Electronics and Communication Engineering Discipline

Khulna University
LAB REPORT

Course No. : ECE 4208

Course Title: Optoelectronics Devices & Optical Communication Sessional

Experiment No : 06
Experiment Name: Refractive index measurement of a solid using Michelson
interferometer.
Submitted By
MD Hasibul Hasan
Student ID: 200937

Year: 4th

Term: II

Submitted To

Dr. Md. Shamim Ahsan Dr. Shakila Naznin

Professor Professor
Electronics and Communication Engineering Discipline Electronics and Communication Engineering Discipline
Khulna University Khulna University

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 13-11-2024

Experiment Name: Refractive index measurement of a solid using Michelson
interferometer.

Objective:
• To measure the refractive index (n) of a glass sample using a Michelson interferometer.
• To observe and analyze the results.

Theory:

The refractive index, also known as the index of refraction, is a measure of how much light
bends when it passes from one medium to another. So The refractive index ‘n’ of a material
quantifies how it slows down light relative to its speed in a vacuum. When light enters a medium
(such as glass) from another medium (like air), its speed and phase change, which is measured by
the refractive index. This can be calculated by observing interference patterns in a Michelson
interferometer.

A Michelson interferometer is an optical device that splits a single light beam into two paths,
reflects each, and then recombines them to produce an interference pattern of light and dark
fringes. These fringes are created by differences in the optical path lengths between the two
beams.

When a material such as glass is introduced into the path of one of the beams, the optical path
length in that arm changes due to the refractive index of the material, causing a shift in the
interference fringes. This shift in fringe count (N) corresponds to changes in the number of
wavelengths that fit into the optical path, allowing us to calculate the refractive index ‘n’
of the material.

The refractive index ‘n’ is given by the formula:

where:

N = number of fringes counted,

λ = wavelength of the laser,

t = thickness of the glass, and

α = angle of incidence of the laser beam on the material.

By counting the fringes shifted (N) when the material is inserted, this formula allows precise
calculation of the refractive index ‘n’.

Required Devices and Instruments:

• Michelson interferometer setup

• Class 2 laser module (532 nm, level 2)
• Beam splitter
• Fixed mirror and movable mirror
• Solid sample (whose refractive index is to be measured)
• Viewing screen or detector

Diagram:

Figure: Refractive index measurement using Michelson Interferometer.

Experimental Procedure:

1. Assemble the Michelson interferometer, ensuring proper alignment of the mirrors and the
beam splitter.
2. Mount the glass sample securely in one arm of the interferometer.
3. Gradually rotate the glass sample, which changes the optical path length in that arm of
the interferometer and results in a shift in the interference pattern.
4. Count the number of fringe shifts (N) that occur and record the angle of rotation.
 5. Use the formula to calculate the refractive index ‘n’ of the glass.

Data Table:

Thickness of Refractive
Number of Wavelength Rotation of Refractive
fringes the solid (t) (λ) index (n) index (n) Error
angle (α)
counted (N) mm nm [measured] [True]
30 8 532 4.7 1.42 1.49 4.66%

Result:

The measured refractive index of the material is 1.42, while the true refractive index is 1.49. The
percentage error in the measurement is calculated to be 4.66%.

Discussion:

In this experiment, a Michelson interferometer was used to determine the refractive index of a
glass sample by observing fringe shifts caused by changes in optical path length. By introducing
a glass sample into one arm of the interferometer and gradually rotating it, we observed a shift in
the interference fringes due to the change in optical path caused by the glass's refractive index.

The fringe shift (N), the thickness of the glass sample (t), the wavelength of the laser (λ), and the
angle of rotation (α) were measured, and these values were used to calculate the refractive index
of the glass and the measured refractive index was found to be 1.42, while the known refractive
index of the glass was 1.49. This gives an error of 4.66%, which could be due to several factors,
such as slight misalignments in the interferometer, inaccuracies in angle measurement, or
variations in the glass thickness. Overall, the experiment demonstrated the effectiveness of the
interferometer in measuring the refractive index, though improvements in precision could help
reduce the error.

Conclusion:
The experiment successfully demonstrated the use of a Michelson interferometer to measure the
refractive index of a glass sample by analyzing fringe shifts caused by changes in the optical path
length. The measured refractive index of 1.42 was reasonably close to the true value of 1.49,
with a percentage error of 4.66%. This small discrepancy could be attributed to factors such as
alignment errors, precision in counting fringes, and minor inaccuracies in measuring the angle of
incidence and sample thickness.