Department of Physics

Topic: Zeeman Effect

Submitted by:
Esha Bhatia(2016pph5111)
Dharna Jain(2016pph5119)
Principle:
The “Zeeman effect” is the splitting up of the spectral lines of atoms within a
magnetic field. The simplest is the splitting up of one spectral line into three
components called the “normal Zeeman effect”. The normal Zeeman effect is studied
using a cadmium spectral lamp as a specimen.The cadmium lamp is submitted to
different magnetic flux densities and the splitting up of the cadmium line is
investigated using a Fabry-Perot interferometer. The evaluation of the results leads
to a fairly precise value for Bohr’s magneton.

Tasks:
1. Using the Fabry-Perot interferometer and a CCD camera or micrometer
eyepiece the splitting up of the central line into two σ-lines is measured in
wave numbers as a function of the magnetic flux density.
2. From the results of point (1) a value for Bohr’s magneton is
evaluated.

Equipment Required

Gaussmeter
A gaussmeter is used to obtain a calibration of magnetic field versus voltage
applied to the magnet, B versus V. The magnetic field can be called a
manifestation of the electromagnetic field caused by move of the charged particles
and changes in the electric field. It exerts force on moving charged particles or a
conductor with current.

The basic physical quantity is the magnetic induction B, which characterizes the
impact force of the magnetic field at each it’s point, both in value and in direction.
Magnetic induction – is a vector quantity, which is represented by a vector B, has a
direction, and coincides with the direction of tangent to the power line at any point
of the field, because the magnetic field can be represented by magnetic flux lines –
lines of force.

Lens
The lens focuses the light onto the slit of the constant deviation
spectrometer. A linear polarizing or circularly polarizing filter may be
placed before or after the lens.

Fabry-Perot Interferometer
This interferometer makes use of multiple reflections between two closely spaced
partially silvered surfaces. Part of the light is transmitted each time the light
reaches the second surface, resulting in multiple offset beams which can interfere
with each other. The large number of interfering rays produces an interferometer
with extremely high resolution, somewhat like the multiple slits of a diffraction
grating increase its resolution.

Polarizers
Linear polarizers and a quarter wave plate are used to check
polarizations. The lines corresponding to Zeeman splitting also exhibit polarization
effects. Polarization has to do with the direction in which the electromagnetic
fields are vibrating. This in turn, can have an effect on whether the spectral light
can be observed. For example, polarizing sunglasses are often effective in
suppressing ambiant glare because light reflected from surfaces has a particular
polarization and polarizing sunglasses are designed to not pass that polarization of
light.
One practical example in astronomy of such polarization effects is that in the
preceding example the middle transition is polarized such that it cannot be easily
be obverved from directly over a surface perpendicular to the magnetic field. As a
consequence, when looking directly down on a sunspot (which have strong
magnetic fields) typically only two of the three transitions shown above can be
seen and the line is observed to split into two rather than three lines (the missing
transition could be observed from a different angle where its light would not be
suppressed by the polarization effect, but it is very weak when observed from
directly overhead).

