A Michelson interferometer can be used to measure the velocity of reflecting objects such as cars....

 

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A Michelson interferometer can be used to measure the velocity of reflecting objects such as cars. A laser beam (wavelength 2) is split in two paths: a reference path that reflects off a stationary mirror and another path which reflects off a moving object. The object is modeled as a moving mirror with a constant velocity v. The beams are recombined and a detector records oscillations in the intensity as a function of time. Stationary mirror Laser wavelength A detector Moving mirror, velocity v 1. (17 points) Find the oscillation frequency (number of bright fringes passing the detector per unit time), f(v,), as a function of v and . 2. (3 points) If the maximum oscillation frequency that can be detected is 100 MHz, what is the highest object velocity that can be detected? Assume = 1 m. A Michelson interferometer can be used to measure the velocity of reflecting objects such as cars. A laser beam (wavelength 2) is split in two paths: a reference path that reflects off a stationary mirror and another path which reflects off a moving object. The object is modeled as a moving mirror with a constant velocity v. The beams are recombined and a detector records oscillations in the intensity as a function of time. Stationary mirror Laser wavelength A detector Moving mirror, velocity v 1. (17 points) Find the oscillation frequency (number of bright fringes passing the detector per unit time), f(v,), as a function of v and . 2. (3 points) If the maximum oscillation frequency that can be detected is 100 MHz, what is the highest object velocity that can be detected? Assume = 1 m.