OPTI 340
Optical Design

This course will provide students with a fundamental understanding of 3rd order aberrations as applied to lens design.  Emphasis will be on practical understanding of optical design and the use of an optical design computer program (code V-ORA) to correct for 3rd order aberrations.

Offered in the spring semester.

OPTI 566
Optical Detectors & Detector Systems

This course covers optical detectors and electro-optical systems from an engineer’s point of view.  It is an engineering course more than a physics course.  The interaction of light and matter is reviewed but from a more conceptual point of view; it is not fundamental physics or a mathematical analysis of solid-state physics.  Following the coverage of detector arrays, the perspective of the class will broaden to encompass the design of an EO system.

Offered in the spring semester.

Physics 320
Optics

A study of electromagnetic waves in their generation, propagation and superposition that lead to the understanding of ray optics, polarization, interference, diffraction, and coherence, geometrical optics, and to the applications in optical instruments.  The theory of laser gain and amplification will be investigated.  Fiber optics, imaging techniques, dispersion and holography, as well as interferometers will be described.  Fourier transforms are used in some example systems.

Offered in the fall semester.