PHY 431 Optics | Labs

Here is a tentative schedule for the labs.

You are required to print and study the lab instructions posted online in advance. You will lose 1 point out of 10 for that lab report if you do not bring a printed copy of the lab instruction to the lab.

Examples

Click here for a write-up example.
A sample of a lab report from PHY 192 in the Department is here.
A lank lab report document is available as a .doc Word document from PHY 192. Click here to download.
The MIT Junior Lab course website provides an APS style report example and TeX/LaTeX template. You can also find several very useful links to writing resources. Check http://web.mit.edu/8.13/www/writtensum.shtml.

Week	Lab Instructions	Report Due
1: Sep 1	No Labs
2: Sep 6-7	L0: One Photon at a Time: Wave-Particle Duality Readind/Reference Materials: The dual nature of light as reflected in the Nobel archives Video by Dr. Quantum
3: Sep 13-14	L1: Thin Lens Thin lens equastions - error analysis, Excel spreadsheet	Sep 20-21
4: Sep 20-21	(Required) L2: Telescope and Microscope (Recommended) Lecture notes: Telescope, Microscope, and Camera Lecture notes: Stops, Pupils, and Windows	Sep 27-28
5: Sep 27-28	L3: Lens Aberration (Recommended) Comparison of optical aberrations with examples	Oct 4-5
6: Oct 4-5	L4: Polarized Light Reference: Polarization Tutorial; Polarization Control. Fresnel's equations - an online calculator.	Oct 11-12
7: Oct 11-12	No Labs. (midterm week) Reference: Fundamental Optics, a field guide from CVI Melles Griot. A good resource reviing L1 to L4 for those who are interested in doing research in optical science.
8: Oct 18-19	L5: Interference Fringes & Newton’s Rings	Oct 25-26
9: Oct 25-26	L6: Michelson Interferometer	Nov 1-2
10: Nov 1-2	L7: Diffraction Slits and Gratings	Nov 8-9
11: Nov 8-9	L8: Holograms	5pm, Nov 18
12: Nov 15-16	L9: Advanced Optics Lab	4pm, Dec 9
13: Nov 22-23	No Labs. (Thanksgiving week)
14: Nov 29-30	L9: A. Optical Trapping, References for Optical Trapping B. Photoelectric Effects C. Fourier Optics/Computer Generated Holograms D. Quantum Mechanics/Optics (Proof of the existence of photons, Bell inequalities, single photon interference, Hardy’s test of local realism)
15. Dec 6-7