Electrical EngineeringThe Ohio State University
Electrical Engineering
One view of the new Photonics Lab.
Description: Students will do four out of seven experiments in modern photonics: fiber optic communications, optical sensing, acousto-optic modulation, laser diode physics, liquid crystals, and solar cells. In addition, you will be learning about the physics, principles, and applications of these technologies from a set of notes, supplemented by the library. The supplementary lecture portion covers more topics in modern optics and measurements not covered by the lab. This couse is designed to teach research and reporting skills in addition to optics.
Learning Goals: Students will learn about modern photonic devices, measurements, and optical approaches to solving engineering problems. You will learn optical laboratory techniques, measurement strategies, and safety precautions.
Instructors:
Prof. Anderson
213 Caldwell Lab
292-1323
anderson@ee.eng.ohio-state.edu
John Carlin
372 Caldwell
carlinj@er4.eng
Text:
Required: Laser and Eye Safety in the Laboratory, by Larryl Matthews and Gabe Garcia, IEEE Press, 1995
Required: Photonics Lab Manual available from COP-EZ
Recommended: Fundamentals of Photonics, B.A.A. Saleh and M. Teich, John Wiley and Sons, 1991 (also on reserve in the library).
Grading: The grading will be:
10% Written/practicum quiz on safety
10% Lab practice/procedure
30% Written laboratory reports, including 10% laboratory notebook
20% Final examination
30% Homework (10 % problems and 20% library problems)
The 10% lab practice and procedure will be evaluated by the instructors questioning individual students on the equipment, the setup, etc, during the lab session.
Format: Each student will have the opportunity to do four of the seven experiments. You will submit a preference sheet prioritizing the experiments (first choice, second choice, etc), and the experiments will be assigned by the instructor. Please understand that it may not be possible to do your top four choices because of scheduling conflicts, but we will try to do the best we can. We will assign lab partners, which will in general change from experiment to experiment.
Before you will be permitted to do any experiment, you will read the chapter on that technology and hand in the accompanying homework assignments. For example, if you will be doing "Laser Diode Physics" during the next two weeks, you will have to first read and understand that chapter in the notes.
There are four two-week cycles of experiment during the quarter. The first cycle starts the second week of classes (the first week is devoted to preparation and safety). The following schedule shows due dates for various assignments:
WEEK 1: Safety demonstrations in the lab.
WEEK 2: Safety homework, first problem set due.
WEEK 3: First set of library problems due.
WEEK 4: Second problem set and first lab report due.
WEEK 5: Second set of library problems due.
WEEK 6: Third problem set and second lab report due.
WEEK 7: Third set of library problems due.
WEEK 8: Fourth problem set and third lab report due.
WEEK 9: Fourth set of library problems due.
WEEK 10: Fourth lab report due; Final Exam.
Rewrites: You may rewrite any lab report and any library essays one time for a new grade, provided that the rewritten work is handed in within one week of your getting it back.
Policy on Late Assignments: No late work will be accepted without prior arrangement. Late work (with arrangements) will be docked 25% per week.
Missed labs: There cannot be any. We cannot come open the lab at other times in order for you to make up a lab you miss; You must schedule your job interviews and so forth around this lab or make arrangements in advance (way in advance). If you do miss a lab, a note from your doctor (verifiable) is required.
Follow-on independent study projects: There is a possibility of doing an independent study project (including a 682) in optics using the equipment in this lab during the off-quarters, for example for your senior design project requirement. However, I can supervise only a very small number of these, and will choose from among all applicants based on the quality of your written proposal. If you are interested, we discuss this idea further.
Safety: You are expected to know what safety precautions are required for any lasers or other equipment that you are using, and to observe those precautions. Failure to observe safety practices constitutes Lack of Knowing What You're Doing, and we can ding you for it. Your classmates will also yell at you. :-)
Optical Sensing: Students will study various configurations of fiber sensors (amplitude vs. phase, extrinsic vs. intrinsic, reflective). They will learn about transduction mechanisms, including bending losses, photoelastic effect, external/frustrated reflection, controlled refractions, etc. Students will choose a sensing problem to solve (force, displacement, vibration, roommate detector, liquid level, rotation, etc.) and design and build an optical (not necessarily fiber) sensor. Students will:
Laser Diode Physics: Students will study threshold, gain, and Fabry-Perot cavities using semiconductor lasers. They will examine the spectrum of a laser be low and above threshold, calculate and then mea sure longitudinal mode spacing, examine the change in threshold and power-cur rent slope as a function of temperature, and observe mode-hopping. In particular, the students:
Photodetectors and Quantum Optical Effects: In this lab, students will investigate and observe actual quantum mechanical phenomena in photodetectors consisting of different materials and microstructures. The identities of the individual detectors will be unknown to the students. By observing the characterstics of the absorption edge, students will be able to distinguish between quantum and bulk effects. In particular you will investigate the quantum-confined Stark shift and recognize the importance of quantum mechanics in real devices. Students will:
Photovoltaic Devices: Students investigate and measure the photo voltaic properties of both semicrystalline Si and amorphous Si terrestrial solar cells. They will determine the fundamental differences between these two types of semiconductors. Students will construct a paper design of a photovoltaic power system, optimized for an application supplied by the in structor. From this, students will develop an appreciation for performance-cost tradeoffs in engineering design. In particular, students will:
Acousto-Optics: Students perform spatial light modulation using acousto-optic devices. You learn the physics of the acousto-optic effect, and the differences between Raman-Nath diffraction and Bragg diffraction. They will learn about gratings, and the Doppler shift of the light frequency. Specific learning goals are:
Liquid Crystals: Students will study some of the issues in flat panel display technology (contrast, speed, viewing angle, and character configurations such as seven-segment). As an example technology, they will learn the physics of liquid crystals. Students will fabricate three liquid crystal cells: parallel nematic, twisted-nematic, and Smectic-C. These are simple to make using indium-tin-oxide coated glass slides and thin sheets of Mylar (for spacer). These unsealed devices are stable for approximately a day. Students will:
BLA 3/18/96