Measuring the Verdet Constant of an Unknown Material

Maija Lee Orlovsky Nagels, Andrew Palmer

Abstract: Faraday rotation is a phenomenon which results in the rotation of a plane of polarized light. The rotation of the polarized light occurs when the magnetic field passes through a dielectric; in our case, this is an unknown material. Our primary goal was to determine the
unknown material, found in the interior of a solenoid. An alternating magnetic field was used to determine the Verdet constant, allowing us to conclude what the unknown material was. Having observed a Verdet constant of 0.078 ± 0.012 , we believe the substance is a flint glass.

INTRODUCTION THEORY RESULTS UNCERTAINTIES

• 1845: physicists observed that different materials modify the direction • The Faraday Effect arises from the motion of free electrons moving • The Verdet constant of the material was measured as: • By far the largest source of uncertainty in the final Verdet constant
of the polarization of light within a given material comes from uncertainty in the resistance of the solenoid circuit
𝒎𝒊𝒏
• Depends on the light’s orientation (Horváth, 2003) • The electrons follow circular paths due to the magnetic field 𝟎. 𝟎𝟕𝟖 ± 𝟎. 𝟎𝟏𝟐
𝑮∗𝒄𝒎
• This value was measured to be 𝟏. 𝟒 ± 𝟎. 𝟓 Ω, and accounted
within the material, creating individual magnetic fields for an average of 65% of the error on any given Verdet
constant
• Michael Faraday looked for relationships with magnetic forces on light • This value is in the expected range for typical dielectrics
• The magnetic field of the solenoid sets the magnetic dipoles spinning
through a variety of substances • Obtaining an accurate value for this resistance would be the
• Our measurement suggests that the unknown material could first way to improve the precision of our results in future
• This results in a material with different refraction indices
• He observed that the polarization of light rotated by an angle depending on the direction of the polarization be a flint glass (); due to the magnitude of our uncertainty, experiments
proportional to the strength of the magnetic field applied however, this is simply the closest-fitting material and not a
confident characterization
METHODS • The remaining error comes from a variety of sources, including:
• The Faraday Effect refers to monochromatic polarized light propagated
through a dielectric placed in a magnetic field • To produce Faraday Rotation, we must propagate linearly polarized • In plotting the AC signal voltage against the solenoid’s input voltage • The three measurements taken during each round of data
(Figure 4), we observe a roughly linear positive relationship taking (see Methods)
Magnetic Field light through a dielectric containing a uniform magnetic field in the
• The rotation angle is: Verdet Constant same direction; this is accomplished using the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 • This is the expected result, as the angle of rotation observed • The length and turns per unit length of the solenoid, which
is directly proportional to the magnetic field strength within each had a very minor contribution
θ = VBL • The unknown dielectric is housed within the solenoid
the solenoid, and the voltages shown below are our
Propagation Length
measurements of these quantities
• The constant of proportionality is the Verdet constant (V) • The Analyzer is a second polarizer, at an angle of 45° relative to the first CONCLUSION
𝜃 • This is in order to observe the greatest change in intensity
𝑉= for a rotation in polarization angle
Figure 4 • We were able to observe Faraday rotation in the lab
𝐵𝐿

• We supply the solenoid with alternating current min

• A Verdet constant of 0.078 ± 0.012 was observed in our unknown
Figure 1 • This causes the magnitude of the rotation to oscillate as
G∗cm

well, allowing us to take the peak readings from the

dielectric material
photodetector as data points
• We hypothesize that this dielectric is a flint glass or a material of similar
• The angle of rotation can be found by measuring the change in optical and magnetic properties
magnitude of the signal relative to the total intensity of the input beam
(Jain, et al. 1999):
θ=
1 ∆𝐼 REFERENCES
2 𝐼0

• Therefore, we must take three measurements: G. Horváth, Eötvös University (2003);

Laser -> Polarizer -> Solenoid + sample -> Analyzer -> Photodetector https://arago.elte.hu/?q=node/11
• The peak input voltage in the solenoid, allowing us to find
the magnetic field (𝐵 = 𝐼𝐿𝜇0 for a solenoid)
• Finally, we plot the measured Verdet constants against the
corresponding magnetic fields within the solenoid (Figure 5)
OBJECTIVES • The initial intensity is taken as the center of the
A. Jain et al., Am. J. Phys. 67, 714 (1999);
photodetector’s readout (𝐼0 ) • This shows an unexpected negative trend in Verdet constant http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.19358
• Observe Faraday Rotation experimentally as the magnetic field strength increases
• The magnitude of oscillations in the photodetector’s
readout (∆𝐼) F. Pedrotti and P. Bandettini, Am. J. Phys. 58, 542 (1990);
Figure 5
• Measure the Verdet Constant http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.16445
Figure 3
One set of measurements recorded by the photodetector
• Determine material of the dielectric
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Figure 2 M.L.O.N, and A.P acknowledge the support and facilities obtained
A visualization of Faraday from the University of Massachusetts Amherst Department of Physics
Rotation in effect; note that the during this research work, as well as specific consult from Dr. Scott
magnetic field direction is the
same as the direction of
Hertel.
propagation of the polarized
light

• The above trend is most likely caused by the limitations of our signal
amplifier
• The amplifier is known to be less consistent at higher
• This set of measurements is repeated over a range of input voltages, in amplitudes, corresponding to the unexpected drop in Verdet
order to obtain a full distribution of Verdet constants constant

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