A proposal about Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry for a second level master in physics education

Most of the techniques for material science are based on quantum mechanics, since matter is studied in terms of interactions with its microscopic components (e.g. atoms, nucleuses and electrons) or aggregates of them (e.g. crystals, phonons). However, due to the strong orientation of the techniques to gain qualitative or quantitative information (doing measurements), they are often interpreted according to semi-classical or classical models (e.g. the effective mass for conduction of a charged particle, the electron gas in a metal, the phonon as a harmonic oscillator). In this sense, the analysis techniques can be introduced in physics education as a bridge between classical physics and quantum mechanics with its applications. Rutheford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) is an analysis technique largely used in material science and it constitutes a candidate technique for secondary school level or university students.The didactical proposal presented below follows our previous experience and research works about the introduction of the analysis techniques into the curriculum of secondary school and benefits from our direct involvement in the use of RBS for condensed matter analyses. The aim of the activity is to enable students to deal with simple, not trivial, RBS spectra and to discuss them in an appropriate scientific language. The materials were prepared for a course of the second level master in modern physics “Innovazione Didattica in Fisica e Orientamento” (Didactic Innovation in Physics and Orientation) for teacher training.