482/582-3A Laser Physics II (Fall 2006)

 

Lecture: Lectures will be on on Monday, Wednesday, 4:00-5:15 pm, Campbell Hall (CH) Room 302.

 

Professor: Sergey B. Mirov, Office Hours: Monday, 10:00-12:00 am in CH 421B or by appointment (4-8088, mirov@uab.edu).

Course Text:  Lasers and Electro-Optics, Fundamentals and Engineering by Christopher Davis

Supplemental Books: Lasers and Electro-Optics by Christopher Davis (LEO) is the only textbook that will be required.  However, the textbook material will be significantly augmented by additional in-class lecture material, particularly in the area of lasers and applications of laser spectroscopy.  The exams and homework will cover material from LEO and the in-class lectures.  For students that would like sources of additional reading (again, this is not necessary, but some students like to have additional reading sources), other excellent books include: (i) Fundamentals of Photonics by B.E.A. Saleh & M.C. Teich; (ii) Laser Fundamentals by William Silfvast, (iii) Optical Electronics by Amnon Yariv; (iiii) Laser Spectroscopy by Wolfgang Demtroder; (iiiii) Principles of Lasers by Orazio Svelto.

Homework: Homework problems will be assigned weekly, at the end of class and will be due the following week at the beginning of the class to verify your continuing effort. It is absolutely critical to work these problems yourselves when they are assigned, since this will help to lock in understanding of the physical principles learned from class and the textbook and develop problem solving skills which will be necessary for any type of success on the exams.

Exams: The exams will be based on problems related to (but often with important differences) homework problems and problems discussed in class.  The intent of the exam problems will be to test your understanding of physics principles and to test your ability to apply these principles to practice. The exams will be graded on a step-by-step basis, with partial credit awarded for correct steps and techniques even if the answer is wrong.  Full credit will be awarded only if the right answer is obtained for the right reason.

 

Students of PH582 will be usually assigned additional (with respect to students of PH482) homework and exam problems.

 

Related UAB core learning outcomes: Students successfully completing this course will demonstrate knowledge of fundamentals of laser physics, characteristics of laser radiation, individual types of lasers, including optically pumped dielectric crystal lasers, molecular gas lasers, and semiconductor lasers, ray tracing in optical systems, optical cavity design, nonlinear optics, and physical aspects of detection of optical radiation.  

 

Course learning objectives: 

  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of fundamental aspects of laser physics and engineering of lasers of all kinds, including principles of frequency up- and down conversion optical cavities design and analysis, characterization and detection of coherent and noncoherent optical radiation and as well as practical aspects of optics that pertain to an understanding of these subjects.  
  • Demonstrate ability to apply the knowledge of the fundamental aspects of laser physics as well as quantitative reasoning and mathematical analysis skills to effectively solve problems.

 

Measurement of learning objectives: Homework problem sets and exams will be used regularly to measure understanding of the fundamental concepts presented as well as students’ abilities to apply this understanding to problems in laser physics. Both, problem sets and exams also provide an opportunity to evaluate the progression of students’ understanding of physical concepts and problem solving skills.

 

Grading:        Homework:                                                     20%                 (200 pts)

              Exam 1 (1h15m)                                             15%                 (150 pts)

              Exam 2 (1h15m)                                             15%                 (150 pts)

              Exam 3 (1h15m)                                             15%                 (150 pts)

              Final Exam (2.5 hr)                                        35%                 (350 pts)

              TOTAL:                                                          100%               (1000 pts)

 

PH581                                                               PH481

A: 90% or above                                               A: 80% or above

B: 80%-89.9%                                                   B: 70%-79.9%

C: 70%-79.9%                                                   C: 60%-69.9%

D: 60%-69.9%                                                   D: 50%-59.9%    

F: 59.9% and below                                          F: 49.9% and below

 

Last day to withdraw from course with a “W” (Undergraduate only) is October 23, 2006

 

Last day to withdraw from course with a “W” (Graduate only) is December 6, 2006

 

Your grades and other useful information are available at  

http://heisenberg.phy.uab.edu/~mirov/SMirov_Teaching_Page22.htm


Tentative Schedule:

#

Date

Text

Topics

1

Aug 23 (W)

