Rotation of the plane of polarization of light using a single linear polarizer

Limitation of the single polarizer method

Rotation of the plane of polarization using two linear polarizers

Effect of polarization rotation on transmitted intensity

Description of a half-wave plate

Use of a half-wave plate to rotate the plane of polarization from zero to ninety degrees with very little loss

Demonstration that there is no change in the state of polarization when propagating along either principal axis of the half-wave plate

Propagation of linearly polarized light in a dielectric (Lucite) rod

Observation of Rayleigh scattered light within rod

Demonstration that the state of polarization of the scattered light is the same as that of the incident light

Reflection and transmission of light at an air-glass boundary as a function of the angle of incidence (0-90º) for different states of polarization of the incident light

Demonstration of Brewster's angle

Demonstration of the absence of any change in the state of polarization of the reflected and transmitted light at a glass-air boundary below the critical angle

Demonstration of the change in the state of polarization of reflected light at a glass-air boundary above the critical angle, i.e., in total internal reflection

Application of this effect to making quarter-wave and half-wave plates

Demonstration of two-beam interference using collimated beams in a Michelson interferometer

Demonstration of various fringe patterns as a function of the alignment of the interferometer mirrors

Effect of mirror translation on fringe pattern using a piezoelectric driver

Demonstration of constructive and destructive interference in a Michelson interferometer using diverging beams

Demonstration of complete destructive interference between the two beams leaving the interferometer for equal path lengths

Where does the light go in destructive interference?

Demonstration that there is light in each arm of the interferometer in destructive interference

Demonstration of light reflected back toward source simultaneously with light transmitted from interferometer for equal paths and also for unequal paths of the interferometer

Demonstration of two-beam interference in a Michelson interferometer with collimated beams

Effect of intensity difference between interfering beams on fringe contrast

Demonstration of two-beam interference in a Michelson interferometer with collimated beams

Demonstration of the effect of path length difference (0-100 cm) on fringe contrast

Demonstration of the spectrum of the light source, in this case, a multilongitudinal mode He-Ne laser

Relationship between fringe contrast, path length difference, and spectrum of the light source

Demonstration of multiple beam interference using a plane mirror cavity in transmission with a mirror separation of 3 mm and a diverging incident beam

Demonstration of multiple beam interference in reflection using the same cavity

Simultaneous observation of multiple beam interference in transmission and in reflection

Demonstration of the use of a confocal cavity for the spectral analysis of single-frequency laser

Demonstration of the use of a confocal cavity for the spectral analysis of multifrequency laser

Demonstration of Fraunhofer diffraction by a narrow slit

Demonstration of Fraunhofer diffraction by an adjustable narrow slit

Demonstration of Fraunhofer diffraction by a single slit

Demonstration of Fraunhofer diffraction by two slits

Demonstration of Fraunhofer diffraction by three slits

Demonstration of Fraunhofer diffraction by four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and more slits

Demonstration of Fraunhofer diffraction by multiple slits with line spacings of 100 per inch, 200 per inch, 300 per inch, and 2000 per inch

Demonstration of Fraunhofer diffraction by multiple slits as a function of slit orientation

Demonstration of Fraunhofer diffraction by a fixed rectangular aperture

Demonstration of Fraunhofer diffraction by an adjustable rectangular aperture

Demonstration of Fraunhofer diffraction by fixed crossed multiple slits

Demonstration of Fraunhofer diffraction by crossed multiple slits as a function of the relative orientation of the slits

Demonstration of Fresnel diffraction by a circular aperture using a spatially filtered laser source

Demonstration of Fresnel diffraction by circular apertures with different diameters

Demonstration of Fresnel diffraction by a circular aperture as a function of source distance

Demonstration of a single mode fiber and light coupling into the fiber

Demonstration of single mode transmission

Demonstration of the effect of stress and bends applied to fiber showing light expelled by fiber

Demonstration of the effect of bends and stress on single mode transmission

Demonstration of single mode propagation in an optical fiber

Demonstration of the state of polarization of the light exiting the fiber as a function of stress and bends applied to the fiber

Demonstration of light amplification by an optical amplifier, using a He-Ne laser and a He-Ne amplifier tube

Demonstration of 6% amplification per pass

Calibration of detector using a fixed loss

Measurement of the effect of amplifier fluorescence on detector output

Demonstration of the spectrum of laser light from a He-Ne laser with external mirrors showing multiple frequencies associated with longitudinal modes of the cavity

Demonstration of the polarization of the multiple frequencies being identical

Demonstration of the effect of temperature, vibration, and misalignment of the spectrum of the laser output

Demonstration of the spectrum of laser light from a He-Ne laser with internal mirrors, showing multiple frequencies associated with longitudinal modes of the cavity

Demonstration of the polarization of the multiple frequencies from an internal mirror laser showing that adjacent modes are orthogonally polarized

Demonstration of single-frequency output by polarization selection

Demonstration of the effect of temperature on the spectrum of the laser output

Demonstration of various transverse modes from a laser as a function of cavity alignment

Demonstration of the use of an intra-cavity adjustable aperture to control the number of transverse modes that can oscillate

Demonstration of the frequency spectrum of laser transverse modes

Demonstration of a method of isolating single transverse modes using a wire inside the laser cavity

Demonstration of the spectrum of isolated transverse modes

Demonstration of the change in orientation of a transverse mode

Demonstration of the effect of blocking one of the lobes of a two-lobe mode inside the laser cavity

Demonstration of the effect of blocking one of the lobes of a two-lobe mode outside the laser cavity

Demonstration of the operation on an argon ion laser

Demonstration of the high intensity in the argon laser beam by burning a hole in cardboard with an unfocused laser beam

Demonstration of the operation of an argon ion laser

Demonstration of the broad spectrum from an argon laser using an optical spectrum analyzer

Demonstration of single-frequency operation using an intracavity etalon

Demonstration of the effect of etalon tuning on the single-frequency output of the laser showing mode hopping phenomena

Demonstration of the effect of aligning the intracavity etalon normal to the laser beam showing chaotic amplitude and frequency behavior

Demonstration of the excitation of atomic sodium in a heated cell by a tunable dye laser

Observation of intense radiation from the sodium vapor when the laser is on resonance with a ground state transition in sodium