Interferometry and Laser Spectroscopy in Undergraduate Physics

Macalester学院正在通过一门关于激光光谱学和师生合作研究的高级实验室课程，将干涉计量学引入本科物理课程。这是通过使用三种不同的干涉仪来实现的：迈克尔逊干涉仪、高精细度球面干涉仪和大口径平面平行法布里-珀罗涉仪。所有这些仪器都用来说明激光光谱学课程中介绍的自由光谱范围、精细度和仪器轮廓的概念。迈克尔逊干涉仪被用来研究光学傅里叶变换光谱学，作为现代科学中已变得如此普遍的变换技术的力量和局限性的例子。利用球面干涉仪研究了He-Ne激光器、染料激光器和半导体激光器等不同激光系统的腔模。平面平行干涉仪被用作研究激光、原子蒸气和固体光源的高分辨率光谱仪。后两种仪器说明了光学带宽的等级，从气体的不均匀多普勒轮廓到单模激光的增益限制带宽。两台通用计算机控制和分析来自新仪器的数据。图形化编程语言使学生能够快速高效地对这些计算机进行编程。当激光光谱学课程不上课时，这些仪器支持教师/学生在固态光谱学、光纤光学和天文学方面的研究。学院正在将奖金与等额的资金相匹配

Macalester College is introducing interferometry into the undergraduate physics program through an advanced laboratory course on laser spectroscopy and faculty/student collaborative research. This is accomplished through the use of three different interferometers: a Michelson interferometer, a high finesse spherical interferometer, and a large aperture plane-parallel Fabry-Perot interferometer. All of these instruments are used to illustrate the concepts of free spectral range, finesse, and instrument profile introduced in the Laser Spectroscopy course. The Michelson interferometer is used to investigate optical Fourier transform spectroscopy as an example of the power and limitations of the transform techniques that have become so widespread in modern science. The spherical interferometer is used to study the cavity modes of different laser systems, such as He-Ne, dye, and diode lasers. The plane-parallel interferometer is used as a high resolution spectrometer to study laser, atomic vapor, and solid state light sources. The latter two instruments illustrate the hierarchy of optical bandwidths, from the inhomogeneous Doppler profile of a gas to the gain limited bandwidth of a single mode laser. Two general purpose computers control and analyze the data from the new instruments. A graphic programming language allows students to program these computers quickly and efficiently. The instruments support faculty/student research in solid state spectroscopy, fiber optics, and astronomy when the Laser Spectroscopy course is not in session. The College is matching the award with an equal amount of funds.4