Improvement of Undergraduate Optics Instruction

该项目的目标是在几个层面上改进光学实验教学，从大二水平的全息术实验室课程到高级研究项目。这是通过增加一个多功能的快速全息相机和引入第二种颜色的激光来实现的。目前只有红色氦-霓虹气体激光器可用。受影响的课程包括：全息实验室和激光课程，由对应用物理、科学教育和工业技术感兴趣的学生修读；光学与实验室课程，主要由对现代光学特别感兴趣的物理专业学生、科学教育和物理教育研究生选修；以及本科生物理研究课程。这笔赠款购买的主要设备是一台热塑性记录器，他可以认为这是一台即时全息相机。这种仪器被用来实时监测物体的微观扭曲，方法是观察物体移动时通过全息图看到的明暗条纹的图案。该仪器可用于演示、中间水平的微观位移的半定量测量，以及高级本科生研究项目。特别是，人们正在探索一种基于全息技术的测量表面粗糙度的新方法。这种测量表面粗糙度的方法是由该项目主任与之前的本科物理专业学生合作开发的，是基于监测从粗糙表面散射的激光。第二个主要项目是蓝色的Ar离子激光器。这种激光器允许在中级和高级水平上研究散射光和衍射光的波长依赖性。此外，学生们广泛感兴趣的双色显示全息术也是可能的。

The project goal is to improve optics laboratory instruction at several levels ranging from a sophomore-level holography laboratory course to senior research projects. This is being accomplished by the addition of a versatile rapid holographic camera and by introducing lasers of a second color. At present only red helium-neon gas lasers are available. The affected courses are Holography Laboratory and Lasers, taken by students interested in applied physics, science education and industrial technology; Optics with Laboratory, taken principally by physics majors with a special interest in modern optics and by science education and physics education graduate students; and Undergraduate Research in Physics. The major equipment item purchased as a result of the grant is a thermoplastic recorder, which can he thought of as an instant holographic camera. This instrument is being used to monitor microscopic distortions of objects in real time, by observing a pattern of light and dark fringes these are seen through a hologram when the object is moved. This instrument can be used for demonstrations, for semi-quantitative measurements of microscopic displacements at the intermediate level, and for advanced undergraduate research projects. In particular a novel holographically-based method of measuring surface roughness is being explored. This method of measuring surface roughness, developed by the project director working with previous undergraduate physics majors is based on monitoring laser light scattered from the rough surface. The second major item is a blue argon-ion laser. This laser permits the wavelength dependence of scattered and diffracted light to be studied at the intermediate and advanced level. Also, two-color display holography, of wide interest to students, is also possible.