Changes

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 model of the beam splitter featured in the Michelson interferometer.  I will start by giving a brief introduction to electromagnetic radiation, then move on to the model itself (including graphs,etc.).

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 model of the beam splitter featured in the Michelson interferometer.  I will start by giving a brief introduction to electromagnetic radiation, then move on to the model itself (including graphs,etc.).  Here is a link to my [[Weekly Goals]].

==INTERFERENCE AND LIGHT WAVES==

==Interference and Light Waves==

Light (electromagnetic radiation) [[Image:emwave.jpg|thumb|An Electromagnetic Wave! (courtesy of [http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~mlyount/MySites/ForensicSpectroscopy/Vocab.html])]] is comprised of an temporally and spatially oscillating electric and magnetic field components.  These components are orthogonal to each other as well as to the direction of propagation given by the Poynting vector.  Wave equations for the electric and magnetic fields can be derived using [[Maxwell's Equations]].

Light (electromagnetic radiation) [[Image:emwave.jpg|thumb|An Electromagnetic Wave! (courtesy of [http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~mlyount/MySites/ForensicSpectroscopy/Vocab.html])]] is comprised of an temporally and spatially oscillating electric and magnetic field components.  These components are orthogonal to each other as well as to the direction of propagation given by the Poynting vector.  Wave equations for the electric and magnetic fields can be derived using [[Maxwell's Equations]].

Electromagnetic waves also have the property that they superimpose. [[Image:MichIntInt.jpg|thumb|Interference from a Michelson Interferometer (courtesy of [http://www.arikah.com/encyclopedia/Interference])]] Like mechanical waves, EM waves can interfere destructively or constructively, but, unlike mechanical waves, there is an additional condition for light wave interference.  In order for this to occur, the light waves must be traveling in the same direction, be of the same wavelength and have a constant phase with respect to each other.  The reason that light waves must be travelling in the same direction to interfere is that in order for interference to occur, both the electric and magnetic field components must "line up". A picture of EM wave interference is shown at right.

Electromagnetic waves also have the property that they superimpose. [[Image:MichIntInt.jpg|thumb|Interference from a Michelson Interferometer (courtesy of [http://www.arikah.com/encyclopedia/Interference])]] Like mechanical waves, EM waves can interfere destructively or constructively, but, unlike mechanical waves, there is an additional condition for light wave interference.  In order for this to occur, the light waves must be traveling in the same direction, be of the same wavelength and have a constant phase with respect to each other.  The reason that light waves must be travelling in the same direction to interfere is that in order for interference to occur, both the electric and magnetic field components must "line up". A picture of EM wave interference is shown at right.

==INTERFEREOMETRY AND THE MICHELSON INTERFEROMETER==

==Interferometry and the Michelson Interferometer==

Interferometry is the splitting of light beams into two or more paths  and the recombining of those different beams to measure difference in optical path length and refractive index [[#References|[1]]] via interference fringes that form as a result of the recombined beams.       

Interferometry is the splitting of light beams into two or more paths  and the recombining of those different beams to measure difference in optical path length and refractive index [[#References|[1]]] via interference fringes that form as a result of the recombined beams.       

|[[Image:Thickness.jpg|thumb|Transmission probability through the silvered mirror versus thickness of the silver coating.]]

|[[Image:Thickness.jpg|thumb|Transmission probability through the silvered mirror versus thickness of the silver coating.]]

|[[Image:fig2.jpg|thumb|Phase shift of the transmitted (linear) and reflected (upper) waves versus thickness of the mirror coating.]]

|[[Image:phaseshift.jpg|thumb|Phase shift of the transmitted (linear) and reflected (upper) waves versus thickness of the mirror coating.]]

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[[Surface Resolution]]

 

*[[Surface Resolution]]

*[[ParSA Results]]

==References==

==References==