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525.436 - Optics and Photonics Laboratory Course Homepage

Instructor Information

Raymond Sova

Email: raymond.sova@jhuapl.edu
Work Phone: (443) 778-3526

David Terry

Work Phone: (443) 778-5034

Course Information

Course Description

The objective of this course is to develop laboratory skills in optics and photonics by performing detailed experimental measurements and comparing these measurements to theoretical models. Error analysis is used throughout to emphasize measurement accuracy. A partial list of topics include: geometric optics, optical properties of materials, diffraction, interference, polarization, non-linear optics, fiber optics, non-linear fiber optics, optical detectors (pin, APD, PMT), optical sources (lasers, blackbodies, LED's), phase and amplitude modulators, lidar, fiber-optic communications, IR radiometry. The specific experiments will depend on hardware availability and student interest.

Prerequisites

525.491 Fundamentals of Photonics or 615.751 Modern Optics or equivalent.

Course Goal

The goal of this course is to introduce and develop "hands-on" skills in an optics laboratory by performing fundamental and applied experiments in optics and photonics.  Experiments are selected to provide students exposure to a variety of hardware and measurement techniques used in an optics and photonics laboratory.  Students will learn skills in the setup and alignment of optical experiments and understand the sensitivity of the measurements to alignment and measurement uncertainty.  A key component of the laboratory writeup is the comparison of the experimental data with theoretical models.  Typically, graphs are used to compare theory and experiment and provide insight into measurement uncertainty.

Course Objectives

  • Develop laboratory skills in setting up and aligning optical systems using incoherent white light sources, LEDs and lasers.

    Perform basic optical measurements in geometric optics and wave optics and compare the experimental results to theoretical models.

    Setup and perform more sophisticated  optical systems such as lidar systems, fiber laser systems, imaging systems and spectroscopic systems and evaluate their performance.

    Develop skills for measuring weak optical signals in a high noise background using the lock-in measurement technique.

    Evaluate experimental results using error analysis to provide an understanding of the different error sources that contribute to the measurement error and sensitivity of the error from each source.

    Develop skills for presenting the experimental results and theoretical predictions in a report style with details on measurement techniques, error analysis and encountered issues during the meaurement process.

When This Course is Typically Offered

This course is typically offered each Summer, and is taught in the Library optics laboratory in the 7:00 PM time slot

Syllabus

Topics Covered

  • Optical properties of materials: refractive index and scattering phase function
  • Michelson and Fabry-Perot Interferometry
  • Spherical aberrations and focal length
  • Diffraction and Fourier optics
  • Fiber optics and fiber sensors
  • Erbium doped fiber amplifier and fiber ring laser
  • Pulsed laser radar and FMCW laser radar
  • Electro-optica and acousto-optic modulators
  • White light interferometry
  • Non-linear fiber optics
  • Optical detection techniques: direct detection, coherent detection and photon counting
  • Laser vibrometry
  • Optical spectroscopy and fluorescence lifetime measurements
  • Laser stabilization techniques

Student Assessment Criteria

Laboratory reports 100%

The course grade is derived from laboratory reports.  The reports are handed in one week after completion of the experiment.  Approximately 5-6 laboratory reports will be written.  The reports are weighted according to the difficulty of the experiment.  There is no final exam.

Participation Expectations

Students work in groups of 2 or 3 laboratory partners.  All of the measured data is shared, but the laboratory reports are completed independently by each student.

Textbooks

Textbook information for this course is available online through the MBS Direct Virtual Bookstore.

Course Notes

There are no notes for this course.

Final Words from the Instructor

There is no textbook required for this course.  All of the background material required to understand the experiments will be handed out with the experimental procedures.

(Last Modified: 06-07-2009 at 2:40:30 PM)