two parts. One part of the
light travels a different path length than the
other. After traversing these different path
lengths, the two parts of the light are brought
together to interfere with each other. The
interference pattern can be seen on a screen.
Light from the source strikes the beam
splitter (designated by S). The beam splitter
allows 50% of the radiation to be transmitter to
the translatable mirror M1. The other 50% of
the radiation is reflected to the fixed mirror
M2. The compensator plate C is introduced
along this path to make each path have the
same optical path length when M1 and M2 are
the same distance from the beam splitter. After
returning from M1, 50% of the light is
reflected toward the frosted glass screen.
Likewise, 50% of the light returning from M2
is transmitted to the glass screen. At the screen,
the two beams are superposed and one can
observe the interference between them [1]

FIGURE 3: Schematic illustration of

FIGURE 1: Schematic Illustration of a
Michelson Interferometer
FIGURE 2: Interference pattern
Therefore, the total path difference
between the two beams is
(1)
The condition for constructive
interference is then
, m= 0,1,2
interference
For a given mirror separation d, a given
wavelength λ, and order m, the angle of
inclination θ is a constant, and the fringes are
circular. They are called fringes of equal
inclination, or Heidegger fringes. If M1'
coincides with M2, d = 0, and the path
difference between the interfering beams will
be λ/2. This corresponds to destructive
interference, so the center of the field will be
dark.
If one of the mirrors is moved through a
distance λ/4, the path difference changes by
λ/2 and a maximum is obtained. If the mirror is
moved through another λ/4, a minimum is
obtained; moving it by another λ/4, again a
maximum is obtained and so on. Because d is
multiplied by cos θ, as d increases, new rings
appear in the center faster than the rings
already present at the periphery disappear, and
the field becomes more crowded with thinner
rings toward the outside. If d decreases, the
rings contract, become wider and more
sparsely distributed, and disappear at the
center.
For destructive interference, the total
path difference must be an integer number of
wavelengths plus a half wavelength,
( )
(3)
If the images S1 and S2 from the two
mirrors are exactly the same distance away,
d=0 and there is no dependence on θ. This
means that only one fringe is visible, the zero
order destructive interference fringe, where
( ) (4)
and the observer sees a single, large, central
dark spot with no surrounding rings.
(2)
 Using the Michelson interferometer, the
wavelength of light from a monochromatic
source can be determined. If M1 is moved
forward or backward, circular fringes appear or
disappear at the centre. The mirror is moved
through a known distance d and the number N
of fringes appearing or disappearing at the
centre is counted. For one fringe to appear or
disappear, the mirror must be moved through a
distance of λ/2. Knowing this, we can write,
(5)
(6)
so that the wavelength so that the wavelength
is,
(7)
EXPERIMENTAL METHOD
The tools used in the experiment is a
set of Michelson interferometer, a laser
light source, laser alignment bench.
micrometers see visible changes in the
observation screen. We can see the shadow of
the dark-light interference pattern. Note the
images forming what looks obvious.
After the micrometer rotated back to the left
counter clockwise slowly and count the
number of fringe on the observation screen.
Rotation of the micrometer to the left means
moving closer mirror beam splitter. 2 This
mirror moving along the same trajectory so
long.
When the number of fringe 20 count
then record the appointment on micrometer.
Micrometer rotated again to 20 the number of
fringe and record the appointment on a
micrometer scale. Measurements were made to
120 the number of the fringe is formed . Note :
Micrometer is used to have the least scale of
0.01 mm.
Obtained from the main scale of
micrometers = 25 and least scale = ¼ = 0.25
.So ,least scale of micrometer 25 / 0 , 25 = 0.01
mm. At the units used in the
measurement.
EXPERIMENT RESULT AND DATA
ANALYSIS

Obesrvation Result
Least scale of micrometer : 0,01 m

TABLE 1. The relationship between number

of fringe with path length of wave source

Number of
No. dm (x10-6 m)
Fringe (N)
1 20 7,00
2 40 14,00
FIGURE 3.The set Interferometer Michelson 3 60 21,00

Michelson interferometer lab work 4 80 26,00

step is to first identify the parts Michelson
interferometer. Michelson interferometer 5 100 33,00
consists of lenses, beam splitter, adjustable 6 120 39,00
mirror, moveable mirror, and a micrometer.
After that we connect interferometer with an 7 140 45,00
electrical current, turn on the power button on
the interferometer, turn on the laser and adjust 8 160 51,00
the position of the laser. 9 180 58,00
The next step is playing on the
micrometer scale of zero to get the focus of the 10 200 64,00
image, then we rotate anticlockwise
 1.
2.
= 650 nm

= 650 nm

= 600 nm

6.
Wavelength average
7.
̅̅̅

( )
9.

