The Introduction of Time-of-Flight and Coincidence Techniques into the Undergraduate Physics Laboratory

本项目通过引进快速计时技术及其在最先进设备上的应用，加强了高年级物理实验室项目。事件定时是原子、光学、核和表面物理中广泛实验的核心。正因为如此，将这些技术及其所需的仪器纳入本科物理课程是很重要的。为了实现这一目标，该部门正在引进两个新的实验室：使用飞行时间技术的高分辨率，低能电子散射截面测量和22Na的r-r重合角相关研究。这两个实验都需要复杂的计时仪器，这说明了研究和工业中使用的标准设备快速计时技术的基础。学生将接触到各种各样的技术：高真空、NIM模块、多通道分析仪、脉冲高度和时间延迟判别、带电粒子光学和y射线检测。模块化方法的仪器允许各种实验的性能。通过模拟研究和工业环境，这种方法为学生在开始他们的职业生涯时提供了有用的实践经验。项目传播工作包括美国物理杂志和美国物理教师协会会议。实验程序的详细信息将放在该部门的万维网主页上。为了评估长期影响，毕业生将进行为期5年的年度调查，重点是在高级实验室实验中获得的技能和技术的有用性。

This project strengthens the upper-division physics laboratory program by introducing fast-timing techniques and their applications using state-of-the-art equipment. Event timing is central to a wide range of experiments in atomic, optical, nuclear, and surface physics. Because of this, it is important to incorporate these techniques, and the instrumentation they require, into the undergraduate physics curriculum. To accomplish this goal, the department is introducing two new labs: High Resolution, Low Energy Electron Scattering Cross Section Measurements Using Time-of-Flight Techniques and r-r Coincidence Angular Correlation Studies of 22Na. Both of the experiments require complex timing instrumentation that illustrates the basics of fast-timing techniques with standard equipment used in research and industry. Students are exposed to a variety of technologies: high vacuum, NIM modules, multichannel analyzers, pulse height and time-delay discrimination, charged particle optics, and y-ray detection. A modular approach to the instrumentation allows for the performance of a variety of experiments. By simulating research and industrial environments, this approach gives students useful and practical experience to draw on when they begin their careers. Project dissemination efforts include the American Journal of Physics and American Association of Physics Teachers meetings. Details of experimental procedures will be placed on the Department's World Wide Web homepage. To assess long-term impact, graduates will be surveyed annually for 5 years, with an emphasis on usefulness of skills and techniques acquired in upper-division laboratory experiments.