EAgLE Project

I. Introduction

On Saturday, 6^th December 2014, our Institute again opened for wide public. We wanted to present our activities supported by the EAGLE REGPOT Project for everybody, from infants to seniors. We have hosted about 300 visitors. They were very interested in our work and our laboratory equipment. Most of visitors were residents of Warsaw but there were also people from other cities near Warsaw.

A new proposition for our guests were demonstrations in physics (on the level of secondary school program), performed in big lecture hall (Aula im Prof. Leonarda Sosnowskiego) by Prof. Grzegorz Grabecki and dr Paweł Kaczor. There were three cycles of experiments: mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism and optics. A number of spectacular experiments were welcomed by visitors with great enthusiasm.

However, the essential purpose of the Open Day was visiting research laboratories where the serious and new physics was investigated. The visitors were organized into small groups and guided to eleven laboratories. At each of them an interesting physical experiment was conducted, illustrating subject of its research. Our guests had an unique opportunity to see a number of unusual and intriguing physical effects (see list below). Additionally, they were informed on increasing our research abilities due to supporting by the EAGLE Project.

A special proposal have been prepared for parents who came with their children. Kids ages 6 to 9 would attend scientific workshop in physics. This year the subject was “ Different methods of producing electricity” The activity was conducted by dr. Beata Brodowska and dr. Izabela Kuryliszyn-Kudelska. The workshop was 50 minutes long and four appointments were conducted at 11:00 a.m., 12:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., each for 20 children. Almost 80 “young researchers” attended our workshop.

II. Laboratory activities during the Open Day

The list of the laboratories, the names of researchers,and illustrations and/or descriptions of their activities are given below:

• 1. Laboratory of narrow gap semiconductors: dr Krzysztof Dybko i dr Michał Szot, Thermoelectric converter as an example of modern method of acquiring additional electric energy in cars.
  
  
  
  
• 2. Laboratory of biophysics: dr Remigiusz Worch, Biophysics of influenza virus in artificial systems imitating cells.
  
  
  
  
• 3. Laboratory of optics: dr Jacek Szczepkowski, dr Krzysztof Kowalski, Demonstration of the magnetooptical trap, trapping and cooling of rubid atoms. Laser spectroscopy with elements of laser cooling.
  
  
  
  
• 4. Laboratory of crystal growth: dr Michał Głowacki, Growing monocrystals by Czochralski method.
  
  
  
  
• 5. Laboratory of magnetic nanostructures: dr Leszek Gładczuk, From cuneiform wriring to hard discs – fabrication of ultrathin magnetic layers.
  
  
  
  
• 6. Laboratory of Cryogenic and Spintronic Research: dr Marek Fołtyn, Amazing world of superconducting phenomena (low temperature physics).
  
  
  
  
• 7. Laboratory of Scanning Electron Microscopy: dr Tomasz Wojciechowski, How to make and see objects of nanometer dimensions?
  
  
  
  
• 8. Laboratory of Atomic Force Microscopy: dr Marta Aleszkiewicz, Three dimensional landscape in nanometer scale – surface properties seen by atomic force microscope.
  
  
  
  
• 9. Laboratory of Molecular Beam Epitaxy: M. Sc. Wojciech Zaleszczyk, Semiconductor nanostructures obtained by MBE, or how to build laser stacking individual atomic layers.
  
  
  
  
• 10. Laboratory of Mass Spectroscopy: dr Rafał Jakieła, How to recognize chemical element? Weigh its atom!
  
  
  
  
• 11. Laboratory of Atomic Layer Epitaxy (ALE): M. Sc. Rafał Pietruszka, What is nanotwchnology? Simple method of fabricating layers of nanometer thickness.
  
  
  
  

The Open Day was held between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. During this period each laboratory was visited by 6-7 groups (up to 10 persons). Several laboratories (e.g. mass spectroscopy, optical, microscopy etc.)were especially occupied, so we had to arrange a special enrollment list. The visitors asked many questions which showed their relatively high knowledge in physics. Since many people asked about a subsequent Open Day Event, we guess that it should be organized for third time in next year, and the program should be yet more extended.