A Track-Based Advanced Physics Laboratory Course

本提案旨在开发和实施一种新的“基于轨迹”的高级物理实验课程，学生在该课程中在单个物理领域进行一系列相关实验。在一个给定的轨道上的实验开始简单，并随着课程的进展扩展到更复杂的水平。虽然实验本身只涉及一个领域，但所使用的实验技术适用于物理学的许多其他领域。一个全面的教程是伴随和描述实验，提供必要的背景和动机的实验室调查。笔者认为，与传统的物理实验课程相比，这种以轨迹为基础的实验课程更能有效地教授学生实验物理，并在实验室中培养学生更高的信心和能力。将创建两条轨道：1)基于激光的原子/分子/光学物理学，以及2)声学。第一个轨道利用了半导体二极管激光技术的新的重大进展。应用最新开发的技术，670纳米可见二极管激光器正被制成可调谐窄线宽激光光源，其发射波长与锂的d线相同。使用这些激光工具，原子和光学物理中的基本现象正在被证明。第二首曲目探讨了古典和现代声学的几个方面，特别关注量子和非线性声学的最新进展。

This proposal aims to develop and implement a new "track-based" advanced physics laboratory course, where students undertake a series of related experiments in a single area of physics. The experiments in a given track begin simply, and expand into greater levels of sophistication as the course progresses. Although the experiments themselves cover only one area, the experimental techniques used apply to many other areas of physics. A comprehensive tutorial is to accompany and describe the experiments, providing the necessary background and motivation for the laboratory investigations. It is believed that such a track-based lab course is more effective than traditional physics laboratory courses at teaching students experimental physics, and at instilling in students a higher level of confidence and competence in the laboratory.Two tracks will be created: 1) laser-based atomic/molecular/optical physics, and 2) acoustics. The first track makes use of new and significant advances in semiconductor diode laser technology. Applying recently-developed techniques, visible 670-nm diode lasers are being made into tunable narrow- linewidth laser light sources, which emit at the wavelength of the D-lines of lithium. Using these laser tools, fundamental phenomena in atomic and optical physics are being demonstrated. The second track explores several aspects of classical and modern acoustics, with special attention paid to recent advances in quantum and non-linear acoustics.