Principle

With the aid of two mirrors in a Michelson arrangement, light is brought to interference. Due to the magnetostrictive effect, one of the mirrors is shifted by variation in the magnetic field applied to a sample and the change in the interference pattern is observed.

Benefits


See that magnetic fields can change the geometry of objects

Use a Michelson interferometer to measure quantitatively this most subtle effect

Set up the instrument by yourself from separate components


Tasks


Construction of a Michelson interferometer using separate optical components.

Testing various ferromagnetic materials (iron and nickel) as well as a non-ferromagnetic material (copper), with regard to their magnetostrictive properties.


What you can learn about


Interference

Wavelength

Diffraction index

Speed of light

Phase

Virtual light source

Ferromagnetic material

Weiss molecular magnetic fields

Spin-orbit coupling