Experiment-5

Aim: To study the Faraday Effect using He-Ne Laser.

Apparatus Required: Helium- Neon Laser, axial electromagnet with power

supply, polariser and analysers with angle measuring scale, special Faraday
Effect glass, and laser detector with digital meter.

Theory of Faraday Effect:

When a transparent medium is permeated by an external magnetic field, the
plane of polarization of a plane polarized light beam passing through the
medium is rotated if the direction of incident light is parallel to the lines of force
of the magnetic field. This is called the Faraday Effect.

The amount of rotation Φ observed for any given substance is found by

experiment to be proportional to the field strength and to the length of the
medium. Then the rotation is given by:
Φ = VH l
Where H is the strength of magnetic field in gauss

L is the length of the sample (medium) in cm.

V is the verdet’s constant.

The Verdet constant V also depends on the wave length of light used. In order
to demonstrate the Faraday Effect experimentally, plane polarized light is
passed through a Flint glass SF6 cylinder, supported between the drilled pole
pieces of an electromagnet. An analyser arranged beyond the glass cylinder has
its polarization plane crossed with respect to that of the polarizer so that the
field of view of the face of glass cylinder projected on the translucent screen
appears dark. When a current flows through the coils of the electromagnet, a
magnetic field is produced, permeating the glass cylinder in the direction of
irradiation. The rotation now occurring in the plane of oscillation of the light is
indicated by resulting the analyser to maximum extinction of the translucent
screen image.

Description of the Set-up (not to be written in lab note books)

The experiment consists of the following units.

1. Helium Neon Laser

2. Stand for laser
3. Electromagnet:

This electromagnet is specially designed for Faraday Effect. It is constructed

from a laminated U shaped iron core with drilled pole pieces. The pole pieces are
made from dead annealed soft iron blocks of best quality available. They are
well shaped, machined & finished.
The coils are wound on non-magnetic former with uniform layer of DDC
copper wire. The new and modern design of the coils provides good thermal
conductivity characteristics and eliminates trouble some hot spots even at high
magnetic fields.

Constant current Power Supply Model CS-07 (For electromagnet):

It is an inexpensive and high performance constant current source suitable for

small and medium sized electromagnet. Also the equipment was designed for
this electromagnet; it can be used satisfactorily with any other electromagnet
provided the coil resistance does not exceed 10 Ohm.

The current regulation circuit is IC controlled and hence results in the highest
quality of performance. Matched power transistors are used to share the load
current. The supply is protected against transient caused by the inductive load of
the magnet.

Observation table-

Length of material=(L)

Voltage(v Current(I) Field (H)(from Angle of V=θ/HL

) table) analyzer(θ)
Procedure:
1. Switch on the laser power supply, the Electromagnet power supply keeping
electromagnetic current to a zero level, Switch on the laser power meter.
2. Make sure everything is in optical alignment. The laser, the Faraday Effect
crystal places in the electromagnet, the analyzers and the laser power meter are
in straight line. The setup will be Laser->electromagnet with sample-
>Analyzers->Laser detector with power meter. The laser beam after going
through the Faraday Effect glass inside the magnet should pass through the
optical analyzer and fall onto the window of the laser detector. The laser power
meter should show some value of laser power.
3. Rotate the analyzer to get the highest value of laser power in the power
meter. Note down the angular reading of the analyzer
4. Now increase the current of the electromagnet to the value given in the
calibration chart (you can note down the reading of the magnetic field from the
calibration table). The laser power meter reading should change.
5. Rotate the analyzer to again get the maximum value of laser power. Note
down this circular reading of the analyzer. Every time the electromagnetic
current is changed and magnetic field is increased/decreased the Faraday Effect
glass changes the orientation of the polarization of the light, which can be
measured by the analyzer.
6. Repeat this process of increasing the magnetic field and measuring the angle
of maximum intensity by the analyzer for as many current reading as given in
the magnetic field calibration table.
7. Repeat the same procedure when decreasing the magnetic field.
8. The magnetic field and the rotation of polarization will have a relationship.
9. Calculate the value of the Verdet's Constant

The relation between the angle of rotation of the polarization and the magnetic
field in a transparent material is:

Polarization rotation due to the Faraday Effect

β=v B d

Where
β is the angle of rotation (in radians)
B is the magnetic flux density in the direction of propagation (in teslas)
d is the length of the path (in meters) where the light and magnetic field
interact
v is the Verdet constant for the material. This empirical proportionality
constant (in units of radians per tesla per meter) varies with wavelength
and temperature and is tabulated for various materials.

PRECAUTIONS:

1. The power supply of electromagnet should be used carefully. All the knobs
should be in minimum position before switching on.
2. Don’t look into the laser light with naked eyes.
3. Handle the faraday glass rod very carefully as it is fragile.
4. Make sure the laser beam is not reflected by any of the equipment.