Michelson Interferometry

Justin Singh
Lab Partner: Ian Daugherty
Advanced Lab
University of Cincinnati
October 31st, 2018

Abstract
This lab is done to investigate the wavelength of monochromatic light from a laser. A red laser
source is used and reflected from various mirrors and divided via beam splitter. From the
reflection and divisions, a interfered pattern is formed on corresponding mirrors. Multiple
experiments are conducted on our interferometer to monitor its effects on the wavelengths and
fringes. The laser used is a HeNe laser and is used to investigate its dependence on pressure. The
average wavelength of the HeNe laser was calculated to be 726.90 ± 9.6 nm. The refractive
index of air was calculated to be 1.0038 ± 0.000027

Introduction
An interferometer, (in this particular lab, a Michelson Interferometer) takes a beam of incoming
light and passes through a beam splitter to be separated into equal paths. The separated beams
are then recombined by being reflected from equidistance standing mirrors. If the mirrors were
aligned correctly with the beam passing through the beam splitter, then an interference pattern
should be observed. The interference pattern is depicted via an oscillation between red and black
fringes in a circular pattern. If the path lengths are in phase, the will undergo constructive
interference hence they would differ by n λ; however, if they will undergo a destructive
λ
interference if the path lengths of the beam differ by + n λ. The interference pattern can be
2
manually controlled via a micrometer to adjust one of the standing mirrors, hence visually
affecting the fringe pattern of the interference.

1.1 The Moveable Mirror

The wavelength of the light can be calculated based on the controlled movements of one of the
mirrors. As the mirror is slightly moved the light is still being recombined with the other
separated beam. This means that the fringe pattern will move with this change being done to it.
The micrometer moves very slightly so the change in angle is almost negligible. It is calculated
then that
d=r θ
1.2 Effect of Change in Pressure
The fringe pattern of the Michelson interferometer system is directly affected by the phase
relation between the two beams that are recombining. If everything else is held constant, then the
medium in which the beam passes through can be affected. Since, sound and light affect the
interference pattern a lot, the system is concealed in a light and sound prevention system. The
value for the new wavelength will now differ such that
λ0
λ=
n
λ is dependent on the refractive index of the light passing through the particular vacuum. In this
instance it is known that low pressures directly affect the refractive index and that it varies
linearly for that gas with the coinciding pressure obtained. The use of the refractive index of air
will be used in this experiment.

Method
2.1 Apparatus:
Figure 1: TeachSpin Set up of Michelson Interferometer
This is the ideal setup used for the Michelson
Interferometer. A HeNe laser is used and fired at two
reflective mirrors. This is then passed through a beam
splitter and reflected and recombined via the standing
mirrors and forms and interference pattern in the
receiver. The receiver can allow some of the fringe
pattern through, via a clamped slit, which is used in this
lab.

Figure 2: The TeachSpin Gas Manifold

This device is used to induce a different air pressure in the
experiment and hence can change the refractive index of
the air as the light from the laser is directly affected by this.
 Figure 3: Rigol Digital Oscilloscope.
The oscilloscope measures the change in Voltage of
the experiment as the fringe pattern is changed. The
change in the wavelengths is manually counted to
calculate the wavelength of our fringe pattern both
with respect to the change in gas pressure.

Figure 4: Micrometer
The micrometer is used to drive and change the mirror in
micrometers. This causes the fringe pattern to be driven
and for a number of fringes, over a particular distance to
be deciphered. In doing so the wavelength of the laser can
be calculated

2.2 Procedure
The apparatus is set up as shown schematically in figure 5. Two mirrors are added at the
beginning of the experiment as to align the laser and straighten it before sending it through the
beam splitter. The HeNe laser is then activated and an incident ray of light from the laser is then
rebounded via these original ‘aligning’ mirrors and is passed through a beam splitter. The
separated beams are then reflected from bolted down standing mirrors and are now recombined
after being interfered. The residual, recombined beam was then collected via a photon detector as
depicted in figure 1. The beam has to be aligned properly using aligning towers to ensure that an
accurate interfered pattern is formed. A driving micrometer was then installed into one of the
mirrors. This was done to have the fringe to be manually driven. In doing so the fringe pattern
can be monitored and hence the wavelengths between red and black of the voltage pattern can be
calculated. When driving the motor, the change of the fringe pattern can be accurately calculated
as a slit is placed over the detector. The Michelson setup was then repeated and used this time
with gas chamber placed between the splitter and mirror. Now instead of the micrometer being
used to drive the mirror to change the fringe pattern, it is held stationary and now gas chamber is
used instead for light to pass through. Now several runs were done, but instead of driving the
fringe pattern, the pressure of the gas was changed during each run so then an average could be
used to calculate the refractive index of the air based on this.
 Figure 5: Schematic diagram depicting the optical arrangement of the Michelson Interferometer..

