MICA optical : a low-cost, educational Michelson interferometer

Abstract

Current initiatives that provide widespread access to online educational tools, such as edX and Coursera, are transforming education. The MICA (Measurement, Instrumentation, Control, and Analysis) Project, developed by MIT's BioInstrumentation Lab, is a similar initiative that aims to provide students with affordable, modular, and practical experimental tools. This thesis outlines the development of a MICA optical project, the Michelson interferometer. In this classic experiment, by correctly assembling and aligning the optical components, two different interference patterns can be obtained and observed. Other potential experiments include the measurement of light wavelengths, coherence length, as well as thermal expansion coefficients with the addition of a few simple parts. The initial benchmarking, the design process, and the final manufacturing methods for this module are discussed. The result of this project is a modular kit that can accompany a student's online course materials for about the cost of a textbook.