June 25th PM

Project idea for curriculum.
I think I can have students make a model AFM on a macroscale to demonstrate the optics of the AFM and to use it to measure different shapes objects for a geometry class. The model cantilever can be a ruler with a nail hammered onto one end as the tip. An 1 square inch mirror can be affixed to the end with the nail. A laser pointer can be positioned to point onto the mirror. The reflected beam can be projected onto a white vertical cardboard. To calibrate the model cantilever, I would put objects of known heights under the nail and measure the vertical displacement of the reflected beam from its zero height position. Students can then plot a graph of laser deflection in mm versus object height in mm with those measurements in vertical displacements. Students can draw a line of best fit on the graph. Different shapes objects could be glued to a tile that can be moved in the x and y-axis. The students can scan the different shapes in the x-axis and plot the graph to show calculated height versus scan position. Students can scan the same object in the y-axis. Based on the graphs of the x-axis and y-axis, the students can visualized the shape of the object. The scanning will be done in the contact mode.