482/582-2E Laser Physics II (Spring 2009)

 

Lecture: Lectures will be on on Tuesday, Thursday 2:00-3:15 pm, Campbell Hall (CH) Room 304.

 

Professor: Sergey B. Mirov, Office Hours: Tuesday, 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 incoherent optical radiation, 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:                                                     25%                 (250 pts)

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

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

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

               Final Exam (2.5 hr)                                         30%                 (300 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 March 6, 2009

 

Last day to withdraw from course with a “W” (Graduate only) is April 27, 2009

 

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

Jan 8 (Th)

LEO Ch12.1-12.4, Class Lecture

Tunable Lasers, Organic Dye Lasers

2

Jan 13 (Tu)

 

LEO Ch12.1-12.4, Class Lecture

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

3

Jan 15 (Th)

 

LEO Ch12.1-12.4, Class Lecture

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

4

Jan 20 (Tu)

Class Lecture

Color Center Lasers

5

Jan 22 (Th)

Class Lecture

Color Center Lasers

6

Jan 27 (Tu)

Exam 1 - Grades

Exam 1 over chapter 12 – Correct Solution

7

Jan 29 (Th)

Ch 13.1-13.7 and class lecture

Semiconductor Lasers, Semiconductor Physics Background

8

Feb 3 (Tu)

Ch 13.1-13.7 and class lecture

Semiconductor Lasers, Semiconductor Physics Background

9

Feb 5 (Th)

(Ch.13.8-13.12)

Semiconductor Lasers

10

Feb 10 (Tu)

(Ch.13.13-13.15)

Semiconductor Lasers

11

Feb 12 (Th)

(Class Lecture, Ch.14)

Ray Tracing in an Optical System

12

Feb 17 (Tu)

(Class Lecture or Ch.16.1-16.7)

Gaussian Beams

13

Feb 19 (Th)

(Class Lecture or Ch.16.1-16.7)

Gaussian Beams

14

Feb 24 (Tu)

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

Optical Cavities

15

Feb 26 (Th)

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

Optical Cavities

16

Mar 3 (Tu)

Ch.16.8-16.14)

Optical Cavities

17

Mar 5 (Th)

Exam 2 Grades

Exam 2 over chapters 13-16 Correct Solutions

 

Mar 10 (Tu)

Spring Break

No classes

 

Mar 12 (Th)

Spring Break

No classes

18

Mar 17 (Tu)

(LEO Ch. 18)

Optics of Anisotropic Media

19

Mar 19 (Th)

(LEO Ch. 18)

Optics of Anisotropic Media

20

Mar 24(Tu)

(LEO Ch. 18)

Optics of Anisotropic Media

21

Mar 26 (Th)

(LEO Ch. 20, 21)

Wave Propagation in Nonlinear Media

22

Mar 31 (Tu)

(LEO Ch. 21)

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

23

April 2 (Th)

(LEO Ch. 21)

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

24

April 7 (Tu)

(LEO Ch. 19, 21)

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

25

April 9 (Th)

(LEO Ch.22.1-22.8)

Detection of Optical Radiation

26

April 14 (Tu)

(LEO Ch.22.6-22.8)

Detection of Optical Radiation

27

April 16 (Th)

(LEO Ch.22.6-22.8)

Detection of Optical Radiation

28

April 21 (Tu)

Exam 3

Exam 3 over chapters 18-22 Correct Solutions

29

April 23 (Th)

Review for Final

Review for Final

30

April 30 (Tu)

FINAL GRADES

FINAL EXAM Over Chapters 12-22 and class notes

1:30-4:00pm CH 304