LEO Ch11.1-11.8

Molecular Gas Lasers II  

2,3

Aug 25 (F)

3:00-5:30pm

LEO Ch12.1-12.4, Class Lecture

Tunable Lasers, Organic Dye Lasers

4,5

Aug 28 (M)

3:00-5:25pm

LEO Ch12.1-12.4, Class Lecture

Tunable Solid State Lasers, Alexandrite & Ti-Sapph. Lasers, TM:II-VI Lasers(Class Lecture)

6

Aug 30 (W)

Class Lecture

Color Center Lasers

 

Sep 4 (M)

Labor Day Holiday

No classes

7

Sep 6 (W)

Class Lecture

Color Center Lasers

 

Sep 11 (M)

Europhoton 06

No classes

 

Sep 13 (W)

Europhoton 06

No classes

 

Sep 18 (M)

Europhoton 06

No classes

8

Sep 20 (W)

Class Lecture

Color Center Lasers

9

Sep 25 (M)

Review for exam 1

Review for exam 1

10

Sep 27 (W)

Ch 13.1-13.7 and class lecture

Semiconductor Lasers, Semiconductor Physics Background

 

Sep 29 (F)

Exam 1 - Grades

Exam 1 over chapters 11-12 – Correct Solution

11

Oct 2 (M)

(Ch.13.8-13.12)

Semiconductor Lasers

12

Oct 4 (W)

(Ch.13.13-13.15)

Semiconductor Lasers

 

 

Homework # 2

Due October 16. Example of problem solving

13

Oct 9 (M)

(Class Lecture, Ch.14)

Ray Tracing in an Optical System

14

Oct 11 (W)

(Class Lecture or Ch.16.1-16.7)

Gaussian Beams

15

Oct 16 (M)

(Class Lecture or Ch.16.1-16.7)

Gaussian Beams

16

Oct 18 (W)

(Class Lecture or Ch.15 and Ch.16.8-16.14)

Optical Cavities

 

 

Homework # 3

Due October 30, 2006

17

Oct 23(M)

(Class Lecture or Ch.15 and Ch.16.8-16.14)

Optical Cavities

18

Oct 25 (W)

Ch.16.8-16.14)

Optical Cavities

19

Oct 30 (M)

Exam 2 Grades

Exam 2 over chapters 13-16 Correct Solutions

20

Nov 1 (W)

(LEO Ch. 18)

Optics of Anisotropic Media

21

Nov 6 (M)

(LEO Ch. 18)

Optics of Anisotropic Media

22

Nov 8 (W)

(LEO Ch. 18)

Optics of Anisotropic Media

23

Nov 13 (M)

(LEO Ch. 20, 21)

Wave Propagation in Nonlinear Media

 

 

Homework #4 Correct Solution

LEO #18.2, 18.3; 18.4; 18.5 (482) add 18.7 (582) Due 11/20/06

24

Nov 15 (W)

(LEO Ch. 21)

2nd Harm. Generation. Up and Down-Conversion, Optical Parametr. Amplification

 

 

Homework #5

Due Nov. 27, 2006

25

Nov 20 (M)

(LEO Ch. 21)

2nd Harm. Generation. Up and Down-Conversion, Optical Parametr. Amplification

26

Nov 22 (W)

Thanksgiving Holidays

No classes

27

Nov 27 (M)

(LEO Ch. 19)

Dr. Martyshkin substitution

The Electro-Optics and Acousto-Optic Effects and Modulaton of Light Beams  

 

Nov 29 (W)

no lecture

No lecture

No lecture

28

Nov 30 1:30-3:00 H-k 4&5 due

(LEO Ch. 21)

The Electro-Optics and Acousto-Optic Effects and Modulaton of Light Beams  

29

Dec. 1 2:00-3:30

(LEO Ch. 21)

The Electro-Optics and Acousto-Optic Effects and Modulaton of Light Beams  

30

Dec 4 (M)

Exam 3

Exam 3 over chapters 18-21

31

Dec 6 (W)

Review for Final

Review for Final

32

Dec 11 (M)

FINAL GRADES

FINAL EXAM Over Chapters 11-22 and class notes (4:15pm-6:45pm)