Experiment : Interference-Michelson Interferometer.

Object Apparatus Theory : Determination of wavelength of the mercury green line and separation of the sodium yellow doublet. : Michelson Interferometer, Mercury light source, Spectral filters, Transparem film. : Part 1 Determination of wavelength of the mercury green line When two beams of monochromatic light are superimposed with a path difference, an interference pattern will be produced if the two interfering beams are coherent. This is achieved by simply deviding either the wave front or the amplitude. The amplitude of light from an extended source S is devided in the Michelson Interferometer at its semi-silvered mirror B. The light s then either transmitted to mirror M2 or reflected onto mirror M1. M1

S * B

C M2

T Figure 1 The reflected rays from M1 and M2 retrace their paths to recombine at B. The compensating plate C is identical and parallel to B, thus, making optical paths BM1 and BM2 are equal. Interference pattern with straight line fringes could be obtained by slight tilting of mirror M2 with respect to M1 and having a small difference in optical paths with BM1-BM2 =d. Conditions for constructive interference of two splitted beams are given by 2d cos = n . d Where d = normal separation, Figure 2 M1

M2

 = angle of incidence beam, = wavelength of incident light.

M2 is the virtual position of mirror M2 with respect to M1 located along BM1. The horizontal and vertical inclination of M2 while the separation of M1 and M2 is controlled by differential micrometer which is graduated in inches. inch is equal to 2.540 cm. Note the following information given by manufactures of the instrument. The axial movement of the spindle is only 1/20th of the barrel movement. Moreover, the mirror movement is only 1/5th of the spindle movement, hence the displacement of the mirror M1 is only 1/5th of the micrometer barrel. For example, if the micrometer barrel move 0.10000 inch axially, then M1 moves. 0.100*(2.540/100) cm = 0.1000*0.0254 cm. Caution: The mirrors M1 and M2 are front-surface reflecting and should not be touched under any condition. Part 2 The separation of sodium yellow doublet The wavelength of sodium green line is 5893 A and it has a doublet of two closely spaced lines. Both of these lines produce separate interference patterns at the telescope. Superposition of these two patterns changes as M1 is displaced and observed pattern thought telescope goes two though conditions of maximum and minimum contrast. One fringe system is just half way between the other gives a minimum contrast. If the corresponding normal separation between M1 and M2 is d, then , 2d1 = m1 (1 = m1 + n +1 / 2)2 (1) For the next position of minimum contrast with d2 separation, 2d2 = m21 = (m2 + n + 3/2)2 (2) Here, 1 and 2 are the two wavelengths (1>2) and m1, m2 and n are integers. (1) (2) gives 2(d1 d2) = 12 / (1-2) Where = (1+2)/2 , since 1 2 = (1-2) = /2(d2 d1),

Where is the separation of mercury yellow doublet . Note: - The displacement of mirror M1 is equal to the 1/5 of micrometer screw gauge displacement . Procedure: Part 1 The green colour filter was replace infront of the mercury green light to ,obtained a green line . The metal pointer was fixed, in font of the screen till get the three image three image of the pointer. By viewing the image of pointer via telescope, M1 was adjusted, such that two images are coincident. Then, M2 was adjusted till get the fringes. Then, M1 adjusted such that ,till get the fringes become circular. The fringes were counted by moving the micrometer screw gauge attached to the mirror M1. (Fringes counted by via looking the telescope )

Part 2 The yellow colour filter replace infront of the sodium green light. The micro metersgattached to the M1, was adjusted till get the sharp image of doublet. (get the reading d1) Then, another time M1 was adjusted till get the sharp image of doublet. (get the reading d2)

Calculation

Part 1 d
(*10m) 0.6 0.62 0.63 0.64 0.66 0.67 0.69 0.7 0.71 0.73 0.74 seperation(*10m) 0 0.004 0.006 0.008 0.012 0.014 0.018 0.02 0.022 0.026 0.028

N
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

G = 55 , 0.0158*10 m Part 2 d1 = 1.45*10 m d2 = 1.20*0 m

= /(d1 d2)

= (5893*1010)m/ (1.45-1.20)*10m

= 1.389*109m The gradient of the graph (m) = (27.4 5) * 106 m / (96.5 16.5) = 0.28 * 106 m The gradient Therefore = /2 /2 = 0.28 * 106 m = 0.56 * 106 m m1 = (27.7 3) * 106 m/ (93 14.5) m1 = 0.314 * 106 m m2 = (26 5.6) * 106 m/ (96 - 14) m2 = 0.248 * 106 m

Error Calculation: Part 1 m = /2 m = |m1 m2|/2 m / m = / = (/m) m = (0.56 * 106 m/0.28 * 106 m) * (0.314 0.248) * 106 m/2 = 0.066*106 m Part 2
= /(d1 d2)

/ = d1/ d1 +d2/d2 = [d1/ d1 +d2/d2]

 = 1.389*109m[0.01*10/1.45*10 m + 0.01*10/1.20*0 m] = 0.21 * 1010 m