Introducing Computerized Data Acquisition Signal Processing and Control to an Advanced Physics Laboratory

计算机数据采集、信号处理和控制是现代实验物理实践的组成部分，然而典型的物理课程并没有教授这些现代实践。在加州大学伯克利分校，所有物理和工程专业的本科生都要参加两到三个学期的实验实践课程。目前，在本课程第一学期的前三分之二，学生学习模拟电子学的艺术仍然是必要的。第一学期的最后三分之一致力于门级数字电子学的研究，现在已经过时了。这个项目用基于计算机的实验技术的研究取代了过时材料的课程。新课程的必修部分（三周）向学生介绍在LabVIEW中编程、基于计算机的波形生成（包括奈奎斯特定理的内容）、信号采集（包括混叠、量化、线性和噪声的内容）、信号处理（包括数字滤波、FFT和锁相技术的内容）以及过程控制。学生们使用国家仪器公司捐赠的设备进行真正的实验室练习。在课程的最后两周，学生设计并构建一个他们选择的最终项目；许多期末项目使用了学生新学的计算机技术。这种新材料是基于经过研究验证的技术。课程改编自一些文本、论文、网络、国家仪器以及以前的课程、课程和实验室改进补助金中的材料。该项目将在物理教师协会会议上报告新课程。智力优势：在建议的课程中学习的知识使学生更接近实践实验科学家。更广泛的影响：通过提高他们的实验技能，学生在毕业后能够更好地为他们选择的领域做出贡献，无论是物理、其他科学还是工程。此外，他们的新技能使他们更容易参与本科实验室研究。

Physics (13) Computerized data acquisition, signal processing, and control is integral to the practice of modern experimental physics, yet the typical physics curriculum does not teach these modern practices. At U.C. Berkeley, all Physics and Engineering undergraduate majors take a two or three semester-long course on experimental practice. Currently, during the first two thirds of the first semester of this course, the students learn the still-necessary art of analog electronics. The final third of the first semester is devoted to the now-obsolete study of gate-level digital electronics. This project replaces the curriculum on the obsolete material with a study of computer-based experimental techniques. The required part of the new curriculum (three weeks) introduces students to programming in LabVIEW, computer-based waveform generation (including material on Nyquist's Theorem,) signal acquisition (including material on aliasing, quantization, linearity, and noise,) signal processing (including material on digital filtering, FFT and Lock-in techniques), and process control. Students do real laboratory exercises using equipment donated by National Instruments. During the final two weeks of the course, the students design and construct a final project of their choice; many of the final projects employ the student's newly learnt computer techniques. The new material is based on proven techniques from research. The curriculum is adapted from material available in several texts, papers, the web, National Instruments, and from previous Course, Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement grantees. The project will report on the new curriculum at Association of Physics Teacher meetings. Intellectual Merit: The knowledge learnt in the proposed curriculum brings students much closer to being practicing experimental scientists. Broader Impact: By improving their laboratory skills, students are better able to contribute to their chosen field after they graduate, whether it be physics, some other science, or engineering. Moreover, their new skills make it easier for them to participate in undergraduate laboratory research.