But first are annotated photos of the V2.1 setups for both Homodyne and Heterodyne with all the optics on the PBS cube for reference. V2.0 is virtually identical except for the height of the optical centerline. V1.0 and V1.5 (homodyne only) will be generally similar except primarily for the custom un-anodized breadboard and classy wood block PBS mount. But this should serve for parts identification. Click on the relevant annotated graphic for a high resolution view displayed in a single new window or tab depending on your browser's settings.

    

Deluxe Version of Homodyne Setup with µMD0 and Compact Version of Heterodyne Setup Configured for the High Stability Plane Mirror Interferometer

• Linear or random polarized laser, beam Expander, and power supply (Homodyne): This shows an 1108P laser head with beam expander used in the Deluxe and Deluxe+ kits, brick power supply, and DC wall adapter. The only difference for the Basic kit is that the laser head does not have a beam expander.
  

  HeNe Laser Head with Beam Expander, Brick Power Supply, and DC Wall Adapter

• HP/Agilent 5517 laser (Heterodyne): See above. ;-) The laser head connector and power packs are not shown.

• Polarizing Beam-Splitter Cube (PBSC), Cube Corners (CC), Quarter WavePlates (QWPs): These are the heart of the interferometer. They all mount on the "PBS Mount Adapter Plate" along with the turning mirror.
  

  HP PBSC, HP CC, Other Mounted and Bare CCs, HP QWP, Other QWP

• Adjustable mounts: These may be used for bare Cube Corners (CCs), 1 inch diameter mirrors, the loudspeaker glued to a 1 inch diameter disk, and the PZT attached with bits of glue.
          

  Thorlabs KM100 and Newport U100 Kinematic Mirror Mounts

• Posts, post holders, Holddowns: All sorts of stuff attach to these. ;-)
    

  From Left to Right: TR075, TR1.5, and TR2 Posts; PH1 and PH2 Post Holders, and BA1S and BA1 Holddowns

• Linear stage: This allows for fine positioning of the Arm 2 optics. The adjustment micrometer may be on the side or end. The performance of the Generic and Parker stages is similar.
  

  Generic Stage (left) and Parker Stage (right)

• Rails and rail carriers: These allow for coarse positioning of the Arm 2 optics. The photos show parts similar but not identical to what's in the kits.
  

  Thorlabs RC Carriers on RLA Rails

• Motion control platforms:
  

  Motion Control Platform with 100 mm Travel, DM320T NEMA Motor Controller, Rotary Encoder, and Arduino

• Solderless breadboards: These are for quick prototyping of circuits without the need for soldering. The small one is used for the detectors while the larger one is for the interface to µMD0 and the µMD0 microcomputer.
  

  Solderless Breadboards for Detector and Interface with µMD0

• Dual Channel Quad A B preamp (AB2):
  

  SG-AB2 Layout and Populated PCB

• OR3 Optical Receiver (Heterodyne):
    

  µSG-OR3 Layout and Populated PCB

• Interface and µMD0 on Solderless Breadboard:
  

  Quad Decoder to µMD0 Interface with µMD0 on Solderless Breadboard

• µMD2 PCB:
    

  µMD2 PCB Layout and Populated µMD2 PCB

• Interface and µMD0 PCB: For more permanent reliable setups, assembling the PCB is recommended.
    

  µMD0 PCB Layout and Populated µMD0 PCB

• Air pressure sensor parts: These parts are used to construct an apparatus to demonstrate the use of the Michelson interferometer as an air or gas pressure sensor.
  

  Air Pressure Bulb, Gauge, Cell Parts, and Plumbing

• Thermal expansion parts: These parts are used to construct an apparatus to demonstrate the use of the Michelson interferometer as a temperature sensor.
    

  Platform, Compensator Plate, Power Resistor attached to Screw Terminal Block, 12 V Wall Adapter =

• PZT actuator parts: The PieZo Transducer moves order of a micron with the application of 10 V or so.
  

  PZT, Mirror, and Washer

• Loudspeaker voice coil actuator parts: The loudspeaker should move enough to be detected by the interferometer (but not the human eye) with as little as a mA or less of current.
    

  Loudspeaker Woofer and Mirror

• Hardware - Caphead screws, setscrews, washers: These are typical of the types of fasteners in the kit. Setscrews are just short threaded rods with a hex "slot" at one end. Caphead screws have a real head ;-). In both cases the length is of the threaded part only.
  

  From Left to Right:4-40 setscrews, #4 washer, 4-40 caphead screws, 6-32 caphead screws, 8-32 setscrew, 8-32 caphead screws, #10 washer, 1/4-20 setscrew, 1/4-20 caphead screws

  Note: M3 caphead screws are similar in diameter but will NOT fit 4-40 threaded holes and vice-versa. Don't force either!

• Resistors: Resistors do not have polarity. There are 4 types used here:
  

  From Left to Right: Fixed Resistors, Power Resistor, Trim-pots, Potentiometer with Knob

  1. Low power fixed resistors: These do not have a polarity and are identified by color bands on their body:
     
     Resistor Color Code Chart (from the Digikey Web site)

     The ones used mostly here will look similar to the top example with the 4 band code and are rated at 1/4 watt with a body around 1/4 inch long. Their leads may be trimmed to conveniently fit the solderless breadboard (or PCB if used).

  2. Power resistors: Used in the Thermal Expansion experiment. They are white ceramic with the ratings labled on one side. The ones used here are 25 ohms, 5 watts.

  3. Trim-pots: Small potentiometer with screwdriver adjustment. Used here for signal level and threshold for the various biased photodiode detectors and interface to µMD0. They are labeled "10x" on one side where the "x" is the multiplier. For example "103" would be 10K or 10,000 ohms.

  4. Potentiometer with knob: Used to adjust the current to the loud speaker or voltage to the PZT. There will probably be a 10K ohm resistor (coverted with heatshink) in series with the wiper for protection since very little current is required to move the loudspeaker cone by a detectable amount. And essentially non current for the PZT.