Construction of a Tabletop Michelson Interferometer

Determining Angle for First Diffraction Minimum

We start off with Maxwell's Equation in the Lorentz gauge: Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \square^2A^\mu(\mathbf{x},t) = \square^2A^\mu (x)=(-\mu_1 j^\mu (x))}

Where: $A^{\mu }=(\mathbf {A} ,{\frac {\Phi }{c}}),\square ^{2}=\partial _{\mu }\partial ^{\mu }=\nabla ^{2}-{\frac {1}{c^{2}}}{\frac {\partial }{\partial t^{2}}}$ Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle j^\mu = (\mathbf{j},c\rho), \part_\mu= (\mathbf{\nabla}, \frac{1}{c} \frac{\part}{\part t})}

Lorentz Gauge: Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle A^\mu = 0 \rArr \mathbf{\nabla} \cdot \mathbf{A}+\frac{1}{c^2} \frac{\part\Phi}{\part t}=0}

Introduce Green's function at (x=t) from some impulse source at x'=(x',t')

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \square^2_xG(x,x')=\delta^4(x-x')}

Let Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \tilde{G} (q) = \frac{1}{(2\pi)^2} \int d^4x e^{iqx} G(x,0)}

Then Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle G(q)=\frac{1}{(2\pi)^2} \int d^4qe^{iqx} \tilde{G}(x,0)}

In free space, translational symmetry implies:

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle G(x-x',0)=G(x,x') \quad }

∴Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle G(x,x')=\frac{1}{(2\pi)^2}\int d^4q e^{-iq(x-x')} \tilde{G} (q)}
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \square^2_xG(x,x')=\frac{1}{(2\pi)^2}|int d^4qe^{-iq(x-x')}\tilde{G}(q)}

$\square _{x}^{2}G(x,x')={\frac {1}{(2\pi )^{2}}}\int d^{4}qe^{-iq(x-x')}(-k^{2}+{\frac {\omega ^{2}}{c^{2}}})$, where Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle q=(\mathbf{k},\frac{\omega}{c}) \quad}
But, Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \square^2_xG(x,x')=\delta^4(x-x')=\frac{1}{(2\pi)^4}\int d^4q e^{-iq(x-x')}}
∴Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \tilde{G}(q)=\frac{(2\pi)^2}{(2\pi)^4}\frac{1}{-q^2}= \frac{-1}{(2\pi)^2q^2}}

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle G(x,x')=\frac{-1}{(2\pi)^4} \int d^4qe^{-iq(x-x')} \frac{1}{(k+\frac{\omega}{c})(k-\frac{\omega}{c})}}
Chose the "retarded" solution, such that the function is zero unless t>t'
Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle G(x,x')=\frac{1}{(2\pi)^4}\int d^3ke^{-i\mathbf{k}(x-x')}\int d(\frac{\omega}{c}) \frac{e^{i\omega(t-t')}}{(\frac{\omega}{c}-k)(\frac{\omega}{c}+k)}\Theta}

$={\frac {1}{(2\pi )^{4}}}\int d^{3}ke^{-i\mathbf {k} (x-x')}(2\pi i{\frac {e^{ick(t-t')}-e^{-ick(t-t')}}{2k}})\Theta$

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle =\frac{-2\pi}{(2\pi)^4}\int \frac{k^2dk}{k} \sin\left({ck(t-t')}\right) 2\pi\int_{-i}^i dze^{-ik|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x'}|z}\Theta}

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle =\frac{-1}{(2\pi)^2}\left(\frac{1}{2i|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x'|}}\right)2\int dk sin(ck(t-t')) sin(k|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x'}|)\Theta}

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle =\frac{1}{(2\pi)^2}\frac{2}{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|}\frac{2\pi}{4} \left[2\delta(|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|+c(t-t'))-2\delta(|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|-c(t-t'))\right]\Theta}

But the term Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle 2\delta(|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|+c(t-t'))\rightarrow 0 \quad\forall\quad t>t'}

∴$G(x,x')={\frac {-1}{4\pi }}\quad {\frac {\delta (|\mathbf {x} -\mathbf {x} '|-c(t-t'))}{|\mathbf {x} -\mathbf {x} '|}}$

Now to get the Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle G_1(x,x')\quad } in the half-space with z>0 with the boundary condition Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle G_1\quad } atFailed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle x_3=z=0 \quad} we take the difference:

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle G_1(x,x')=\frac{-1}{4\pi}\left(\frac{\delta(|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|-c(t-t'))}{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|}-\frac{\delta(|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'-2z\hat{e_3}|-c(t-t'))}{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'-2z\hat{e_3}|}\right)}

