Publication Date

2-1-2023

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

American Journal of Physics

Volume

91

Issue

2

DOI

10.1119/5.0110405

First Page

132

Last Page

141

Abstract

We report on the construction and characterization of a low-cost Mach-Zehnder optical interferometer in which quadrature signal detection is achieved by means of polarization control. The device incorporates a generic green laser pointer, home-built photodetectors, 3D-printed optical mounts, a circular polarizer extracted from a pair of 3D movie glasses, and a python-enabled microcontroller for analog-to-digital data acquisition. Components fit inside of a 12 ″ × 6 ″ space and can be assembled on a budget of less than US$500. The device has the potential to make quadrature interferometry accessible and affordable for instructors, students, and enthusiasts alike.

Funding Number

2003493

Funding Sponsor

National Science Foundation

Comments

© 2023 The authors.

Department

Physics and Astronomy

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