Instruction Manual and

Experiment Guide

FIZ457E
OPTICS I

FABRY-PEROT INTERFEROMETER DETERMINATION OF

THE LASER LIGHTS WAVELENGTH

Istanbul Technical University

Physics Engineering Department

Fabry-Perot Interferometer

Introduction
CAUTION: Avoid touching all optical surfaces on the interferometer, because minute scratches can impair
the clarity of the interference image.
1. The Fabry-Perot Interferometer
The interferometer consists of two accurately flat glass plates, semi-silvered on their inner surfaces and
mounted parallel to one another. This arrangement is called an etalon. This type of instrument is therefore
referred to as a multiple beam interferometer in contrast to the Michelson interferometer which is a twobeam interferometer. The Fabry-Perot interferometer is used for precision measurement of the wavelength
of light and for investigation of the fine structure of a spectrum.
1.1. Principle
Two mirrors are assembled to form a Fabry-Perot interferometer. Using them, the multibeam interference
of a lasers light beam is investigated. By moving one of the mirrors, the change in the interference pattern
is studied and the wavelength of the lasers light determined.

Equipment
Optical base plate with rubber feet
He-Ne-laser, 5 mW with holder
Power supply for laser head 5 mW
Interferometer plate with precision drive
Adjusting support 3535 mm
Surface mirror 3030 mm
Magnetic foot for optical base plate

Holder for diaphragm/beam splitter

Beam splitter 1/1, non polarizing
Beam splitter T = 30, R = 70, with holder
Lens, mounted, f = +20 mm
Lensholder for optical base plate
Screen, white, 150150 mm

Theory of Operation
Interference Theory
A beam of light can be modeled as a wave of oscillating electric and magnetic fields. When two or more
beams of light meet in space, these fields add according to the principle of superposition. That is, at each
point in space, the electric and magnetic fields are determined as the vector sum of the fields of the separate
beams. If each beam of light originates from a separate source, there is generally no fixed relationship
between the electromagnetic oscillations in the beams. At any instant in time there will be points in space
where the fields add to produce a maximum field strength. However, the oscillations of visible light are far
faster than the human eye can apprehend. Since there is no fixed relationship between the oscillations, a
point at which there is a maximum at one instant may have a minimum at the next instant. The human eye

Fabry-Perot Interferometer
averages these results and perceives a uniform intensity of light. If the beams of light originate from the
same source, there is generally some degree of correlation between the frequency and phase of the
oscillations. At one point in space the light from the beams may be continually in phase. In this case, the
combined field will always be a maximum and a bright spot will be seen. At another point the light from the
beams may be continually out of phase and a minima, or dark spot, will be seen.
Thomas Young was one of the first to design a method for producing such an interference pattern. He
allowed a single, narrow beam of light to fall on two narrow, closely spaced slits. Opposite the slits he placed
a viewing screen. Where the light from the two slits struck the screen, a regular pattern of dark and bright
bands appeared. When first performed, Young.s experiment offered important evidence for the wave nature
of light. Young.s slits can be used as a simple interferometer. If the spacing between the slits is known, the
spacing of the maxima and minima can be used to determine the wavelength of the light. Conversely, if the
wavelength of the light is known, the spacing of the slits could be determined from the interference patterns.
The Fabry-Perot Interferometer
The Fabry-Prot interferometer was invented in 1897 by Charles Fabry and Alfred Prot. In contrast to
other, more conventional types like the Michelson or Mach-Zehnder interferometer, the Fabry-Prot
arrangement acts as an optical resonator which may result in an extremely high spectral resolving power
/ up to 107 for optical wavelengths . In this way, state-of-the-art Fabry-Prot cavities may exceed
the resolution of classical diffraction gratings by a factor of 100 and provide an irreplaceable tool in
particular for studies of the hyperfine structure in atomic spectra.
Figure 1 shows two rays of light entering such a cavity and reflecting back and forth inside. At each
reflection, part of the beam is transmitted, splitting each incident ray into a series of rays. Since the
transmitted rays are all split from a single incident ray, they have a constant phase relationship (assuming
a sufficiently coherent light source is used). The phase relationship between the transmitted rays depends
on the angle at which each ray enters the cavity and on the distance between the two mirrors. The result is
a circular fringe pattern, similar to the Michelson pattern, but with fringes that are thinner, brighter, and more
widely spaced. The sharpness of the Fabry-Perot fringes makes it a valuable tool in high-resolution
spectrometry. As with the Michelson Interferometer, as the movable mirror is moved toward or away from
the fixed mirror, the fringe pattern shifts. When the mirror movement is equal to 1/2 of the wavelength of
the light source, the new fringe pattern is identical to the original.