Now use Green's theorem:

Let Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \mathbf{F}=A(x)\mathbf{\nabla}G_1(x,x')-G_1(x,x')\mathbf{\nabla}A(x)}

$\int \mathbf {\nabla } \cdot \mathbf {F} d^{4}x=\int cdt\int d^{3}x[\mathbf {\nabla } A\cdot \mathbf {\nabla } G+A\nabla ^{2}G_{1}-\mathbf {\nabla } G\cdot \mathbf {\nabla } A-G_{1}\nabla ^{2}A]$

But Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \nabla^2G_1(x,x')=\delta^4(x-x')+\frac{1}{c^2}\frac{\part^2}{\part t^2}G_1(x,x')}

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \nabla^2A(x)=\mu j(x)+\frac{1}{c^2}\frac{\part^2}{\part t^2}A(x)} , let Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle j(x)=0 \quad}

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \int \nabla \cdot \mathbf{F} d^4x=A(x')+\frac{1}{c^2}\int d^4x\left[A\frac{\part^2}{\part t^2}G_1 - G_1\frac{\part^2}{\part t^2}A\right]}

The last term vanishes if Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle G_1(x,x')and A(x)\quad } fall off sufficiently fast at $t\rightarrow \infty$. They do. So:

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \int \nabla \cdot \mathbf{F} d^4x=A(x')}

Now invoke the divergence theorem on the half space Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle z>0 \quad} :

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle A(x')=-\int d^2x\int cdt\left[A(x)\frac{\part}{\part t}G_1(x,x')-G_1(x,x')\frac{\part}{\part z}A(x)\right]} , where the last term is zero by the constriction ofFailed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle G_1(z=0) \quad}

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle A(x')=-c\int dt\int d^2xA(x)\frac{\part}{\part z}G_1(x,x')}

To do the t integral, I need to bring out the z derivative. To do this, I first turn it into a z' derivative, using the relation:


$G_{1}(x,x')={\frac {-1}{4\pi }}\left({\frac {\delta (|\mathbf {x} -\mathbf {x} '|-c(t-t'))}{|\mathbf {x} -\mathbf {x} '|}}-{\frac {\delta (|\mathbf {x} -\mathbf {x} ''|-c(t-t'))}{|\mathbf {x} -\mathbf {x} ''|}}\right)$, where Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \mathbf{x}''=\mathbf{x}'-2z'\hat{e_3}}

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \frac{\part}{\part z}G_1(x,x')=\frac{1}{4\pi}\left(\frac{\part}{\part z}\left(\frac{\delta(|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|-c(t-t'))}{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|}-\frac{\delta(|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}''|-c(t-t'))}{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}''|}\right)\right)}

∴ Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle A(x')=\frac{-1}{4\pi}\frac{\part}{\part z'}\int_{z=0} d^2x\left(2\frac{A(\mathbf{x},t'-\frac{\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'}{c}}{\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'}\right)}

At Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle z=0 \quad } , Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle |\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|=\sqrt{r^2+z'^2}=S, dS=\frac{rdr}{\sqrt{r^2+z'^2}}}

If$A(\mathbf {x} ,t)\quad$ is independent of Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \mathbf{x} \quad} , then:

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle A(x')=\frac{-\part}{\part z'}\int_{z'=0}^\infin dS A\left(\mathbf{0},t-\frac{S}{c}\right)=A\left(\mathbf{\emptyset},t'-\frac{z'}{c}\right)}

This gives us uniform translations of waves at velocity c. More generally:

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle A(x')=\frac{-1}{2\pi}\int_{z=0} d^2x\frac{\part}{\part z'}\left(\frac{A\left(\mathbf{x}, t'-\frac{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|}{c}\right)}{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|}\right)}

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle =\frac{-1}{2\pi}\int_{z=0} d^2x\left(\frac{A\left(\mathbf{x},t'-\frac{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|}{c}\right)}{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|^3}(-z')+\frac{\dot{A}\left(\mathbf{x},t'-\frac{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|}{c}\right)}{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|c}\frac{-z'}{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|}\right)}

Failed to parse (MathML with SVG or PNG fallback (recommended for modern browsers and accessibility tools): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle A(x')=\frac{-1}{2\pi}\int_{z=0} d^2x\left(\frac{A\left(\mathbf{x},t'-\frac{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|}{c}\right)}{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|^3}(-z')+\frac{1}{c}\frac{\dot{A}\left(\mathbf{x},t'-\frac{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|}{c}\right)}{|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{x}'|^2}(z')\right)}