Theory
The splitting of the Cd-spectral line l = 643.8 nm into three lines, the so-called
Lorentz triplets, occurs since the Cd-atom represents a singlet system of total spin
S = 0. In the absence of a magnetic field there is only one possible D→P transition
of 643.8 nm, as indicated by Fig. In the presence of a magnetic field the associated
energy levels split into 2 L + 1 components. Radiating transitions between these
components are possible, provided that the selection rules
ΔML = +1;
ΔML = 0;
ΔML = –1
are taken into account. In this case, therefore, there are a total of nine permitted
transitions. These nine transitions can be grouped into three groups of three
transitions each, where all transitions in a group have the same energy and hence
the same wavelength. Therefore, only three lines will be visible.
The first group where ΔML = –1 gives a s-line the light of which is polarized
vertically to the magnetic field. The middle group ΔML = 0 gives a p-line. This
light is polarized parallel to the direction of the field. The last group where ΔML =
+1 gives a s-line the light of which is again polarized vertically to the magnetic
field.
In the absence of the analyser all three lines can be seen simultaneously. Each ring
which was observed in the absence of a magnetic field is split into three rings when
a magnetic field is applied. Inserting the analyser the two s-lines can be observed
exclusively if the analyser is in the vertical position, while only the p-line appears
if the analyser is turned into its horizontal position (transverse Zeeman effect).
Turning the electromagnet by 90° the light coming from the spectral lamp parallel
to the direction of the field can also be studied since the pole-shoes have been
drilled. It can be shown that this light is circular polarized light. Whatever the
position of the analyser may be, each of the rings seen without a magnetic field is
now permanently split into two rings in the presence of a magnetic field
(longitudinal Zeeman effect).
Turning the electromagnet back for the observation of the two s-lines of the
transverse Zeeman effect it is easy to see that the size of the splitting increases with
increasing magnetic field strength.
For a quantitative measurement of this splitting in terms of number of wavelengths,
a Fabry-Perot interferometer is used, the functioning of which may briefly be
explained. The Fabry-Perot etalon has a resolution of approximately 300000. That
means that a wavelength change of approximately 0.002 nm can still be detected.

The etalon consists of two parallel flat glass plates coated on the inner surface with
a partially reflecting layer. Let us consider the two partially transmitting surfaces
(1) and (2) in Fig. seperated by a distance t. An incoming ray forming an angle θ
with the normal to the plates will be split into the rays AB, CD, EF, etc. the path
difference between the wave fronts of two adjacent rays (for example, AB and CD)
is
δ = BC + CK
where, obviously, BK is normal to CD.
With CK = BC cos 2θ and BC cos θ = t we obtain
δ = BCK = BC (1 + cos 2θ)
= 2 BC cos2θ
= 2 t cos θ
and for a constructive interference to occur one must demand:
nλ = 2 t cos θ
where n is an integer. If the refractive index of the medium between the plates is
μ≠1,
the equation still has to be modified in the following way:
 nλ = 2 μt cos 6θ --(1)
This equation is the basic interferometer equation. Let the parallel rays B, D, F, etc.
be brought to a focus by the use of a lens of focal length f as shown in Fig.

Then, when θ fulfills equation (1), bright rings will appear in the focal plane, their
radius being given by
rn= ftan θn ≈ ƒθn (2)
for small values θn, e.g. rays nearly parallel to the optical axis.
2𝜇𝑡
Since, n= cos θn=n0cos θ0
𝜆
n0(1-2sin2θn/2)
with
2𝜇𝑡
n0=
𝜆
we finally obtain,
n=n0(1-θn2/2)
2(𝑛0−𝑛)
or θn=√ (3)
𝑛0

If θn is to correspond to a brigth fringe, n must be an integer.However, n0 which

gives the interference at the center (cos θ= 1 or θ = 0 in equation (1)), is in general
not an integer. If n1 is the interference order of the first ring, clearly n1 < n0 since
n1 = n0 cos θn1
We then let
n1= n0 – ε ; 0 < e < 1
where n1 is the closest integer to n0 (smaller than n0). Thus, we have in general for
the p-th ring of the pattern, as measured from the center out,
np = (n0 – ε) – (p – 1) (4)
Combining equation (4) with equations (2) and (3), we obtain for the radii of the
rings, substituting rp for rnp
2𝑓2
rp = √
𝑛0
√(𝑝 − 1) + 𝜀 (5)
we note that the difference between the squares of the radii of adjacent rings is a
constant:
2𝑓2
rp+12-r2p = (6)
𝑛0
ε can be determined graphically plotting r2p versus p and extrapolating to r2p = 0.
Now, if there are two components of a spectral line (splitting of one central line
into two components) with wavelengths λa and λb, which are very close to one
another, they will have fractional orders at the center εa and εb:
2𝜇𝑡
εa = - n1,a = 2μtṽa-n1,a
𝜆𝑎
2𝜇𝑡
εb = - n1,b = 2μtṽb-n1,b
𝜆𝑏

where n1,a, n1,b is the interference order of the first ring. Hence, if the rings do not
overlap by a whole order n1,a = n1,b and the difference in wave numbers between
the two components is simply,
Δṽ = ṽa - ṽb = (εa – εb)/2μt (7)
Furthermore, using equations (5) and (6), we get

