Optical Measurement and Testing Systems for Undergraduate Optics Curriculum

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Testing optical components and making physical measurements using optical techniques are important topics in an applied-optics program. These subjects are multidisciplinary in nature. In recent years, advancements in electro-optic technology, computers, and electronics have made optical measurement and testing tools more reliable, accurate, and repeatable. Until the present, students had been exposed to outdated testing and measurement tools and analysis. They made qualitative measurement on the images obtained using photographic techniques. Such predictions have limited impact because of the highly speculative nature of the results. Many times this shortcoming added to the frustration of both the teacher and students because the potential use of the measurement and testing technique had been obscured by large error and very little repeatability. Students in the optics course should be provided with the opportunity not only to develop the basic skills but also to acquire expertise using the most modern hardware and analytical tools. In addition, the incorporation of computer data acquisition systems in the experiments leaves more time for the students to concentrate on concept and methodology. For this reason, the measurement and testing capability of the department is being strengthened. To this end, new laboratory experiments are also being introduced. The equipment used in this project is being used to provide automated as well as quantitative analysis for the new laboratories in an optical metrology course (which will find its use in other courses as well), develop new laboratory experiments that play a pivotal role in the many fiber optics industries and communication, upgrade some present laboratories with tools of higher precision and control so that the student gets a better feeling for the data and the calculation, and improve the integration of data acquisition and analysis for some experiments.