Mach-Zehnder Interferometer Investigations on Some Laser Dye Solvents

Abstract

We have used a laser interferometric method to determine the refractive index of some laser dye solvents with a high accuracy of 5.8 x 10 -4 . The determination of refractive index (n) has been done by counting the interference fringes (N) as a function of the incidence angle of the laser beam. The absolute refractive index of pure water, dimethylsulfoxide, and different mixtures of percentages (P) 25%, 50%, 75% of dimethylsulfoxide has been measured. The relation between the bulk refractive index (nm) of these mixtures is plotted as a function of the investigated percentages. The temperature behavior of these refractive indices (dn m /dt) was studied carefully within a temperature range of (20-80°C). We have found that both the refractive index (n.) and temperature behavior of the refractive indices (dnm/dt) of different mixtures of the investigated solvents have the average index properties of the parent solvents. Also, a fitted empirical relation between nm , P, and t has been assumed as n = aPbtc with empirical constants a, b, and c. According to that equation we have recalculated of these solvent mixtures and we have found satisfying agreement with the experimental results. PACS numbers: 42.55.Mv, 78.20.Ci