Students are using digital cameras, analog to digital conversion boards, software and computers to make labs in the optics program more quantitative and true-to-life. The cameras are used to study optical aberrations, diffraction, and interference patterns. The A/D boards are used to capture signals from scanning interferometers. Software includes general purpose optical design and image analysis software. The computers are used to acquire and analyze data from experiments and to introduce students to simulations of optical concepts.
