Laser Physics and Modern Optics

激光物理和现代光学

• 批准号: 9151532
• 负责人: E. Larry Robinson
• 金额: $ 1.62万
• 依托单位: Austin College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1991
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1991-04-15 至 1993-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9151532&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Laser; Physics; Modern; Optics

This project is enabling the Physics Department at Austin College to place significant emphasis on laser physics and other modern optics topics in a new course, Modern Optics. This course was created in a recent evaluation and revision of the physics curriculum at the College. Major equipment being purchased include an optical spectrum analyzer to study the longitudinal mode structure of lasers, laser systems (constructed locally) with helium-neon discharge tubes and, external optical cavities to study cavity stability and transverse mode structures, and an acousto-optic cell with driver to be used for communications (over a laser beam or through an optical fiber) experiments and speed of light measurements. A sophisticated computer system with powerful software for data acquisition and analysis is being purchased which will allow building on students' experience with other simpler computer systems. This system allows students who are not expert programmers to build "virtual instruments" which perform specialized tasks such as recording diffraction patterns using a linear CCD sensor. A group of lasers, optical breadboards, and additional optical components, e.g., a variable beamsplitter, are being acquired to carry out these and other experiments. These studies are being conducted in a specific course, but simplified versions of some experiments are being used in lower level courses, and the equipment is also available for upper level physics students doing independent work.NSF grant funds are being matched with funds from non-federal sources.

该项目使奥斯汀学院物理系能够在新课程“现代光学”中重点关注激光物理和其他现代光学主题。 本课程是在最近对学院物理课程的评估和修订中创建的。 正在购买的主要设备包括用于研究激光器纵模结构的光谱分析仪、具有氦氖放电管的激光系统（本地建造）和用于研究腔稳定性和横模结构的外部光学腔体，以及用于通信（通过激光束或通过光纤）实验和光速测量的带有驱动器的声光池。 正在购买一个带有强大的数据采集和分析软件的复杂计算机系统，这将使学生能够利用其他更简单的计算机系统积累经验。 该系统允许非专业程序员的学生构建“虚拟仪器”，执行专门的任务，例如使用线性 CCD 传感器记录衍射图案。 正在采购一组激光器、光学试验板和附加光学元件（例如可变分束器）来进行这些实验和其他实验。 这些研究是在特定课程中进行的，但一些实验的简化版本正在较低级别的课程中使用，并且这些设备也可供独立工作的高级别物理学生使用。NSF 拨款资金正在与非联邦来源的资金相匹配。