Applying equation (8) to the components a and b, yields

By substituting these fractional orders into equation (7), we get for the difference
of the wave numbers:
From equation (6) it is clear that the difference between the squares of the radii of
component a,
2𝑓2
Δap+1,p=rp+12-r2p =
𝑛0
is equal to (within a very small part) the same difference for component b,
2𝑓2
Δbp+1,p = rp+12-r2p =
𝑛0
Hence,
Δap+1,p = Δbp+1,p
whatever the value of p may be. Similarly, all values
δa,bp+1,p = r2p+1,b-r2p,b
must be equal, regardless of p and their average can be taken as may be done for
the different Δ-values. With δ and Δ as average values we get for the difference of
the wave numbers of the components a and b, anticipating μ = 1,
1 𝛿
Δṽ = (10)
2𝑡 𝛥
Equation (10) gives evidence of the fact that Δṽ does not depend on the dimensions
used in measuring the radii of the ring system nor on the amplification of the
interference pattern.

Procedure
• Place the optical bench as shown in fig. above. The mercury light source is
switched ON.
• Mount convex lens ( FL 5cm) on optical bench in front of mercury light
source and place fabry perot after convex lens. Adjust the position of fabry
perot at the vertical direction so that it comes on the same axis of lamp,
source and convex lens.
• Mount convex lens (FL 10 cm) on optical bench between fabry perot and
micrometer eye piece. Focus the circular fringes by adjusting the lens
position.
• To get the single wavelength fringes use filter with holder between
electromagnet and convex lens ( FL 5cm).
• To observe the π , σ+ , σ− component of mercury light use polarizer between
filter and electromagnet.
 • The splitting width of spectral line becomes wider with increasing of current
through electromagnet using power supply. The interference rings split
clearly and finely when current reached 4.5 A.
• Observe and measure the diameter of fringes using camera and software.
• Repeat the procedure from 1-7 as given above at different current values but
at less than 5A.

Observations:
At current 4A

r1a = 8 r1b = 7
r2a = 23 r2b = 16
r3a = 33 r3b = 31
r4a = 40 R4b = 42
Calibration of magnetic field

Magnetic
Current I (A) field (gauss)

4 4680

4.5 5280

5 5560

5.5 5910

5.8 6350

Calculations:
δab1=(r1a)2-(r1b)2
=(8)2-(7)2=15
δab2=(r2a)2-(r2b)2
=(23)2-(16)2=273
δab1=(r3a)2-(r3b)2
=(33)2-(31)2=128
δab1=(r4a)2-(r4b)2
 =(40)2-(42)2=-164
δavg=541.8
Δb2,1=(r2b)2-(r1b)2
=(16)2-(7)2=207
Δb3,2=(r3b)2-(r2b)2
=(31)2-(16)2=705
Δb4,3=(r4b)2-(r3b)2
=(42)2-(31)2=803
Δa2,1=(r2a)2-(r1a)2
=(23)2-(8)2=465
Δa3,2=(r3a)2-(r2a)2
=(33)2-(23)2=560
Δa4,3=(r4a)2-(r3a)2
=(40)2-(33)2=511
Δavg=541.8
1 𝛿𝑎𝑣𝑔
Δṽ=
2𝑡𝜇 𝛥𝑎𝑣𝑔
μ=1
Δṽ=29.069
ℎ𝑐𝛥ṽ
ΔE=
2

=2.877*10-24
𝛥𝐸
μ B=
𝐵

=6.14*10-28
=6.14*10-21erg/Gauss
Precautions
• The Cd-Hg lamp gives off some ultraviolet radiation. Avoid looking directly
at the lamp.
• The lamp becomes hot when in operation
• Increase and decrease voltage applied to the magnet fairly slowly; avoid
sudden changes in the current; do not just turn it off but reduce voltage to
zero and then turn off.
• Handle Cd-Hg lamp with care; do not touch the bulb itself.
• Handle optical components by edges; do not touch optical surfaces.