Prof. Mark Beck from the Dept. of Physics at Whitman College recently published an excellent book titled “Quantum Mechanics: Theory and Experiment.” It is written for an advanced undergraduate/graduate quantum mechanics class. This book presents the theory in its full formalism (with thorough, high-level math), as well as describes five laboratory experiments that explore the use of entangled photons in the
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Using the $79 SainSmart DSO201 Pocket Oscilloscope and GammaGrapher with the PMT/Scintillation Probe
Connects directly to PMT probe shown in the book’s Figure 30 with no need for PMT amplifier! The nice guys at the Yahoo GammaSpectrometry Group developed multichannel analyzer software for the $79 SainSmart DSO201 Pocket-Sized Digital Oscilloscope. The upload of the MCA software to the oscilloscope is really easy (via USB), and it allows the PMT probe shown in
A Low-Cost X-Band Generator for Microwave Optics Experiments
Gunnplexers are becoming scarce in the surplus market, but X-band motion detection is very much alive. X-band detection modules are available for OEM applications, and fortunatelly, Parallax has a unit based on this module available for $34.99.
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Two SPCMs on eBay at $400 Each (No Connection To Seller)
Today I found two Perkin Elmer SPCM-AQE-13-FC SPCMs for sale on eBay at $400 each. eBay auction numbers are 280877451350 and 280877453169. I am passing along this information in case that blog readers may be interested. I have no connection whatsoever to seller.
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Posted to www.prutchi.com: diy High-Power UV/IR/Visible Flashlight
I just posted detailed instructions for the construction of a high-power (10W) flashlight that has interchangeable LED heads to produce UV, IR, or visible illumination. The URL is http://www.prutchi.com/2012/04/27/d-i-y-high-power-swappable-head-uvirvisible-led-flashlight-with-intensity-control/#more-1091
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New Isotope/Geiger Tube Holder at Images Scientific
Images Scientific Corporation just announced a new Geiger counter wand base provides a stable platform to hold the Geiger counter wand for experiments. The physical dimensions of the holder are 2″ wide by 12″ long. The length of the sled has markings in both metric and imperial. The sled isotope holder provides a stable and moveable
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Perkin Elmer C30902E SPADs on eBay for $91 (Unrelated to Authors)
Someone (I don’t know the seller) is selling brand new Perkin Elmer C30902E Silicon Avalanche Photodiodes on eBay. Auction number: 200747161278. These are NOT chilled by a thermoelectric cooler, so their internal noise may be too large for experiments with entangled photons unless you rig some sort of external Peltier element to keep them chilled. However,
Telling Apart 365 nm from 395 nm Ultraviolet LEDs and Flashlights
Today I received an UltraFire WF-502B UV flashlight advertised as emitting at 365 nm. I was wondering how to tell if it really does, especially since vendors commonly list it as emitting 365-400 nm. Well, I was in Canada last week, and had $25 Canadian left over in my wallet, so I tried this flashlight and compared it to
Testing Electronic Goldmine’s “Giant Super Sensitive Geiger Muller Tube MC6”
I purchased two “Giant Super Sensitive MC6” GM tubes from Electronic Goldmine (Item Number : G18717, Unit Price: $89.95). These are Russian-made new-old-stock model MC6. They are 10.25″ long x 0.9″ diameter. I compared the sensitivity of these tubes to the other GM tubes that I use with my CDV700 Pro Geiger Counter.
Tom Van Baak’s Family-Friendly Relativistic Time-Dilation Experiment
I was going through my e-mails for some information on atomic frequency standards, when I came across an e-mail that I had sent to Tom Van Baak in 2007 congratulating him for his family-friendly time dilation experiment. If you are not familiar with his work, I heartily recommend that you explore his precision-time-keeping webpage at LeapSecond.com.
d.i.y. Alpha-Particle Rutherford Scattering Experiment – Supplementary Pictures
The book’s Figures 70 and 71 show our d.i.y. version of a popular apparatus to measure alpha particle scattering. The figure above shows additional views to help you build your own. The apparatus allows you to demonstrate alpha particle scattering discovered by Ernest Rutherford in 1908. Fundamental to the discovery of the atom’s structure, the experiment
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Connecting to Surplus Scionix Miniature Scintillation Probes
Scionix in The Netherlands has taken advantage of the recent development of miniature mesh-type dynode photomultiplier tubes to construct small-diameter scintillation probes. Scionix’s miniature probes incorporate one of those PMTs, a NaI(Tl) scintillation crystal, and a built-in dynode voltage divider. Connection to the probe is made through a miniature high-voltage locking coaxial connector. Finding a mating connector is the main
Simple d.i.y. Bias-T for Scintillation Probes with Single Connector
Many surplus scintillation probes have a single connector through which the PMT is fed with high voltage and the anode signal is output. However, this may require an external “Bias-T” (a high voltage / signal splitter) to connect the probe to a high-voltage power supply that is separate from the PMT amplifier/processor.
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Simple d.i.y. Low-Pass Filter for Interfacing PMT Amplifier to PC Sound Card (Used with Free “Pulse Recorder and Analyser” Software MCA)
Figure 34 in the book shows the schematic diagram for our photomultiplier tube (PMT) signal processing circuit has an analog output that is suitable for use with a sound-card-based multichannel pulse-height analyzer (MCA). However, if you already have a commercial scintillation processor that you would like to use with PRA, then you will somehow need to
d.i.y. GPS-Disciplined 10 MHz Frequency Standard / GPS-Based Universal Time Clock
Last week I posted detailed construction information for my rubidium atomic clock frequency reference. Besides that unit, I also built a GPS-disciplined 10 MHz oscillator to serve as a secondary frequency reference, as well as a source of GPS NMEA data for my ham shack instruments that can use precise location and real-time-clock data (e.g. for
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