Re: Optics Table

[brian whatcott <inet@INTELLISYS.NET>]

At 08:20 8/4/01 -0400, Richard Bowman wrote:
> We are in a position to specify an optics table in a grant proposal for
> educational scientific equipment. Does anyone have suggestions of brand
> and type? We are interested in something that minimizes vibrations so that
> holography can be done in undergraduate labs, but the table will also be
> used in an upper level experimental physics course and for senior
> projects.
>
> Richard
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Dr. Richard L. Bowman


Undergraduate holography can be a routinely successful lab if the
objectives are set to a suitably modest level.
In one case:
the object to be depicted was chess pawn sized,

the reference and target beam lengths were closely matched to minimize
the needed coherence length (which was about 30 cm from a HeNe laser),

the beam splitter, mirror, object table and film holder were all mounted
on a cast base which sat on an optical bench having good rubber feet,

as an extra layer of isolation, a four foot chipboard resting on a half
inflated car tire inner tube supported the bench.

Other factors: high resolution red sensitive film.
               monobath develop/fix for fast results.

[With achnowlegements to the remote learning efforts of
Open University Educational Enterprises  Ltd., ref ST291
12 Cofferidge Close
Stony Stratford
Milton Keynes MK11 1BY
England]


brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>  Altus OK
                Eureka!