An easy physics outreach and teaching tool for holography

Dr Alexandre Escarguel Aix Marseille University, France Play (18min) Download: MP4 | MP3

In the framework of scientific outreach and teaching purposes at the Aix-Marseille University, we created a pedagogic “holographic case”. With a small size (34 cm x 25 cm x 16 cm) for 2.5 kg, the case includes all the required equipment to produce very good quality holograms with a simple optical assembly and an excellent vibration tolerance. The case allows illustrating fundamental principle of holography and its applications : holographic interferometry, angular multiplexing (HVD) and “Notch” filters. The success rate with this device approaches 100%, and has been tested in very noisy environments. Moreover, this device can reach a very large audience and a very low cost version is studied. We use it at the “science house” of Aix Marseille University for outreach purpose for primary school to high school workshops. The holographic case is also used for teaching purpose at university for undergraduate and graduate students. Finally, we use it to train teachers to holography, who use holography for their own pedagogic projects. In this article, we explain how the case works, and give some applications and results that can be done with it.