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Research in the Harter lab at UCSB utilizes optical techniques to study the arrangement of atoms within certain materials, specifically using pulsed lasers and precise experimental control. During this project, I assisted the group with these efforts while also developing an educational outreach project in the area of holograms, which share fundamental aspects of interference and reflectivity with the materials science research. In holograms, a reference beam and an object beam meet on the holographic plate, with the 3 dimensional signal of the object being stored in the hologram. Various trials were conducted with attention to multiple variables in order to improve a basic off the shelf kit, included development of a new frame to contain the experiments. Holograms are a great opportunity to talk about concepts of light, engineering design and the scientific process.
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In this 5E lesson plan, students will explore the world of light and optics. They will start by constructing their own DIY smartphone projectors, learning about the basic principles of light, and creating a model to understand how lenses can manipulate light to create images. In the exploration phase, students will delve deeper into the duality of light, exploring its wave-particle nature and also the concept of interference. During the explanation, exploration and assessment phases of the project, students will be introduced to the phenomenon of holography. They will discover how holograms are created using a coherent light source (laser light source) and the principles of interference and reflective films. Throughout the project, with visual aids and discussions, students will develop a model of how holography works, laying the groundwork for more advanced concepts.