ECE 478/578 Lasers and Laser Applications in Engineering Summer 2000
Dr. Amin Dharamsi
Professor, Electrical Engineering
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529-0246
Tel: (757) 683-4467
Fax: (757) 683-3220
E-mail: adharams@odu.edu 
Office: Kaufman Hall 231 N
Student Consultation Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:30 - 4:30 PM
   
 Class Schedule: May 9 (Tuesday) through June 22 (Thursday), 2000
Class Times: Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:45-7:55 PM
Final Exam: June 22, 4:45-7:55 PM  (45%)
In Class Test: May 25 ( 25%)
Design Paper: Due June 15 ( 20% )
Detailed Outline  (2 pages) Due at beginning of class on June 8 (5%)
Homework Detailed Solutions: Due June 22 (5%)

                                        COURSE SYLLABUS

 Catalog Description:  ECE 476/576. Lasers and Laser Applications in Engineering. Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.
Pre-requisites:  ECE 313, ECE 382 Applications of lasers in various areas of engineering will be addressed. Relevant aspects of laser engineering and design will be covered. Topics include interaction of light with matter; non-intrusive optical diagnostic techniques; applications of lasers in engineering, technology, science and medicine.

Reader: Class notes.     Reference Textbook:  Joseph Verdeyen, Laser Electronics.

Goals:   This senior elective is designed to give students in Electrical Engineering as well as Computer    Engineering a working knowledge of laser applications.
Prerequisites by Topic: Basic aspects of electrical properties of matter

Topics:
1.   Interaction of light with matter. Molecular Energy Levels; Absorption, stimulated and spontaneous emission, scattering

2.   Basic Principles of Lasers. Optical cavities: gain and losses in optical cavities, optical oscillations Laser Engineering: Optimal output coupling, Optical pulse tailoring Q-switching, mode locking, picosecond to femtosecond pulse compression

3.   Some Specific Laser Systems. Solid state (Ti: Sapphire); Gaseous (CO2, Excimer); Free Electron Lasers

4.   Laser Selection Criteria for Specific Applications. Pulsed vs. continuous; energy and power; Wavelength considerations (Ultraviolet, Visible, infrared; issues of VUV and Soft X-ray regions; Harmonic generation) Pulse width and transient detection; Line shape profile, gain profile and tunability.

5.   Applications of Lasers.
 Industrial:    Cutting, welding, drilling, ranging, barcode scanners, CD players
 Medical:     Examples: Laser scalpels, photo-dynamic therapy, cataract correction
 Scientific:    Absorption spectroscopy; Emission Techniques (Laser Induced Fluorescence) Scattering Techniques; Raman and Coherent Raman (CARS) Pump and Probe Techniques; diagnostics of excited states Signal to Noise Ratio Considerations

6.     Laser Based Sensing:
    6(a) Advantages- non-intrusive, remote operation, operation in hostile environments Species identification and measurement; sensitivity issues Pollution monitoring Velocity and Temperature measurements, mass flow rates; Combustion Diagnostics
    6(b) Optoacoustic diagnostics Subsurface fault location, film thickness measurements, disbond locations
    6(c) Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR). NASA Mission to Planet Earth

7. Major National and International Initiatives. The National Ignition Facility; Petawatt laser system; Inertial Confinement Fusion; Nuclear Stockpile Stewardship.

 Design Content: Students will be exposed to engineering design aspects of lasers such as optimal mirror reflectivity and gain for maximum output power, optical pulse shaping by Q-switching and mode Locking; design of tunable laser cavities. In addition, these design aspects will be tied to the needs of the various applications treated. Hence, for example, optical pulse compression will be related to applications which require fast diagnostics of transient species and excited states; the design of tunable lasers will be connected to applications such as LIDAR, and species identification and monitoring in industrial processes.
ABET Category content: Engineering Science ----2 credits or 66.7% Engineering Design ----- 1 credit or 33.3%