Q. Explain Construction of michelsons interferometer?
It consists of two highly polished plane mirror M1 and M2, with two optically plane glass plate G1 and G2 which are of same material and same thickness. The mirror M1 and M2 are adjusted in such a way that they are mutually perpendicular to each other. The plate G1 and G2 are exactly parallel to each other and placed at 45° to mirror M1 and M2. Plate G1 is half silvered from its back while G2 is plane and act as compensating plate. Plate G1 is known as beam-splitter plate.
The mirror M2 with screw on its back can slightly titled about vertical and horizontal direction to make it exactly perpendicular to mirror M1. The mirror M1 can be moved forward or backward with the help of micrometer screw and this movement can be measured very accurately.