Microwave Accessory Set

Run reflection, Young's slits, and Michelson interferometry at microwave scale

The Microwave Accessory Set contains four plates that cover the main wave-optics experiment types at 10 GHz. Two wide metal plates and one narrow metal plate reflect microwaves completely, working as flat mirrors, barriers, and slit formers. The acrylic plate is semi-transparent to microwaves: it reflects part of the signal and transmits part, functioning as a beam splitter for interferometry setups. Each plate mounts in a detachable base that holds it upright on the bench.

The narrow metal plate placed between two wide plates creates a two-gap arrangement for a Young's slit experiment, where students can map fringe positions with the Probe Receiver and calculate wavelength from measured fringe spacing. The acrylic plate acts as a beam splitter in a Michelson-style interferometer, splitting the beam and then recombining it after one arm reflects back — students move one of the metal mirrors and the probe reads the resulting intensity shifts between constructive and destructive conditions.

Why Teachers Love It

• Metal Plates Cover Reflection, Diffraction, and Young's Slits: the wide plates serve as flat reflectors and barriers; positioning the narrow plate between them creates a double-gap arrangement where students measure the fringe spacing directly and calculate wavelength using the standard two-slit equation.

• Acrylic Plate as a Beam Splitter for Interferometry: the semi-transparent acrylic reflects part of the microwave signal and transmits part, enabling a Michelson-type interferometer. Students shift one metal reflector and watch the probe signal cycle through maxima and minima as path length changes.

• Detachable Bases Hold Plates Upright Without Extra Stands: each plate stands independently on its own base, so students can set up and reconfigure any experiment geometry on a bench without retort stands or clamps.