Courses in Optics

EE716 Optics With Laser Light Prof. Collins or Prof. Anderson . The quarter of offering varies. Contact either professor for our best estimate of the next offering. OFFERING IN AUTUMN 2000 LIKELY! Theoretical description of plane, spherical waves; holography; diffraction; optical Fourier transforms; Gaussian beams; optical spatial scattering; ray matrix optics; resonant cavities; introduction to fiber optics; Prerequisites: EE312 (electromagnetics, waveguides, diffraction), EE352 (linear systems, Fourier transforms, transfer function methods) or equivalent, or grad standing in physics, chemistry, or engineering.

EE731 Fiber Optics Prof. Anderson or Prof. Clymer , 3 units, Spring. Waveguiding in optical fibers, fiber losses, optical sources (LEDs and lasers), numerical aperture, coupling, detectors and receivers, noise sources, optical link analysis. Includes brief introduction to fiber sensors. Prerequisites: EE311, EE321 or equivalents, or permission.

EE732 Quantum Electron Devices: Lasers Prof. Anderson or Prof. Clymer , 4 units, Odd Autumns (i.e. 1999, 2001...). Interaction of radiation with atomic systems, theory of laser oscillation, electro-optic effects, propagation of laser beams, optical resonators, specific laser systems. Prerequisites: EE432 and EE513, or graduate standing in engineering, physics, chemistry, etc., or permission.

EE737 Photonics Lab Prof. Anderson , 4 credits, odd winter quarters- will run next in Winter 2001. Lab includes experiments in fiber optic communications, optical sensing, solar cells, acousto-optics, quantum well detectors, laser diode physics, and liquid crystals. Students do some subset of these experiments. In the process, you'll learn to use optics-related equipment including spectrometers,lock-in amplifiers, infrared viewers, CCD cameras and laser beam diagnostic machines.
The Optical Sensing experiment is a design project. You can design (and build) any kind of optical sensor you want! (Temperature, pressure, roommate detector...)
In Liquid Crystals, you can make your own liquid crystal light shutter!
In Acousto- Optics, you build a scanner and and optical switch!
In Quantum Well Detectors, you will believe in excitons and all that stuff we told you in quantum mechanics!
In Solar Cells, you'll compare the efficiencies of a variety of solar cell designs and materials!
In Fiber Optic Communication, you'll learn to cleave and couple fibers, and look at bit-error-rate as a function of splice loss (you may personally mess up the splice!).
In Lasers Diode Physics, you'll actually see the difference (in a variety of convincing ways) the differences between spontaneous and stimulated emission, and you'll also get to fool around with the laser cavity to look for mode hopping!
InHolography, you'll make holograms! Need we say more?
InOptical Spatial Filtering you'll perform some optical image processing! Get a feel for some ideas in optical computing.
There is an ancillary lecture covering additional useful practical optics topics, such as optical laboratory components, detectors, flat panel displays, and particularly laser safety. Prerequisites: EE432 and EE 312 or grad standing in engineering.

EE833 Optical Effects in Materials and Devices Prof. Anderson, 3 units, even autumns (i.e., 2000, 2002...). Topics include Pockels effect, electro-optic effect, acousto-optic effect, liquid crystal birefringence effect for various states, multiple quantum-well optical switches, magneto-optic effect, Kerr rotation, optical storage materials (laser disks). Prof. Anderson, for more info.

EE917 Advanced Topics in Optics Prof. Collins This course is offered whenever the mood seizes Prof. Collins, and it does happen from time to time! Contact him for next projected offering. Topics: Fiber and integrated optics and their applications, optical transfer functions, aberrations, optical thick holograms, numerical optical computing, and liquid crystals. Prerequisite: EE716 or permission of Instructor

Courses with Optics-related Content