481/581-2D Laser Physics I (Fall 2003)

 

Lecture: Tuesday, Thursday, 12:30-1:45 pm, Campbell Hall (CH) Room 460

 

Professor: Sergey B. Mirov, Office Hours: Tu, Thur, 2:00-3:15 p.m. 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.

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)

Homework: Homework problems will be assigned weekly, on Tuesdays at the end of class and will be due the following Tuesday 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.

 

Your grades and other useful information are available at

http://www.phy.uab.edu/~mirov/Ph481-581-03.htm

Tentative Schedule:

 

Date

Topics

Aug. 21

Introduction, Spontaneous and Stimulated Transitions (Ch. 1)

Aug. 26

Spontaneous and Stimulated Transitions (Ch. 1)

Aug. 28

Optical Frequency Amplifiers (Ch. 2.1-2.4)

Sep. 02

Optical Frequency Amplifiers (Ch. 2.5-2.8)

Sep. 04

Optical Frequency Amplifiers (Ch. 2.9-2-10). Introduction to two Practical Laser Systems

(The Ruby Laser, The Helium Neon Laser) (Ch. 3)

Sept. 9

Exam 1 Over Chapters 1-3

Sept. 11

Passive Optical Resonators (Ch. 4.1-4.5)

Sept. 16

Passive Optical Resonators (Ch. 4.6-4.7) Optical Resonators Containing Amplifying Media (5.1-2)

Sept. 18

Optical Resonators Containing Amplifying Media (Ch.5.3-5.5)

Sept. 23

Optical Resonators Containing Amplifying Media (Ch.5.6-5.7). Laser Radiation (Ch. 6.1-6.5)

Sept. 25

Laser Radiation (Ch. 6.6-6.10)

Sept. 30

Control of Laser Oscillators (7.1-7.4)

Oct. 2

Control of Laser Oscillators (7.5-7.6)

Oct. 7

Exam 2 Over Chapters 4-7

Oct. 19

Optically Pumped Solid State Lasers (8.1-8.4)

Oct. 14

Optically Pumped Solid State Lasers (8.5-8.11)

Oct. 16

Optically Pumped Solid State Lasers (8.12-8.14)

Oct. 21

Optically Pumped Solid State Lasers (8.15-8.16)

Oct. 23

Spectroscopy of Common Gas Lasers (Class Lecture), Gas Lasers  (Ch. 9.1-9.3)

Oct. 28

Gas lasers (Ch. 9.4 -9.10)

Oct. 30

Molecular Gas lasers I  (Ch. 10.1-10.6)

Nov. 4

Molecular Gas lasers I  (Ch. 10.7-10.9)

Nov. 6

Molecular Gas Lasers II  (Ch. 11.1-11.8)

Nov. 11

Exam 3 Over Chapters 8-11

Nov. 13

Tunable Lasers, Organic Dye Lasers (Ch.12.1-12.4)

Nov. 18

Tunable Solid State Lasers, Alexandrite & Ti-Sapph. Lasers, Color Center Lasers (Class Lecture)

Nov. 20

Color Center Lasers, Cavities for Tunable Lasers, Free Electron Lasers  (Class Lecture, Ch.12.5)

Nov. 25

Semiconductor Lasers, Semiconductor Physics Background  (Class Lecture)

Nov. 27

Thanksgiving, Holiday

Nov. 27

Semiconductor Lasers, Semiconductor Physics Background  (Ch 13.1-13.7)

Dec. 2

Semiconductor Lasers (Ch.13.8-13.15)

Dec. 4

Review for Final

Dec. 11

FINAL EXAM Over Chapters 1-13 (10:45am-1:15pm)