Michelson Interferometry

Michelson interferometry is a technique that uses splitting and recombining light waves to measure tiny differences in distance or changes in the environment. A device called an interferometer divides a beam of light into two paths, reflects them back, and then recombines them. When the light waves meet, they create an interference pattern—bright and dark fringes—that reveals differences in the length or conditions of the paths. This method allows extremely precise measurements of distances, vibrations, or changes in the medium through which light travels, and is fundamental in fields like astronomy, physics, and scientific research.