Calculations
3.1 Wavelength of Laser Light
The general equation for the wavelength of the laser light is calculated as follows:
2d m
λ=
m
Where d m is the distance that the mirror is moved towards the beam splitter in the center of the
set up. The number of fringes counted manually on the oscilloscope is m. This then hence leaves
that λ is the wavelength. It is to be noted that one micron on the micrometer corresponds to a
single division on the micrometer itself.

3.2 Measuring the Index of Refraction of Air

.The general equation for measuring the refraction index of air is given as follows:
λ0
λ=
n
Where λ 0is known to be the light’s wavelength in the vacuum. n is known to be the refraction
index of whatever the gas is that the laser is being generated through. The calculations suggest as
the pressure is very low then the refraction of gas is changed in linear fashion for the gas
pressure.
2 d 2d
∆ m= −
λi λf
The equation above is what models how to calculate the number of fringes that are counted on
the oscilloscope. A Pressure graph is formed as follows:
n i−n f ∆ m λ0 /2 d
=
P i−Pf Pi−P f

Results and Experimental Data

The experimental data was collected for the alterations of the mirror using a driving force via the
micrometer. The table is given as follows:

Number of Wavelength (λ)

Trials D (µm) Fringes (nm)
Run 1 5 13 769.23
Run 2 5 15 666.67
Run 3 5 14 714.29
Run 4 10 28 714.29
Run 5 10 27 740.74
Run 6 10 27 740.74
Run 7 10 27 740.74
Run 8 20 55 727.27
Run 9 20 56 714.29
Run 10 20 54 740.74

This table showcases ten different trials conducted with different parameters for the diameter
each time. The wavelength is calculated in each instance using the equation:
2d m
λ=
m
The Average of the wavelengths is 726.90 ± 9.6 nm. The accepted value of our equation is
actually 632.80 nm, which is the expected value. Therefore, with error analysis, it is calculated
that

χ 2=¿150.46
Degrees of Freedom = 9
 Figure 6: Graph Showing the
Wavelength of The Laser different values of the
780.00 wavelength of the laser.
760.00
740.00
Wavelength (nm)

720.00
700.00
680.00
660.00
640.00
620.00
600.00
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Trials

Experimental data collected altering the pressure and monitoring the fringe shifts as a result
Number of
Trials atm Fringes
Run 1 0.1 6
Run 2 0.2 11
Run 3 0.3 17
Run 4 0.4 23
Run 5 0.5 28
Run 6 0.6 33
Run 7 0.7 38
Run 8 0.8 43
Run 9 0.9 48
Run 10 1 52
Solving for
∆ m λ0
n=1+
2d
Solving the equation at 1 atm, it was calculated that
n=1.0038 ±0.000027
The following graph shows the change in fringes with respect to pressure change

χ 2=¿0.00352
With respect to to our scientific notation the chi-squared value is 352.
 Figure 7: Graph showing
Fringes with Change in Pressure change in pressure with
respect to fringe change
60

50
Number of Fringes

40

30

20 Discussion of
10 Results
0 The chi-squared value
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
of the driven
Increase of Pressure micrometer was far to
large to be reasonable.
This is because the
value was way off the accepted value of what the wavelength of the laser is 632.80 nm. The
value can be so wrong because it is wrong by a matter of one or two fringes for each trial. This
could be due to external light and sound being picked up by the detector, hence influencing the
data. The fringe pattern is very delicate, so any affect done via the surroundings can affect the
results. Since the laser was still within the realm of red light (even though it was >700 nm) the
results can still be analyzed as being understandable.
For the gas experiment, the value was also so incorrect because of minute shifts in the fringe
values. With each case of the change in Pressure, that had a huge impact on the results since the
refractive index of air is so small. Since the value off by more than a value of ten, it can be noted
that a lot could have been done instead to protect the lack of outside interference of the
experiment. In the end it is seen that the values that were calculated were completely incorrect
for analysis.

Summary
It was determined that the wavelength of the laser is 726.90 ± 9.6 nm. The experiment analysis
suggests that the actual wavelength of the HeNe laser is 632.80 nm. The value for the refractive
index of air was calculated to be 1.0038 ± 0.000027 with the actual value being 1.00028.
Interferometry is very useful in the field of Physics. The use of the interference can help find
wavelengths of different polarizing systems. It was recently used in the discovery of gravitational
waves hence, why it is so important in the field of science.