Diode-Laser Based Experiments in Physics and Chemistry

物理(13)物理系和化学系正在开发和实施一系列综合现代物理实验，并将其纳入高级物理实验课程，并加强物理化学实验课程的光学部分。该项目正在调整六个创新实验，利用外腔二极管激光器将原子、分子和化学物理研究的重大进展整合到实验室课程中。该项目正在从物理和化学文献中汲取灵感，并将该项目的结果提供给其他物理学家和化学家。智力价值：该项目的主要目标是成为一项倡议的核心，即更早、更频繁地将当代物理主题和实验技术注入物理课程。一个重要的次要目标是激发学生对研究的兴趣，实验主题的选择与原子、分子和光学物理的许多研究领域相关。在化学方面，一个主要目标是填补当前实验室课程中的具体空白。这两个系都希望突出化学和物理的跨学科性质，这个项目是一个更大的努力的一部分，包括创建化学物理专业计划。广泛的影响：该项目显著提高了物理和化学系的本科生教育，进而促进了南达科他州的本科生教育，南达科他州传统上在科学教育和研究资金方面一直不足，特别是在物理学方面。在最近的调查中，南达科他州37.5%的物理学位(2002年)和大约36%的化学学位(2001年)来自奥古斯塔纳学院。这一结果也引起了物理界和化学界的广泛关注。

Physics (13) The Physics and Chemistry Departments are developing and implementing a series of integrated modern physics experiments into upper-level physics laboratory courses and enhancing the optical component of the physical chemistry laboratory curriculum. The project is adapting six innovative experiments that utilize external cavity diode lasers to integrate significant advances from atomic, molecular, and chemical physics research into the laboratory curriculum. The project is drawing ideas from the physics and chemistry literature and making available results from the project to other physicists and chemists.Intellectual merit: The primary objective of the project is to be the centerpiece of an initiative to inject contemporary physics topics and experimental techniques into the physics curriculum earlier and more often. A significant secondary objective is to stimulate student interest in research, and the laboratory topics have been chosen that are relevant to a number of research areas in atomic, molecular, and optical physics. In chemistry, a main objective is to fill specific gaps in the current laboratory curriculum. Both departments expect to highlight the interdisciplinary nature of chemistry and physics, and this project is part of a larger effort, including the creation of the chemical physics major program.Broader impact: The project appreciably enhances undergraduate education in the physics and chemistry departments, and in turn, in South Dakota, a state that has been traditionally underrepresented in scientific education and research funding, particularly in physics. In recent surveys, 37.5% of the physics degrees (2002) and approximately 36% of the chemistry degrees (2001) awarded in South Dakota came from Augustana College. Results are also of wider interest in the physics and chemistry communities.