Faraday Optical Rotation Documents

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Main Document

Faraday Optical Rotation 

edited by Ramon Torres-Isea

In this experiment students measure the effects of a magnetic field on the polarization of light (laser beam) propagating through, or reflected from, a solid transparent medium. The effect can be explained in terms of a simple model that relates the "optical activity" of the medium to the applied magnetic field. Students learn about

•Rotation of linearly polarized light by electromagnetic fields
•Connection to Zeeman Effect
•Atomic model of light propagation in dielectrics.

Prof. Paul R. Berman of The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, has recently published (March 2010) an American Journal of Physics article on three different calculations of the Optical Faraday Rotation (please see link below.)  Students are strongly encouraged to study this article.

Last Modified March 24, 2010

This file is included in the full-text index.

Supplemental Documents

Faraday Optical Rotation Spreadsheet 

A spreadsheet to aid students with calculations in the Faraday Optical Rotation experiment.

Published July 17, 2009
Last Modified March 24, 2010