Determine wave length of He-Ne light Uncertainty Analysis

2d m
  2d m N 1
= 700 nm N

  d m
d m
 (2d m N 1 )
= 700 nm   d m
d m
 2 N 1 d m

 2d m N 1
= 600 nm
d m
  
dm

= 600 nm RE   100%

Accuracy  100%  RE
   m
= 600 nm

= 600 nm

= 600 nm
For the 1st wavelength (Δλ1) For the 4th wavelength (Δλ4)
0,01m 0,01m
1  0,7 m 4  0,5m
7,000 m 5,000 m
1  0,001m 4  0,001m
1 4
RE   100% RE   100%
1 4
0,001m 0,001m
RE   100% RE   100%
0,7 m 0,5m
RE  0,14% RE  0,10%
Accuracy  100%  RE Accuracy  100%  RE
Accuracy  100%  0,14% Accuracy  100%  0,10%
Accuracy  99,86% Accuracy  99,90%
1  1 m 4  4 m
0,7000  0,0010 m 0,5000  0,0010 m
For the 2nd wavelength (Δλ2) For the 5th wavelength (Δλ5)
0,01m 0,01m
2  0,7 m 5  0,7 m
7,000 m 7,000 m
2  0,001m 5  0,001m
2 5
RE   100% RE   100%
2 5
0,001m 0,001m
RE   100%
RE   100% 0,7 m
0,7 m
RE  0,14%
RE  0,14%
Accuracy  100%  RE
Accuracy  100%  RE
Accuracy  100%  0,14%
Accuracy  100%  0,14%
Accuracy  99,86%
Accuracy  99,86% 5  5 m
2  2 m 0,7000  0,0010 m
0,7000  0,0010 m
For the 6th wavelength ( )
For the 3rd wavelength (Δλ3)
0,01m
0,01m 6  0,6 m
3  0,7 m 6,000 m
7,000 m
6  0,001m
3  0,001m
6
3 RE   100%
RE   100% 6
3 0,001m
0,001m RE   100%
RE   100% 0,6 m
0,7 m RE  0,16%
RE  0,14% Accuracy  100%  RE
Accuracy  100%  RE Accuracy  100%  0,16%
Accuracy  100%  0,14% Accuracy  99,84%
Accuracy  99,86% 6  6 m
3  3 m 0,6000  0,0010 m
0,7000  0,0010 m
For the 7th wavelength ( ) For the 10th wavelength ( )
0,01m 0,01m
7  0,6 m 10  0,6 m
6,000 m 6,000 m
7  0,001m 10  0,001m
7 10
RE   100% RE   100%
7 10
0,001m 0,001m
RE   100% RE   100%
0,6 m 0,6 m
RE  0,16% RE  0,16%
Accuracy  100%  RE Accuracy  100%  RE
Accuracy  100%  0,16% Accuracy  100%  0,16%
Accuracy  99,84% Accuracy  99,84%
7  7 m 10  10 m
0,6000  0,0010 m 0,6000  0,0010 m

For the 8th wavelength ( ) Michelson - Morley Interferometer

0,01m devices used in the lab with a light source and
8  0,6 m a He-Ne laser using a circular lens , with this
6,000 m
device beam fired from a source that initially
8  0,001m mashing lattice and then continue to the beam
8 splitter lens so that the interference patterns of
RE   100%
8 light dark patterns circle appears on the screen.
Circular interference pattern is due to use a
0,001m
RE   100% circular convex lens.
0,6 m Based on the data obtained, we can
RE  0,14% determine the He- Ne wavelength where this
Accuracy  100%  RE value is obtained by calculation using the
Accuracy  100%  0,14% equation λ = 2d / N with d values obtained by
the appointment of a micrometer for each play
Acuracy  99,86% for 20 fringe. In the experiments conducted,
8  8 m the laser used is a red diode laser. method used
is a Michelson interferometer. To determine
0,6000  0,0010 m
the value of the wavelength by counting fringe
changes every shift mirrors are used.
For the 9th wavelength ( ) Determine wave length of He-Ne light
0,01m is 700 nm, 700 nm, 700 nm, 500 nm , 700nm ,
9  0,7 m
7,000 m 600 nm, 600 nm, 600 nm, 700 nm, and 600nm.
9  0,001m From the data obtained, known that the
increase of the number of fringe ( N ) was
9
RE   100% proportional to the shift of the movable mirror.
9 This is evident from the experimental results
0,001m show that the greater the value of N (number
RE   100% of fringe or darkring pattern number) then the
0,7 m
value of dm (displacement to the reference
RE  0,14%
point optic) were also got bigger.
Accuracy  100%  RE
Accuracy  100%  0,14% CONCLUSION
Acuracy  99,86%
The worked principle of Interefrometer
9  9 m Michelson has file divider that can dispart
0,7000  0,0010 m second light source to be in phase, and when
the micrometer played it both mirrors move Vice versa the smaller the optical path
together and have the same path length difference will result in fewer and fewer
forming an interference pattern on the screen number of fringe.
dark ring-shaped light. The more the number
of fringe the path length increases. REFERENCES
Wavelengths of light obtained from
the experiments were in the range of light [1] Krane, Kenneth. 2012. Modern Physics
wavelengths owned He-Ne laser. Third Edition. Hoboken:John Willey
A lot or a little amount of fringe are & Sons.
formed depending on the optical path [2] Subaer, dkk. 2013. Penuntun Praktikum
difference between the two light interfere with Eksperimen Fisika I. Unit
each other. The greater the optical path Laboratorium Fisika Modern Jurusan
difference between the light will cause Fisika FMIPA UNM.
interference patterns (fringe) more and more.