ClassicalTheoryoftheFaradayEffect.docVIP

The University of Hong Kong Department of Physics PHYS2426 Intermediate Experimental Physics Laboratory Experiment No. 2426-12: The Faraday Effect K.F. Ho/Dr. S.W. Fan/Prof. P.K. MacKeown/August 2000 Aim: The objective of this experiment is to use an optical setup to observe the Faraday Rotation Effect described by equation (1) in flint glass. The wavelength dependence of the Verdet constant in equation (2) is observed as a result of wavelength dispersion in a material medium. Background: In 1845 Michael Faraday discovered that the manner in which light propagates through a material medium could be influenced by an externally applied magnetic field. He found that when linearly polarized light passed through a piece of glass, the plane of polarization was rotated in the presence of a strong magnetic field applied in the direction of propagation of the light. The Faraday Effect was one of the earliest indications of the interrelationship between electromagnetism and light Ref. [1]. The effect is used today in applications, and in fundamental physics research. In one application, the Faraday Effect has been used to make optical modulators, Ref. [1]. Such devices can be employed as light switches. A more current (1999) application of the Faraday Effect is to monitor the extremely fast electron spin precession in semiconductor and semiconductor quantum well materials, Ref [2,3]. Classical Theory of the Faraday Effect Verdet Constant and Angle of Rotation The angle , through which the plane-of-vibration of the electric field rotates, is given by the empirically determined expression (1) where B is the applied magnetic field (in Tesla), d is the length of the medium traversed (in cm), and V=is a proportionality factor known as the Verdet constant which depends on the wavelength of the light. The unit for V is usually expressed as radian per Tesla meter (1Tesla=10000Gauss). A representative value