ECE 482- Optical Electronic Systems
Catalog Description: Laser theory, laser systems, photodetectors, coherent
optical detection.
Prerequisites:
By Course: ECE 391 or PH 481/581 or equivalent. Lec/lab. Crosslisted as PH
482/PH 582.
By Topic: Knowledge of basic optics equations: reflection, refraction, lenses,
polarization, Propagation of electromagnetic plane waves
Courses that require this as a prerequisite: ECE 592, ECE 483/583 useful
but not required.
Credits: 4 Terms Offered: Fall
Instructors:
Primary: T. Plant
Secondary: A. Weisshaar.
Textbook: Kuhn, Kelin J., Laser Engineering, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1998.
ISBN 0-02-366921-7
Course Learning Objectives:
Students must demonstrate the ability to:
- Analyze and design PIN photodetector circuits. (ABET Outcomes: a, c, e,
k)
- Analyze and design laser optical cavities to meet output beam specifications.
(ABET Outcomes: a, c, e, k)
- Analyze and design optical electronic systems. (ABET Outcomes: a, c, e,
k)
- Design, fabricate, test, and document (written and oral) a team optical
electronic project. (ABET Outcomes: a, b, c, d, e, g, k)
- Read and summarize current technical journal papers in optical electronics.
(ABET Outcomes: a, g, i, j)
Topics
- Safety issues of laser radiation and optoelectronic systems: eyes, shocks,
burns
- Photodetectors: PMT, photoconductors, PIN photodiode
- Overview of lasers: history, current and future markets, stimulated emission,
modes - transferse and longitudinal, gain profile
- Physics of laser gain, gain equation
- Gaussian beam propagation and optical cavities
- Transient effects - gain saturation, rate equations, Q-switching, mode-locking
- Common commercial laser systems: physics, technology, and performance
Laboratory Experiments:
- Safety and photodetectors (CdS photoconductor and Si PIN photodiode)
- Transverse modes and alignment of He-Ne laser
- Gaussian beams
- Lineshapes and use of monochrometer and lock-in amplifier
- Fabry-Perot scanning interferometer and He-Ne laser longitudinal modes
- Semiconductor diode lasers and LEDs
- Team design project: design, fabrication, demonstration, and reporting (teams
of 2-4)
Structure: Three 50-minute lectures per week plus one 1-hour laboratory
demonstration/quiz and a 2 hour team lab time per week.
Original: 9/00
Revised: 9/01