Quantum Freebies

Research can often be an expensive endeavor. But here and there we come across fun freebies and perks. We’ve compiled a list of our favorites! Keep reading to see how to snag some cool goodies for yourself and for a glimpse into the random extras that have been sustaining graduate students for decades. 

By Haley Nguyen

March 10, 2024

Free for Everyone

Pocket Polarizer from Meadowlark Optics

Polarization is a fundamentally aspect of light, and the easiest way to explore it is with a polarizer. Polarized sunglasses will do just fine, but optics vendor Meadowlark has a special link on their website for you to request a free, business-card sized "pocket polarizer" for yourself! Polarization in itself isn't distinctly quantum, but the "Three-Polarizer Paradox" nicely illustrates the quantum concepts of superposition and measurements! I can’t guarantee this will work every time, but you can use the "message" section of the form to ask the Meadowlark team nicely if they’ll give you three so you can try at home.

"Laser Absorption in Physics, Chemistry & Biology" Poster from Toptica

Lasers are the backbone of many labs, as one of the fundamental tools we have for controlling physical systems. We require specific wavelengths that correspond to specific energy level spacings in the systems we work with (for example, atoms, molecules, solid state systems). You might have learned about the "photoelectric effect" in school, or looked at colored fluorescent lights. The vibrant colors of vintage "neon" signs come from the light emitted at a particular wavelength corresponding to an electron falling between energy levels. While these are examples in which light is emitted at a certain color, often in lab we do the reverse: using light of a certain color to address these specific energy spacing. Laser vendor Toptica offers a free (and very very big) poster visualizing these “laser lines” across the electromagnetic spectrum. You can download a digital version of the poster or request a physical copy here!

Free with Purchase

Thorlabs Labsnacks

Lab Snacks are nearly ubiquitous in quantum labs around the world. Optics lab supplier Thorlabs includes their box of snacks with your order, though what exactly you get depends on where you’re having your order delivered. (Personally, I think the west coast version is the best, and my lab-mate told me that in Taiwan, you don’t get them with small orders 🤨). You’ll often see the iconic red box the snacks come in repurposed for storage and other creative uses around the lab. 

Photon Food by Newport

Newport, another optics lab vendor, has their own free snacks: PhotonFood. One of which is typically a fortune cookie with terrible optics puns, and sometimes they also invite you to submit your own. They also offer a free t-shirt (also featuring endearingly cringy puns) with orders $250+. 

Do you know of any cool freebies we missed here? (bonus points if you know of any for our theorist friends!) Feel free to let us know by emailing hqi.blog@gmail.com.