Michelson Mode

1. Align the laser and interferometer as described above.
2. Mount the adjustable mirror on the interferometer base. Position one component holder in front of the laser. Place the other component holder opposite the adjustable mirror and attach the viewing screen to its magnetic backing.
3. Position the beam splitter at a 45 degree angle to the laser beam, within the crop marks, so that the beam is reflected to the fixed mirror. Adjust the angle of the beam splitter as needed so that the reflected beam hits the fixed mirror near its center.
4. There should now be two sets of bright dots on the viewing screen; one set comes from the fixed mirror and the other comes from the movable mirror. Each set of dots should include a bright dot with two more more dots of lesser brightness (due to multiple reflections). Adjust the angle of the beam splitter again until the two sets of dots are as close together as possible, then tighten the thumbscrew to secure the beam spli
5. Using the thumbscrews on the back of the adjustable mirror, adjust the mirror's tilt until the two sets of dots on the viewing screen coincide.
6. Attach the 18 mm FL lens to the magnetic backing of the component holder in front of the laser as shown, and adjust its position until the diverging beam is centered on the beam splitter. You should now see circular fringes on the viewing screen. If not, carefully adjust the tilt of the adjustable mirror until the fringes appear.