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Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

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California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Theses/Dissertations

2015

Optics

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

A Lego® Brewster Angle Microscope For Quantitative Monolayer Film Analysis, Nicholas Benz Jul 2015

A Lego® Brewster Angle Microscope For Quantitative Monolayer Film Analysis, Nicholas Benz

Physics

In order to study single-molecule thick films and their phase behavior we built a Brewster Angle Microscope (BAM). BAM’s are inherently expensive due to their accuracy and precision. We built a fully functional BAM using Lego® Mindstorm® kits for the fraction of the price of a commercial BAM. And by utilizing the 10µm patented Lego® tolerance, comparable accuracy was attained. The BAM was mounted to a Langmuir-trough and will be used for laboratory experiments for optics and physical chemistry along with research on lung surfactant and on liquid crystals.


Simulation Of Light Scattering From Brownian Particles, Raymond Mullen Mar 2015

Simulation Of Light Scattering From Brownian Particles, Raymond Mullen

Physics

This project is a computational exploration of the light scattering from Brownian particles. We simulate laser light scattering to produce fluctuating light intensity at a detector located in the far-field. By analyzing the statistical properties of this intensity fluctuation, and knowing physical parameters of the system, we can deduce the size of the scattering particles. The computer simulation is in excellent agreement with theory.