Interactive Michelson experiment
Interactive Experiment
drag and drop the tokens!
Interactive Michelson Experiment
Start measuring!
The Michelson interferometer is now completed. By moving the mirror within one 90° mirror token, the optical path length is varied. Read more in the theory section.
Used optical tokens:
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 3x |
 1x |
 2x |
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Periscope 2x
The first telescope on the left reflects the laser up to the board.The second telescope leads the laser beam back into the science kit to the detectors. -
45° Mirror 1x
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Beam splitter 1x
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90° Mirror2x
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45° Mirror 2x
Theory
One of the astounding predictions of quantum physics is that quantum objects can exhibit both wave and particle character. Interference effects are mainly associated with waves. In the Michelson interferometer experiment, one can demonstrate precisely this interference of quanta. The photon first hits a beam splitter – this corresponds to a semi-transparent mirror. Behind it, two mirrors are positioned at equal distances, one can be moved in the beam direction.
This allows the optical path lengths of the two interferometer arms to be moved relative to each other in order to vary between constructive and destructive interference – and intermediate values. This results in the typical interference pattern at the output of the interferometer – the count rate of the single photon detector.
Which properties of the photon source can also be determined from the measurement data?