Experiment No

Aim:
Michelson's Interferometer.
To determine the separation between Sodium-D lines using
Or
Interferometer.
Todetermine the wavelength of agiven source using Michelson's
Theory: for optical interferometry. Albert
The Michelson's Interferometer is the classic setup
interferometer for the famous
Abraham Michelson, along with Edward Morely used this
prove the non-existence
Michelson-Morely experiment in which this interferoneter was used to
of the luminiferous Bther in 1887.
Figure 1.
Theschematic ray diagram with illustration is shown in

Lf

Interferometer
Figure 1. Schematic ray diagram with illustration for Michelson's

In this figure, 1: Diffused monochromatic light source

the movable
2: Half silvered mirror that passes half of light and reflects half to
mirror
plate so that the
3: Compensation plate of same thickness and material as mirrored
beams on both arms pass through the same thickness of glass
4: Movable 1nirror with precise micrometer drive
5: Fixed mirror
6: Interference pattern of recombined beams which have travelled a different
distance
The two sets of interference fringes of Na light in this Michelson's Interferometer due
to Na-D Iines. For a certain position of the movable mirror, the two set overlaps each other and
 (FoV). This condition isknown as dissonance.
in the licld of vicw
gives uniform illumiation betwccn the Na-D lines can be
determincd.
foV,
Using this condition, the
diflerence
wavelengths of D-lines,then at the centre of
slightly diflerent
lel, A, and , are the have
for both wavclengths, we
for a simutancous maxima (1)
and y
fringes at the centre offoV due to ,
order ofthe bright
Where, n, and n, arc the betweenthe interfering rays.
difference again
respcctively and 2d is the path
mirror, the visibility of the frínge system is
the movable which is equal
For a different position of difference of2x is introduced at the centre
path
maximum when an extra optical than the other. Assuming, d,
<, we have:
more of oneradiation (2)
to one wavelength
2(x +d) = (n, + N)1, (3)
2(x +d) = (n,+ N 1) ,
movable mirror between two successive maxima
Here, x: Displacement of the
1, merging at the centre of the FoV due to displacement
N: Number of bright fringes of
of the mirror.

respective equations (2) and (3), we get,

Subtracting the pair of equations (1) from the (4)
AN+1

From which we can compute,

(5)
AA = 1,- , = 2x 2x

determined from some other experiment,

Where, a is the average value of 2, and ,
wherc the D-lines cannot be resolved.

Adjustment:
coarse adjust1ment so that both
1. Adjust the position of the moveable mirror by using the
(the half'silvered mirror)
mirrors are approximately equidistant from the beam splitter the
of about 50 cm from
2. Switch on the light source and place it at a distance
interferometer. Take care that the lamp should be approximately in line with the centre
beam splitter and the fixed mirror.
Na-lamp.
3. Make a small hole in a picce of black paper and hold it in front of the
viewing hole of the
4. Now put your eyes close to the beam splitter and look through the
interferometer. It the field of view (FoV) contains two bright images and two faint
images of the hole in a line the adjustment has alrcady been done and proceeds to the
procedure section. If the FoV shows four bright images and four faint images the
instrument is to be adjusted.
5. Now slowly adjust the tilt screws of the fixed mirror so that the four bright images
coincide and make two bright images. For his you may have to tilt also the three screw of
 the movable mirror. When thc instrument has
becn adjusted, you should see four images
in line -two faint and two briht
images.
6. Remove the black paper and placed the
lens and the diffuser in between the source and
the interferometer so that the
interferometer facc the diffuser. The FoV should show
elliptical fringes. Carcfully adjust the screw of the fixed mirror to make
fringes circular. the elliptical
7. Finally check that when you move the
movable mirror with the help of the drum, the
centre of the fringes should not shift laterally. If the centre of the
repeat the adjustment. fringes shifts laterally
Procedure
1. Use the fine circular scale (FCS) to
move the movable mirror in a particular direction.
Circular image should either appear or merge at the centre of the
2. Note down the initial position of the FoV.
mirror. Rotate the FCS till N fringes appear or
merge. Note down the mirror position again. Find the
positions and called it do. You can take N 10 difference between these two

In order to use the main scale of the

instrument with backlash correction, to note down
the fixed position of the mirror, please see the boxes at
the end of this section. You need
to use the reading of both the CCS and the
FCS.
3. Carry out Step 2 for about 10 times. Note a
new initial position for the mirror over time.
After you have completed these observations find out the
4. Change the gear position of the Crude average of d,.
Circular Scale (CCS). Rotate the CCS to get x,
dissonance, the uniform illumination in the FoV. Note down the
Rotate the CCS in the same direction to get the next position of the mirror.
difference and that is the x.
dissonance position. Note down the
5. Repeat the Step 4 for about 10 times and find
the average differences.

Position of the movable mirror

Inorder toaccurately determine the position of the
movable mirror, you need to take into
account reading from both CCS and FCS. The CCS and FCS
When you rotate the CCS by one full rotation the movable
contain 100 divisions.
mirror moves by l mm in its
linear scale. Similarly, when you give a full rotation to the
FCS, the CCS moves by one
small division. So, you have to take the least count from
the CCS for reading on the
linear scale and least count from the FCS for the reading on
the CCS. Let's assume that
the reading on the liner: scale X, and those on the
CCS and the FCS are x, and x
respectively. The least count of the CCS with respect to the linear scale is 0.01 mm
that of the FCS with espect to the CCS is 0.01 and
units (i.e. 0.0001 mm). So the final
reading x of the mirror s,
x * X t (xç X0.01) + (x, x 0.0001)
 Backlash error and correction

Backlash error occurs in every mechanical gear system due to physical weaf and tear of the
gears. wnen you rotate a gear in a certain direction say clockwise and then suddenly rotate in the
opposite direction ie. in the anti-clockwise direction it takes certain finite turns for the gear to
reverse its direction. This is known as backlash error. In order to counter this problem, when you
are taking measurement in certain instrument, you should first rotate the gear slowly in one
direction until you become sure that there is no slippage. Once in this position, you should
continue to rotate in the same direction for the purpose of taking measurement. When you need
to revert your direction, discard first few turns and then continue taking measurement. The
bottom line is that youshould not reverse the gear in the middle of a series of measurement.

Experimental Data
a) 100CCS = 1 mm
=>1CCS = 0.01 mm =0.001 cm = 10-3 cm .
b) 100 FCS = 1CCS
=> 100 FCS = 0.01 mm
=>1FCS = 0.0001 mm = 0.00001cm = 10- cm ,

Table (1l): Reading for the measurement of do using N=30 fringes

SI. Initial reading, dË Final reading, d, do = dz - dË Average

No. LS CS FCS Total LS CS FCS Total do
(cm)
(cm) (cm) (cm)|(cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm)

2
3
4
5
6
 Table (2): Reading for the measurement of x

SI. Initial reading, x1 Final reading, x2 Average

No. LS CS Total LS CS Total of x
(cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm)
(cm)
(cm)
1
2
3

Calculation:
From Table (1), we have do = cm

Hence, Agy =4=

N
Cm

From Table (2), we have x= cm

Hence, A2 = áu
2
Cm

Experimental Error:
Since, A=an
22

Hence, O(A) 2 Aa 4
hav
= (say ea)

cm
So, (A) = A * eo =

Precautions and Discussion

and what do you feel about what
Write down what you have learned from the experiment
precaution should be taken.