What happens if you split a laser beam into two beams of equal power and then recombined them 180 degrees out of phase. Thereby heterodyning the two beams. I.E. the peaks of the sine wave of one beam would match up with the valleys of the sine wave of the other laser beam. Would you not get a DC electric current (because the heterdyne mixing of two frequencys that are exactly the same frequency should cancel out and create a DC current) and NO LIGHT or would you get something different than this? Any opinions?
2006-07-18 03:30:21 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Interesting idea. The light should cancel completely, making for no light. But where does the energy go? Since light is electromagnetic waves, or kinks in the electric and magnetic fields, I suppose you would end up with a static electric field and a static magnetic field, like you would have around a magnet and in a charged capacitor.
2006-07-18 04:04:39 · answer #1 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
mrjeffy321 is correct. This is the principle of an interferometer. As for where the energy goes, two beams are are generally made to interfere with each other by combining them with a half-reflecting mirror. The two incident beams approach the mirror at 90 degree angles relative to each other, and 45 degrees incident to opposite sides of the mirror. The transmitted half of one interferes with the reflected half of the other and visa versa. Now, If you adjust the relative phase difference so that one output has no power (as described), the other output has all the power and voila, light energy is conserved.
2006-07-18 22:20:35 · answer #2 · answered by Dr. R 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the two beams of light are 180 degrees out of phase then the beams would destructively interfere with each other, cancel each other out, leaving no light waves behind.
2006-07-18 12:48:41 · answer #3 · answered by mrjeffy321 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not sure that this is practically possible but assuming that it is possible, I think you will get standing waves! The light waves will not be able to travel beyond the point where they merge so they get reflected. And as a result we will see standing waves in both the paths of the laser.
2006-07-18 11:48:47 · answer #4 · answered by gklgst2006 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Should cancel out. No DC will be created.
2006-07-18 10:32:09 · answer #5 · answered by Dr M 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Destructive superpositioning will occur, they will cancel each other out and the light will 'disappear'.
2006-07-18 10:34:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