The Design And Realization Of Virtual Applied Physics Laboratory Based On LabVIEW

As mainstream in modern instruments, virtual instrument has exhibited powerful function and flexibility in measurements and control applications. To date, it has been applied in scientific research and industry as the substitute of traditional instruments.Physical lab is important component of teaching system in colleges and universities and plays the key role in training the students' scientific characters, experimental skills and creative capabilities. Establishing the high level physical lab builds solid base for teaching and research and is very significant to improve education quality as well. With the ever-changing science and technology, it is necessary for physical experiments to introduce the new experimental methods and build the new teaching models.This project has established the example to introduce the virtual instrument technique into traditional practical physical lab. Using virtual instruments in the physical experiments will help to reform traditional experimental teaching, take full advantage of internet resource for website experiments, and design the new experiments suitable to the courses which can change the situation that the experimental technique cannot catch up the rapidly developing technology. The virtual physical lab can train the students' ability to master the scientific and technological knowledge and experimental skill, strengthen the students' creativity and eventually improve the students' comprehensive quality.The paper begins with the analysis of importance of introducing the virtual instrument in the physical lab and followed by introduction of hardware and software system and development platform of the virtual instrument. Then based on LabVIEW 8.20 Express (NI company) platform and USB-6009 data collection card, a series of virtual instruments such as function signal generator, double-channel virtual oscilloscope, phase detector, etc. have been developed. The experiment of light speed measurement in the optical fibers has been re-designed by using virtual phase difference meter. The damping experiment system based on the virtual instruments has been designed, in which the analysis part efficiently observe and analyses the two freedoms vibration and dynamic damping by using LabVIEW data processing ability. In the final part, the problems in the combination of the virtual instrument technique and physical experiments have been summarized.