This application simulates the Michelson interferometer commonly found in Physics teaching laboratories. The interference pattern is based on the superposition of Gaussian beams described by the equation

$$ U(\overrightarrow{r}) = A_0\dfrac{W_0}{W(z)} exp\left[ -\dfrac{\rho^2}{W^2(z)} \right] \times $$ $$ \times exp\left[ -ikz - ik\dfrac{\rho^2}{2R(z)} + i\eta(z)\right]. $$

We assume the fixed Rayleigh parameter, $z_0 = 20$ mm, a beam waist of $W_0 = 2$ mm and a zero Gouy phase for all $z$, $\eta(z) = 0$.

We are neglecting dispersion effects and considering that the refractive index $n$ of the air inside the cuvette (10 mm thick) varies with pressure $P$ as follows: $$ n = 1 + \alpha P, $$

where $\alpha = 2.75\times 10^{-7}$ mbar$^{-1}$ with $P$ in units of mbar.

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