LASR 220 Communication, Imaging, and Remote Sensing

6 credits

This course will provide the student with a fundamental overview and understanding of common Photonics applications. Students will develop an in-depth understanding of fiber optic communication and non-contact measurement photonic systems and acquire skills that have broad based industry relevance. Industry standard documentation and work place performance will be covered thoroughly. This course is built upon a comprehensive laboratory program that develops a practical intuition to complement conceptual understanding. Safety standards and procedures will be emphasized throughout the course to thoroughly familiarize the student with the proper photonics work environment.

Prerequisites: LASR 201

Quarters Offered: Spring

Student Outcomes/Competencies:
Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

Measure and calculate coupler split ratio
Measure power and compare with power budget to assess performance of given fiber-optic systems
Determine dispersion characteristics of optical fibers
Use erbium-doped fiber amplifiers for signal regeneration
Install and use electro-optic (EO) and acousto-optic (AO) devices (e.g. Q-switching)
Use mechanical splices to join fibers
Interpret and implement general imaging requirements
Set up and align Mach-Zehnder interferometers
Perform setup and calibration of imaging systems
Measure wavefront aberrations
Perform digital image processing
Design and test photodetector circuits
Setup and describe basic focal plane array system (e.g. CCD’s)
Analyze and evaluate interferometric fringe patterns

Total Hours: 90 Lecture Hours: 30 Lab or Clinical Hours: 60