BSc 6th Sem.

(PHYM -604 (C), Paper: Laser and its Applications

Unit V. Magneto-Optics and Electro Optics

Introduction
Under the influence of external magnetic or electric field, the optical properties of certain
media are found to change and these are termed as Magneto-Optics and Electro Optics effects
depending on the nature of the field. For example, a block of glass when placed in a strong magnetic
field develops optical activity, a vapour or a liquid, if subjected to a strong magnetic field, becomes
doubly refracting, spectral lines, in general, split into a number of components when the light source
is placed in an external magnetic field or electric field etc. These phenomena are in support of the
electromagnetic character of light and demonstrate the interaction between light and electricity or
magnetism. In Table-1, different Magneto-Optics and Electro Optics effects are listed.
Magneto-Optics Effect Electro Optics Effect
1. Zeeman effect 1. Kerr electro-optic effect
2. Faraday effect 2. Electric double refraction
3. Voigt effect 3. Stark effect
4. Cotton-Mouton effect 4. Pockels effect
5. Kerr magneto-optic effect

Faraday Effect
In 1845 Michael Faraday discovered that when a linearly polarised light propagates through a
medium of glass then the plane of polarization of the linearly polarized light is rotated in presence of
a magnetic field parallel to the direction of propagation. This effect is known as Faraday effect and it
indicates the intimate relationship between the magnetic field and the light. Faraday effect depends
on the direction of the magnetic field but not on the direction of propagation of the light.
It is found that when a transparent material is placed in a magnetic field and linearly
polarized light is passed through it along the direction of the magnetic field, the emerging light is
found to remain linearly polarized, but with a net rotation  of the plane of polarization, as shown in
Fig. 1, which is proportional both to the thickness l of the sample and the strength of the magnetic
field B, according to the empirical relation,
  VBl (1)
Here V is the Verdet’s constant for the material, usually expressed in minutes of angle per
Gauss-cm (G-cm). The Verdet’s constant is both temperature and wavelength dependent and is
different for different substances. A positive value of the Verdet’s constant indicates that the rotation
is clockwise when looking along the field direction and so  is positive.

It is important to note that, unlike the natural

rotation, the direction of magnetic rotation does not
depend on the direction of propagation of the light. As
a result, if light is reflected to and fro through the
substance, the rotation continues to increase. With
natural rotation, however, the rotation changes
direction when the direction of light is reversed. So,
by reversal, the natural rotation can be annulled or
cancelled but magnetic rotation is doubled. The
magnetic rotation is maximum when light travels
along the field and is zero when the light propagates Fig. 1 A Schematic Diagram of Faraday Effect
perpendicular to the field.
Applications:
1. Faraday effect can be used to measure large current through a conductor using single mode
optical fibre.
2. Faraday rotation finds applications also in measuring instruments, e.g., to measure the
optical rotating power, in amplitude modulation of light and in remote sensing of magnetic fields.

Determination of magnetic rotation in Faraday effect

The magnetic rotation of the plane of polarisation in Faraday effect may be determined by a
Lippich double field polarimeter. The experimental arrangement is shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 Experimental set up for determination of magnetic rotation in Faraday effect

As shown in figure, O is the monochromatic light source that illuminates the slit S1. Light is
rendered parallel by the lens L1, and falls on the polariser P. P1 is a small Nicol covering up half the
aperture of polariser (P), with its principal section slightly inclined with that of polariser. The
diaphragms D1 and D2 limit the incident light beam. The magnetic field can be produced with the
help of electromagnets M1 and M2.
With no magnetic field, the analyser A is rotated until the two halves of the field view appear
equally bright and this position of the analyser is noted.
In presence of the magnetic field, the substance S rotates the plane of polarisation of light and
the two halves of the field become unequally bright. The analyser A is now rotated till the two halves
again appear equally bright. The difference in the two positions of the analyser A gives the angle of
Faraday rotation  .
From the knowledge of  , the field strength B and the length l of the substance, the Verdet’s
constant V can also be determined.