Mapping diamond surfaces using interference

This page represents a ongoing project dealing with using interference patterns to map the surface of a diamond wafer. Since this is my first page, you'll have to excuse any blatant errors that I do not pick up on immediately. Currently this page will represent my work with Dr. Richard Jones on an approximation to the beam splitter featured in the Michelson interferometer. I will start by giving a brief introduction to electromagnetic radiation, then move on to the approximation itself (including graphs,etc.). I will hopefully have this up and running by next Wednesday.

Electromagnetic Radiation
Using Maxwell's Equations we can find solutions for a travelling wave comprised of two perpindicular oscillating electric and magnetic fields, whose direction can be giving by the Poynting vector. [image of EM wave here]

What is light?

The Michelson Interferometer
What is a Michelson interferometer?

A simplistic approximation

Maxwell's Equations

But, what if I need to make formulas? $$\frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi\sigma^2}}e^{-\frac{1}{2}\frac{(x-x_0)^2}{\sigma^2}}$$ I have no idea what that will look like, but let's try it. We can also do vector equations, such as Gauss's Law

Next let's make some chapter headings.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4