Interference 39

C
By using the relation coherence length LC =
Dn
3.0 ¥ 108
LC = = 2.5 ¥ 105 m
1200

E xamplE 4 Calculate the line-width, coherence time and frequency stability for a line of Krypton having a
wavelength of 6.058 ¥ 10–7m and coherence length as 0.2 m.
Solution Given lav = 6.058 ¥ 10–7m, DL = 0.2 m and c = 3 ¥ 108m/sec.
In Michelson’s Interferometer we derived the following formula
2x 2x
1= -
l2 l1
where x is the distance between two mirrors. The above expression can be written as
2
l1l2 lav
2x = =
Dl Dl
where lav is the mean wavelength of l1 and l2. Here Dl is called line width.
In view of the fact that the fringes are not observed if the path difference exceeds the coherence length DL, we can assume
the beam to contain all wavelengths lying between l and (l + dl).
2
lav
Therefore, 2x = DL =
Dl
2
lav
or Dl =
DL
c
Q frequency, n =
l
È Dn ˘ c
\ = 2
ÎÍ Dl ˚˙ lav
c c
or Dn = 2 Dl =
lav DL
Here, Dv is called frequency spread of the line, which can be written in terms of Dt as follows.
1 1
Dv = or Dt =
Dt Dv
In addition, frequency stability is defined as the ratio of frequency spread and frequency of any spectral line, i.e.,
Dv
frequency stability =
v
2
lav (6.058 ¥ 10-7 )2
Line width Dl = = = 1.834 ¥ 10-12 m
DL 0.2
c 3 ¥ 108
Frequency spread Dv = = = 1.5 ¥ 109 Hz
DL 0.2
c 3 ¥ 108
Frequency v= =
l 6.058 ¥ 10-7
= 4.952 ¥ 1014 Hz
and Frequency stability
Dv 1.5 ¥ 109
= = = 3.0 ¥ 10 –6
v 4.952 ¥ 1014