Modern Optics Instructional Equipment for Undergraduates in Physics

这个项目是扩大教学设备 与初级光学实验室相关 和宾夕法尼亚州立大学物理专业的大四学生。新 实验正在引入，采用现代光学 定量测量的工具，取代了一些 更传统的实验依赖于视觉 观察干涉/衍射图案。在大多 第二部分，实验采用多通道检测， 在旋光和光谱学的独特实验，与 旨在展示光学的基本原理， 传达研究的兴奋在最前沿的 光学物理学中所展示的原则和概念 实验室包括光与物质的相互作用： 菲涅耳方程，反射率，透射率，色散， 吸收，介电函数，双折射，光学 活动，薄膜干涉，多层膜，和 衍射光栅实验室正在教一个- 二维傅立叶分析，坐标变换， 矩阵操作，琼斯和斯托克斯向量处理， 偏振光，以及Muller和Jones矩阵表示， 光学元件，包括偏振器和延迟器。 这 补充了选定的传统实验， 在干扰和衍射。国家科学基金会赠款基金正在 与非联邦资金来源相匹配。

This project is expanding the instructional equipment associated with an intermediate optics laboratory for junior and senior physics majors at Pennsylvania State University. New experiments are being introduced that employ modern optical tools for quantitative measurement, replacing a number of the more traditional experiments which have relied on visual observation of interference/diffraction patterns. For the most part, the experiments apply multichannel detection to perform unique experiments in polarimetry and spectroscopy, with the intent to demonstrate the fundamental principles of optics and to convey the excitement of research at the forefront of optical physics. The principles and concepts demonstrated in the laboratory include the interaction of light with matter: the Fresnel equations, reflectance, transmittance, dispersion, absorption, dieletric functions, birefringence, optical activity, thin film interference, multilayer films, and diffraction gratings. The laboratories are teaching one- and two-dimensional Fourier analysis, coordinate transformations, matrix manipulations, Jones and Stokes vector treatments of polarized light, and Muller and Jones matrix representation of optical elements, including polarizers and retarders. This complements selected traditional experiments which are retained in interference and diffraction.NSF grant funds are being matched with funds from non-federal sources.