Figure 1: Fabry-Perot Interferometer

By slowly moving the mirror a measured distance d, and counting n, the number of times the fringe pattern
is restored to its original state, the wavelength of the light () can be calculated as:

Fabry-Perot Interferometer

(1)

Setup and Procedure

Figure 2 shows the experimental set-up to determine the wavelength and coherence length and time of a
light source. In general, an interferometer can be used in two ways. If the characteristics of the light source
are accurately known (wavelength, polarization, intensity), changes in the beam path can be introduced
and the effects on the interference pattern can be analyzed. On the other hand, by introducing specific
changes in the beam path, information can be obtained about the light source that is being used.

Figure 2: Experimental set-up to determine the wavelength of a laser.

Setup
In the following, the pairs of numbers in brackets [..., ...] refer to the coordinates on the optical base plate.
These coordinates are only intended to be a rough guideline for making initial adjustments.
1. Perform the experimental setup according to Fig. 3. The recommended setup height (beam path
height) is 130 mm.
2. Initially, perform the adjustment work without the lens L[1,5]. Before beginning with the
adjustments, place the fine-adjusting drive on auxiliary plate P onto the optical base plate in

Fabry-Perot Interferometer

3.
4.

5.

6.

7.
8.
9.

accordance with Fig. 4. While doing so ensure that the coordinate lines on the auxiliary plate align
as exactly as possible with those on the base plate.
When adjusting the beam path with the adjustable mirrors M1 [1,8] and M2 [1,3] at beam path height,
align the beam along the 3rd y coordinate of the optical base plate.
Initially without the two beams splitters BS1 and BS2, adjust the mirror M3 [8,3] = [5,4] in the
movable holder on plate P in a manner such that the reflected beam strikes the same point on
mirror M2 from which it originated.
Next, place the beam splitter BS2(50:50) with its metalized side facing mirror M3 in the beam path
such that a partial beam strikes mirror M3 without being altered and the bam reflected by M3 is
perpendicularlyincident to the screen SC [5,7] along the 5th x coordinate of the plate.
Place the beam splitter BS1 [7,3] which has a 70:30 ratio of reflection to transmission in to the beam
path. Its metalized side faces mirror M3. Now, adjust the bam splitter in such a manner that the
reflected beam strikes approximately the same position on the screen as the beam reflected by
mirror M3. Perform the fine adjustment with the adjusting screws on mirror M3. The gap between
the surfaces of M3 and BS1 should be approximately 3 mm.
By placing lens L [1,5] in the beam path, the luminous points are expanded.
Observe the interference patterns (fringes, circles) on the screen SC.
By meticulously readjusting mirror M3, one obtains concentric circles.

Figure 3: Experimental setup of a Fabry-Perot interferometer

Determination of the wavelength of the laser light

1. To do this, the path length between mirror M3 and beam splitter BS1 must be chanced. In the
process, the position of mirror M3 is altered with the aid of a lever arm (leverage circa 20:1) and a

Fabry-Perot Interferometer

2.

3.
4.

5.
6.

micrometer screw (2 turns correspond to 1 mm); as a result, the length of the optical resonator is
changed.
As a consequence of the alteration in the optical length, a change in the centre of the circular
interference fringes from maxima to minima and vice versa is observed. Whether the path length
increases or decreases becomes apparent in that the centre becomes a source of maxima and
minima for decreasing path length or a sink for the interference maxima and minima for increases
path length.
According the theory, a change from maximum to maximum occurs when the resenator length is
chanced by /2 (for small angle ).
To determine the wavelength of the laser light, measure the alteration of the distance between M3
and BS1 (by reading the initial and final values on the micrometer screw), , and count the number
of changes from maximum to maximum, . (Each line on the rotating vernier scale of micrometer
moves the mirror about 0.5 m)
Use the equation (1).
Find the corresponding errors for wavelength of the light source. (literature value: = 638.8 nm).

Questions:
1. What effect does moving the mirrorsfarther apart have on the fringe patterns and stability?
2. What is the advantage(s) of using a multiple beam interferometer instead of an amplitude splitting
interferometer?