David V. Guerra DUE 9552337 Western Maryland College FY1995 $24,735 Westminster, MD 21157 ILI - Instrumentation Project: Chemistry Title: Laser Based Experiments in Chemistry and Physics Western Maryland College will add the significant component of laser physics and laser spectroscopy to its Physical Chemistry, Instrumental Techniques, and Optics Laboratories. In addition, three introductory courses, two of them for non-science majors, will be enhanced by an experience with lasers. Although lasers have become ubiquitous in post-graduate research, a lack of adequate instrumentation currently prevents any meaningful "hands-on" experience for our students. Through the addition of several assorted laser systems and peripheral equipment such as a monochromator and digital oscilloscope, we plan to introduce students to the physical basis of modern optics and to advanced spectroscopic principles. In Physical Chemistry and Instrumental Techniques, many important spectroscopic techniques, such as Raman, pulse-probe, and luminescence decay, will become integral parts of our modern laboratories. Those topics are currently limited to an inappropriately small role in our classroom discussion. The proposed equipment is especially relevant in Instrumental Techniques where students will assemble their own spectrophotometers from the individual components, i.e., light source, sample, monochromator, and detector. In Optics, students will construct lasers from individual components (i.e., gain media, end-mirror, output-coupler, and tuning element) and examine the role of each component in the overall operation of the system. That exercise will complement theoretical discussions of longitudinal and transverse modes and optical gain and losses. In General Physics, a mong other laser experiments, students will use a pulsed nitrogen laser and a digital oscilloscope to determine the speed-of-light. The background of our Chemistry and Physics students, most of whom go on to graduate or professional schools, will be greatly enhanced by the curricular modernization supported by this project.
