Gaining insight into antibubbles via frustrated total internal reflection

The interest in the phenomenon of frustrated total internal reflection dates back to the time of Newton. Because of its technological relevance, it has become a standard topic covered by advanced courses in physics. In practical courses optical setups especially designed to demonstrate the phenomenon are commonly used. As an alternative, this paper proposes the use of so-called antibubbles, which provide the necessary conditions spontaneously, for the same purpose. The hands-on-experiments that will be introduced are appropriate for the level of graduate studies. They are based on low-cost materials and can be used for the observation of the phenomenon, based on which conclusions on the structure of antibubbles can be drawn. (paper)