SBIR Phase I: A New Course of Experiments Based on an Inexpensive, Nanometer Resolution Interferometer

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*** 9661412 Deliwala This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project to be carried out by Science Research Laboratory (SRL) proposes to develop a rugged, inexpensive, alignment-free, optical interferometer that will be integrated with a course of experiments illustrating both the basic concepts of wave interference and the application of high-precision measurements in many disciplines. The instrument will be capable of optical path resolutions of better than 1 nm, which is one to two orders of magnitude more sensitive than typical instruments used for instruction. The scope of possible experiments is vast, ranging from measurement of position to nanometer precision to the photoacoustic detection of trace constituents for environmental monitoring. The interferometer may be used by high schools or science and engineering departments at the under graduate level. The inherent flexibility and rich history of the device will make it an ideal tool for bringing excitement of modern science and engineering to students. Phase I will develop the design of a laboratory interferometric instrument as well as a coherent strategy for experiments, curricula and pedagogic methods. In the next phase of the research, SRL will construct a prototype instrument and produce a large database of experiments together with guidelines to integrate them into curricula. The instrument is primarily targeted at the educational market proffering to students what is not now available; namely, an affordable research-grade instrument. Variations on the instrument will be developed for dedicated commercial applications such as high-frequency measurements of gas density fluctuations, electron density of plasmas, detection of trace chemical species, and femtosecond spectroscopy. ***