I Laser interference fringes fading in and out of view

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The discussion revolves around the fading and reappearing of interference fringes in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer setup, which occurs randomly and frequently without changes to the setup. Participants suggest that fluctuations in laser intensity and coherence could be contributing factors, with some emphasizing the importance of maintaining a single mode for effective interferometry. The conversation also touches on the role of polarization and potential issues with the beam splitter, as well as the complexities of laser behavior, including mode switching and stability. Overall, the fading fringes may be linked to the laser's characteristics, necessitating further investigation into its coherence and mode stability. Understanding these factors is crucial for resolving the interference pattern issues.
  • #31
We ended up writing a program to correct for the blurriness in the interference. We gave up trying to fix it haha.
 
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