An Affordable Starter Lab for Intermediate Optics

We have designed an affordable starter lab for intermediate optics aimed at measuring transmitted irradiance distributions generated by multiple LED sources of light when they illuminate centimeter-scale apertures. Students can explore a large parameter space by choosing the number and relative positions of the LEDs, different aperture shapes, and the relative positions of light sources, apertures, and screens. The lab can be extended using laser cutting, printed circuit design, and 3D printing tools, providing opportunities for further skill development. Additionally, image analysis tools can be employed to directly compare observations with the results of simulations available through a PICUP Exercise Set [1].



[1] Ernest Behringer, “Shadows (Ray Optics),” Published in the PICUP Collection, July 2016, https://doi.org/10.1119/PICUP.Exercise_Shadows.