mich Michelson Interferometer

Michelson Interferometer

The Michelson interferometer produces interference fringes by splitting a beam of light so that one beam strikes a fixed mirror and the other a movable mirror. When the reflected beams are brought back together, an interference pattern results.

Michelson geometry
White light fringes
 Index

Interference concepts
 
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Michelson Interferometer


Sodium fringes

Precise distance measurements can be made with the Michelson interferometer by moving the mirror and counting the interference fringes which move by a reference point. The distance d associated with m fringes is d = mλ/2 .

Perspective view
White light fringes
Index

Interference concepts
 
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