Physical Photonics II

Catalog description

(Same as Physics U6800) Three-level and four-level solid state lasers: ion-doped laser crystals and glasses. Solid-state laser engineering: end-pumping techniques. Laser characterization: limiting slope efficiency. Femtosecond pulse generation: synchronous pumping, active mode-locking of tunable solid-state lasers. Regenerative amplification of ultrashort pulses. Photons in semiconductors: light-emitting diodes and semiconductor lasers. Semiconductor-laser-pumped solid-state lasers; microchip lasers. Photon detectors; noise in photodectors. Polarization and crystal optics: reflection and refraction; optics of anisotropic media; optical activity and Faraday's effect; optics of liquid crystals; polarization devices. Electro-optics: Pockel's and Kerr effects; electro-optic modulators and switches; spatial modulators; photo-refractive materials. Nonlinear optics: frequency mixing and harmonic generation; optical solutions. Acousto-optics: interactions of light and sound; acousto-optic devices.