ECE 459
Fundamentals of Optics for Electrical Engineers
Course Level
Units
Instructor(s)
Prerequisite(s)
Course Texts
Robert Guenther, Modern Optics, 2nd Ed., John Wiley, 2015.
Schedule
Course Description
Specific Course Information:
2021-2022 Catalog Data: Introduction to diffraction and 2D Fourier optics, geometrical optics, paraxial systems, third-order aberrations, Gaussian beam propagation, optical resonators, polarization, temporal and spatial coherence, optical materials and nonlinear effects, electro-optic modulators. Applications to holography, optical data storage, optical processing, neural nets, associative memory optical interconnects.
Learning Outcomes
Specific Goals for the Course:
Outcomes of Instruction: By the end of this course the student will be able to:
- Provide students with a basic understanding of optical principles that are used in a variety of engineering applications.
- Provide students with a background for taking more advanced courses in optics.
Course Topics
Brief list of topics to be covered:
- Electromagnetic wave propagation
- Polarization
- Fresnel reflection coefficients, Brewster angle, TIR
- Radiometry
- Optical System Analysis/Geometrical Optics
- Diffraction theory (Chapters 3-5 from Goodman’s Book)
- Gaussian beam propagation
- Optical Waveguides
- Coherence Theory and Interference
- Holography
- Examples of Optical Systems
Relationship to Student Outcomes
ECE 459 contributes directly to the following specific electrical and computer engineering student outcomes of the ECE department:
1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.