Abstract:

The academic laboratory practice in Physical Optics are conducted in the subject of Experimental Techniques III of the Physics degree and in the subject of Physical Optics I and II of the Optics and Optometry degree at the University of Alicante. These academic practices are based on concepts such as electromagnetic waves and their propagation in isotropic media, to focus on studying the phenomena resulting from the superposition and interaction of these waves. The experiments conducted by students in the laboratory are basic experiments that allow them to visualise and verify the theoretical concepts developed in theory. Nevertheless, there are certain experiments that are not carried out in the laboratory, and yet it would be very interesting for the learning process if the student could perform them in the laboratory, going deeper into them through active learning, in which it is the student who participates directly in obtaining the results. However, the high cost of the material used in optics teaching laboratories makes it difficult to carry out such practices. Nowadays, 3-D printers make it possible to reduce the cost of the material and make it possible to create personalised instruments that optimise existing resources. Therefore, the aim of this educational innovation has been the use of 3-D printers for the development and implementation of different experiments related to physical optics with the active participation of students both in the design of the experimental set-up with the use of the printer, as well as in the taking of measurements and the drawing of conclusions. For the development of this educational experience, the first step was to identify the experiences to be implemented experimentally and the elements that can facilitate and optimise the development of practices that are already being carried out regularly in teaching laboratories. To this end, a questionnaire was sent to the students to identify the elements that could be optimised and the possible practices proposed. As a result, several types of supports and the manufacture of spectroscopes for a practice in spectroscopy with diffraction gratings were selected as material that could be created with a 3-D printer. The next step is the design of the selected elements and their printing. Since 3-D printing involves many parameters in addition to those inherent to the design of the parts, it is necessary to make several "prototypes" of each of the parts, until the optimisation and adaptation to the objectives sought is achieved. Once all the elements have been optimised, the next stage focuses on the assembly of the laboratory experiments and their re-performance by the students. After this experience, it can be said that the use of the 3-D printer has made it possible, on the one hand, to reduce the cost of the material considerably and, on the other, to design certain specific laboratory set-ups, so that the students have been able to carry out a series of experiments in the laboratory to which they would not otherwise have access, and also to optimise the carrying out of others. In addition, the educational experience is evaluated by means of a questionnaire. In general terms, the students feel satisfied for having taken part in the design and improvement of the laboratory material and value it positively as it has allowed them to consolidate and put into practice their knowledge and experience in the laboratory.

Keywords:

3-D printer, Physical Optics, laboratory.