Units
Lasers and Photonics
Unit code: PQB661
Contact hours: 4 per week
Credit points: 12
Information about fees and unit costs
Laser and photonic technologies are rapidly maturing areas responsible for creating new industries and employment opportunities for scientists and engineers in the areas of information technology, manufacturing, sensing and health. In particular, the vast global optical communications industry has dramatically increased information transport rates through the development of new laser sources and photonic devices. At the heart of all advances in photonics is a greater understanding of light-matter interactions and the processes used to fabricate devices. This unit is offered to science and engineering students who seek to understand the physical principles underpinning lasers and photonic devices and their use in a range of optical technologies.
Availability
| Semester | Available |
|---|---|
| 2013 Semester 2 | Yes |
Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013
Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.
Rationale
Laser and photonic technologies are rapidly maturing areas responsible for creating new industries and employment opportunities for scientists and engineers in the areas of information technology, manufacturing, sensing and health. In particular, the vast global optical communications industry has dramatically increased information transport rates through the development of new laser sources and photonic devices. At the heart of all advances in photonics is a greater understanding of light-matter interactions and the processes used to fabricate devices.
This unit is offered to science and engineering students who seek to understand the physical principles underpinning lasers and photonic devices and their use in a range of optical technologies.
Aims
The aim of this unit is to provide you with a basic understanding of lasers and photonic devices and how they combine to enable technologies such as optical communication, high accuracy optical metrology and all optical circuitry.
Objectives
1. Understand the basic working principles of a laser.
2. Understand what differentiates radiation from a laser from other light sources.
3. Apply mathematical approaches in optics to evaluate emission and propagation parameters in laser applications.
4. Understand how light is used to transport information.
5. Apply mathematical approaches in optics to evaluate problems in optical communications.
Content
Laser Physics:
- Spontaneous emission and stimulated emission of light, Einstein coefficients.
- Absorption of light by atoms, transition rates and gain.
- Concept of population inversion, the three-level and four-level systems.
- Rate equations and laser amplification.
- Optical resonators, mode structure of closed and open resonators.
- Longitudinal and transverse modes.
- Q-factor and line width. Mechanisms of broadening.
- Mode selection, multi-mode oscillation, mode locking.
- Continuous wave, Q switched pulsed and mode-locked lasers.
- Gas discharge, solid state and semiconductor lasers
- Extending wavelength coverage: frequency doubling, and sum difference frequency mixing.
- Laser safety and hazards.
Photonics:
- Information transport with Amplitude Modulated (AM) and Frequency Modulated (FM) light.
- The spectrum and Fourier analysis.
- Guided optical beams: waveguides and optical fibres.
- Characteristics of long haul fibre-optic links.
- Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM).
- Diffraction grating beam combiners and separators: light interference and diffraction.
- Diode laser light sources: Distributed Feedback (DFB) lasers, Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSEL) and Quantum Cascade (QC) lasers.
- Light sensitive materials: all optical circuits, beam amplifiers, beam switches and optical logic gates.
- Integrated optical components: semiconductor beam couplers, mirrors and gratings.
Approaches to Teaching and Learning
In this unit you will attend 52 hours of lectures to explain and demonstrate the content as described above. This integrated lecture program will be reinforced by a specially designed practical exercise that highlights the key concepts of optical communication systems and the role of lasers. Your participation in the exercise will complement the theoretical framework established in the lectures, as well as demonstrate the practical problems and limitations that photonics specialists currently face. You will be required to undertake private study to supplement and support the lecture program.
Assessment
This unit will be assessed through regular exercises, submitted assignments, a mid-semester examination and an end of semester final examination.All assessed exercises and assignments will be returned to students as soon as is practically possible and solutions to the exercises will be provided.
Assessment name:
Problem Solving Task
Description:
Regular exercises that require the application of the theory covered in the lectures to problems typical to the discipline (Formative).
Relates to objectives:
1 - 5
Weight:
20%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Fortnightly
Assessment name:
Report
Description:
Two journal style papers covering a specific topic in laser technology (Formative and summative).
Relates to objectives:
1, 2, 3
Weight:
20%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Weeks 8 & 13
Assessment name:
Examination (Theory)
Description:
Mid-semester examination (Formative and summative).
Relates to objectives:
1, 2, 3
Weight:
40%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Week 8
Assessment name:
Examination (Theory)
Description:
End-semester examination (Summative).
Relates to objectives:
1 - 5.
Weight:
20%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
End of Semester
Academic Honesty
QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.
A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.
Resource materials
1. Yariv A (1995) Quantum Electronics, 3rd Edition, Wiley
2. Verdeyen JT (1989) Laser Electronics, 3rd Edition, Prentice Hall
3. Svelto O (1989) Principles of Lasers, Plenum
4. Wilson J, Hawkes J (1999) Optoelectronics: An introduction, 3rd Edition, Prentice Hall
Risk assessment statement
Students in this unit will undertake lectures in classrooms and lecture theatres. There are no extraordinary workplace health and safety issues associated with these components of the unit.
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.
Last modified: 02-May-2012
