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Michelson interferometer
2.2.05

Related topics Set-up and procedure

Interference, wavelength, refractive index, velocity of light, The experimental set up is as shown in Fig. 1. In order to
phase, virtual light source. obtain the largest possible number of interference fringes, the
two mirrors of the interferometer are first of all adjusted; to do
Principle and task this, the lens is first of all removed. The laser beam strikes the
half-silvered mirror at an angle of 45° splitting the beam. The
In the Michelson arrangement interference will occur by the
resulting two beams are reflected by the mirror and impinge
use of 2 mirrors. The wavelength is determined by displacing
on the screen. By means of the two adjusting screws fitted to
one mirror using the micrometer screw.
one of the mirrors, both points of light are made to coincide. If
the lens is placed in the light beam, the points of light are
Equipment enlarged and the interference patterns are observed on the
Michelson interferometer 08557.00 1 screen (bands, circles). By careful readjustment, an inter-
Laser, He-Ne 1.0 mW, 220 V AC 08181.93 1 ference image of concentric circles will be obtained.
Swinging arm 08256.00 1
Lens, mounted, f +20 mm 08018.01 1 To measure the wavelength, the micrometer screw is turned to
Lens holder 08012.00 1 any initial position at which the centre of the circles is dark.
Slide mount f. opt. pr.-bench, h 30 mm 08286.01 3 The micrometer screws is now further turned in the same
Optical profile bench l = 60 cm 08283.00 1 direction and the light-dark periods thus produced are count-
Base f. opt. profile-bench, adjust. 08284.00 2 ed. The distance travelled by the mirror must be read off on
Screen, metal, 3003300 mm 08062.00 1 the micrometer screw and divided by ten (lever reduction
Barrel base -PASS- 02006.55 1 1:10). Should the central point of the circles move outside the
light spot area a readjustment has to be performed.
Problems
Determination of the wavelength of the light of the used laser.
Caution: Never look directly into a non attenuated laser beam

Fig. 1: Experimental set-up for measuring wavelengths with the Michelson interferometer.

PHYWE series of publications • Laboratroy Experiments • Physics • PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH • 37070 Göttingen, Germany 22205 1
 R

LEP
Michelson interferometer
2.2.05

Fig. 2: Michelson interferometer set up. Fig. 3: Formation of circles on interference.

Theory and evaluation Maxima thus occur if d is a multiple of 2p, i.e. from equation
If 2 waves of the same frequency v but of different amplitude (2), if
and different phase impinge on one point they are superim-
posed, or interfere, so that: 2d cos u = ml; m = 1, 2, … (4)

i.e. circles are produced for a fixed value of m and d since u

y = a1 sin (vt – a1) + a2 sin (vt – a2) .
remains constant (see Fig. 3).
The resulting wave can be described as
If the position of the movable mirror M1 is changed so that d
for example decreases then, according to equation (4), the
y = A sin (vt – a)
diameter of the ring will also decrease since m is fixed for this
ring. A ring thus dissapears each time d is reduced by l/2. The
with the amplitude
ring pattern disappears if d = 0.
A2 = a21 + a22 + 2a1a2 cos d (1)
If M1 and M2 are not parallel, curved bands are obtained which
and are converted to straight bands when d = 0.
d = a1 – a2 . To measure the wavelength of the light, 500 ring changes were
counted. A 158 mm displacement of the mirrow was meas-
In a Michelson interferometer, light is split up into two beams
ured. From this, the wavelength was obtained as:
by a half-silvered glass plate (amplitude splitting), reflected by
two mirrors, and passed again through the glass plate to pro-
l = 632 nm.
duce interference phenomena behind it.

A lens is inserted between the light beam and the glass plate
so that the light source lies at the focal point, since only en-
larged light spots can exhibit interference rings.

If the actual mirror M2 is replaced by its virtual image M 2’

which is formed by reflection at the glass plate, a point P of
the real light source is formed as the points P’ and P’’ of the
virtual light sources L1 and L2.

Based on the different light paths, the phase difference, using

the symbols of Fig. 3, is:
2p
d = 2d cos u (2)
l

where l is the wavelength of the light used in the experiment.

The intensity distribution for a1 = a2 = a according to (1) is:

I ; A2 = 4a2 cos2 d (3)

2

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