Fabrication of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer for education using a rotating glass plate and a 3D printer

Abstract

This paper proposes how to fabricate an educational Mach-Zehnder interferometer that is easy to align and inexpensive, using 3D printers and semiconductor lasers. The interferometer consists of a body 165 mm × 120 mm × 57 mm in size, mirror mounts, a laser holder, beam splitters, and so on. The laser path is adjusted by 4 mirror mounts, each comprised of rubber bands, small metal wires, and a screw. The interference fringe is enlarged by the lens at the final stage. The refractive index of a slide glass was measured by counting the number of moving interference fringes while the slide glass, inserted into one of the two interferometer arms, is rotating. The formula for the refractive index as a function of the optical-path difference and rotation angle was obtained, and used to calculate the refractive index of glass from the interferometer experiment. The use of a rotating glass in one arm of the interferometer nullifies the need for a precision stage, which despite its high cost is often required to observe the moving interference fringe in the classroom. Therefore, the 3D-printed Mach-Zehnder interferometer proposed in this paper can be very useful for education, because of its affordability and performance. It enables students to perform both qualitative and quantitative studies using a 3D-printed interferometer, such as measuring the refractive index of a glass sample, and the wavelength of light.