Intensities from the Michelson Beamsplitter

In summary, the lecture notes discuss a beamsplitter with an asymmetric design and an anti-reflection coating on one of the surfaces. The equations for the reflected and transmitted light involve a phase shift of 180 degrees for light reflecting off a material with a higher refractive index. The minus sign in the equation for E_1 accounts for this phase shift, but there is no minus sign in the equation for E_{out1} due to the direction of the light and the surfaces it reflects off of. The parameter t represents a composite Fresnel coefficient that takes into account both surfaces of the beamsplitter.
  • #1
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(A laser monochromatic laser is shone in from the left, that's [tex]E_{in}[/tex].)

[PLAIN]http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/6184/beamsplitter.png

In the lecture notes, it says that:

[tex]E_{out1}=rE_2+tE_1[/tex], where [tex]E_1=-rE_{in}e^{i\phi}[/tex] and [tex]E_2=tE_{in}e^{i\phi}[/tex]

I don't really understand the signs ([tex]+/-[/tex]) here.

According to the Fresnel equations, light reflecting off a material with a higher refractive index will experience a 180 degree phase shift, hence the minus sign in the [tex]E_1[/tex] equation. But then why isn't there also a minus sign here: [tex]E_{out1}=(-)rE_2+tE_1[/tex], is [tex]E_2[/tex] not also reflecting off a material with higher refractive index?

Thanks
 
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  • #2
This is an asymmetric beamsplitter as it necessarily is, with an AR (anti-reflection) coating on one of the faces. If ## E_{out1} ## is down below, and ## E_2 ## coming from the right, with ## E_1 ## coming from above, they have the uncoated surface of the beamsplitter as being the upper surface, so that the reflection of ## E_{inc} ## is off the higher index as it goes to the upper mirror and becomes ## E_1 ## and gets a ## \pi ## phase change=-1 factor , and the ## E_2 ## coming from the right mirror reflects off the inside of the beam splitter, so there is no ## \pi ## phase change. It should be noted their ## t ## is actually a composite Fresnel coefficient that results from crossing both the surface with the AR coating and the surface that has no AR coating. See also: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/if-maxwells-equations-are-linear.969743/#post-6159689
 

Related to Intensities from the Michelson Beamsplitter

1. What is the Michelson Beamsplitter?

The Michelson Beamsplitter is a device that splits a beam of light into two separate beams by reflecting a portion of the light and transmitting the rest.

2. How does the Michelson Beamsplitter work?

The Michelson Beamsplitter works by using a partially reflective surface, typically a thin piece of glass, to reflect a portion of the light and transmit the rest. This creates two separate beams that can be measured and compared.

3. What are intensities from the Michelson Beamsplitter used for?

The intensities from the Michelson Beamsplitter are used to measure small changes in the speed of light, which can provide valuable information in fields such as optics, astronomy, and quantum mechanics.

4. How accurate are the intensities measured from the Michelson Beamsplitter?

The accuracy of the intensities measured from the Michelson Beamsplitter depends on the quality of the device and the skill of the operator. However, with proper calibration and precise measurements, the accuracy can be very high.

5. Are there any limitations to using the Michelson Beamsplitter for intensity measurements?

Yes, the Michelson Beamsplitter is limited in its ability to measure intensities when the light is not coherent or when the beamsplitter is not perfectly aligned. It is also limited by the sensitivity of the measuring equipment used.

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