Faraday rotation

Apparatus:
Light source, polarizer, solenoid,
constant current power supply, audio amplifier.
Aim:
1. To observe the intensity variation with polarizing
2. To find the verdet constant of a given sample.
Basic Methodology:
When a plane polarized light passes through a medium in presence of magnetic
field, the plane of polarization rotates by some angle. The experiment is to find this
angle of rotation as a function of applied magnetic field and hence find the verdet
constant.
Theory: Faraday rotation is a
between light and a magnetic
of polarization which is linearly proportional to the component of the magnetic
field in the direction of propagation


Fig.1: Plane of
Faraday rotation
olenoid, sample, analyser, photo detector, multimeter,
constant current power supply, audio amplifier.
To observe the intensity variation with polarizing angle.
To find the verdet constant of a given sample.
When a plane polarized light passes through a medium in presence of magnetic
field, the plane of polarization rotates by some angle. The experiment is to find this
of rotation as a function of applied magnetic field and hence find the verdet
is a Magneto-optical phenomenon. It is an interaction
magnetic field in a medium that causes a rotation of the plane
which is linearly proportional to the component of the magnetic
field in the direction of propagation.

Plane of Polarization rotation due to the Faraday
multimeter,

When a plane polarized light passes through a medium in presence of magnetic
field, the plane of polarization rotates by some angle. The experiment is to find this
of rotation as a function of applied magnetic field and hence find the verdet
an interaction
causes a rotation of the plane
which is linearly proportional to the component of the magnetic
Polarization rotation due to the Faraday Effect
The relation between the angle of rotation
field in a transparent material is:

where,
is the angle of rotation.
B is the magnetic flux density in the
d is the length of the path where the light and magnetic field interact
is the Verdet constant for the material.

A positive Verdet constant corresponds to L
direction of propagation is parallel to the magnetic field and to R
(clockwise) when the direction of propagation is anti
light is passed through a material a
doubles.
Some materials, such as terbium gallium garnet
constants ( -134 rad T
1
m
1
in a strong magnetic field, Faraday rotation angles of over 0.78 rad (45) can be
achieved. This allows the construction of
component of Faraday isolators
The Faraday effect can, however, be observed and measured in a Terbium
glass with Verdet constant as low as (

Set up & Procedure:
Part A: To study the variation of light intensity with respect to
1. The set up of the experiment is as shown in Fig. 2
2. A sample rod is inserted into the solenoid.
3. Initially no current is passed through the solenoid. With respect to the
polarizer the analyzer
4. The polarizer is varied at steps of 10 degrees and the intensity at each
angle is recorded.
5. A plot of angle of rotation versus intensity is plotted.

angle of rotation of the polarization and the magnetic
field in a transparent material is:
is the magnetic flux density in the direction of propagation.
where the light and magnetic field interact
for the material.
constant corresponds to L-rotation (anticlockwise) when the
direction of propagation is parallel to the magnetic field and to R-rotation
(clockwise) when the direction of propagation is anti-parallel. Thus, if a ray of
light is passed through a material and reflected back through it, the rotation
terbium gallium garnet (TGG) have extremely high Verdet
1
) (for 632 nm light). By placing a rod of this material
in a strong magnetic field, Faraday rotation angles of over 0.78 rad (45) can be
achieved. This allows the construction of Faraday rotators, which are the principal
Faraday isolators, devices which transmit light in only one
The Faraday effect can, however, be observed and measured in a Terbium
glass with Verdet constant as low as ( -20 rad T
1
m
1
) (for 632 nm light).
To study the variation of light intensity with respect to polarizing angle
The set up of the experiment is as shown in Fig. 2
A sample rod is inserted into the solenoid.
Initially no current is passed through the solenoid. With respect to the
analyzer Polaroid is rotated so as to get least intensity
The polarizer is varied at steps of 10 degrees and the intensity at each
angle is recorded.
A plot of angle of rotation versus intensity is plotted.
of the polarization and the magnetic

rotation (anticlockwise) when the
rotation
parallel. Thus, if a ray of
nd reflected back through it, the rotation
have extremely high Verdet
By placing a rod of this material
in a strong magnetic field, Faraday rotation angles of over 0.78 rad (45) can be
, which are the principal
, devices which transmit light in only one direction.
The Faraday effect can, however, be observed and measured in a Terbium-doped
) (for 632 nm light).
polarizing angle
Initially no current is passed through the solenoid. With respect to the
Polaroid is rotated so as to get least intensity.
The polarizer is varied at steps of 10 degrees and the intensity at each

Fig. 2

Part B: To find the verdet constant of the medium
1. The medium is now placed in a magnetic field by passing current through
the solenoid.
2. Keep the analyser at a position with least intensity with respect to the
polarizer.
3. Now pass current through the coil. Note down the intensity at this current.
4. Rotate the polarizer in a way so as to reach back the initial intensity.
5. This angle is the angle to which the plane of polarization has rotated.
6. Repeat the experiment for various values of current (magnetic field).
7. Plot a graph of angle of rotation versus magnetic field.
8. Hence calculate the verdet constant.



Precautions:
1. Before switching on any current source please make sure the knobs are at
zero position.
2. Do not exceed 3A current from the current source.
3. Make sure the alignment of the light source to the detector is linear.
Exercise questions for viva:
1. Explain the optical mechanism of rotation of plane of polarization under the
action of magnetic field.
2. Suggest a method to reduce the noise fluctuation in the data acquisition of
rotation. (You may have a look at the experiment on lock-in amplifier to
think about this. Also read the references.)
3. Let us say, somehow the sample that you used in this experiment was a
ferromagnet, what result would you expect?
References:
1. Faraday, Kerr, and Zeeman: The Effects of a Magnetic Field on Radiations,
E. P. Lewis-Editor. (A description of the Faraday effect by its discoverer).
2. A simple experiment for determining the Verdet constants using alternating
magnetic fields. Aloke Jain, Jayant Kumar, Fumin Zhou, Lain Li.
3. A Faraday Rotation Experiment for the undergraduate physics laboratory.
Frank J. Loeffler, Am. J. Phys 51(7), July 1983.