Module Identifier PH34510  
Module Title OPTRONICS  
Academic Year 2006/2007  
Co-ordinator Professor Andrew Evans  
Semester Intended for use in future years  
Next year offered N/A  
Next semester offered N/A  
Other staff Dr Rudolf Winter  
Pre-Requisite PH23520  
Course delivery Lecture   20 lectures  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Exam3 Hours End of Semester Examination  80%
Semester Assessment Course Work: Tests Coursework Deadlines (by week of Semester): Test (10%) Week 8 (approx) Test (10%) Week 11 (approx)20%

Learning outcomes

After taking this module students should be able to:

Brief description

This module will investigate how photons can replace electrons as the principal information-processing agents. The module will discuss optical sources (including lasers in detail), optical fibres and waveguides, modulation of light (acoustic-optic and electro-optic modulation) and optical signal processing.

Content

LASERS
Absorption, spontaneous emission of radiation and the Einstein relations
Laser radiation theory leading to the necessity for population inversion
Population inversion and three- and four-level systems
Threshold condition for laser cavities and mode structure of laser light
Examples of practical laser systems including solid state lasers, gas lasers, excimer lasers, dye lasers and semiconductor lasers

OPTICAL FIBRES
Snell's law and optical fibres
Dispersion and attenuation in optical fibres
Single mode and graded index fibres
Materials for optical fibres

MODULATION OF LIGHT
Birefringence and the electro-optic modulators
The design of electro-optic modulators
The acousto-optic effect
The design of acousto-optic modulators

Reading Lists

Books
** General Text
J. Wilson and J.F.B. Hawkes (1998) Optoelectronics: an Introduction 3rd. Prentice/Hall 013103961X

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6