Solution of Problem EX1

Using the interference method to measure the thermal expansion

coefficient and temperature coefficient of refractive index of glass

1.Questions（ 2.4 point）

1.1 C （ 0.4 point）

1.2 a Fill in the blanks（ 1.8 point）

Number Must the profile of the reflected light spots be the

Region of same as that of the incident light?
reflected If “Yes”, fill in “Y”; if “No”, fill in “N”
light 1st 2nd 3rd 4th …
spots (if (if (if (if
observed any) any) any) any)
a 1 N
b 2 Y Y
c 3 Y N Y

Illustration:
Region a: Because the upper and lower surface of the glass cylinder A are
approximately parallel to each other, when the laser beam arrives on the cylinder
nearly perpendicular to the surface, the reflected light spots will overlap each other,
causing interference fringes. Therefore the distribution of light intensity would be
different from that of the incident light.
Region b: Because the refractive index of the glue is the same as that of the glass and
its thickness is negligible, no light will be reflected from the interface between them.
However the upper and lower surface of each glass plate are not parallel to each other,
the upper surface of the upper plate will also be not parallel to the lower surface of the
lower plate, therefore the two reflected beams from each of them will form two light
spots and their distribution of the light intensity would surely be the same as that of
the incident light.
Region c: Because the upper and lower surface of each glass plate are not parallel to
each other, but the upper and lower surface of the glass cylinder are approximately
parallel to each other, there must be a pair of reflected light spots from the two plates
overlap each other, causing interference fringes, while the light intensity distribution
of the other two reflected light spots would be the same as that of the incident light.

1.2 b （ 0.2 point）

If you choose “No” (N)，use one keyword to account for the reason: interference .

2． Experiment: Measuring β and γ （ points）

2.1 Design the Experiment, Draw the experimental ray diagrams and derive the
formulae relevant to the measurement（3.2 points）
The experimental ray diagrams for measuring β (left) and γ (right) are shown in Fig.1
 Fig.1
When the laser light is reflected from the c region of the sample as shown in
Fig.1 (left), three reflected light spots can be observed on the screen, some
interference fringes appear at spot v, which are caused by the interference between
the two light rays reflected from the bottom surface of the upper glass plate and the
top surface of the lower glass plate. The difference between the optical lengths of
the two light rays is 2L. After the electric oven starts heating, assume that the
temperature T has increased by ∆T, the length increment of the sample due to the

thermal expansion of glass will be ∆L = Lβ∆T , and the shift in the number of the

moving interference fringes is m1. Then, 2∆L = m1λ ， where λ stands for the
wavelength of the laser light. Thus,
m1λ
β= .
2 L∆ T

With the given L and λ, from the graphic relation of m1 and T we obtain the shift in
the number of the moving fringes m1 over the temperature range from 40℃ to 90℃.
Then, β can be obtained.

When the laser light is reflected from the region a as shown in Fig.1 (right), the
 difference between the optical paths is 2nL. The variation of optical path difference
caused by temperature increase ∆ T is
∆L ∆n
∆(2nL) = 2(n +L )∆T = 2 L(nβ + γ )∆T .
∆T ∆T
Assume that at this time the shift in the number of the moving interference fringes
is m2,
2 L(nβ + γ )∆T = m2λ ，

m2λ m
i.e., γ = − nβ = ( 2 − n) × β .
2 L∆ T m1

From the graphic relation of m2 ~ T we obtain the shift in the number of the
moving interference fringes m2 over the temperature range from 40℃ to 90℃.
Thus, γ can be obtained.

2.2 (1) Data recorded during the measurement of the thermal expansion coefficient β
(0.8 points)
Measured Relation of m1 and T：

m1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
(fringes)
T(oC) 30.0 35.4 40.6 46.1 50.6 54.4 58.6 63.1
m1 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
(fringes)
T(oC) 67.6 72.2 75.8 79.8 83.8 87.4 90.9

2.2 (2) Data recorded during the measurement of the temperature coefficient of the
refraction index γ (0.8 points)

Measured relation of m2 and T：

m2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
(fringes)
T (oC) 25.4 27.0 28.9 31.0 33.4 35.3 37.6 40.0 42.2 44.4
m2 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
(fringes)
 T(oC) 46.6 48.9 51.6 54.0 56.2 58.6 61.2 64.0 66.4 69.0
m2 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
(fringes)
T (oC) 72.4 75.0 77.6 79.8 82.4 84.4 86.4 88.2 90.2

2.3 Get the thermal expansion coefficient β and the temperature coefficient of

refractive index γ and estimate their uncertainties．(2.6 points)

(1) Draw the graphic relation of m1~T and m2~T.

(2) Calculate β.

With the parameters: L =10.12±0.05mm， = 632.8nm，  oC,

and m1=11.5 (over temperature from 40℃ to 90℃) obtained from Fig.4., we get
m1λ
β= =7.19×10−6 ℃-1 .
2 L∆ T

(3) Estimate the uncertainty of　 

With u ( L) = 0.05 mm, u (∆T ) = 0.2 oC ，and estimation of u (m1 ) = 0.2 ，we

get
u(β ) 2 u ( m1 ) 2 u ( L) 2 u (T ) 2
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
β m1 L T
,
0.2 2 0.05 2 0.2 2
( ) ( )  ( )  3.4  104
11.5 10.12 50
 and u (  )  0.13  106 oC 1 .

(4) Calculate  
With n=1.515 and m1=11.5 it can be obtained from the graphic relation of m2~T
that m2= 21.0 over temperatures from 40℃ to 90℃. Therefore from the

m2
measured β = (7.19 ± 0.13) × 10 −6℃ -1 and γ = ( − n) β
m1

we obtain γ = 2.24 × 10−6℃ -1，

(5) Estimate the uncertainty of γ

With obtained u ( β ) = 0.13 × 10 −6℃ -1 and estimation u(m1)= u(m2)=0.2

u (γ ) u (m2 ) + nu (m1 ) 2 u ( β ) 2 u (m1 ) 2

= ( ) +( ) +( ) = 0.13
γ m2 − nm1 β m1

u (γ ) = 0.30 × 10−6℃ -1.

2.4 Experimental results (0.2 points)

The thermal expansion coefficient of the sample glass material is

β = (7.19 ± 0.13) × 10 −6 ℃−1 .

The temperature coefficient of the refractive index of the sample glass material is
γ = ( 2.24 ± 0.30) × 10 −6℃ -1