Laboratory Experiments and Student Research in Modern Optics

一个氩离子激光器、光学工作台和激光配件正在被用作正在进行的努力的一部分，为激光和现代光学领域的三个新开发的课程创建教学实验室，并改进最近启动的两个主要学生项目：光声显微镜和扩散测量仪器的建设。该项目的一个重要组成部分是使用高技术重要性的材料，如液晶，聚合物分散液晶，胶束系统和胶体颗粒，它们提供了进行实验室实验的新方法，并暴露于新材料及其应用。获得的设备将用于实现以下目标：A.在现代光学领域创造新的实验，b.显著改善激光及其应用的教学，c.提供独特的实验室实验和将非线性光学引入本科课程的方法，d.在本科环境中加强学生的研究。所需设备的多功能性确保其对未来教学和学生研究活动的持续影响。美国国家科学基金会的拨款正与来自非联邦来源的资金相匹配。

An Argon ion laser, optical table and laser accessories are being used as part of an ongoing effort to create instructional labs for three newly developed courses in the area of Lasers and Modern Optics, and improve two recently initiated major student projects: construction of a photoacoustic microscope and a diffusion measurement apparatus. A significant ingredient of the project is the use of materials of high technological importance, such as liquid crystals, polymer dispersed liquid crystals, micellar systems, and colloidal particles, which provide new ways of performing laboratory experiments, and exposure to novel materials and their applications. The acquired equipment is being used to achieve the following goals: a. create new experiments in the area of modern optics, b. significantly improve instruction on lasers and their applications, c. provide unique laboratory experiments and ways of introducing nonlinear optics to the undergraduate curriculum, and d. strengthen student research in an undergraduate environment. The versatility of the requested equipment assures its continued impact on future instructional and student research activities.NSF grant funds are being matched with funds from non-federal sources.