August 22, 2017

Primary author:Muhammad Arshad T P

Comment to muhammadarshad15@iisertvm.ac.in
Fabry-Perot Interferometer
(Dated: August 22, 2017)
The Fabry-Perot interferometer uses the phenomenon of multiple beam interference that arises
when light shines through a cavity bounded by two reflective parallel surfaces. Each time the light
encounters one of the surfaces, a portion of it is transmitted out, and the remaining part is reflected
back. The net effect is to break a single beam into multiple beams which interfere with each other.
If the additional optical path length of the reflected beam (due to multiple reflections) is an integral
multiple of the lights wavelength, then the reflected beams will interfere constructively. More is the
number of reflection inside the cavity, sharper is the interference maximum. Using Fabry-Perot (FP)
interferometer as a spectroscopic tool, concepts of finesse and free spectral range can be understood.

PRINCIPLE OF WORKING
d
AB= cos()
The basic principle of working of the Fabry-Perot in-
terferometer is schematically explained in figure1. AD=(2dtan)sin
Two partial mirrors G1 and G2 are aligned parallel
AD=2dtan(nsin)

FIG. 1: Schematics of a Fabry-Perot Interferomete

FIG. 2: Calculation of path difference

to one another at a distance d, forming a reflective cav-

ity. When irradiated by a monochromatic light (a laser
here) of wavelength at an angle of incidence , mul-
tiple reflection takes place inside the cavity. Part of the
light is transmitted each time the light reaches the second
reflecting surface. All such transmitted light rays inter- Thus, the resultant transmitted light intensity IT is:
fere with each other to give rise to a maxima or minima 1
depending on the path difference them. Let n be the re- IT = I0 4R 2
(3)
1+ ( (1R)2 )sin 2
fractive index of the medium in the cavity (in this case
it is air). Then the optical path difference between two where, I0 is the incident intensity, R is the reflectiv-
neighboring rays is: ity of the mirrors. It can be noticed that IT varies with .
= 2ndcos() (1) IT is maximum when
Then the phase difference is given by = m (m = 0, 1, 2, ...) or = 2m (4)
2
=( ) (2) And minimum When


In the figure2 path difference is shown for a general = (2m + 1) (m = 0, 1, 2, ...) or = (2m + 1) (5)
2
cavity is shown where and are the angles of incidence
and refraction, respectively The complete interference pattern appears as a set of
Then, concentric rings. The sharpness of the rings depends on
a parameter called coefficient of finesse, F, defined as
4R
=n(AB+BC)-AD F= (1R)2
 2

DETERMINATION OF WAVELENGTH : Calibration constant,K=0.1950

Wave length of Green laser, =585nm
Using the relations 1 and 4 (or 5) wavelength of the
incident light can be determined accurately. Let the
initial separation between the mirrors is d1 . If one
counts the number of fringes (say maxima) appearing 2
or disappearing at the centre ( 0) by varying the Radius (mm) Xn2 = Xm+n
2 2
Xm t = nD
Xn2

distance between the mirrors to d2 , then can be Xm =28 0 0 mm 0 mm

determined as follows: Xm+1 = 32.2 4.2 17.64 mm 6.7 mm
2d1 = m1 2d2 = m2 Xm+2 = 34 6 36 mm 6.6 mm
m2 m1 = N umberof maximacounted = N Xm+3 = 35.5 7.5 56.25 mm 6.3 mm

2(d2 d1 )
= (6) Distance between the etalon plate = 6.53
N
If you consider calibration constant K
Reference:BORN, Max and WOLF, Emil Princi-
2(d2 d1 )K
= (7) ples Of Optics ,1970
N MEABURN, John, Dedection And Spectrometry Of
No.of fringes Distance moved Average Faint Light, 1976
20 0.3 LONGHURST, R.S., Geometrical And Physical Op-
20 0.3 0.3 tics, 1967
20 0.3 PEDROTTI SJ,Frank L.,PEDROTTI Leno S. Intro-
duction To Optics, 1993
From the Data its found that,