From Thin-Film Interference to Art: A STEAM Experiment with Heated Copper

This study presents an educational experiment that integrates thin-film interference principles with artistic creation for high school students. However, existing educational experiments on thin-film interference primarily focus on color observation without providing opportunities for students to quantitatively verify the phenomenon. To address this gap, the experiment involved heating a copper plate to form a cuprous oxide (Cu2O) film, whose thickness was quantified by measuring Cu+ ion concentration. The measured thickness was then used to simulate reflectance spectra, providing a theoretical basis for the observed color changes in the heated copper plates. Additionally, students created shimmering leaf vein specimens using heated copper foil, combining scientific inquiry with artistic expression. This approach enabled students to understand the relationship between thin-film interference and film thickness while fostering creativity through specimen production. Unlike conventional experiments that focus solely on observing thin-film interference colors, this study incorporates film thickness quantification and artistic creation using copper foil. These features highlight its potential application in STEAM education as a bridge between science and arts.