Inexpensive Mie scattering experiment for the classroom manufactured by 3D printing

Scattering experiments are fundamental for structure analysis of matter on molecular, atomic and sub-atomic length scales. In contrast, it is not standard to demonstrate optical scattering experiments on the undergraduate level beyond simple diffraction gratings. We present an inexpensive Mie scattering setup manufactured with 3D printing and open hardware. The experiment can be used to determine the particle size in dilute monodisperse colloidal suspensions with surprisingly high accuracy and is, thus, suitable to demonstrate relations between scattering measurements and microscopic properties of particles within undergraduate lab course projects.