Fully Automated Light Scattering Experiment

A fully automated inexpensive($50) educational lab experiment to measure optical scattering, in particular polarization and angular cross-section.

On a beginner level the setup is suitable to measure scattering of light by optical gratings. In fact scattering from a CD-R surface is used to calibrate the angular servo control using the well-known equation "grating_constant x sine(nth scattering angle) = n x wavelength".

The experiment was developed in our laboratory physics courses to demonstrate Mie-scattering by microscopic colloidal particles. Mie-scattering refers to light scattering by objects that are comparable to the wavelength. This is typically used in expensive laboratory equipment, to determine size-distributions of colloidal suspensions.

The setup is controlled via an Arduino which fits in the bottom of the device. A small amount of soldering or a separate bread-board is required to assemble the device and should be possible on a undergraduate or even school level.