Computers have revolutionized experimental methods in physics, yet physics students have not had the equipment to use computers for data acquisition and analysis. The Physics Department at Harvey Mudd will integrate computer systems into three laboratory experiments. The first experiment is in Fourier transform spectroscopy; it requires extensive computation using the fast Fourier transform algorithm. The second is a photon statistics experiment, which requires the acquisition and analysis of large quantities of data. The third is an atomic spectroscopy experiment which relies upon computer-aided data acquisition to eliminate systematic drifts while increasing the signal- to-noise ratio. All three experiments depend critically on the judicious use of computers. In order to equip these experiments, three DEC LSI-11/2 microcomputers will be ungraded by the addition of hardware and software for data acquisition and for communications to provide access to the Harvey Mudd College central network of VAX computers. In addition, the department will purchase a stepping motor to complete a Fourier transform spectrometer and photon counting accessories. The new equipment will be used in a junior-level optics laboratory, a senior- level advanced laboratory, and in individual student research projects.
